The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-06-20
War News OF the Week.

War News OF the week.
A,linterest during the past week has been
conferred on the movements Of Gen. Lee.
For over week his army. (of which
portion for several weeks past has been
nesr CulEeerer.) has been movIn. from
Trcdicksburg up the Rarral annock. az.
parently with the purpose Of getting b.
tween Hooker and Washington. Ti,i
movement becoming apparent I" Hooker
hs at once left Falmouth, and moved M
on the north side of the Rappahannock
pnri passu with Lee. If such Was Lee
design, it is now evident that he has Jailed
by the promptness OF Hooker IN getting
between him and Washington: but In
stead Of stopping at Culperper, he con-
timed hi. march Northwastward, and has
now gathered the main part OF his army
around Winchester, while ffookers army
il PRINCIPALLY collected in the vicinity OF
the old Bull Run battle ground.
Lee IN HI. movement was Of course pre-
eeded by heavy body of cavalry and ar
tillery. Pouncing upon Winchester un--
expectedly, the federal general M,.roy,
who was ,here with about 5000 men, va,
compelled TO suddenly evacuate the place.
which he did in the night, having spiked
his guns before he lefr, and losing 2oOO
men, chiefly by struggling, during the re-
treet, reaching Harper's Ferry in con-
slderably demorallzed condition The
rebel cavalry next made an attack Oh
Uarper's Ferry, i'll charge of Gen. Tyler
lie evacuated. the Ferry and took posti on
on the MaryIard Heights, from which he
shelled the rebels SO that they left in a
few hours
A considerable body Of rebe! cavalry
under Jenkins, also pushed forward
thrnugi, Hagerstown into Pennsylvania,
probably as far as Chambsrsburg causing
the utmost disfnay and fright in that re.
g;on. Although it is now certain that not
over three or four thousand cavalry in all
passed the Potomac, the telegraph des
patches from Harrisburg, C4riile, &c,
since Monday have daily assured Us that
Lees whole army Wa. at Iiagerstown. that
at least 10000 rebels were at Chambers
burg that Garlic was taken, and that Ha
gerstown was III imminent, hourly danger
of the state between Is and 45 years. TO
defend the borders, and Yew York and
Delaware reg iments are hurrying towards
Harrisburg and Piitsburg BY yesterdays
dispatches, however, it appears that even
the few rebel cavalry that were at ClIaDl-
bersburg have returned 10 HsgerstowD,
and that the Quaker state is totally free
free from rebel pollution.
What Lee precise Object j., it is hard
to guess. 1t is pretty well settled that he
has At least $1,000 Men, which is larger
army than Hooker is WA, beiived to have
His design can now hardly be against
Washington or Baltimore. and i. serr.s
incredible that he should design moving
towards the interior of Pennsylvania, for,
to say nothing of IIo,kcrs armv in his
gar. Gen Couch will in a week or more,
have an army coiicciei at !iarrisI urg
nearly large enough to cape with him
The probability is tina; he well establish
himself at Winchester ~ lie did last "a.
and from theme. make raids, by stuart's
Cavalry, into Pennsylvania. oaio. &c. while
Hooker at Bull Run or Washington. " II
Ivy quietly on his oars watching Lees
movements. And this will be the sum
m-r campaign.
The situation about Vicks'urs contir-
Price, Kerby Smith. Ac, arr uhab.e to
collect any sufficient force. seriously to an
rssy Grant. On the 9th Johnston attack ed
Grant s force at one of the crossings OF tire
Big Black with 1000 men. and was re-
pulsed With heavy loss Kirby Smith VIZ.
in like manner repulsed III a.taak Oh
Millikens Bend.
Desertcrs from Nictshrrrg come daily
within Grants lines. and unite in deciar-
ing that Pemberton must be starved out
in a week more. They say the men woald
desert by hundreds, were it not that they
are confident they will be honorably sur
rendered in few days
The latest date from Port Hudson are
to the 5tb. Skrimishing was going .on
constantly. Our forces were busilv con
sfructing batteries along the entire lire
which would t.e completed and opened
against the enemy Ga THE 9th. The opin-
ION YVES that the rebels could not hold out
twenty four hours thereafter. A deserter
says there is but small force in Port
Hudson.
There has been nothing but the usual
cavalry skiErnishing during the week In
Rosecraass SleDsrtu fes,t Instead OK sends
ing reinEs-xo~IRerts TO Johnston. IT is now
evident that Bragg mas been receiving re-
Inducements ard it Is the belief at N.ur-
freesboro, that ne Is prepa!ins, in co opera
ton with Buckntr, u: Knoxville, TO As
sumo the offensive ard invade Kentucky,
striking at about Monticello or Carthage,
in East Tennessee
I.incoIn's Letter.
The President has finally yielded so FAR
Il IL