Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-07-29
special corrssPendsBes Of the Chicago TlBes
W.sutxcrnx Iulv 81

Special corrsspendsnes Of the Chicago Times.
WAsHISGToS. July %.
While the main body Of Gen. Meade's army j.
east OF the Bloc Ridge there il still potion OF
il Cavalry near Hancock and Williamsport.
On Tuesday last. July 81. this cavalry force.
commanded by Gen. Averili, and supported by
the infantry uuder Gen Kelly. lihe latter officer
not being attached TO Meade's army. but com
handing large namber of troops on the middle
part Of the line of the Baltimore and Ohio rail
road made reconnaissance toward Martins.
burg The affair resulted very disasirOusly The
enemy were found strongly posted at ths' place.
and. alter a seve e engagement. IN which our
troops fought with determined bravery. We were
repulsed and compelled to retreat with heavy
loss ] doubt whether "the Government" will
allow any account Of the affair Ia be published
This affair. and the defeat Of Gen Gregg nj
Shepherdstown. on the 18th. removes all doubt
a. 20 the location OF Gen. Lees army But at
what heavy sacrifice has the Information been
gained.
The real facts IN regard 10 the actual strength
OF Gen Lees army have now been definitely as
eertained. lie catered Pennsy lvania with $4,000
troops He recrossed the Potomac on the 18th
wish 10000. having lost $4,000 His army nov
consists of the three corps of Longstreet. Ewell
aud z. HILL each 10000 strong. aud General
Stuarts cavalry. 5000 IL u known that two
Richmond. Petersburg and various points the
Peninsula under Gen ID II Hill This officer
has nov been seut 20 the southwest. and a II be
lieved that these 20 900 troops are now with
Gen. Lee. aud IN CO operation With his three corps
mcnioned above. 40 that his whole force i nov
93OOO strong. aud each OF the corps j. about 20,
OOO or ~ O0O strong Ii - supposed also. thst
30 900 OF the troops recently under Gen Bragg
are now on their way 10 join Gen, Lee, which
will swell his numbers 20 l25 400 troops When
these facts believed here. IL can easily be seen
that IL is necessary for Gen Meade to act with
great caution.
intelligence from Richmond up 10 July 20 has
been received here. II is evident. from the in
formation thus obtained. that the Southern peo-
Pile, aS we'll as tie Confederate authorities. are
greatly dispeased by their recent reverscs ON the
Mississippi. but that they are by no means ia.
clincd 10 dospond or relax their efforts The
number Of troops which the Confederstes nov
have in arms ia estimated here AZ only $50 900
namely: 10 600 with Lee. 20 900 ne,r Richmond
10000 At Charleston. 10000 at Mobile, Is. 0Ol
under Marmaduke and Price. so 900 under Bragg
aud 81. 900 nc various detached points Even il
this estimate be correct. there il no reason foI
believing that the war il any nearer terminatiou
now than IL was year ago. That number oil
troops can be doubled. f necessary. tor the fight
ing population OF the South is not half exhausted
Yet, and "a yet our armies have not penetrated
the interior Of the South The declaration o
the Richmond papers. that the Southern people
have not vet begun 10 fight. will be found no idle
boast And IL looks very much now ~ IL We vii
soon have to look active foreign intervention
square in the face. X.