Year: 1862

General Burnside with all the responsible
ties Of his important promotion, may be con-
graduated upon the great advantages attending
it. He is placed at the head Of an army which,
under the military genius of Mcclellan, has be-
come model in its organization, discipline,
equipments and efficiency. The positions also
to which this army has been advanced in pur-
suit Of the enemy are eininently favorable for
brilliant campaign. In numbers, too, as in
every other element of strength, this splendid
army, under an able leader, is equal to all
emergencies. A correspondent in the field says
that it is difficult to form an idea Of the i'm
mense proportions of this advancing host; that
zone sees corps on corps pass on like mere re-
giments, while whole acres of ground, trampled
with many feet show by day where legions
have reposed the previous night" To crown
all, the most cheering spirit Of courage, conf
dence and readiness to grapple with the enemy
prevails in every corps. division, brigade regi-
ment and company.


Under all these favoring circumstances. and
almost within days march of the main body
of the rebel army, we cannot imagine that
decisive battle will be long delayed by General
Burnside. 1t is understood that the special OBJ
ject of his appointment is an immediate advance
upon the enemy-that it is the purpose of the
administration as it is the wish of the country,
to administer crushing blow or two upon the
head and front of the rebellion before winter
has established its blockade over the "sacred
soil" of Virginia. In every point Of view it is
Of the highest moment that General Burnside
shall establish his headquarters for the winter,
not on the line of the Potomac, but on the
James river, if anywhere, and in the rebel capi-
tai; for the reduction Of that city, which may
be now accomplished in an open field fight, may
next spring require long and wasting siege
Considering, too, the enormous daily expendi-
lures involved in the subsistence Of the Army
of the Potomac, the idea that it is to set itself
down for the winter in front Of the enemy, this
side of Richmond, and without decisive battle,
is of all present conjectures the most unwel-
come to the public mind. The country, accept
ing the promises of the government expects a
prompt advance upon the enemy.


Nor is there any lack Of public conHdense in
General Burnside. His admirably managed
and eminently successful campaign in North
Carolina furnishes many evidences Of his good
qualities as . military leader Mcclellan is
well pleased with him, and says:-"Burnside is
q splendid fellow" and twill do better than
nine out of ton men may suppose;" that che
has sound sense and integrity of purpose and
that "where these qualities are combined sue
cess is certain" He has, too the confidence Of
the President and of the army in high degree.
Ind -, ntoti ia
his soldiers, and in his constant solicitude for
their welfare, Burnside enjoys much Of the per-
sonai popularity of Mcclellan. We are en-
tirely satisfied, to the extent of our knowledge
Of the respective merits Of the numerous gal
liant officers Of the Army of the Potomac, that
General Burnside is the best selection that
could have been made from them to fll the
place Of General Mcclellan.


With great confidence, therefore, In the CO.
pacities, win and purpose Of General Burnside
to move forward his splendid and powerful
army to great and glorious victory, we await
in patience the issues of this years Virginia
campaign We anticipate decisive trial OF the
enemy's strength before the lapse of many days.
The main body Of the rebel army is reported TO
be in the neighborhood of Culpepper Court
House, which is only some twenty miles or SO
south of Warrenton, where General Mcclellan
had established his headquarters when relieved
of his command. The Rappahannock flows be-
tween the contending armies and perhaps upon
the banks of this now famous stream General
Lee may be reduced to the same tactics TO CO.
yer his retreat as those TO which, with his over
whelming forces he subjected General Pope in
August last.


Stonewall Jackson, meantime, with consids-
rable Independent command, remains in the
Shenandoah valley, in order to divert three or
four times his force from the Union army to watch
his movements and to protect the Upper Poto-
mac and the rear Of Washington. We presume,
however, that tho late SHOWS and rains have put
the Upper Potomac in condition to protect
itself, or to render Harpers Ferry unapproach-
able by Jackson or by the whole army Of Lee.
Hence we conclude that jackson will next be
heard Of, not on the Potomac, but somewhere
upon the flank or rear Of Burnside, among his
ammunition and provision trains, or that he
will "catch Tartar" In some desperate adven-
ture of this character. General Pleasanton,
with his active and efficient cavalry force, has
at length supplied great necessity and an in
valuable protection against these rebel forays.


We still count upon the military advantages
of several weeks of fine autumnal weather in
Virginia The late SHOWS and rains may have
temporarily arrested forward movement, but
probably only for few days. We will ven-
ture, at all events, to hold out the promise to
our readers Of great battle and glorious
victory, or of an inglorious fight on the part Of
the enemy, before the close Of the first week
after the meeting of Congress. Should the
akipa briOhten nm and continua favorahlo fha