The New York herald., 1863-06-16


Ths Advance OF the Rsbsa Army Of vir-
giais-Washaagssn AgaAa Threatsn-
| sa-oreas Events as Hana.
The city was startled yesterday with tho sx-
citing news of another invasion Of Maryland by
some advanced detachments Of the rebel army
Of fvirginia; BY the positive information, in this
connection, of a rapid flank movement northward
by General Lee with the main body of his
army, and by the proclamation of President
Lincoln calling for q hundred thousand militia
from the States of Maryland, Pennsylvania,
West Virginia and Ohio, to aid In the work Of
driving back the enemy. f
With the additional details which we publish
to-day Of the movements Of the rebel forces in the
Shenandoah valley. and on the Potomac below
Washington, and in Maryland and Pennsylvania,
itisvery clear that Gen. Lee has resolved, sink or
swim, upon some bold and desperate enterprise
to repair the sinking fortunes Of the rebellion.
II is well known that since the last great battles
on the Rappahannock he has been heavily rein.
forced from North and South Carolina, while
our Army Of the Potomac has been considerably
reduced by the loss Of many regiments of vete-r
ran volunteers with the expiration of their
appointed terms Of service Thus we dare say
that the army Of Lee, in point Of numbers, is
now fully equal, if not superior, to that of
General Hooker. At all events, it Is abun-
dantly manifest that Lee regards himself suf-
lciently strong to undertake an aggressive
campaign, and that in the outset he has stolen
march upon General Hooker and the War
Office. ,esyev ggs fsa
The question recurs, what are the objects
and what are the expectations of the enemy in
this aggressive campaign? What are they driv
ing att Is it a destructive foray through Mary
land into the heart of Pennsylvania, or the cap
ture Of Washington by rapid movement, with
an overwhelming force, upon the rear Of the
city' Or is Lee aiming, with the main body Of
his army, to cut in between Gen. Hooker and
the national capital, and thus to cut him OF and
cut his columns to piecess We, Of course, know
nothing Of the dispositions Of Gen. Hookers
forces since the breaking up Of his camps on
the Rappahapnock It will suffice for the pre-
sent that his whole army is in motion towards
Washington, and from this fact It Is likely that,
between some portions of the two armies,
ssnguinary collision may at any moment occur,
fit has not already taken place. ssa 81. sf- q
But from the eighteen thousand rebels
reported at Winchester, in the Shenandoah
valley, and from the ten thousand or more
who crossed into Maryland below Har-
per's Ferry, and from the fact that no
rebel forces have been reported as on any Of
the roads leading from Culpepper to Washing
ton. IL h probable that Lee il moving his whole
army around on the rear Of Wsshin gton, or for
destructive campaign through Maryland and
Pennsylvania, before General Hooker can come
to the rescue A very few days will now settle
the question. Lee must indeed be very strong II
he can spare twenty or thirty thousand men for .
foraging incursion Into Maryland and Pennsyl-
vanis, and yet feel strong enough to meet and
arrest the march Of General Hooker towards
Washington. We shall doubtless have some
definite intelligence to-day of the whereabouts
of the main body of the rebel army; and If it
shall turn out that It is not in the neighborhood
of Manassas, we may next expect to hear of an
other formidable siege, although we trust not
another disgraceful capitulstion, at Harper's
Ferry The safe arrival there of that tried and
able soldier General Milroy, after having cut
his way through an overwhelming force Of the
enemy at Winchester, renders it certain that
Harper's Ferry, if necessary, will be held and
defended to the last.
Let us only hear that the main body Of the
rebel army in superior strength is not in front
Of General Hooker, and we shall feel perfectly
satisfied that Lee is on a fatal expedition
to his army; but otherwise we may expect, and
before the expiration Of the present week, some
| of the most terrible battles of the war.
The Metropolis In n state of Great Ex-
citcment.
All of Yesterday the city presented an ap-
pearance of unusual excitement. Crowds were
collected around the bulletin boards of the diff
ferent journals, discussing the rumors Of rebel
advances and attacks with intense eagerness
1t was affirmed by many that the proclamation
of President Lincoln, calling for one hundred
thousand militia to take the field, was the result