The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-02-24
spondence Of the N. Y. World.

WAsHINGTos, February 13-p. NJ.
Recent intelligence from rebeldom con-
firms the report which I sent you last week.
that Richmond would be evacuated under
certain contingencies, and that the new
military policy of the. rebels was to give
up all the seaboard cities almost without
struggle. But there are other features of
this policy of which have just heard, and
which l transmit to you at once. It is
stated that Gen. Lee accepted the position
of General-in:C Chief on the written pledge
that the military. policy. he might advocate
should be carried out without let or him
drance and this, it is well known, in-l
cludes the plan of evacuating all the posts
on or near the Atlantic coast, and concen-
trating the troops Of the Confederacy at
one or more points farther inland. But
this is but a part of what is to be done.
The rebel armies in the Southwest are to
be ordered TO the East, leaving behind q
small force to act as corps Of observa-
ton. This, of course, viii remove Dick
Taylors army from Thomas's front, and to
a certain extent surrenders to our forces
the rich territory in the Southwest. Mean;
while the Southern forces will be concen-
trated into two large armies, viz. one in
Eastern Virginia, under the direct con1-
mand of Lee, and the other in South Car
olina, under the command of Beauregard.
This movement is understood to have been.
so nearly consummated that each army is
ready for the duty assigned it. 12.
Gen. Beauregards instructions, Accord
ing to this report, are to fall back before
Gen. Sherman, making show of fighting
only to draw the Union troops inland
when our forces have advanced far enough
from their base, and their lines of commu-
nications with cooperating armies are 80
far extended as to be readily severed,
desperate attack will be made upon them.
This attack, the rebels believe, will be sue
cessful, and they found this confidence
upon the strength Of Beauregards b army
and the inability of Gen. Sherman to fall
back or obtain reinforcements. Just where
this battle will be fought circumstances will
determine, but probably not far from the
line which divides the Oarolinas. That is
will be the most hotly contested, if not the
decisive battle of the war, is openly con-
oeded. - ..
In word, then, the rebels, by narrow
ing the field OF contest, are preparing for
most bitter contest The West, being
practically given up, the theatre of war
will be on the Atlantic slope. Gen. SAer-
man will, probably, meet with no serious
oposition until he has advanced far into
South Carolina, where Beauregard will
make one final desperate effort to over
whelm him; and should he fail in this, the
rebel forces will withdraw from the coast
to some point inland, where, away from
railroad lines, and aided by the natural g
peculiarities of the country, they will at
tempt to do nothing more than prolong the
war by fighting when victory seems sure,
and avoiding battles when their issue is
doubtful , ga q
There may, and doubtless will be, inn
portant raids by our troops in the West
and Southwest, but the rebels will offer
little opposition to them and, as far as
shall be practical, will force battle on
ground of their own selection, and that
east of the Alleghanies.
Such are main features of what is un.
derstood to be the new military policy of
the South. That events may compel a
change in it, is not impossible; but that
no effort will be spared to carry it out, is
stoutly affirmed by the reports at hand.
At any rate, few days will doubtless set
tie the question. SPECTATOR.