The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-09-10
From the n. Y. Tribune. Sept ].
THE STRUGGLE IN VIRGINIA.

From the n. Y. Tribune. Sept !.
THE STRUGGLE IN VIRGINIA.
WHEN il was decided that G,n Mcclellan
should evacuste the Peninsula, Gen. Pope was
pushed forward into ,he heart OF Eastern Viz
gini, to mIakc diversion in hia f,7or. To thi-
end. hi, cavolry mnde repeated aud dana gin
shea st the Railroad connecting Richmond
w.h Gordoa~vjJ|c an important Rnihoaa jonc
ton, nearly one hundred miles nor,h-wot
while the hnlk ct Popc's army - then som" ht-
ty thousand strOug advanced down the o.
anse and Alexandria Railroad, which, running
south-westwardlg, connects Alexandria, via Cor
donsvie and Charlottesville, with Lynchburg in
the far Southwest - of course, crossing both
the Rappahannock and R,pid'n. Pope also
crossed both ,hesp streams and was reported AZ
one time TO have occupied GordonsviI'e, but the
snDordinate charged with that movement failed
to execute it.
Pope's advance, as was calculated, distracted
the Rebel attention from McClellan's retreat
down the Peninsula, and collected their forces
in his front Being soon ou,urmberod he was
ordered fan b.ck, aud did so The h'oody
bu, iudeosivc battle OF Cedar Mountain - was
fought between the advance of the two armies
respectively, just north OF the Rabidan, August
8. Jackson soon after retreated across he Rap
dan probably to tempt Pope further from his
resources After some days dasultory slirmjsh-
ing, Pope fell back across the Rappahannock, ,
and stood at bay, guarding the innumerable
tords of that river, along line Of twenty or
thirty miles The position was, Of course, ad-
vantageous TO the defensive party, but liable TO
be broken through by massug heavy force OF
either Of a score of points, aud breaking the de-
fensive line 10y resolule effort. SJli, though
the enemy (having ordered up every thing from
Hiahmond) were much the stronger in numbers
no serious effort % pierce Gen, PoPa'~ lae was
made. While he thus stood on guard, Rebel
cavalry force under Stuart, some ,OHU 10 so
in number pierced bis lines AT some uuguarded
tori aad made circuit in bis rear, surprising
h.. headquarters st Cat'ett's Station on The ev,-
ming Of the 22d aud making considerable haul
of his papers, viii some money aud prisoners.
Sauar was, of c0ursa, gdided 10 Pope's weakly
guarded headquarters by traitors within our
distant, with most of his Staff, of whom hut one
was capnred,
For some DAYS, an ominous stncss prevailed
OK the rebel side of the Rappahanrock No
more skirmishes or artillery duels were invited
from that side, Few men showed themseye, to
onr cxpec,snt forces Where are Jbe rebels 2
What are they a6oul?" were the wondering
queries. They were soon to be answered and
current expectation that the traitor chiefs would
nor awGit he rapid concen ration Of our rev
lpvicS at Washington was not to be disappoin-
ed.
Early on Sunday morning, Aug. oath, Stone
wall jackson, with some thirty or forty 'houaaud
trusted veterans in the lighteSt marching order,
whou. tents or wagons save for amnuui ion
Icfa the rrbel lines south Of The Rappahaanock
grd moved wcs ward, unknown to and ursu,
prc-cd by Pope. Winding bis way among She
sources of the Rappananuock in he B'ue R'dg.,
by roads uuEnoNu 10 cur de, he 'orucd he
right iauk Of our army, aud, emerging uupor.
ceived at Thosoughtare Gap, about half way be-
tween Manassas Junction ami Front Royal, hi~
advance, consisting of Stnarts cavalry, swool-
ed down upon our depot of provisions, clothing
stores, etc, at Manassas, Ike n hawk amorg d
brood OF chickens. The small force guarding
that point was soon dIs,ersed or captured, and
our heavy stores were appropriated SO far as
possible and the rest destroyed. Railroad trans
conveying provisions and munitions to Pope and
bringing hack wounded, sick empty cars, etc ,
were captured aud Destroyed, those in charge
of them running into the jaws OF the wolf while
uususpectiug any danger
The capture Of the Junction was soon known
in Washington, and the lst New Jersey brigade,
ters no one suspecting that there was any
thing more serious than another cavar dash
at our lines Of communication. But by this
time, a considerable force of rebel inf nry and
artillery had come up, and Gen. Taylors brigade
aud trimmings were sent to the right about
with little ceremony, and with loss of several
hundred prisoners, who were paroled so soon as
possible Aud still the Junction, hardly thirty
miles from Washington, aud nearly so far in the
rear of General Pope, was firmly held by the
rebels, who challenged all comers.
Thus far General Pope would seem to have
been completely oireumvented. II was nearly
Wednesday morning before be knew word Of
the nice business going on in his rear. WheI
he did learn it, be appears to have acted with q
1 Judgment aud decision with which our army
movements hitherto have eyinced plentiful
lack, Instead of sending back brigade to re
open his communication, he at once divine'
that this was no mere cavalry raid on his stores