Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-05-12
A REBEL VIEW.
What Is to be the Fate of Richmond
and Lees Army.

The following Richmond correspondence
of the Mobile Register, possesses considera-
BILE interest in view of what has recently
transpired and is still transpiring in East
ern Virginia. 1t loses none of its interest
from having been written month ago:
RICHMOND, April IAN impression pre-
walls III town, that the women and children
are to be ordered into the country. In an
other form, the rumor is, that General Bragg
has said that in case Lees army has to fall back
he ,riU deplete the city Of its surplus population
and prepare for Siege-a very unnecessary
thing for General Bragg to say, since it fol-
lows as a matter of course that a siege would,
ofitself, drive away all who were not obliged
to remain. Hence do not believe General
Bragg made any such remark. a more trust-
,cortiy rumor is that charlottesville 1iU be
Abandoned II Lee is compelled TO retire.
Active operations on the line of the Rap
idan will hardly begin before the first of
May, even if the roads permit; tor Grant
will not be able, with all his energy and
diligence, to get his men together and well
in hand before that time. Lee is quietly
watching his game. What that game is
will be disclosed the moment Burnside's
Annapolis expedition lands. The Freder-
icksburg correspondent of The Examiner
thinks Burnside will disembark at Urbana,
near the mouth of the Rappahannock river,
and march thence upon Richmond, effect
ing junction on the line of the Chicka-
hominy, with a force coming up from Will
lamsburg and Fortress Monroe. But Ur-
bana would be an ill-chosen point; for he
would have two rivers to cross before he
comes within striking distance of Rich
mond. Port Royal, twenty miles below
Fredericksburg, would serve his purpose
much better for there he would be imme-
diately upon Lees flank and rear, and force
him either to retire from the strongly forth
fed line of the Rapidan or divide his army.
What piece have we to play against Burn
side? There is Pickett, commanding at
Petersburg, and the General whoever he
may be, commanding the forces between
Weldon and Wilmington; but the two
united are not strong enough to be regarded
as anything more than pawns. Longstreet,
think is the knight on which Lee relies
to check Burnside's movement on his flank.
In my opinion, Longstreet is not going into
Kentucky, but is held in readiness to ap-
pear in the Valley, just as Jackson did when
Mcclellan was before Richmond and Nc
Dowell lay at Fredericksburg ready to join
| him. But Longstreet will not attempt to
repeat Jackson's Valley campaign. His
aim will be rathor to take position on
! Grants flank and rear, analogous to Burr
| sides position at Port Royal. The question
then will be, who will fight or fall back
first, and Grant will attempt to force solu-
| tion by sending Wister (Butlers man Fri
day. up the Peninsula-hoping thus to give
Lee an additional reason for dividing or re-
treating.
| But Lee will do neither the one nor the
other. Instead Of dividing he ,otU concentrate.
He will not even spare Pickett and Cling
man to attend to Wistar, advancing up the
Peninsula. The Notifications around Rich
mond being completed and connected by
telegraph, he will intrust the defense of the
capital to General Bragg, at the head of the
local forces and reserves, while Pickett and
others will confront Burnside at Port Royal
and elsewhere; for, discovering the natural
strength of the country around Port Royal,
Burnside may move up the north bank OF
the Rappahannock and unite with Grants
left wing. extended toward Stafford Court
House. Reinforced by Burnside and all the
troops which can possibly be spared from
the defenses at Washington, will Grant, fail
ing in his effort to Vancouver Lee out Of
Virginia, and even out of Orange county
essay to carry by storm the fortified line Of
the Rapidan, as he did the much stronger
positions of Lookout Mountain and Mission
| Ridge-will he, think you, attempt this bold
task while Longstreet hangs on his right
flank and rear ? He may, for his luck has
given him confidence, and time presses
Some ''big thing" must be done before the
9TH of June, the time fixed for the meeting
i of the Republican Convention at Baltimore
Moreover, Grant knows the value of bold
ness, and counts upon the unfamiliarity o
+ Lees army with the purely defensive atti
tude which it has assumed. as an entir'
army, on but two occasions-at Fredericks
burg and on the third day of the secont
battle Of Manassas. At Sharpsburg 1t wa