The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1861-10-17
From the ciocinnai Gazette !
GERHARD Co., KY, Oct. iO.I +

CAMP DICK hoBIEs0N, -
GERRARD Co., KY. Oct. i0J 4
The probabilities ofauy speedy coils
ion with the enemy. on this column. may
be estimated when tell you that we are
here. sxacly one hundred miles from
their supposed position. Hostile ar.
mics sometimes lie opposite each other
for mouths within gunshot, without fight
ing. 1t would be an interesting arith
WeIical problem to inquire: "Given ads
tance Of one hundred miles between the
armies: how long will it thea take them
TO 6ght?" ,s,,y
II is constantly repeated. for the last
few days. in Keutuckypapers, as well as
in those across the border, that Zollicof.
fer has retrea,ed beyond the Kentucky
line, Now this may be true. but NO one
kno,0s that it is; and while every indica.
ton leads to the belief that he is still for.
tfying and receiving re.en forcoments at
Cumberland Ford. fifteen miles within
the limits Of Kentucky and on a good
turnpike, on which a few days unob.
structsd marching would bring him to
Lexington A detachment Of cavalry is
now securing that tegion. and on it's re.
turn We will probably have definite infor
nation. as to the movements OF the enemy.
Meantime it is known that he cotnmenc
ed fortiiyihg at Cumberland Ford, and il
.is not known--there are no good reasons
for even suspecting - tnat he has deserted
that position and vetired, as stated, to
the Tennessee side of the Gap. u
Zoilicoffrr's force has Of course been
ridiculously exaggerated from the begin.
ming, and it seems probable that the whole
invasion of Kentucky has been subjected
the same process. Not, by any means
that most wsnton and destructive iuva.
sion was not made by both ZollicoHel
and the doubls-dyed traitor Buckner. but
ihat their strength was subject to the
invariable exaggeI alton that marks popu.
lar estimates of large bodies of men.
have said before that Zolicoffer at no
time numbered over seven thousand, du.
ring his advance on Barboursville, and
| up TO London. and that the number was
nearer FIVE thousand than scven. A dis
tinguished Kertuckian. whose means for
accurate information are OF the best, Of
fercd, last night, "o bet thousand dol.
lars to quarter that he never reached
Barboursville with five thousand" A
considerable portion Of this force is cav.
alsy, armed only With double barrelled
shot guns. To lead them agaius, our in.
fantry, with The Enfield rifle or the rihed
musket, or against the Kentucky cavalry,
with Sharpe's ritle, would be simply uur.
der.
Speaking Of popular exaggerations oil
numbers, l gave yesterday rumor, Il
wish j, distinctly understood that l never
vouch for rumOrs that | give as ramOrs,
that Breckenridge had raised force Of
three thousand ON the Big Sandy, and
that he either had effected or was irving
ing to effect junction with zollicoffer
Afterward | chaDced to meet one of ouv
officsrs. direct from Camp Olympia,
where one Of the new Kentucky rcgimentt
is being raised, and bur about twenty
miles from Hazel Green. where Breckin
ridges force is collected. The office
said he had about three hundred there
and that they would scatter them some o
these daysl" But it is sosimple process,
for producing sensation, to tack on al
extra cypher to All insignificant numberl
presume the officer was correct in til,
statement that Breckinridge's forces hac
left Prestonburg, which appears to hav'
been their main rendezvous for recruiting
and moved up to Hazel Green, on the
direct road to Mount Sterling. This lat
ter place they ars said to have threaten
ed with FIRE and sword. There can b,
no question Of the devilish spirit that an
imates the Kentucky Sgcessiouists. 1t il
a fac.-and one which tends to explain
the tardinsss in volunteering in some o
the counties that the Union men, wher,
nearly balanced in numbers by the Seces
siouists. absolutely dare not leave lhei
homes. lest their property should bs des
royed by their Secession neighbors.
We had quite loys,ftast OF Kentucky
Tennessee, Ohio and Indiana Unionist
last night. General Leslie Coombs turns,
up here, rather unexpectedly. in the ai
ternoon. aad made the tour OF the camps
addressing the Ohio and Indiana voluu
teers, and rousing them with the ancien
Gre that glows, still undimmed, in hi
own patriotic breast. AT night the band
of the Fourteenth and Seventeenth Obi
came around and serenadee Gen Coombs
and SO be was called out again, to addres
a mingled crowd of soldiers from the fou
States represented in the encampmen
here. The Generals effort was happ
, one. Of course--when was he ever know
to do otherwise than make happy speed
-and the boys oheered and cheered a
gain, till the circling woods in the dis
tance sent back lusty echo. He wa
not astonished, he said. to see these Obi
!. and Indiana troops here. He had re
r ceiyed some wounds. and still carried
bullet procured in defending their moth