Year: 1862

Plan Of the Virginia Campaign.


A correspondent of the New Y York Tin,e.
With the army Of the Potomac, gives these
rs to the probable plan of the
in Virginia:


am not yet abe to give you any definite
forecasting of what the plan of operations
will be; but I can safely say that for .
week, at least, no positive advance move
ments will be made, as it will require that
period to mass the whole army here on the
south side of the Potomac. The reconnois-
sances that will doubtless be made in the
interim will probably 60 far to determine
what strategic movements will be made
Much, of course, depends on
the present position of the enemy-and of
that We really know very little. The
reports you read as to his presence at or
retreat from Winchester or elsewhere, are
but scattering and unsure surmises. that
merit little confidence. If the rebels have
really retreated from Winchester down to
Gordonsville or the line of the Rapahan-
mock, can say that the plan Of operations
will not be what it was when the advance
vas initiated, on the hypothesis that they
we're still IN the Shenandoah Valley.


If they have retreated to Gordonsville,
it remains for the army of the Potomac, in
conjunction with the forces under other
commanders operating below, either to ad-
vance in direct attack Oh the rebels in
their stronghold, or, as l intimated in my
last, to threaten Richmond and call down
the Confederate army to the defence OF
their Capital, by new movement on our
part by way of the Peninsula. Opinion
among the military men here is divided
between these two opposite modes of opera
ton. There are those who favor the first
who poiut to the fact that four railroads
and canal, traversing our lines laterally,
are within our command to transport sup
plies and form depots along our route-and
who consider direct and rapid march on
the rebels at Gordonsvile or Richmond
entirely practicable. Others, and those too
of the immediate surrounding of the Com
manding General, regard such an expedition
as full Of peril, and aver that the approach
by the south side Of the James is the true
and only route TO Richmond. confidently
believe that if the matter was left to bis
own judgement, he would ship the whole
army again to the Peninsula. But 1t is
felt that the country would not stand such
move, and besides, you will remember
the campaign is directed, { have occasion
to see how minute and absolute that diec-
tion is not from headquarters here, but
from Washington, and Washington also
says nay.
l fear me these antagonistic councils and
views will bring us all the weakness which
an.sgonism always produces. Many have
no faith in the campaign which they assume
we arc entering upon and those who are
really courageous, and intelligently sc, arc
in the minority. Many, also, even of the
bravest and hopefalest, see, with pain ane
fear, the enormous disadvantage at whlcl
the on.coming bad season will oblige us t.
fight. On the 18th of September, the
battle of Antietam was fought; it is nov
the 2Sth of October, and nothing done


fer the army is wanting, wanting, and
would continue so till the millennium, If VI
we're to spend the whole interval in prepar
alton. One week after the battle of An
tie.am we could better have marched t


Richmond barefoot than We can now dt


with all our clothing and supplies