Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-10-06
Battle In Progress.
THE WAR kENTUcKy.

Buelrs army rested, clothed and fed-Tha
army moving on tho Rehels-Bragg be.
'-vrd to be ia tight place.
HUNTSVILLE, XIV, Oct. 2-Thr Grand army Of
TIE Ohio which for some DAYS Sas, has bean
enCaInped in and around this city, have be-
paid OF and reclothed preparatory to their fall
campaign. Th" thousands OF troops who ona
week since entered this city ragged and dirty,
and worn down with long and rapid marches,
left it yesterday morning a weli-clothed, well.
fed, and perfectly recruited body of men.
During their short stay here, the entire army
haT been thoroughly rcorganizad under their
oil commanders, and has been increased by
large number Of raw troops. and il is now safe
TO say that Buell. has one of the best armies in
the world. portion OF them have since the
1st Of October, 1851, marched the entire distance
Of more than 1,lOO miles, exclusive OF their
vel by STRAIN; and some Of the regiments to-
day number from six to eight hundred men.
with not more than from three to six upon the
sick list II is with an entire army OF 81 oh
troops HI this that Gen. Buell. has undertaken
the task Of Kidding Kentucky OF tho robber band
who for months past have been plu ndrrins and
pillaging every portion Of the State w HIGH was
unoccnpied by Federal troops; and il is for thir
purpose that under their old and tried officers
this army yesterday morning marched from
the city.
Whittier they would first proceed, or where
was to be their first destination, none outside
of the most select military circles seem to
the information discreetly kept their own
counsel. hut it was not SO easy to keep from
the public knowledge OF the directions taken,
and 1t is now known that one column marched
out upon the Bardstown pike, while another
took the direction Of Lexington. As far as
heard from the first Of these divisions have not
yet met with any opposition, but the advance
guard OF the column which occupies Tia Louis.
VILE and Lexington roads, when wittlina short
distance of the town Of Middletown, fell in
with, and at once engaged, a considerable force
of tbs rnemy's cavalry.
"A couple of batteries of artillery were At once
= N pnrv r,raI
they had hardly gained araYorabe pos ition and
opened fire before " hen the enems skedaddlad,
leaving the field to our forces. During this
short but brisk engagement, 1t is said that we
lost one man killed and two or three wounded
while the enemy lost not less than from eight
10 ten killed and nearly double that number
wounded, the first fire from the batteries hav-
ing played the very mischief anon, their ranks.
The advance then pushed forward until eve
ming, but nothing further was heard OF the en-
envy. a couple of regiments of infantry were
sent down upon train 10 Sheph"rdsEillc yes
tcrtay, but upon their first appearance, the
rebels, who had been occupy ing The place, pre-
cinitateiy left.
The plan upon which our army seems 10 be
moving viii give the enemy mors trouble. per-
haps, than they have been expecting, rs with
one division upon the line Of the LouiSv vile and
Nash Vile Railroad, ;,pd other upon the line OF
the Louisville and Lexington road, they have
complete command OF every avenue by which
the Rebels can hope 10 make their escape, aad
you may expect in a hort time, tn hear the last
account OF Bragg aud Smiths combined army.
Already have they scattered in every direc ton,
in order that each regiment or company may,
II possible. look 10 lis own safety, hut they have
delayed too long, and nothing now remains
for them bat TO fight their way through or yield
with the best grace which they can assume.
The escape Of the entire force by way of
Eastern Virginia and down the Kanawha
Valley is simply an impossibility, while 10
the South their only hopes is in opening the
Cumberland Gap and through it making good
their escape: and this, with proser manage.
ment upon the part OF our commanding Gene
rals, s-'n.. oi>u out OF their power. as, should
tnosr who are able from their present position
10 reach that point, undertake to do so, they
can easily be held until part or the whole OF
Buclls army shall have been thrown upon
their rear. In fact, General Buell., the man
who has been cursed and abused for not doing,
seems to have finally set a trap which is cal.
culated to catch the whole of Rragg's army,
and, for my part, now see no possible way
by which they can escape; and in less than
two weeks the contest in Kentucky will pro-
baby be settled. General Buell. himself is
still here, but will soon take the field.