The New York herald., 1862-09-15
THE SITUATION.

serious battle had been progressing all day
yesterday in the vicinity Of Harper's Ferry, and
very probably ON both sides Of the Potomac. Such,
st least, is the presumption based upon all the
news which has reached US. Heavy firing com.
menced in the direction of Harper's Ferry on
saturday afternoon. and was kept up until a
late hour yesterday. 1t was distinctly heard at
Greencastle and Chambersburg, in Pennsylvania,
% well IS at Frederick. There can be little doubt
chat the conflict was between the rebels and Gen.
sIai Miles. who commands at Harper's Ferry.
General Miles, though having only small force,
= spiendidy protected on the heights Of Bolivar.
and it is said sent word to General Mcclellan that
he could hold out until reinforcements arrived
These must have reached him last night 1t was
stated by parties who arrived in Washington yes.
terday that general order Of General Lees, found
ct Frederick, laid down the plans for the rebels as
foiows;-Two columns were to proceed
By way Of Middetown; one destined
for Greencastle, and the other to proceed by
Wiiliamsport or Sheppardstown to engage
1t is said. was intercepted by some Union forces at
Middlctown yesterday. No official report how
ever, is received. This would tally very well with
the news Of yesterday; but how far these plans
can be carried out will depend upon the activity
Of our generals, upon which the fullest reliance
osn be placed.
There n n a d0uh If fao< bcr
ever. that Jackson, with large portion Of the
rebel army, has crossed into Virginia. Two rail.
road employees arrived in Baltimore yesterday
who had been captured by Jackson, and were
taken across the river with him on Friday evening
st Williamsport, and there released. Their testi.
mony. therefore, TO the fact that he is now on the
Virginia side Of the Potomac, il true is conclusive.
The movements Of our army since it entered
Maryland in pursuit Of the enemy now assume
connected shape. Our advance cavalry. under
Gen. Pleasanton, entered Frederick on Friday and
drove portion Of the rebel cavalry, who we're
protecting the rear, from that city, after brief
skirmish in the streets. Our troops were wildly
welcomed; but when Gen. Burnside passed through
on Saturday morning, and when Gen. Mcclellan
arrived the same day, the enthusiasm Of the cti-
sens knew no bounds. They turned out en- masse
TO greet them, and IL was with difficulty
that Mcclellan could reach his headquar.
tsrs through the surging crowd Of ex-
cited people. General Burnside at once pushed
on sfter the rebels with his whole force, occupy.
fus every road, and even crossing the fields to
come up with them. The three stone bridges
across the Monocacy were found uninjured, though
<Ae ans iron railroad bridge was destroyed. The
rebels dsSou,d almost all the provisions in Frede-
rick before they lef, ana ben robbed the hospital
Of oil the medical stores, although tney left four
hundred end City Of their own sick behind them,
General Franklin has captured . rebel train Of .
hundred ammunition and subsistence wagons, and
sent back one hundred and afty prisoners to
IFrederick.
On Friday afternoon the Eighth Illinois cavalry,
Colonel Farnsworth, charged on two rebel regi.
ments Of cavalry and three guns, short distance
above Middlstown, on the road TO Hagerstown
Three of our men were wounded, but We took
forty prisoners. Later In the afternoon four
squadrons Of the Second Indiana cavalry charged
on a regiment Of cavalry, supported by artillery,
on the same road II was desperate affair. We
lost thirty men killed and wounded. The loss Of
che enemy in killed and wounded was double that
OF ours. Our cavalry SO pushed the enemy's wagon
trains that they were forced to burn half mile
OF wagons TO prevent them falling into our hands.
The reception which Generals Burnside and Nc
Cielan met with in Frederick, combined with the
fact that the Marylanders have made no response
TO the proclamations Of Lee and Bradley johnson
nor have joined the rebel army in any force, is q
singular but convincing evidence Of the loyalty Q
Maryland, Notwithstanding the alleged assertion 0
her secret adhesion TO the rebel cause, and tn
hopes Of the rebel chiefs that large army woul
Potomac. 1t would appear as if the hungry an
ragged rabble who followed Jackson and Lee di
not impress the people very favorably as to tn
character OF the men who came to redeem
them, and that they preferred remaining unde
the "foreign yoke,n as Lee calls IL, which afford
them protection and guarantees them prosperity
From the West the news continues cheerful. Cir
einnati is quiet and secure. The rebels are ayin
back in some force south Of Florence, Ky. Yeste
day morning desperate fight took place at Nun
fordsville on the Green river between large fore
ol the rebels and our troops under Col Wilder,
che Seventeenth Indiana, in which, after conte.
lasting from three o'clock in the morning ti