Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-08-03
From washington.
A Disastrous FEDERAL REcoNSoIssANCE-THE
SrRESGrH OF GIN. LEES ARMY--NUMBER OF
CONFEDERATE TRooPs IN THE FiELp-THE
FEELING OF THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE.
Special Correspondence of the Chicago Times.
WASHINGTON .Julv o

Special Correspondence of the Chicago Times
WASHINGTON, July "a.
While the main body of Gen. Meade's army is
east of the Blue Ridge. there ia still n portion OF
it Cavalry near Hancock and Williamsport.
On Tuesday last. July 81, this cavalry force,
commanded by Gen. Averill, and supported by
the infantry under Gen. Kelly, (the latter. officer
not being attached to Meade's army, but com
handing a large number of troops on the middle
part of the line OF the Baltimore and Ohio rail.
road made a reconnaissance toward Martins
burg. The affair resulted very .disastrously. The
enemy were found strongly posted at that place,
and. alter a severe engagement, IN which our
troops fought with determined bravery, we were
repulsed and compelled to retreat with heavy
loss. / doubt whether 1.-The Government" will
allow any account Of the affair to be published.
This affair. and the defeat Of Gen. Gregg at
Shepherdstown, on the 18th, removes all doubt
as to the location of Gen. Lees army. But at
what a heavy sacrifice has the information been
gained.
The real facts in regard to the actual strength
Of Gen. Lees army have now been definitely as
certained. He catered Pennsylvania with 81, 1000
troops He recrossed the Potomac on the 18th
with rs. 900, having lost 5000. His army now
consists of the three corps of Longstreet, Ewell
and A. p. Hill, each 81. 900 strong and General
Stuart's cavalry, 5000 1t is known that two
weeks ago there we're 10000 more troops at
Richmond. Petersburg and various points on the
Peninsula, under Gen ID. Fl. Hill This officer
has now been sent to the southwest, and it is be-
lieved that these 90, 900 troops are now with
Gen. Lee, and in co. operation with his three corps
mentioned above, so that his whole force is now
95 900 strong. and each of the corps is about &c.
600 or 81 600 strong. 1t is supposed, also, that
80, 900 of the troops recently under Gen. Bragg
are now on their way to join Gen. Lee, which
will swell his numbers to lbs 900 troops. When
these facts are believed here, il can easily be seen
that it is necessary for Gen. Meade to act with
great caution.
Intelligence from Richmond up to July 90 has
been received here. 1t is evident, from the in
formation thus obtained, that the Southern peo-
pie, as well as the Confederate authorities, are
greatly displeased by their recent reverses on the
Mississippi, but that they are by no means in
clined to despond or relax their efforts. The
number of troops which the Confederates now
have in arms is estimated here at only $50. 900,
namely; Is, 900 with Lee, 20 900 near Richmond,
80, 900 at Charleston, 10000 at Mobile, 5000
under Marmaduke and Price, SO, 900 under Bragg,
and 80, 900 at various detached points. Even il
this estimate be correct. there is no reason for
believing that the war is any nearer termination
now than it was a year ago. That number of
troops can be doubled, If necessary, tor the fight
ing population of the South is not half exhausted
yet, and as vet our armies have not penetrated
the interior of the South. The declaration of
the Richmond papers, that the Southern people
have not vet begun to fight, will he found no idle
boast. And it looks very much now as if VIC will
soon have to look active foreign Intervention
square in the face. Y.