The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1861-07-06
The War NEWS.

during the PIE ent week important for
ward Irovcmens We to :al,e place ;ind
that great events were 20 ,r.m>rire have
not yet been verified; and although one
class of reporters still persist in moving
forward another class as p.:,siste't'y hold
back. Thus anon, Tue days ''asnaicaes
we find the following In. 1sm~s special
from Washington says:
THE impre, OIL is strong tonight ;hat
q forward mo, ement will lie NJ 'cc during
the next twenty four hours.
While at at the same hour the special of
the journal Of Commerce assures us:
Recent developments look as though
Scott did not intend any forward move
ment in Virginia during the summer
The general tenor of the movements Of
the week would seem to confirm the views
of the latter special, while the former
finds a tritiinS verfcstion in the movement
of Gen. Patterson at Williamsport.
This place is on the Potomoc, some 80
miles above Haper's Ferry. Anticipating
that Gen. Patterson might attempt to cross
the river at this place the rebel General,
johnson, had stationed a large force here,
and erected a battery of guns command
ing tie ford. Patterson appears to have
divided the rebel force by making feint
to cross a. Shepard's ford several miles
above. Tbs he abandoned, professedly on
account of the steepness of the opposite
bank. At ! clock on Tuesday morning,
Gen. p put his column in motion from
Hagerstown. On arriving at the ford, at
clock, the post of honor-the first to
cross-was given to the Wisconsin regi-
ment A sharp conflict at once commenced
but the troops pressed across with such
rapidty that the rebels We're thrown into
confusion and fled. Gen. Pattersons brief
report of the affair is as follows:
I left WiIliamsport at o'clock this
morning for this place, and drove and
routed the rebels, WHO were about 10000
strong. and who had four guns. l now
occupy their camp, with the loss, regret
to ays, Of three killed and ten wounded.
{Sisneti) +. PATTERSON, Maj. Ger. Cym.
How many of the rebels we're killed is
not known, but their loss is supposed to be
considerable. Several of their dead were
left on the field in their haste to be Off
The news OF this affair is said to have
given Gen. Scott much qualification
The movements of the rebels appear to
be unimportant- They have evacuated
Vienna, as also, it would seem, partially
Manassas Junction. A Washington des-
patch of the Sd says:
News received here states there were at
Manassas junction last evening only three
regiment Of rebel troops. All the rest Of
the forces under the command of Bcaure-
gard moved forward in the direction OF
Fairfax and Alexandria. Two South Caro-
lima regiments are reported to be within
five miles southwest of Alexandria. Col.
Garland, formerly Of this city, has his reg:
ment still at the junction.
Hon. Jos. Holt, ex-Postmaster General
under S-r. Buchanan, has left Washington
for Kentucky, having determined to stump
that state for the Union.
A Georgia bank has large deposit Of
bullion at the Philadelphia mint. Secre
tary Chase has instructed the director of
tho mint not opay it till Georgia return
t. her allegiance.
The legislature Of the new government
of Virginia met at Wheeling on Tuesday
Both houses organized at once, 1t. GOV
Paisley taking the chair in the senate, ard
Daniel West being elected speaker of the
house. The message OF Gov. Pierpont was
read, and appears to be a very able docu
Inent, giving unusual satisfaction. 1t is a
thorough review of secession in Virginia,
and OF the causes leading to the formation
of the present government and recon-
lnends an energetic CO operation with the
federal government. The government had
made small raise Of the ready. -
Twenty-seven thousand dollars belonging
to the State and deposited in the Exchange
Bank at Weston were seized by Gov. Pier
pont and taken to Wheeling. Wise was
OH his way to Weston at the time to get
the money.
The reports from Missouri are exceedingly
meager. On Monday the Chicago Times
had a glowing despatch from st. Louis,
stating that Col Siegel, with some 1906
Federal troops, had arrived at Springfield
No, on the 23d ult. From thence, he
sent out a scouting party, which returned
soon with important secrect intelligence
Five hundred men were despatched west
wardly, toward Mt Vernon. Messengers
arrived on Tuesday in hot haste when the
whole of Seigels command, accompanied
by the Home Guards under Col. Boyd
started on forced march west, taking
artillery, ammunition, and all appliance:
for an active engagement The movement
was intended to cut off Gov Jackson, who
was IN Newton county with SEQ men
We have heard nothing later from Col
Seigel, although the above despatch is foul
days old Another report, via Indepen
dence, Mo, says there were 10000 stat.
troops 100 miles south of that place, VII,
had encamped and would make stant
there; while federal force of $500 t.
5000 were 20 miles in their rear, awaitin:
re-enforcements.
From Cairo the reports are uninterest
ing. T. fteen thousand isb are reported
10 lie encamped at Union City, and troop.
are arriving daily. The camp extend:
four miles along the Mobile and Ohio rail
Iold. The boys at Birds Point have al
occasional excitement, however, by guerill:
bands of the rebels lowering around an,
firing at the sentinels We learn that on,
Of our Ottawa boys, r. V. Simpson, Of W
L. Gibsons Company, was wounded fey
nights ago in this way.
The National Horse Show.
We have the qualification to announce
that c. S. Smith has just returned from
ia mi 10. L