Litchfield enquirer., 1862-05-29
&de9ftla Gnaniter.
? THURSDAY. MAY %. 1862
The War News,

The War News.
 The war news of the week has been of par ticularly exciting nature. The army of Gen. Banks, aftencrowding the enemy through the valley of thesShenasdoah from Charlestown to Winchestef, nom Winchesterte Strasburg, from Strasburg to Mount Jackson, from thence to New Market, to Harrisonburg and Staunton, a distance of ever one hundred miles from where he started, suddenly, and while near the compile ton of his work, the country was startled by ru. mors of his retreat Early m the present month 1t was reported that he had retired to New Ma drid, then to Woodstock, then back to Strasburg again, where he made temporary halt, and since our last issue word has thrilled through the loyal North that the rebel army had come up with the remnant of Banks army at Strasburg, defeated part of it at Front Royal. driven the remain der back from Strasburg to Winchester, defeat ed it there with great loss, driven it back in haste from Winchester to the Potomac where on Monday of this week, it effected safe cross ing into Maryland, and the pursuit and retreat stopped.
 A thousand and one rumors filled the air, the enemy were said to be advancing in immense force and were threatening to over-run Maryland, Pennsylvania, and even that very uneasy and un safe place, Washington city. Regiments were again called for from the loyal North again ito defend the capital" and New York, Massachu- sets, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and others gave prompt response.
 At the time we write however, Wednesday, matters have again settled down into their wont ed calm. The hasty retreat of Banks is account ed for if not explained. The damage which might have been done is happily avoided by his skilful generalship, and the hope of the enemy,I which was, undoubtedly, by dash in force, to destroy Banks, and get full possession of the crossing ofthe Potomac at Harper's. Ferry and Wiliamsport, is defeated by Banks rapid and masterly retreat. At last accounts he was safe with his army and supplies across the Potomac, and is powerfully reinforced; the advance of the enemy is stayed and it's retreat is believed to be already cut off.
 But why should he have been compelled to re- treat before the army which he had repeatedly driven forward? Because, simply he has had his various divisions, one after the other, taken away from him to reinforce other corps q a1maee, against his most urgent protestations, until he was left with hardly four thousand men, suddenly confronted with an enemy three times his num- Der, and in order to avoid being entirely surround ed, cut up and destroyed, was forced to retreat, which is considered the most masterly in the an nals of the war. Upon whom the responsibility of this unfortunate and untmely predicament of Gen. Banks rests it is useless now to enquire. Time will probably determine. The only cer- tainty is that it is not the fault of Gen. Banks, who in retreating, when there was mo help for it, and so far, in the face of such an overwhelming terce, crossing his men in such good order and spirits over the river, thereby defeating all the enemy's plans, has. given new proofs of the high est order of generalship. It is now supposed that the enemy's movement was a desperate dash, upon portion of the army which he knew to be weakened by removals, possibly ito create di- vertisment in favor of the retreating rebels at Richmond or to renew their dropping spirits, but which is now completely foiled and about to re- coil to his own destruction.
 Our armies at the West and before Richmond remain pretty much in the same position as re- corded in our last Halleck is before Corinth, it would seem gradually staruiag the Rebels out; and "t the young Napoleon" is now said to be within jour miles of Richmond, making balloon ascensions, and watching, from the clouds, the retiring enemy. Gen. Mcdowell has crossed the Rapahannock, and has advanced eight miles be- yond Fredricksburg, with no indications of the enemy in heavy force. Our 5th Conn., Reg't are probably with Mcdowell, being in Shields di- vision, which was transferred from Banks corps some days since, (probably the cause of the lat ters disaster.) Our First Conn. Artillery are now reported to be with Mcclellan, before Rich mond.
 There is nothing new from Gen. Buffers or Gen'r Burnside's division. a. .a..
 Yesterdays (Wednesdays) papers and tele- grams give no further intelligence from the armies of Genl Banks, Halleck or Mcclellan.
 T. ID