Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-30
The WAR IN Virginia.

! On Friday morning last an attack was made
| the Yankee cavalry upon small body of th
9th Virginia cavalry, near Orange COurt-IIous.
| which was gallanty resisted by our troops, VIII
drove the enemy back, killing and woundin
several, and taking fOrty-four prisoners. Tn
! pursuit was kept up as far as the south bank o
the river, across which the larger portion @
the Yankees succeeded in swimming their hor
/ ses and made good their escape. The prisoner
| who were brought to Richmond on Saturda,
| evening by the Central train, belonged chief
/ to the 9th New York cavalry regiment. Thsr
/ is no loss reported on the Confederate side Al
! together, this WAS a brilliant little affair.
| Our last accounts from Gen. B. II. Robertson'
| command, in the Valley, represent that he i
| conducting the campaign there with skill anl
/ success, and at the same time keeping a shsrr
| eye upon the movements Of the enezy East
! the Blue Ridge. A slirmish occurred about {
week since, between Luray and White Hous,
| Ford. Page county, in which the Yankees were
completely routed. 1t appears that Capt, Gil
nler, leading some five or six companies of Con
fedeyate cavalry, charged upon six squadrons o.
| the enemy and drove them through Lmay
where the latter received reiuforcements, anC
Capt. G. retired in good order and without loss
! to the Ford Here he was reinforced, and again
started in pursuit of the enemy, who fed before
him and retreated through Thoruton's Gap into
Rappahaunock county. By taking this route
the Yankees doubtless hoped to draw our cavalry
On until thay reached the main body of then
army, but it is presumed that Capt. Gilmer fully
understood the motive. Inithis affair the enemy
lest several in killed and wounded.
line Of telegraph is in process Of eonstruc-
ton between Harrisonburg aud StaUnton, fol
military purposes, by means Of which the army
Of the Valley will be enabled to communicate
directly with the capital.
By recent arrivals from Winchester we are
placed in possession Of reliable and interes ting
information of the operations Of the Federal
forces in the lower valley. The town, up to
wednesday last was Unoccupied By the enemy,
but about two miles northwest of the place they
had strong fortifcatons erected on what is
known as Shul,z's hill. From these forti6catiOns
they occasionally saluted the inhabitants with
shells as if 10 test the accuracy of the range OF
their guns upOl the town. They state that theiT
force on this hill numbers three thousand, but
our informant does not think that they exceed
fifteen hundred or two thousand at most.
Since their return to Winchester, after the rs-
treat of Banks, the Yankees have been decidedly
cautious in all their movements, and manifest
The greatest Uncasiness in all their actions.
They seem 70 dread the approach Of Jackson
and his forces, and are at all times prepared to
skeedaddle. The appointment Of Pope had
4GlAGA ~ ltli L4LcLL hppAEA1Dl4bAJA4es lD -OiC
now IN the vicinity Of the town is understood to
be a portion Of the command of the reckless and
unprincpled Geary.
On Tuesday evening last there was fight at
Middletown, on the Valley turnpike, about eight
miles from Winchester, between our cavalry
scouts and the pickets of the enemy, in which
they sustained a loss of eight killed and wound
cd. The only loss suffered on our side was the
wouuding of a horse This little skirmish had
greatly excited the fears of the whole Federal
camp, and they had Withdrawn their pichets
from that road entirely The gentleman from
whom we obtain information says that he came
through from Winchester to Stauntou in bug
gy, without the slightest interruption the entire
route.
Since the re-occupation of the town by the
enemy, after their expulsion by Gen. Jackson
they have destroyed several buildings by fire
principally warehouses in the neighb0rhOOd Of
the depot, where they previously had stores
deposited. One Of these WAS the large store
house of Baker 6S Brother which, with al their
stock was consumed.
DseTti0ns among the Yankees were of fre-
queut occurrence. In one instance a guard OF
forty left Winchester with a lot OF Confe9era te
prisoners who had been picked up ct various
points, and before reaching HarpeT's Ferry thirty
Of the forty deserted, and forty out of the gang
Of prisoners made their escape.
When the gentleman from whom we derive
our information left the town the enemy had
strong pickets on the Berryyille and Northwest
ern routes, as if anticipating 're0el' approach
on those roads.
The crops in Frederick, Clarke and jefferson,
were usually good, but owing to the scarcity Of
lsbor, only portion of the wheat harvest would
be gathered. Many of the farmers were saving
what they could, but others were permitting The
wheat to stand in the fields, without the entrance
Of a scythe. The Yankee c0mmsndaut had IS
sued a circular to the farmers to induce them to
gather their grain, assuring them the govern
ment would purchase it at price hereafter to
be fixed.
The news of McClellan's defeat had greatly
elevated the hopes of the loyal people of the
Valley, but for somo days there was deep sor-
row evinced by all in consequence of the Yam
kee report that Jackson had been killed. This
report, however, had received its proper contra
dctiOn and 10 was believed among our people
thst their dehverance was not distant. Our in
formant does not believe that there IS sny Fed
eral force between Winchester and Harper S
Ferry, and only g small force at that point. -'
The Next Co1gress-EG0Ttt Restore Dem
ccrSGic q sceEdency.
Washington Cor. Of the Cincinnati Commsrci2Ll
WASHINGTON, July 20.-Great difference of
opinion prevails as to the probable complexion
OF the next Congress. Well informed observers,
who have lately been among the people, think
all party lines pretty much obhterated, and the
loud and earnest demand for a more speedy and
stringent prosecution of the war will swallow
up every other issue. They say not a single
dough-face, or sympathizer, or opponent of con-
fscalioIrcau be reelected.
Or the other hand, some politicians profess to
see signs of great Democratic revival Their