The New York herald., 1862-11-06
IMPORTANT FROM M'clEllsN's ARMY.
.->~-~~~~e<.>r--~~->><~-.
The Union Forces StiLA Ad-
vnlAeing.
Retreat Of the Rebels from
Ashby's Gal
Occupation Of Additional Impcrtant
Mountain Positions.
Lists of Casualties I'm the Err
gagelM ents,
&e., &ss. Ne



HEADQrAprr,y. on ran ARMY OF Tm PotoxAo,l
Nov. 4-4:toP NJ. ]
Jast night was tain whether tho possession OF
Asbbys Gap would be contested not. Every prepara
tion made " force IL circumstances made
sary; the rebels rersatcd this morning. leaving
trcos IN undsputed possession OF Ire mountain From
The heights favorable view Of tho Shenandoah valley
had but large body OF the enemy to be
Winchester and the intervening portion sf the valley
plainly visible.
Tho commands Of cavalry and artillery under Generals
P,easanton and AveStr occupied Piedmont last night
This morning they pushed or, and, afser spirited skr
mish occupied Markham. They now hold the approaches
TO Manassas and Chester gops, on che left Of the
Blue Ridge Mountains
Tho rebel cavalry showed themselves TO day opposite
Snickers Cap, and also visible from the Maryland
Hcssb.s.
General Mcclellan spent Of the afternoon at the
doah valley.
The RsecnnSissance Through SnIcker's
Gap.
sS,cxgRsvuJx, VI. Nov. 4. 1862.
llercnxt Colonel ssrgcct Of the FRS, Massachusetts
savs'sy, with his. rset and the Sixth, Seventh and
Fourteenth United States Infantry, latter in
command of Capt. q. ConnetpursnaDt to- directions OF
cnora Porter recoInoiesance yesterday after
through Snickers Gap, the object Of which
tase view the country tho other side Of the Bo
Ridge and observe the strength d the enemy there.
No resistance met ia proceeding through the gap
wntl tho summit Of the mountsin pass attacked.
Here advancing co!u1p uD the rebel piekets,
fed % their approach, firing they ro;featei Our
eayanec1 esuliosy, throwing ont ssirmisheys iD
front. At tho base Of the melntap, on the op-
ycs,.c SIDE, ciose by tbe hanks Of The shenandoah
f.er. was large force os rebel infantry and
some artillery. The cLcGiy opened upon Us with
ianskotry and shc Cur nco, undsnntod charged upon
tbrm mcat brilliant charge made by cavalry
Tie sharp and in.essant byin OF infantry, coupled
with the cavalry charge sent she rebels scattering They
plunged into The river in Wild confusion, under fire.
and of dead bodies floating in the water
Afterwards, showing tbat firing attended with
most deadly effect. Our did not press the
river but, having driven INC enemy across, withdrew
bringing all our killed and wounded with them.
The object OF the reconnaissance Sally accomplish
e1. the enemy bad ten regiments sUoss the river and
eight cannoS. They opened IRE Spon MS with eli their
sns We had NO artillery, and the enemy out
numbered Us ten to most brilbant
affair. General Porter present person, and under
ths hottest Of the enemy Ss nd the enemy fred less
knrns5'y loss would have been much heavier. Their
Tepulss complete, and now hold the gap.
Csptau Pratt, Of the First Massachusetts, cavalry, fell
At The head Of his compsay shot through the head. He
had bui recently beon promoted from First Lieutenant
70 csp.acy His body will be taksn TO Mount Hcivoke
wher. iis isn,y resides.
The wounded were brought to The Stone church In
Snisker. vile aud vel cared Tor. abe inhabtan of
tbe village have been kindly sssduousb sbsir services
During progress the cahnonsding the whole corps
was put under arms n anticipation th&t general en-
gsgement might possibly take plscc.
Tnc following is complete ist or the casualties on orr
eide
HnlsD.
Capt. Prf.,, LIST NasEshnsofts cavalry.
WarIor b,own, Co E,Second battalion I4ti y infantry
Sehre shank o D. Second battalion ist l. $. infsntrs
John Hsah Co. r sscGpa battalion 18th u s. infantry
Lieut. Francis Perry Second battalion la,h L. s. inisntry
Donald .s.s MSSay 20 Gh Y; ,nlapiry arm smpulsted
Alien Hsdlcy, Co. q, 18th u. s iDssnify. Rpes.
Granville casyai, &c. G, izh Y. s. pairy, both lego
Burgess E lrgsrso % L. ,4,h o. s. infany, s,sh hips
M:aa., Ea:so, Co. 2, i..s @ y :. infantry foot
James Tarigb,, 60. b, lsth L. S. infantry, log
s.liamsn sisb, Co. 0, stn Y. >. Infantry lung.
rrsSseS Hsss cfssess Co. T. isa D. 2 x
s.aEt,n Kil0urn, Go. +, iSth U, :. infantry, foot
CHARLES A. Robinson. lst Massachusetts cavalry, log.
Wn. a. Harris, lst Massachusetts cavalry, loSs.
The skfrmjshes with the Rebeis-Thsfr
Present Positsop.-GsneralM McCieiiaa at
the Front.
Hraoav.sr,ss, AMY ot sHs ss,osAr,l
.
Siiaa the FIRST advance or oar troopa into Virginia the
army bas pressed steadily os with no.h'og TO engage its
attention. save occasional ioscc or rsbsi cavalry with
few pieces Of artillery, which invariably aed after
sbort skTmlsh.
During tho skrnshhg Sunday three prisoners were
captursd who stated ths, Stuart in command AMI
had four thousand cavalry ave pieces Of artillery
short distance beyond Union the sney nsde sno,her
siaad but inaly compelled to iau back with the
ass of several. prisoners sni numbnr ot killed AMI
wounded.
oa Monday b.t ht,ie Of iuteycs tsanspirsd.
or tuesday morning drove The cnemy fron Cppes
vlo anasbout nine O'Clock General xccle,en arriyss
here and interview hoii between bri and Gene.
rails Burnside, Reynolds, Strrgis and others.
she spony u is reported occupies Manassas Gay With
hut small force and po:bpg OF imrptsncs ,s expected
a that vicinity
Yesterday Afternoon 6snesa. Mcclellan accompanied oy
Generals Reynolds, stsis snd Bafsrj rocc o., 70 Ash.
BPS Cap, which The enamy had dcssr,ed duricg the
norning.
oar csvaIy advance. v,sins dowo ,DS western side OF
Tie rdgo, csp.urci rebel ssusl cfcof and advanced 70
the shenandoah river where they discovered the cneys
cavalry, drawn up in lice apcn We cthsY sds
General NJ, clean renamed al fc gap several 5ours,
and made careful survey OF no valley Dense volumes
Of smoke rising ucrn tbo wooessiu the direction
Of Winchester, and the euemy's wagons could
bc sosn With gass packed the siiaceni fci1. No
movement Of any Kind Tie part Of tho rebsis vas dis
ccverod their only force visible being the cavay drawn
up tho Ecds beyond che shcnandoah and an occs
sions squad aashng alons the tunskc the distance
Tho Shenandoah valley appeared bs remarkably vel
supplied With forage, hsysiecss end Colds Of son ect
iug The eye in every direction,
smokers aud Asibys gaps occupied by our troc,s
rbe enemy are evidently force bclwcsn Front Royal
and Winchester and not little bsvild cred with tnc
sta.o of affairs Their prisoners state that the rebel
oacors are expecting eghs daily; but prstsss utter
ignorance concerning our movouenis
The troops axcscnt condition, tho weather nav.
ipr been exceedingly favorable for maschng Tho sick
arc carried along by their respective regiments and will
probably bo sent 70 the Washington hospitals.
me following 10 partial llst Of wounded n recels s.r.
rntshes:--