The New York herald., 1863-10-21
Brisk Skirmishes at ThorOughfare Gap,
New Baltimore and Broad Run.
Cause Of the Withdrawal Of the Main
Body Of the Rebels.
Burnsidts Successes Along the Virginia and
East Tennessee Railroad.
4 Portion Of Lees Army Detached
TO Oppose Burnside,
mr.. Thomas m. Cooks Despatch.

Army oS rm PoroxAo, Oct. 30, 1853.
EEansB Al moReUGBvARB 0AP--Rour on rHH RKnEs
The fighting In the vicinity Of Thoroughfarc Gap,
alluded to In my despatch Of yesterday was between
Bufords division OF cavalry and portion Of stuarts
cavalry Il occurred the plain directly in front Of the
Gap, and lasted for upwards Of four hours principally an
artillery duel. AZ correspondents not permitted
with tho cavalry not able TO give you the details
Of the affair The rebels finally routed by spirited
charge Of our cavalry and driven into tho mountains
wTrlpRAwAL IFx's ToRcEs-Bu RSspEs koyEuzS1p
CAUsK
Deserters from the rebel lines bring us cheering
to-day, which understand to be confirmed by oo,-
clal dispatches received by General Meade from Wash
ngton, and which fully for the hasty withdrawal
Of Leo from the 'front.' II appears that Burnside has
forced his way through the mountains OF
and Southwest Virginia. and actually got possession
Of tho main line OF rebel interoommnnication-t vir.
gnia and Fast Tennessee Railroad. Tho information as
gather IL, places Burnside 10 the vicinity OF Aping.
ton, about hundred and seventy five miles
southwes. OF Lynchburg tho great rebel base Of suppes
e s said to be of the railroad for distance
OF forty fty miles, and has uttorly destroyed IT, Ho
s working along up The railroad towards Lynchburg
Lee, in his recent advance against Meade withdrew all
the available he could gather from liue of this
road eupposng II perfectly so long Meade
10 his front II appears paIn-what before
ncomprehensible--wby Meade was not allowed to
fight the rebels on tho Rappahannock, as he det
sired 10 do, but not permitted 10 do
by the authorities AT Washington. By falling
back towards Washington be drew tic ehemy al least
two daysEmaroh father away from Burnsides field OF
operations Lee, utterly ignorant OF Burnsdes move
mens or whereabouts, followed him. The discovery Of
Durnsides operations mado the 18th, aud an
toegraphod TO Gorionsvllo ana thence despatched by
special courier to Loo reaching him the leth coupled
Al hacf ipnpna md
with all hasto 10 Gordonsye and reinforce the garrison
At Iynchburg. HIS rotrogado movement commenced
Friday night when tho troops intended for lynchburg
were rst Withdrawn These understand to be tho corps
OF d. H. Hil which at that time operating our
le.t and therefore to Culpepper They
rived at Culpeppor on Wednesday where immense trains
OF waiting for thom by which they
ported southwark The OF rebel army followed
leisurey though with all reasonable expedition
taking the Warrenton turnpike aud the dirt road via
Greenwich. stuarts caynlry retained thor position ip
our front until Sunday, when they foil back.
DESTRUCTION 7ss ORANGE ALEXANDRIA RAILROAD BY
THs RKDWrs
Tho destruction OF tho Orange alexandria Railroad
BY tho rebels In their most complete Not
only the rails torn up and piled upon heaps Of tics
which wero burned thus warpiug and bending the ron
but all the bridges destroyed, tho abulrnen,s
being blown down. culve.s blown up water do
stroyed timber elsd track and every concoy
able device resorcd 10 mako tho destruction complete
OF havo not the full extont Of damag,
done 70 The road, but estimating ~ by what seen a
Bris.oe station and In that vicinity, II win require
week two, with the strongest possible force Of work
men, TO put II in order rhis work has already bser
commenced, and will be prosecuted with all Tho vsol
that has characterized tho operations of Colones
McCallam and Dcvcreux, tho managers Of tho line.
wApEs FORWARD.
But tho destruction OF the railroad will not rctard
the operations Of tho army. Already thcy are fully
supplied with ratlons and zach arrangements have
been mado that they viii not ack for supplies
In tho future. They aro pressing towards N,
point whero they needed. ful OF spirit strong
their confidence In their abIo commander Their vhere
abouts IL is not proper FOR tho public 10 Lei
II sufco for tho present that they not Ido, and
though startling oyens may not bo recorded daily The
time far distant when tho Old Army Of tho Potomac
viii strike another blow influential for Tho restoration Of
tho Union