The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-06-20
The Situation in Virginia.

ed by small squad of rebel cavalry, on
entering the State of Pennsylvania, are
beginning to break away, and afford us a
more intelligent view Of the situation OF
the different armies on the Potomac
Gen. Milroy, not being addicted to scar
ing easily, remained at Winchester long
enough to demonstrate that the rebels
are in heavy force in the Shenandoah
Valley. 1t is most probable that Gen.
Lees entire army, it's tanks supported
by Stuart's cavalry, is leisurely marching
up the valley toward Maryland. Will
Transport is already in the possession of
the rebel General, and affords him easy
access to Maryland and the Cumberland
Valley of Pennsylvania, by way of the old
Antietam battle field and Hagerstown.
1t is stated that Gen. Ewelrs corps de
ar7nee has the advance of the rebel army,
supported respectively by the corps of
Gems. Hill and Longstreet. If this be
the position of the rebel army: it indi-
Gates that Gen. Lee designs to make a
bold strike for the possession of our Ma
tional Capital He has been denounced
SO often and bitterly for reaping no ben
efts corresponding to the extent of his
victories, that he surely contemplates
something above an ordinary raid or
foraging expedition. He is too willy to
attack Washington in front His aim
will be to compel Hooker, by flank
movement on the Capital, to meet him
somwhere in Maryland, and contest the
possession of Washington in a pitched
battle 1t requires no great military sa-
gacity to see that the defeat of Hooker
in Maryland would Immediately result
in the capture of Washington, if not also
of Philadelphia and Baltimore. The
prize is worthy great effort, and to our
minds Gen. Lee seems disposed to make
it In case he should be defeated, he
has his retreat down the Shenandoah
Valley open to him as it was after the bat
tie of Antietam.
1t is not to be forgotten that Hooker s
army has been considerably weakened
By the reurn home of the two years
and nine months men, whose time of en-
listment has expired. But Gen Lee, we
doubt not, is counting more largely on
the numerical weakness of the Army of
the Potomac than results will Justify.
That the above view of the position of
the rebel army and the designs of the
rebel General is correct, seems to be
confirmed By the brilliant cavalry fight
at Aldie, an account of which appears in
our telegraph columns this morning.
Aldie is situated about midway between
White Plains and Leesburg, and occu-
pies a gap between the Bull Run and the
Kittoctan mountains, on a road leading
directly from Fairfax, through Smokers
Gap, to Berryville and Winchester. Fitz
Hugh Lees cavalry was protecting the
flank of column on its way from Gull
pepper to Leesburg, if it was not design
ed to take possession of the Gap at Al
die for the Infantry which was following.
General Hooker appears to be using
the eyes of his army-the cavalry-tO
good purpose, and by his various recon
noisiances must:by this time have fully
unmarked the designs of his able adver-
sary. a few days viii decide as to the
relative ability of the two commanders.
While we are hopeful, the vastness of the
stake at issue in the next battle and the
uncertainty of war are well calculated to
call forth serious apprehensions.
We are pleased, to notice however, thai
our Government is applying a counter
irritant, and while the authorities a.
Washington are called on to put fortf
great efforts to defend their capital, JEFF
Davis is not to be permitted to repose il
quiet at Richmond.
A heavy column of Union troops
AdHheu " SuHOOdtS. OH inc odInSSi q
munky and Chickahoming rivers, is al
ready within days march of the rebe
capital, and pressing forward, the rebe
troops retreating in dismay before them
A dispatch in the New York HeraJc
of yesterday places Gen. Keyes com
rnand at New Kent Court House, tow
27 miles from Richmond The rebe
papers themselves admit that our troop
were at that point on the 18th inst. ant
that the rebel forces were compelled tt
fall back to prevent being fanked from
the James and Chickahominy rivers
The Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce,
received dispatch on Wednesday from
their correspondent in New York to tn
following effect:
Advices from Washington state tina
Dix's army was moving up the Peninsu
Ia, supported by iron-clads and CUR
boats on the James, Pamunky and Chick
ahominy rivers, and at last advice
was within fifteen miles of Richmond.
This is not at all improbable aud is i
full harmony with other ihformatio
from the Peninsula. If 1900 rebt
oo-oI-,- oo,,1J tbro1u tho oreat State =