Evening star., 1862-10-28
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

tion of Lecshurs-Rumered Retreat Of
the Rebel Array affair. &c HarPer's
| Ferry. I'd. -.
/ Correspondence Of the Baitimcrc American. ]
HARPEg's FkREl, Oct. 27.-The moyernen,
! OF Gen. burnside across the Potomac al Ber.
! lin, of which you were informed yesterday.
| Though Il has not been followed by the imme-
| clatr gent raj advance OF our forces, l. un-
d-uhtecly the initial movement OF that long
! promised activity the part OF the Army Of
| the Potomac, which we all hope rs 10 deal
/ against the rebellion the me~t staggering blow
! To-Day fhfrr has bern no moyomcnt hsyond
| the <fadual but heavy rviuforcernent a. Gen.
rrnia side ID Il PSs ss hsas iSr.ss .sc
flDc. infantry and arnliery, rt wiil mon do 20
So IA what number, have been going tn that
direction. nntil II is evident that the inoyernen,
! Is ho mere, re- connois ance. hut in rcaity an
| advance Of the left wing ef the army. This
| wing which vss previously, in tlsFAr.ar. ON
n'ariy a straight line with the center, and an
the distance ffom Pleasant Valley to Lovetts-
willie nearer 10 the enemy. In tfiis rpspect A
! VIII be seen ihat the movement was n necas-
sary preliminary 20 placing the army i'm no.
! sinon for an adNanee, whilst II does not I'm the
ieast belray The plan ON which that advance il
Ia be- hnally made. From Lovettsrfile Gen
nurnside threatens equally the Rebel flank N
nInnntstr ana their line OF communication
viz Front ROYAL or Smokers Can
TEeTe be but lIttle news from the frunt To-
DAY, asd. a. there has been no firing ID j. pre-
sGmed nothing important has occurred tis.n-I
burnside 8 forces are msssed i'm the vicinity of
IeveItsvillG. Our cavalry and light artillery
under Gen Pleasonton. are renortad ~ b,Ics
occupied Leesburg last night, the Il, bels' cav
airy force There retreatng before our advance
but cannot now verify the report from any
enc acquainted with the facts. sr-4-r . 4. ...
Next an interest 10 the movement of our own
fore s, are those OF the Rebels In relation 10
taese we have numerous reports, ali tending 10
Sl ole concIusloh, thai the main portion, il not
chester. The fact may be said to he certainly
established that they have deserted the line an,
tlle fo'omac. and are neither 10 he found i'm
thafiestown or Martinsburg or Shepherds-
town. Dnrlng several days of last week as
has been their practice usually before q retreat
tiiey showed themselves in strong force az the
N5I3JUs points of our lines. and their mi ckets
We're yicicnsly bellirerrnt. firing at any and
every ihlAg. On Saturday all theAe demonstra-
tons erased, and their pcl1ets disappeared en-
iirely from our front; Refugees from Win
chester are also reported 10 have come within
orr lines and statpd thai their town has been
evacuated by the enemy, rho were retreating
toward stanton. As i have seen neither A
Respectable citizen" nor reliable gentleman,
who youched for this statement i give it only
as report. The very general belief howeyer
rs that Gen1 Lee rs making fast time To wa rds
uorlone Vile, and thai the main portion Of his
army y already well advanced in tn at direc-
tior. have the more belief that this il so from
All experience that the men OF the arrny hsye an
almost iatmIive knowledve of a retreat OF the
enemy Before Yorktown the men Were
thoroughly convinced that the Rebels were re-
treating before our general officers found il out
Everything is quiet az Harpcr's Perry. ex-
cepi the hustle snd stir incident to tbr presence
OF large force. Notwithstanding. the predie-
lions almost daily for a week past Of an ad-
vance, the forces on the Bolivar and Mary
land Heights are yet quiet I'm their tents, en-
gagged with nothing more important than the
usual duties OF camp life. Their tents, Whit
ened by the eopious rain OF last night. fairly
glisten to-day in the bright sunshine whilst
me men, inI1eoratpd by bracing nerthwesrer,
aDlspar he haa md t.,
aomiticd that the army Is now iully prepared
Tor onehslNe movements, and the present
quiet. Therefore, means nothing.
Our outposts i'm this direction have been IN
HailfoNn tor several days, and IL is reasonable
TO conclude now hold Charlestown.
ne ram OF yesterday wound mp last night
wind, that was severely felt in the camps oceu-
py ing exposed positions on the SUBMITS and
sides OF the mountain. On Bolivar and Mary
lano Helghts the storm ragged with such fury
ih:it tents were overturned and the men forced
10 midnight battle with the elements
NotT outstanding the considerable quanufy
OF raln that fell yesterday aud last night. the
river has been but little effected thereby The
water has not risen over q foot. and wagons
cross The ford at the Ferry to-day without
diiiicnlty. ... .-r.. -. "A.
The rain Will rather tend 10 facilitate than
retard any movements that may be- i'm contem-
pla non. Under the influence of the bright sun-
shine and dry wind that has followed. IL will
harden the roads and place them i'm first rate
condiuon. III Will also fill the springs, a most
important consideration: for an army of one
hundred and - Thousand men. with large
follow ing OF mules and horses, are great drink
erS.
Judging of the condition of the army by
what have seen of il here and at Sharpsburg
Il think orr men Were never i'm a finer state of
health and spirits, not even when the Army OF
The Potomac, in its first flush Of youth and
strength, advanced up the Peninsula, and,
buoyant with hope and deterrn ination. canped
before Yorktown. Nay, is is, in many impor-
tant respects, in much better condition than
then. for the men of the old regiments now
have an experience that can only be learned in
the sharp school OF the bivouac and battle field
and form college Of veterans from which the
new feyics learn rapidly and well
@"ASate writes 10 the Cincinnati Gasette
from Uanyille, XIV. under date Of Octar.r or