Maryland free press., 1862-10-31
-paoeaEss OF. Tn: REVOLUTION.
coEpExsEp Asp COLLECTED
FRON FEDERAL CC0UETS.

Or rns PoroxAo.--Cspt Duncan 9Th Pa,
cavalry, lao men, on the 22i. made q reeonnoi-
sance to HedResvills, s miles II. W., OF Martins.
burg. Captured 10 prisoners including three Of
hcers. all belor ging TO the 10th Va, cavalry
"Eobody burt" on our side. Refugees represent
that the destruction of property belonging to the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad at Martinsburg has
within the psst few days been made complete.
A dispatcb from Washington, Oct %, says'-
Ar.conpofspee iIe m Gen. Sigel's command to
Leesburg discovered that the Rebel General Mum
foI d is there with eco men ard some artillery.
Another Reconnaissance to Tborougbfare Gap dis
covered email Rebel force at New Baltimore
The enemy 10 also reported to have 2 600 cavalry
and some infantry and artillery at Warrenton.
The Herald. Harper's Ferry correspondence of
the z5th says 1.-THE Rebel pickets disappeared
from our front last night, and the evidences that
the enemy is moving towards Gordonsville null
tiply. For four days large wagon trains have
been leaving Winchester, and large camps have
been established at Front Royal
The Timss' special says that the Rebels are
generally believed to be rapidly retreating south
ward. Their pickets b We disappeared. They
evacuated Martinsburg, after destroying all the
railroad property there. ....
REo0sSOIssAsoss AcRos3 THE PorohAo
There have been several recon noissances during
the past week ON the South side Of the Potomac,
and much valuable infor nation obtained concern
ing the positions of the ensmy. ..-.
Our troops had occasional skirmishes, and both
sides lost few men in killed, wounded and pris-
oners. A scouting party who returned to Sig-rs
adauarters last night report that the Rebel
General Mumfurd with force Of fifteen hundred
was at Purceilville, about twelve miles west OF
Lsesburg, on the road to Suckers Gap. A large
portion OF the enemy is at Leesburg, Mid ilsburg
and Waterford.
phe Forward Movement.
Tae latest advices from the Army Of the Poto.
mac show that some renewed movement has been
made into Virginia.
General Burnside led the advance on Sunday,
crossing the Potomac at Berlin, Md, and occupy :
ing Lovettsvle, Va, that night with his corps
Other dvsions of the army, It is stated, prepared
to follow. The reports from the front announce
that the Confederates have drawn in their pickets
At Charlestown, abandoned Msrtinsburg after
completing the destruction Of the railroad proper
ty, and fallen back towards Winchester.
The following extracts from correspondents
the advance, and some OF the Potomac by Burn.
sides corps: ..
Correspondence of the Philadelphia Enquire
pleasant VALLEY, Oct. 25 the Rebel forces
under General Jackson, who have occupied Mar
tn burg since Saturday last. left there day before
yesterday, sncsmping that night between ker-
neyssille and Leetown, about nine miles from
Shepherdstown. From thst point they yesterday
moved back to their old position beyond Bunker
Hill Their camp fires are plaiLly Visible at night
from Msj,r Myers signal station on Maryland
Heights. There are believed to be NO rebel troops
this side OF Bunker Hill, except cavalry, who act
% pckes ana spies TO watch the NOV ements of cur
army. . ...... ....
1be rebel army is now subsisting wholly upon
the country, NO provisions being brought from
Staunton, their nearest depot to Winchester
their wagon train and heavy baggage have all
been sept some miles to the rear to facilitate q
Retreat should it become necessary.
Genera al Lee cannot long rem lin in his present
position, whether Gsneral Mcclellan advances or
mot. The whole county around Winchester is
nearly impoverished, starvation already looking
many families in the face. With these facts bis
retreat back to Staunt ton may be looked for at any
time.
The work Of providing the Army OF the Poto
mac with the necessary winter supplies, is being
rapidly brought to q close.
We we're visited with q heavy frost last night,
with fright smart of ice this morning.
Stonewall Jackson's army was encamped, when
last wrote you, near Leetowp, where he went
after leaving Martinsburg. On Friday be lefs
Leetown, and retreated back to beyond Bunker
Hill, where he still remains.
The Potomac is eighty affected by the rain
already and hit continues raining, il now does,
all night, it will cause q considerable rise in the
river. The ben, fetal results Of good rain In the
Potomac now Can scarcely be estimated in dollars.
THE FORWARD MOVEMENT:
The "forw ard 10 0 vement' advocates, from prs
ent indications, will be enabled to hold their
peace. The Army of the Potomac might be said
to be ready to resume offensive operations, at least
as near so as it can be made, to be of any SERVICE
before winter sets, in.
What forward movement will result in no one
knows, but the opPiuion appears to be pretty gen.
orally entertained that the en- my will offer no de-
csive battle at the present time. That they will
fail back from one position to another as our army
ADVANCES, until tDey III rive AT StauntOn, wnere
they will be safe from any attack that be made
in their front, teens to prevail. The result,
however, will soon be known.
LEES ARMY REPoRrED TO be VALLra BACK.
A special despatch to the New York World,
dated Washington, October 2sth, says;
Reports that General Lees army is retiring up
the Shenandoah valley accumulated so fast that
they are gaining the cr.dence OF vary many per
sons. 1t seems evident that the policy of the Reb-
els is not to fight in their present position but to
retire as soon as Mcclellan desires to have grand
battle near the line of the Potsmac rather than
follow the enemy up the valley of Virginia on the
road TO Richmond.
The Washington Star, saysi
General Mcclellan to day removed bis headquar-
ters 70 the Virginia side of the Potomac, precisely
where it may not be proper now to say.
We may add tbat the rain will probably 30
swell the Upper Potomac as to add perhaps fifty
thousand men to the effectiveness of McClellsn's
army, By permitting him to use otherwise that
number Of those now engaged in guarding the
fords. f,. .-. -... q
Ii TIE WEST AND SoUrHwEsr -.Deepatches from