The New York herald., 1863-06-25

teas rice SEEDS metals fish, hemp and whalebone were
quiet The auction sale Of Lackawanna coal passed on
satisfactorily 900 tons having found buyers a. from
50 l2K 50 87k per ton. Tho freight market less
active.
The Progress Of che Iavasion-The Pend
Ing Campaign On the Potomac.
The new campaign has now developed itself
1t is . campaign of genuine invasion; but
what is the prizes The theory that Lee, under
cover Of a pretended invasion, was sending
away his army to Bragg, is exploded. Far
more likely it is that Bragg has sent away his
army to Lee. So, too, the idea Of an invasion
Of Ohio by way of Western Virginia is dssi-
pated into thin air. The other hypothesis, that
Lee merely intended to spend the summer in
the valley of the Shenandoah and the Upper
Potomac, making raids upon Cumberland
valley for subsistence and plunder, IS also
disposed of. 1t will be seen by tele-
graphic despatch from Baltimore that the
rebels had already crossed South Mountain, and
are marching with infantry, cavalry and artil-
lery upon Frederick, the capital of Maryland
out of which small force sent in advance had
previously been driven by some Union cavalry
Yesterday morning they were half way between
Middletown and Boonsboro; 80 that by this
time they are probably in possession Of Frede-
rick. What that means we shall presently see
In the same way the force that recently threat
ened Harrisburg retired; but now a larger force
is advancing against it, and the Union troops
are retreatng before the invaders. There is no
doubt that the rebels would be glad to get pos
session of Harrisburg; bnt they can hardly ex-
pect that at present. Their immediate object
is to destroy the bridge there, or induce our
troops to do it, and to destroy the other bridges
on the Susquehanna
Thus by bold and rapid movement of the
rebel general, the theatre Of war in Virginia has
been transferred northeastward from the Rap
pahannock to the Potomac, and even to the
Susquehanna. Lee has successfully achieved
the most difficult and dangerous operation in
war-a flank movement in presence Of the
enemy. Had Hooker been on the alert he
could have inflicted upon him in his march ire
parable damage, and driven him back in confu-
sion. By moving on the chord Of the arc, with
his fine cavalry he might have seized the gaps
in the Blue Ridge and assailed Lees
flank, cutting his army in two, or he could
have destroyed his trains and chopped
up his rear. But Lee, without any considera-
around the right flank of the Union army and
getting in the rear Of Washington, while
Hooker, we believe, is still in the frsnt Of
the federal capital. We were told that the
cavalry battle at Brandy Station, near the Rap
pahannock, more than a fortnight ago, would
defeat the purpose of Lee and prevent inva-
sion. 1t has not done so. We have been as
sured that similar results would flow from the
| more recent cavalry fights at Aldie and its vi
cinity-that at least Lee was bafled in his pur.
pose of descending upon the old battle field
of Pull run, or upon Washington on its
,outberd she, or upon Hookers army,
stretched between; and that, in fact, the capi-
tai was now safe from attack in the front, which
is certainly true as Lee never contemplated
assaulting its formidable Notifications on that
side. 1t does not, however, follow that the
city is equally safe from attack in the rear. 1t
was stated yesterday by a correspondent of a
city journal, who appears to possess the conf
dence of our commanding general, that the
enemy would not dare to enter Maryland with
so feet an army as that of Hooker in his rear.
But from telegraphic despatch in the same
journal it appeared that Lee had already not
| only dared to cross the Potomac, with at least
| the van of his army under Ewell, but that he
occupied South Mountain and Boonsboro val
ley. A later despatch this morning shows that
his advance had crossed the mountain and
was moving on Frederick. How soon the
main body may dare to follow remains to be
seen. BY recent accounts 1t had been massed
In the valley of the Shenandoah, with its com
munications open on one side with Winchester
and with Williamsport on the Upper Potomac
and on the southern side with Culpepper, Cor
donsvIlle and Richmond. From his presen
Inosition he may follow on the track Of Ewell
| or bv turning short to his right, over the noun
tains. he may cross the Potomac at Leesburg
or still lower down, at Coon's Ford, which
Ia inst above the Great Falls, or about
fifteen miles from washington-sn eas.
| davis march to the capital. 1t Is calculates
that the defences on the northern side can b
easily carried by an attack by way Of Bladen'
burg; aud Il is stated by our Baltimore col
respondent that cooperating corps Of Le
left behind at Fredericksburg, Is to cross Il
! Lower Potomac at Budds Ferry, some twent!
. Eve miles below Washington, and that II hi
a complete set Of pontoons ready for the pul
pose.
But Lee 10 not likely to attack the city a
Q long as Hooker's army is intact and can ms
d the notifications. His object by maneuvres
draw Hooker sufficiently far away from washin
ton to enable the rebel army to reach Thy forc'
!. mrchcs and storm the works before Hook