Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-07-11
REBEL. view OF THE RAID.
Plan on the Inyasion-The Rebel Army
IN Marylald TO be Reinforced from
Ltess Main Body.

t BALTIMORE, July O.
REAL CHARACTER OF THE REBEL MOVEMENT
TOWARD BALTIMORE.
present below all the facts have been
able to ascertain, up to this time in relation
to the daring movement now being made by
the rebels in this direction. They all 60 to
show that it is not mere Objectless raid, or
a trifling and spasmodic movement which
will quickly subside; but that it is, on the
other hand, part of deliberate and we'll
considered plan, on the part of Gen. Lee,
for the defense of Richmond and the defeat
of Gen. Grant-a plan which was formed
as soon as the designs of the latter had be-
come apparent, namely, early in May, and
to which have since alluded more than
once. That plan was, in brief, as follows:
10 take up such positions, and to maneuver
his army in such a manner, upon the over
land route, as to intlict as heavy loss as
possible upon the Union army, before the
latter reached the vicinity OF. Richmond;
to make such dispositions of his forces, on
the north and east of Richmond, rs would
prevent Gen. Grant from crossing the Chick
ahominy at any point above Bottoms
bridge, or from attacking the city from the
east; but to throw no obstacles in his march
from the lower Chickahominy to the James
river. The object of the plan thus far was
|
| tack on Richmond from the south side OF
| the james river, where he would unavoid-
ably be compelled to resort to the tedious
operations of siege.
CONFEDERATE VIEW OF GRANTS PRESENT Po-
| SITIoN. rs i
The rebels claim that their plau thus far
has succeeded even better than they expect
| ed or hoped. The immense force with
which General Grant began the campaign,
and the fact that they were obliged to OPP
crate against three different armies at once,
rendered the task of the Confederate Cen
| eral one of the utmost difficulty; and it is
due to General Lee to say, that the comDi-
nations by which General Lee defeated and
rendered abortive both of General Grants
combined movements upon Richmond, and
reduced the latter to the alternative OF
marching upon that city in single line,
are achievements which have had no paral-
lei since the days of Napoleon. Inc Con
federates know exactly the strength of the
Union army now operating against Peters
burg; but The view they take of the fact is
this: They say that General Grants losses
| in the overland campaign were so great
| 100000 is their figure) that it was absolute
| ly necessary for him to be reinforced to that
| extent, or else to abandon the campaign at
once; that he has therefore been reinforced
to that extent; but that these reinforce
ments have drained the North of all the
troops that were organized, that they are
raw and undisciplined, and cannot be re-
| lied on like the veteran troops that fell at
| the Wilderness, at Spottsylvania, on the Po,
| on the North Anna, at Coal Harbor, and in
the three days fight before Petersburg;
| and, finally, that the great loss which Gen.
Grants army has suffered in officers killed
and disabled will very much impair the eff
| ficiency of the army in future engagements.
| 1t is not for me to say whether or not there
is any force in this view of the case 1t is
the view which the rebel leaders entertain.
They say further that the fact that General
Grant decided OH operating against Peters
burg first has given General Lee abundant
| time to prepare for the remainder OF his
plan. .S 's."
PLAN OF THE PRESENT NORTHERN MOVEMENT.
| That plan is simply this, to move to Har-
per's Ferry, with the main body of his
army, through the Shenandoah Valley,
while General Beauregard defends Rich
mond with his corps of thirty thousand
troops and the local militia. Petersburg is
nothing, and of no account. 1t is mere
outwork. The longer General Grant re-
mains operating before it, the better for the
rebels. But General Beauregard will evac-
uate the place, and retire with his corps to
| the southern defenses of Richmond, when
| ever General Lee follows, with the remainder
| of his army, that portion which has already
moved up the Shenandoah Valley. That
portion is the whole of General Ewelfs
corps. twenty-seven thousand strong;
| the cavalry under Major General Ransom,
which, including Imboden and Moseby,.
exceeds fifteen thousand men; and General
Breckinridge's division, twelve thousand
| 81, hi fnr0 nj -fn n
thousand men. 1t has not all reached the
Potomac yet. Imboden's and Moseby's cav
airy are in the advance, with one or two
squadrons under Ransom's lieutenants; one
division of Ewells corps is in possession of
Harper's Ferry, and is operating against
the Maryland heights; another is lower
down the Potomac, with Moseby's cav
airy, opposite Point of Rocks, and seems
to be threatening Frederick, from which it
is only twelve miles distant; another is
higher up the Potomac, opposite. Williams
port, and seems to be threatening Hagers-
town. Breckinridge's division was at
| Winchester few days ago, but it is now
believed to be moving towards Cumber-
| land, in order to intercept General Hunter,
| in case the latter should endeavor to move
eastward, to support Sigel. The greater
part of the cavalry under General Ransom
| is understood to be posted so as to give no
| tice of Hunters approach, and are also en-
| gagged in keeping open the communication
between Ewelps corps and that part Of Lees
army that is moving up the valley to sup
port them. f...t.s .or.'.t ...4ss.,, ,..,..' 'I
| THE REBELS NOW ON THE POTOMAC TO BE
| REINFORCED. , azo,
This last part of the rebel plan, it was un-
derstood, was to be undertaken as soon as
General Grants army was fairly involved
in the work of the siege of Richmond; and
as General Grant has chosen to commence
the siege of Richmond at a point as remote
as Petersburg, and as Petersburg is regard
| ed by the rebels as a mere outwork of Rich
\ mond, the siege of the latter city may be
/ regarded as begun now. Unless, then,
| General Lee has changed or greatly modi-
| fled his plan, the rebel forces now on the
| Potomac will very soon be Joined by the
other two corps Of the rebel army in Vir-
ginia. .iI 9i''
| THE OBJECT OF THE MOVEMENT TO ISOLATE
! WASHINGTON FROM THE NORTH.
The object Of the plan can be seen at once.
It is to save Richmond. 1t is to compel
General Grant to abandon the siege of their
capital. They believe that Washington is
now comparatively defenseless, and that
the most effectual way to defend their cap
4 ital is to threaten ours. If the movement
4 Is carried out, therefore, according to the
original plan, it will be upon Frederick
i first, and then upon Baltimore, In order to