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


The extra session Of Congress, upon whose &C.
ton SO much of the future issue Of the present diff
6culty depends, will meet to-day in the Capitol of
tie nation, and will receive the Message of the
Preeident. From reliable sources we are enabled
tc state that the Message will be one Of the most
vigorous and decisive documents ever promul-
gated by any Chief Magistrate of the republic. It
will pronounce in favor Of prosecution Of
the war TO the last extremity until treason
ani rebellion are crushed out. It will ignore
every idea of compromise, inasmuch as here are
no parties with whom any legitimate compromise
Can be entered into, and it will further declare
thai while quarter Of million of loyal citizens
have already responded to the call of the admins
t-aton, and come forward in defence Of the
government and the national flag, demand will
be made, if necessary, fer quarter of q million
nore. with the utmost confidence that that number
viii be forthcoming.
The military movements on the line Of the Poto.
mac leave no doubt of the intention on the part of
General Sect. to make an immediate advance to
Richmond, A column was to move last night
toward Fairfax Court House, and another is to
take up the line Of march tomorrow OF Saturday
Ger Manassas Junction. These advance move.
rients are to be continued until Richmond is
reached and captured. All the regiments in Gen.
McDoweIls division on the other side Of the Poto.
mac were packing up yesterday for an immediate
start, and portion of Col Stone force, including
the West Point battery were recalled from their
position near he Point Of Rocks and arrived in
Washington las. evening, to combine with the
advancing columns Of the army Of the Potomac
Sufficient troops meantime viii remain in Wash
Major General Sanford has ordered all the
Few York regiments qusrtered in Washington 70
pagade to-day in honor OF the great ma
tio1aI holiday They will no doubt make
ragnifcen. display in Pennsylvania avenue,
aud we presume that they will also be in readi.
mesa for any emergency which may arise out Of
the advance movement Of their comrades on the
Virginia eide of the Potomac. That such an
emergency may occur is by no means improbable,
for we learn by intelligence received from Wash
ten q. midnight last night that the advance move.
men. Lad than commenced, both from Alexandria
aud Arlington Heights, and that bloody page ia
the history Of the country may be recorded to-day
We gi7e today az accurate map of the field of
war, showing al the important points in Virginia
aud Maryland which have been and may be yet
destined to become the scenes of stirring action.
One Ct the most important episodes in the his
t3ry CT tie war, go far has been the action in the
vicinity Of harrisburg, on Tuesday morning be.
tween the division Of General Patterson, which
Lad previously crossed the Potanac at Williams
port, an the rebel forces under General jack
son, which resulted in the defeat and fight Of
the Latter, leaving their camp at Back river,
lear Mar.insburg, in The hands Of General Pat
terson's tro3ps. It appears that on Monday the
whole division, with the exception of the Con-
necticut regiment, was concentrated on the
Potomac between Williamsport and Sharpsburg,
and # WIS intended that they shonld have arrived
Cd tndt morning carry ~ Two pOiutS-ll rusV
division under General CadwalIader, at Williams
rort and the Second, under General Keim, in the
VICINITY Of &ercery;lle and Dam No. 4-but by
Some mos: extraordinary oversight in the exam
nation which sac general bad ordered to be made
b. The engineer officer, it was found that the river
vas not fordab.e Tor the army at the latter point
'ifePcrsed, snd consequently the movement was
ARRESTED sol the whole army concentrated in the
raighboraocd Q; W..iamsport whence they cross
I'd into Vagina at six O'clock On Tuesday morning
Advancing towards nsrtirsbayg they met the
rebels urder Jacksoa, tcmprisizg force Of FIVE
iafalty AMI one .a7ary regiments, With four