, 1863-07-13
the WAR IN the EAST.
H'Tae Situation 21l
JWly2'2yEEx2e1.
Lee Believed to have
Crossed the Potomac.
CONFLICTING RUM0RS
AND DISPATCHES.

AND DISPATCHES.
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Trtbune]
FaEDEn1cK, VIA BALTIMORE, July Il.
From present appearances, Lee seems to
hare crossed over into Virginia ut Williams
port, and to bo pushing for Richmond.
Meade is following, having broke camp all
along the line this morning. He will follow
him closely, and make fight If possible. It
is now question Of legs and endurance.
Or. M.-News is just in from the front that
Meade has taken Hagerstown Without fight;
also FurketoWn, and is on tho road to VIII
Transport. The rebels are in some force at
Williamsport tonight, but it is not known
how many, nor Of what corps.
Meade has advanced beyond Hagcrstown,
but how far / can't say. A fight will take
ploce tomorrow, unless the rebels run. Up
to the present time there has been no fighting
to-day. l..
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.]
WAsusaToN. July II, 1903. :
Gen. Meade's forces are compact, their lines
being less than two miles in length. It is b..
lieved 3hat the rebels strength is nearly 90,
600, and that battle may take place at any
moment So far rs can be ascertained, to-day,
both armies are lying quiet in close proximi.
ty. A violent rain, this afternoon, has kept
the Potomac from falling. It looks like fur.
ther showers.
The brigade Of regulars In the 5th Corpa,
went into the battle Of Gettysburg with
eighty officers and sa5 men, and came out
with twenty.slx officers. and 472 men killed
and wounded. The 18th infantry lost III meu
and seven officers out Of 2H men. The rebel
wounded are TO be sent to Point Look Out, Is
well as to Chester aud Davis Island.
Those on the field admit TINT the defeat was
terrible one, and many Of them, particular
" those from North Caro1lna, express a de-
sire to be out Of the service, such Is the tcsti
mony Of Senator Wilkinson.
The Colonel Of the 1st Minnesota refused
to be removed from Gettysburg, where he
lies wounded, because his men cannot be tc
moved with him. =.
BALTIMORE, July ia special to the
Ax,erican, dated at headquarters on Saturday
night, says the position Of our army is essen.
TALLY unchanged. There has been no fighting
to-day. The enemy changed their picket Line
this morning, giving rise to the report that
they had abandoned Funkstown, which was
agnificd into full retreat, and escape over
the river. They were still in tho same post
tieu and in full force. Our pickets aro now
close to FunkstoTn, and all along the line in
inmediate proximity to the rebels.
Gen. Meade has lis forces all in position,
md everything seems ready either to receiva
or deliver battle. The army is in flrst-ratc
spirits, and moved into position with cheers.
Our cavalry operations continue very active,
and the rebels arc clrcumscribed to a small
ca'ent Of country for food aud forage.
NEW YoRK, July ia Middleton, Nd,
dispatch to the Herald says: From intorma-
tion By person who has been In the rebel
lines, at Funkstown, I learn that the rebels
were tearing houses to pieces to construct
pontoons. Rebel soldiers express little hope
Of crossing the Potomac. They were anxioua
about their supplies, not having seen their
trains for five days, and were disheartened.
4 Harrisburg special states that tho Antie
tam River Is much swollen, which, probably,
has delayed Meade in attacking the rebels.
Our army is more concentrated and strong
IT than when at Gettysburg
a headquarters dispatch Of tho 10th to the
Herald says our army is within q few miles o1
the enemy. ..-
The Herald states TINT important military
movements in progress indicate the policy oi
the Government to follow up vigorously our
succesE, and drive the rebellion to the wall.
Our Government has notified tho rebels
that the execution of the two officers select.
ed at Richmond, will be reta1iated most Sc
Eerely. =.
The New York Aereury has q Washington
dispatch, tntimnting that Lee has escaped
croes the Potomac.
AN1ETAM BRIDGE, W1L11AN5poRr Ro4p,
positions, driving back the eneny's cavalry
to the rear Of Funkstown. Leo Is strongly en-
t1enched, and has strong natural position.
Maj. Gen. Henry Humphrey has received
the appointment OF Chief Of Staff to Gen.
Meade. Gen. Warren declined the position,
BALTIMORE, July Il. "A special dispatch to
the American, from Bponsboro, July 12th,
saye, all is quiet this forenoon. It Is reported
that the rebels arc retreating towards Hnn-
cock.
a Harrisburg dispatch gives report that
mand Of the Pennsylvania militia In the i'm
medfate adynnce.
SATURDAY NIGHTS DISPATCHES.
Especial DisraiE1, to tho Chicago Tribune-l
FREDERICK, Hid, July II, 1858.
Major Medin, Of the 8th u1iuols cavalry,
is thought to be mortally wounded. He
msy possibly recover.
Tie news from the front is cheering. From
gentleman who was d prisoner In Lee'a
army at Hagerstown, and sent to Williams
port and escaped, I learn TINT the rebels are
constructing rafts TO croes the river. Houses
arc torn down for lumber, and floors are used
for planking. The rebels aro despondent,
and are anxious to procure wagons and
horses.
Buford's troops, participating In the battle
at Funktown Bridge, were the 8th Illinois
Cavalry, the 12th Illinois Cavalry, and the Sd
1ndiana Cavalry, under Col. Gamble, com.
manding the brigade, ,.
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tnbune.l
FREDEH1UK, July Il, 1868.
All quiet on the Antietam. The rebels &C
cupy Hagerstown and the road to Williams
port. Funkstowu is in possession Of the reb'
els. The rebel lines Of plckets are drawn IN
one mile.
Our troops are going forward. Look for q
general fight it any moment.
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Trfhune.1
FREDERICK, July II, 1868.
The following is fact.. This morning
Lieut.. Bishop went from Maryland Heights
to Harper's Ferry, with flag Of truce. In
conversation with some rebel officers, they
informed him that the rebel reports were
that Johnston had captured Grants army on
the Fourth, and that Meade had been whipped
and driven back to Baltimore, and TINT Lee
was beeieging that place, and Ind demanded
its surrender. They had not heard Of Lees
retreat or Grants victory at Vicksburg. When
shown Northern paper containing the facts,
the rebel officers said the Confederacy had
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