Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-01-17
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE CONFEDERATE
STATE DEPARTMENT.
ar. Benjamin. 10 Mr.. SiiQeH.
mo. 6, duplicate.

Hon JonS SLiDEIL, &c. 80. &c, Paris.
SIN Since my number 5, of 10th July, without
any communication from you, with the exception of your
No y Of 10Th February last which brought to the
Department the 10th Of this month by Dir. Chamber
yn, 10 whom yau had entrusted it, This gentleman has
hus consumed months in dischagng the tust con-
hdtd 10 him.
Your numbers D. 3 A. s. and are still missing, and for
the regularity of the archives Of the Department beg
20 forward duphc ties Of them.
Events of starting Importance have been crowded so
Fady into the short period which has elapsed since my
last despatch that any attempt to give them in detail would
swell tins communication into volume shall endeavor
70 send yea herewith hes OF newspapers which viii
furnish DEBATE and confne myself to statement OF the
present condition Of affairs
On the 18Th July the remnant Of McCle!lans defeated
army still escamp-d at Harrison Landing on James
river fortified IN strong po-tcn and protected by
form dabie ,ct Of gunb0ass. HIS defeat had been io
lowed by order Il President Lincoln investing MAYOR
Geners Haeck with The aud in chief of all the ar
Of the United States headquarters at Washington
Msor Gen Pope assigned to the command Of the army
II the Potomac which composed Of the shattered rem-
nauts a the armies Of Fremont Miroy and Banks, after
ih.ir rom by Gen jackson 10 ihe battles OF the valley to
which added the several OF Mcdowell, who
occupied fredericksburg OF burnside, who recalled
from North Carolina; aud Of Hunter aud Stevens, Mo
recalled from South CaroiIua. This army vas also
increased by troops withdrawn from Norfolk and Fortress
BicHroe aud replaced al hen paints by leyies. This
accumusied ioe amounted probably about ninety thou
eagd effective men, AID The old cry OF On to Richmond
renewed with the usual accompaniment OF extrava-
giant boastiDg by the Northern journals.
Gen Lee frat dispatched Gen jackson with corps
daraec of about twenty i've thousand TO check
P.pss advance and having satisfied himself that small
force would sufficient watch Mcclellan whose army
demnrazsd Bnd dpred By the rcsslt OF thu battles
Of the Chickahomny ANA being fast worn down by
sekness) prUceraed with The main body Of the army
Iupdly possible to JOIN Gtg Jackson but the move
accomplished as speedily as was desirable,
81 copsea af deficiency 81 ransporta
non Gen. Lee had hopei Nth bis ualted rces, which
nearly equal ia nrnbar 10 2opes, Ia crush the army
Il that general brnie Nc leian could 10 its reiei
III such n movement were attempted TIE plan
the II successful aceo" ishment when sudden rain
storm 80 swtei liza id Ana thst Il necessary
II wait days before crossing IT, Pope, 10 the
time, taking the alarm. retired rapidly behind the
Rappahaunock thus bringing himself within supporting
distance OF McCiog WHO lad been ordered round Ia join
him accordance with the a,ucipatons OF Gen. Lee
The COMBS "a forces of McClan aud Pope We're hoaeseF
met by Gen Lee ia series "f successful b. ties on tue
plains Of Manassas the " b. h, and hth August, and
TIE total rcnse al the enemy "as followed by the with
dFawa Of their forces at0 the Publications around
Washington by the disgrace Of Pope who has been ban
ished 10 Insignificant command IN Minnesota and by
the appointment Me Ii an to the mmand o. the army
collected for the defence Of Warrington" Gen Lee,
amusing enemy by egned demonstrations Of attack
hs lines at Arlington Heights succeeded IN withdrawing
HE entire army from their front and entered Maryland By
the at Edward Ferry the negbborhood of Lees
burg without opposen aud established his headquarters
at Frederick
Again making deceptive demonstrations &c nten
s,ou 10 march, at one time mo Pennsy yanis aud at
aoiher against Baltimore, Gen Lee Disposed his army
such manner that by rapid movement he enveloped the
whole FeSeral Of eveu Thousand
HaIpers Ferry and forced il into unconditional
thousand prisoners Including more sn four hundred Off
cers twelve thousand stands OF ninety pieces OF
tiery, and an enormous quantity Of stores principally
muhtons of war together Tn two bundled wagons &c
Gen Mcclellan, becoming too late OF the danger
moved from Washington IN great haste with The view TO
relieve the troops s.ed at Harp-rs Ferry and the
day before their surrender attacked with has whoe force
Of eighty thoaiand Gen ID H. Ill., who, with resf
guard Of fifteen thosaand had been left to resist hrs
advance and who he'd his position With unconquerable
ness but was fasly compelled to give way for short
isance u5der the stress Of these overwhelming odds
til Gems. Lee and Lnnestreet arriving with reeaforce-
ments established his nes. and repnlsed TIE enemy
Iha rapid arrival of reeoorcemeDts for Gen Mcclellan
induced Gen Lee withdraw his troops 10 Sbarpsburg,
for the purpose Of efeciiag junction with the corps
Of Generals jackson and A. F. Ill., who had not yet
urned from the capture Of Harpers Ferry On Tuesday
and Wednesday, the 10Th and 18th instant Gen McClel
Ian with his euire army amounting probably to one hun
ed and fifty thousand attacked Gen Lee with great
fury while the latter ti separated from the corps
a. jackson aGd Hill, aud had MT than forty thou
aaad men IT, meet the assault Incredible may appear
our able soldiers the shock with unyle ding
fnnuass fought with desperation although terribly
fpnkej both wings add, slowly retiring, mhin'aned an
uabroken front until the arrival OF Jackson ~ nnon fol-
owed BIZ that Of A. p Hill at four L. N enabled them to
nrn the tide drive back the ady aRcing columns 0 the
nemy and to regain their iryt position, when the APP
roach right put end To the most desperate conflict o
The war each party sleeping It's IN tie respective
positions occupied BY them whan the battle began Gen.
lie prepared the engagement next morning but
enemy had disappeared from his front aud LEFT him the
master OF the field
After occupying the day in providing for HE wounded
the to Sheprerdsown for rest and for the
purpose OF gathering large number q gglers yet
tie road from Richmond ard this fact
known than Gen. Mcclellan claimed ,ict ,ry, and
tempted by the frantic exutlton &c the Northern papers
ltn what he called pursuit Of nyng foe. His smsrity
iet with punishment On the 2Ist instant dvi-
rIoa Of his my, attempting to the river, de-
cayed BY legged Of jackson until they were ,o
e advanced for retreat aud routed with appalpg
Slaughter The river was chokei with their de1d who
f. by aud out oi regiment Of about fifteen
hundred who attsu pied the passage but ab ut
huodrsd aud fifty believed t. have escaped Gen Lee
ut the last accounts about to into Mary land
ct WJamrpor and has probably already es.abhei his
headquarters a. that pomt
Gen Ior ng in Western VIrpuia, hns Just concluded
perfectly uccesfu campsign with the aid Of Gcn Jen
6na) by which the enemy, after being beaten in
Of battles with heavy loss in killed wounded and prison
ers bad reached in thei fight the lower ~ the
Kanawba ard the remnant Of their forces probably by
this time on other side Of the Ohio river thus Leaving
Western Virginia perfectly free fr,m any invading
E,ce than sma usri.s IN thcextems Northwest IN
the nepnborhool II Wbeei0R.
Signal trumphs hnve Illustrated arms in the vsley
az tie Mississippi NJ lat sspstrh announced tbs. n
Rear had commenced Il inovclient winch expected
10 her te Tennessee ON the presence Of the invaders
After long and lsborDus march Of over 4U0 miles he
sed uninterrupted by The enemy, from Tupeo in Mis-
sissippi 10 ttanooQa Tennessee Cavalry expeditions
under the darps leadership oi Col Morgan mi Gen raj
Forrest were dispatched into Kentucky aud Tennessee,
which attacked enemy az their different encampments
and depots o. supplied Taeir communications were
intercepted r,lfoa bridge hBrged, tunn IL destroyed