The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-10-03
THURSDAY


THURSDAY.
There is good reason for believing that
ia the morning both parties found them
selves too badly cut up and short Of am
muniiion, TO repew the engagement, and
accordingly spent the day in repairing
damages, burying the dead, and taking
care Of the wounded, and, on our side, in
preparing 10 renew the engagementpn
the next.
General McClellan's rcinfurcemcnts
the last he could have received in time
for another battle--icached him about
the middle of the day They were
twenty thousand strong-infantry artil-
lery aud cavalry They marched iron,
Frederick, via Middletown aud Boons-
boro.
According to General McClellan's dis
patches ofIriday morning announcing the
reircatof the enemy, they must have found
themselves too badly,whipped to ighi
another battle. or were out Of ammuni-
ton aud supplies. They appear TO have
kept up a firm front all day, but, at the
same time must have been Withdrawing
across The river. Judging by all that
is kaown Of the position of the respective
forces, they probably held several points
on the river at which 10 cross--Shcp-
herdstown Ford, the ford al the mouth
of Antictam Greek, Dam No. 3, and the
bridge at Harper's Ferry; but even with
these passages in their posSession,i il would
be impossible for them to escape without
a heavy loss Of prisonCrs--in fact OF their
entire reaIguard. II is now certain Lee
had the combined armies of Virginia,
under Jackson, Longstrect, and the two
Hills, and others, in the engagements of
Wednesday, and if he succeeds in re-
treating across the Potomac without the
heaviest loss Of prisoners in the war, he
will throw in the shade both Johns on,
al Manassas and Yorktown, and Beau
regard at Corinth.
The forces in Wednesday battle num-
bcred much ouer one hundred thousand
on each side. II is doubtful that Napo-
leon everfought with oIaganst iico-tinis
of the number in any Of his great bat
Ties
OUR LOSSES.
The first reports Of losses in battles
are never TO be depended upon, rs il is the
common inclination 10 underestimate our
own, and eXaggerate that of the enemy.
The reports OF the enemy s losses at South
Mountain may be taken as examples. II
is unaccountable how the absurd story Of
zee, admitting his to be fifteen thousand,
appears in General McClellan's dispatch
cs. Ii is doubtful if that number was
actually engaged in the fight on either
side
Our losses in killed aud wounded on
Wednesday were certainly heavy, proha-
bly, exceeding those of any other battle
Of the war, but even an approximate esti-
mate cannot by this time have been OBJ
tanned. The lowest estimate is 10000;
the highest 2O,OOO-ccrtainly n wide
margin.
The enemy used their artillery with
effect, and fought their infantry much un,
der cover. Parties from the battlefield
do not think their loss will equal ours.
NpoRTANT MOVEMENT on HAND.
have information leading me TO be.
lieve that General Mcclellan was so well
satisfied with the situation on the Upper
Potomac, Yesterday, that he telegraphed
to Gen Halleck to send llcinlzclman and
Sigel towards the valley OF the Kappa
hammock 10 intercept Tie retreat ~ Die sarty,
or. at least, to cut of his commuuica.
ton with Richmond
A reconnaissance OF cavalry and ar
tillery was made as far as Leesburg on
Wednesday, by orders of General Sigel.
The enemy were found at that place ia
small force of infantry aud cavalry, and
were routed,
Other "Reminiscences are now being
made of the country West and South
west Of the Notifications, and u move
ment Of a heavy body of troops in that
direction according TO General McClol-
lan's recommendation, is apparently
about to be made.
MOVEMENTS or rm ENEMY
Troops are still coming north from
! Richmond and concentrating ia the
| Shena ndoah Valley Winchester is uu-
| derstuod TO be the headquarters Tor
supplies and reinlorcemeuts Of the rne-
| my.
lhNNNlhlllB hilia AM ''iN
| There is no confirmation of the re-
ports Of the killing or capture OF these
! Generals
| discover from conversation with thOss
prisoners, that all the Confederate army,
! from lee down 10 drummer boys, were
/ very uneasy concerning SigePs where
| abouts, and his operations. They knew
he was not with Mcclellan, aud therefor,
had an idea he was about something bod.
ina them no good. lie is looked upon
by them as the jackson on this side,
tits expected these men will always
tell the most favorable stories; but, by
repeated inquiries, cannot learn that ia,
Confederate soldiers suffer any more from
want of provisions than ours do in long
marches, quick movements and prolonged
hostiltes. They admit that their fail
is coarse and hard, but insist they have
plenty whenever they remain in one To-
cality long enough for their supply train
TO oyertake them They appear to cart
more about ammunition than bread ant
meat. Woe 10 the Confederate officer il
charge of an ammunition train, who doe
not have it in the right place al the right
time, lie Is in great danger Of court
martial and dismissal.
military Promotions and Appoint
meuts.
BrigadiCr Generals Bosecrans, n.
Schenck, aud Hurlburt have been pro
: nofpd ia tho rank nr Major Generals .