The New York herald., 1863-05-04
THE SITUATION.

THE SITUATION.
Rumors Of the most exciting and variable
character relative to the operations of General
Hooker's army in Virginia were afoat in the city
yesterday. 1t is extremely probable that battle
vas commenced between the contending forces Of
Hooker and Lee on Saturday morning, as heavy
nnonading was heard on the left Of General
lockers line about that time. On the right the
firing was not 30 frequent nor 60 heavy. The
telegraph being entirely employed for the uses Of
the army for the past few days, this report Of
general action. based upon the sound Of cannonad-
ing, is the only reliable intelligence we have, ex.
ospt that which reaches us by mail.
Our army correspondence to-day contains .
most elaborate and interesting account Of the for.
ward movement Of the army, the crossing Of the
fords and tho brisk skirmishing which accom-.
panied the advance of the troops to Chancellors-
vile. map Of the scene Of action shows tho DO.
sitions which the different corps assumed in their
march and all the leading points IN tho region Of
country over which our troops are now pushing
forward. The army is said to be in the finest
spirits. General Hooker issued an address to
them at Chancsnorsville thanking them for their
gallantry. We append to our news to-day list
Of tho casualties. among which is the death of
Lieutenant Colonel Mcvicar. Of the Sixth New
York cavalry, brave officer. who was killed
while charging the enemy.
rh. w : :
nsws from westera Virginia of the late rebel raid
on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, the occupa-
tion of Morgantown by the rebels In large force,
and the depredaiions they committed in that 10.
cality. On Friday General Mulligan had been
joined by General Kenley with reinforcements, at
Grafton. General Kelly sends an ofacialrep Of
the fight at Greenland Gap ON the 24th ult., in
which Captain Wallace. with small force Of the
Twenty third Illinois (Irish rcgimcnt) successfully
resisted the passage of superior force Of the
enemy.
The steamer George Cromwell. from New Or
leans, with dates to the 25th ult.. brings the i'm.
portant intelligence that General Banks had taken
possession of Alexandria, Louisiana, q town situ.
sted the head of navigation on the Red river,
thus cutting of the rebel supplies by that water
highway. An expedition to Pearl river, for the
purpose Of capturing several rebel steamers and
schooners concealed there proved entirely sue
cesssul. The steamer A. G. Brown loaded with
cotton, .urpentins and rosin, was taken twelve
miles above Gainesville. Mississippi. which place
our troops had previously occupied. The schooner
George Washington, similarly laden. was also
secured, and three others found in Black Bayou,
were destroyed Since the occupation Of the At
tskapss country by our troops, the people are
nocking eagerly TO take the oath Of allegiance to
the United States government and claim the pro.
lection Of its fag.
Our army o; Suffolk continues to be actively oc.
cupied Yesterday morning at nine o'clock Gen.
Peck sent force of infantry, cavalry and artillery
across the Nanscmond river on q reconnaissance.
When two miles on, they charged upon and took
the encmys rifle pits and some prisoners Our
loss was small and the enemy's much greater.
Bkirmiahing had been kept up all day.
despatch from Memphis, dated on Thursday.
says the Jackson (Miss.) Appeal of the 24th ult..
reported cavalry expedition of our troops in
Central Mississippi, threatening Columbus and Gre
NADIA. which, it says, exceeds in daring and bold
ness oil former raids
Our only news ron the Mississippi comes from
the Richmond papers Of tho 3Oth ut, which state
that jackson, Tenn, had been abandoned by the
Union troops. and that two bargcs and a fat boa,
had run the fire Of the rebel batteries at vicks.
burg, on the night Of the 26th, in safety.
The rebel steamer Cornubia arrived at Bermuda
on the 2oth ult. from Wilmington. NC. This "a
the 6;th voyage Of the Coruubia to and from tho
rcbei States. The General Lee was nearly ready
% sail for Charleston.
By the arrival Of the French steam trsnsnor,
A'ier at this port yesterday from Vera Cruz. we
- intelligence from Mexico to the 22d ult. stat.
that the French positively occupied half thu
K, cf Puebls. This, however, is not news eor ~.
informed Of the fact repeatedly before. There
Is a. loubt, we suppose, about the occupation of
portion Of PuebIa by the French. The news
brought by the Allier denies that the French army
were defeated, a. reported.
nIscRLLANE0us NEwa
Foateen hundred bales Of cotton arrived q,
Memphis during the week ending on the 2stb MI,
A new chanael he's been discovered in the Bud.
son river. whereby The obs,ruct tons NJ coevmsn..
can be avoided. Tho new rbaooct I'm