The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-09-20
New York, Friday, September go, 1861.
THE SITUATION.

THE SITUATION.
The news from Lexington, Missouri, is of a very
important character. General Price was before
the city with his large body of rebel forces and
on Monday afternoon called on Acting General Null
lgan to surrender. This latter officer returned a
very short, but emphatic negative answer; conse-
quently the rebels opened fire, and the battle COM
menced in earnest, to which the Union troops re-
piled vigorously. When the couriers left on Tues
day morning the fight was still continuing, al
though the rebels fire was much more feeble than
on the previous day. Renforcements for the be.
leaguered troops were ON the way from all parts
and it is confidently expected that Mulligan viii
be able to hold out until they reach him. General
Lane with the Kansas forces is after Rains and
will thus be able to create diversion if thew
should arrive in time.
JEFF. Thompson, with over two thousand rebels
had moved to New Madrid, Mo.
The intelligence from Kentucky is dailv GROWING
of greater Importance. The forming of a new
department, consisting of Ohio, Indiana and that
part of Kentucky within radius of fifteen miles
OF Cincinnati, and placing it under the charge of
General Mitchell, relieves both General Rosecrans
and General Anderson (of Sumter fancy Of an i'm.
mense amount of responsibility, and will enable
them to give greater attention tn thAir OWL, special
departments. The department under General
Anderson seems to require similar military dsci.
pine as did that of Annapolis and Maryland, and as
q commencement the reasonable telegraphic news
reporter of the Southern Associated Press, who
has been the medium for the transmits.
sion Of correspondence from traitors at
the North to rebels in the S,uth.
has, with Ex-Governor Morehead and Reuben T.
Murrett, one of the propr.etors of the Couriey-a
rebel Sheet the Office of which has been forciblv
taken possession of, and the paper stopped-been
arrested. This man, named Martin w. Barr was
the cause Of many false rel orts relative to the
battles, &C., appearing in the Southern news.
counts when in favor Of the Union, reversed the
statement and published it, thus helping to keen
up the rebel enthusiasm, which would otherwise
have died out from want of fire. It is reported
that nineteen thousand rebel troops have taken
possession of Mayield, KY, and are terrifying it.
A slight skirmish is reported to have taken place
troops
The news from Washington is also of an in
teresting if not important character. From
statement of deserter from the rebel camn # ia
understood that General JEFF. Davis was at Mum
sons Hill on Wednesday, together with Generals
Beauregard and Johnston, making Reconnaissance.
JEFF. Davis was busily engaged inspecting our
works by the aid Of glass. Only one thousand
rebels are reported as being at that place, the
balance Of the force being located at Fairfax
Court House and Centreville. They are said to
be now only one hundred thousand strong, and
that fifteen thousand had short time since been
sent to North Carolina for that States
protection. The deserter is of opinion
that the rebels did not contemplate an
attack upon the Union forces, but daily were
awaiting one from them. They had formerly in.
tended to have crossed into Maryland, but he was
of opinion they would not now do SO. General
Mcclellan, while reviewing the command of Gen.
Franklin, discovered accommodating party of
rebels approaching, and at once saluted them with
shell, sighting the guns himself. As the shells ex
ploded in their midst they speedily withdrew.
General Mcclellan next sent few winged messen-
gers among the rebels who were engaged erecting
a battery on Msson's Hill, near Munson,s Hill
The missiles having taken effect, the workmen sus.
pended operations pro tem Everything was quiet
along the lines at midnight.
Some very important changes have been made
in both the naval and military departments of the
government forces.
A scouting party from Gen. Banks army crossed
the Potomac at Seneca Creek, and discovered a
body Of rebel troops-three regiments of infantry
drilling on the Leesburg Fair Ground. The scouts
Eere informed that other large bodies of rebels
we're in the neighborhood. Gen. Johnston's rebel
1rmy Is said to be fully as large as previous re-.
ports have made it. A movement of his force
across the river into Maryland is expected as a
military necessity.