The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-07-04

Ocnero1 F1ft0fS0n'S Adv ANce Move ont nts
Across the Upper Pouoraao-A Good he
ginning.
The question, when Goes General Pate re- &c
intend to move across the Pctcmaci Is ana ~er-
ed in the cheering news from his army coros
which We publish This uerniDg. He has CROSSED
the river at Wnliamspost, sorae twenty mtes
above Harper's Ferry, and, having routed the
rebel army column OF jackson, in Virginia
near Martinsburg, occupies his camp. In this
movement there WAS collision between the %
posing forces which can hardly be called u
battle, judging from the reported casualties Gu
the Union side; but the asir, in Its results, is
very significant and encouraging Union victory
According to our telegrsphio report of Gene
raj Pattersons frat brief despatch to the War
Department, Jackson's force was ten thoussno
strong. We have no doubt that this imeosin.
array was the result of Eistske some $ here
in supposing wba. wac written by General Pat
terson for two to be ten. TEc THOUSAND Wa
the reported force Of Jaokacn; aud, thee steneo
by vastly superior force with destruction or
capture, it is not surprising that Jackson re-
treated without making any serious resistance
His detachment was o mere cuteo-
from the column Of General Johnston, TO-,
main body of which late st Hacper's Ferry
is doubtless now in the nsightor Of W.u'
chester, some thirty miles Up the great Vale
OF Virginia from Msrtinsturs. jackson ha.
retTeated In this direction to join Gecers
Johnston, and when united tseir forces wtt
probably present @ boty Of scene fifteen tho,.-
sand men, well posted and strengthened b,
earthwolks.
We presume that General Patterson, withon
unnecessary delay, will follow up his itne o
march towards Winchester witt his 1hon
force OF eighteen or twenty thousard men
And thus the question recure: Will johnston
wait to give him ba'tle9 Judging frog I'll
retreating policy Of Johnston thus tac, lie Till
when seriously uerscei b. {. Superior fore.
and better armed a,6 equtpped trau bis o~o
still fail back, and finally, by way OF tie Ma
masses Gap Railroad join tho cc!uCn Of Besurr-
gard. But it is sufficient for TIE present tia,
our Union troops have msee aaotsee i'm cortar
advance movement 80 ainst an opposing rete,
force, and have routed it, with not much to de-
plore in tae wsy Of bloodshedGing en- either
side.
We may safely conjecture, too, that tdis
advance movement CT General PaHe-soo IT.
but the prelude tc eonsthtug On grarder
scale, some general combustion agsiCst to
rebels which may, perhaps, result Ia driving
them back to Richmond, ard, perhaps, out o,
the State Of Virginia, wsthcpt any very grea.
destruction Of human life. Oc tie cthe- hard,
we may venture to suggest that had Genera,
Scott followed the Instructions OF such teacher
of the art Of war as Robespisrre Greeley, by
dashiDg hea6long against the ensCy wherever
posted, we nigh. have had dozen CT niece OF
such affairs as those Of Big Bethel anG Vtenrs
before this blessed Cay, and en- much large,
scale, and with no better results AS it il
however, General Scott ID gradually closing
his lines around the e1eny, aud VIXEN, -ndes
his plan Of operations, ou- t-oors II any force,
move forward to any poiLt, thsy stick there
until they make another advance.
General Patte,son's ooerra alton Of the righ,
bank Of the upper Potomac we accept IS the
beginning Of active and successful Unicn aruy
operations on grand ecsle, and his late
achievement, to all good Unicn men, will b.
hailed as just in season for tee gIo.ious Eou-H
Of July.