New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-05-05

Gen. Ice, IN Wuicu tno hoVois WoIo IoPuiocu,
with immense losses on both sides, and the
death Of several Major. Generals on ours. We
do not vouch for the statement any further
than to say that it comes to US from source
likely to be well informed, and that We know
of nothing to mako it improbable, and moth.
ing by way of evidence to contradict
it. The silence of the Government, which
is quite generally interpreted to indi.
cate bad news, does not seem to US sug'
gestive in either way The authorities at
Washington have chosen, at moment when
the interest and anxiety of the public are
intense, to withhold oil kilograms, favorable
and unfavorable. We have received dispatcher
by mail and by special messenger, giving moth
ing but good news and which to the unofficial
eye were wholly unobjeCtiOnable, that were
positively refused transmission over the wires.
1t il simply that all news is arrested Of
Washington, and it is, therefore, impossible to
draw conclusions as to its character.
A reverse on Saturday was considerably dis.
cusssd yesterday in the streets, but had no
better authority than the arrival Of q fright
ened correspondent Of one of the morning pa
pers, which did not attach sufficient credit to
bis story to give it to the public. To speak
of a reverse even is using a stronger word
than the report justified. since it only alleged
in substance that tho enemy attacked Hooker's
line on Saturday, and after severe
contest pierced his center, handled his
right wing rather roughly, and compelled
him to reconstruct his lines during the
following night. 1t may be presumed that
nothing less than general attack could ac-
complish so much as this, and if a general at
tack accomplished no more, the eventual de-
feat of Lees army may be deemed certain.
But to this account we attach little or no i'm
portance. 1t is quite possible-it is more than
probable-that there was fighting at Chancel-
lorUille on Saturday, but in the absence Of
authoritative statements, we do not suppose it
to have been q general engagement.
On the left, below Fredericksburg, there
was decisive movement. an account Of which
We printed yesterday exclusively, from special
correspondent. Gen. Sedgwick crossed his
whole corps, drove the Rebel pickets before
him, advanced by q rayine, occupied Freder-
icksburg, and subsequently took the first line of
redoubts in rear Of tho town. This was nc-
complished in obedience TO a telegraphed order
from Gen. Hooker at Charlottesville, which
late on Saturday. afternoon announced an ap-
II L.. q th. in front
of him. That telegram is quite sufficient TO
show that he had sustained no reverse at that
time, yet the report above referred to
dates the disaster on Saturday. Moreover,
the LIST Corps, under Gen. Reynolds, moved
leisurely and ostentatiously up the Rappahan.
mock on Saturday, to Banks's Ford, in order
to induce the enemy to march out his forces
from Fredericksburg--of course TO tie Rebel
position ut Charlottesville. Now if Gen.
Hooker we're hard pressed on Saturday, he
would in the first place have ordered
Reynoldss eerps rapidly up, aud, in the second
place, il. movement would not have been dis.
played to the enemy for the purpose OF tempt
ing him to send more forces against a position
already threatened.
We have assurapces from three points that
Gen. Stoneman has been successful in cutting
the enemy's communications by rail with Rich.
mond and We see no reason to doubt the
fact. II it be fact, it will 60 far to dspel
all uncertainty as to the success of the whole
grand movement Of Gen. Hooker. For it
must be remembered that Lee depended on
his supplies from Richmond on that line,
and can receive them on no other. If
it we're possible to transport them on the
Gordonsyille road-if there were any
means of doing it in any way-it can be Of no
avail, because Hooker holds that road at Chan
cellorsyille. But Lee has neither wagons nor
horses enough to feed his army, nor can it be
supposed that he had any considerable amount
of supplies on hand near Fredericksburg. The
commissariat Of his army has been hard
pressed to keep his men fed from Richmond.
Nothing can have accumulated in camp
Among the rumors in Washington is one tina:
dispatch from Gen. Lee had been intercept
ed, in which he stated that he was surrounded
and without supplies
II follows, therefore, that Gen. Lee must
fight or starye. Gen. Hooker, knowing the
railway is cut, might wait at Charlottesville
till famine forced Lee out Of his trenchers in
the hope to defeat the national forces and 30
recover his communications. Lee, however,
did not wait till he was forced, but like the
brave commander he has shown himself to be,
marched at once to Charlottesville, and flung
himself against Hooker's lines 1t is hardly to
be doubted that his whole army was holding
the Rappahannock line when Hooker crossed
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