New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-01-13

Rebel Aftnck ON "pfiHshClu- N row h"r-
ticuIars-Uow they Reachcd the State
without piscsyery-Menn-f for Defense
Capture OF One Piece Of ARTILLERY
Progress Of the Fight nIinutry o. the
Defcn.e-FinaI Efforts -Whercabout Of
the Army OF the Frontier.
from Our Special Couespondent go.
Tie Rebels have avenged the capture Of Van Blu.
ren. With great boldness and excellent manage
Ineut they have thrown a cavalry force, nearly five
Il ousand strong into tis State by an unfrequsnted
route, and attacked Springfield, the key po-
sion of the Southwest. Hardly any hopo is
Ieil 20 hang doubt upon that they this morning
occupying the place; and ere this they have prob
aLly accomplished the obstruction Of army stores
designed Tor Gen. Schofeld's army, and valued at
nearly million dollars Our information OF the
situation of affairs has been received, Of course, by
telegraph.
The last dispatch WAS received at 3 q. N. A. q.
III the operator ceased TO respond, and the Lebanon
Office si6d, WiIeB have been cut between this aud
SPRINGFIELD" Communication was only kept uP by
Tie Springfield operator as late AZ a. M, by using
pocket instrUineLt short distgpce from the town.
The pe.ils Of telegrapbing from IA town pending an
attack from the enemy may be inferred from the
Circumstance tIat, while tie operator was sending
Gen. Blunt's dispstch at 3 D. III. to Gen. Curiis,
three SHELLS entered the building, and one OF them
cracked through the side of the room where he
engaged Had it exploded, speedy end 10 that
disratcA would have been reached, and instead OF
" line down." as the newspapers sometimes say, the
Iyindine up would have been "operatOr down.
The Rebels approached Springfield by The Ozark
road With great cunning, they avoided The main
roads until within short distance Of The place. BY
this means they avoided giving the alarm to the
garrisons ut Ozark Crossroads and at CaEsvllle.
The latter garrison can fsl back upon the Army Of
the Frontier The Ozark garrison whs probably
taken prisoners They represented ns 30 strong,
and commanded by Capt Adam tlagg Of the Nth
State ia the vicinity Of Forsyth, OIL the White River
and succeeded in ehec,ing complete surprise.
The officer in command nt Springfield IL Gen. Il.
b. Brown of the State Militia service. He was for.
merly agent OF the Chicago aud Alton Railroad in
81. Louis, and entered tho seryice IA Lieutenant
Colonel OF one Of the first regiments Of volunteers
raised in this State His military ability Is ques
but his bravery and Rallantry undoubied
HIS frat ntmation OF the nearness OF the Rebels or
of their strength. was conveyed by residents OF the
vicinity, who flew TO town on Wednesday and n-
formed hun Of the fact. suspicion was created that
something WAS wrong in the forenoon Of that day by
the cutting of tho telegraph line south OF Springfield
and of the failure 10 hear anything from the man
sent out 10 repair IT, The day was fine, and the
line unless ntcrfered with by kebeb ought TO have
worked.
However, as soon az tho Rebels were reported
near at hand, Gen. Brown did everything in his
power TO offer vigorous resistance. Families were
hurried out OF houses on the outskirts and loop
holes made for musketry. Extra ammunition and
arms were distributed to every citizen willing TO
handle gun for tho defense VI their town. Con.