The New York herald., 1863-05-08
THE SITUATION.

New York. Friday, May 8, 1863.
THE SITUATION.
The news of General Hooker's retrograde move.
ment to the north side of the Rappahannock, after
sustaining loss of ten thousand men or more dur
ing o contest Of three days, created an intense
excitement in the city yesterday. Our latest news
report the army safe at Falmouth. The artillery,
ammunition and trains were brought over without
,ss. The river had risen ten feet, rendering
pursuit by General Lee next to impossible.
The failure Of General Sedgwick to support
General Hooker, owing to the overwhelming force
brought against him by the rebels at Fredericks.
burg; the absence of Gen. Stoneman's splendid
cavalry force, which was employed on an expedi-
ton that now proves to have been quite success
full, and the reinforcement Of Lee by Longstreet,
and the delay in bringing up Heintzelmans re-
serves, all combined to render Gen. Hooker's po-
sition on the other side of the Rappahannock no
longer tenable, and his withdrawal became pain
full necessity. He crossed by the United States
and Banks fords in terrific rain storm, the sud.
den rising of the waters rendering the use of the
pentoon bridges exceedingly precarious.
The success of General Etonemans expedition
ID admitted blythe rebels themselves. His forces
were divided into three squadrons-one command
cd himself and the others by Generals Averil and
Buford All performed their work calamity by
outing the railroad communications between
Lees army and Richmond and destroying all the
bridges to within Eve miles Of the rebel capital.
One party Of the cavalry went to Louisa Court
House. cutting up the railroad there. Another push
Cd ON to Columbia and Goochland, on the James
river. breaking the canal at the former point and
capturng rebel stores at the latter portion Of the
force are said to have actually got to within mile
and quarter Of Richmond. General stoneman
then pushed on for the peninsula, and il was re.
ported in Washington yesterday thai he had got as
far % williamsburg
The loss Of the enemy in the three days fights is
estimated at fully twenty thousand men. 20 that
their loss is double that of our side.
We give in another column very fun accounts
ftom the rebel journals of the battles at Chancel
lorsville and Fredericksburg, and the operations
of General Stoneman. In connection with our
army correspondents' descriptions they make Q
perfect history Of the whole aAir and Of the most
Interesting character.
The heavy rain storm which visited General
Hooker's army on its retreat, extended, not only
to Washington, where it was very severe, but all
along tho railroad line from here to the capital
The streams and rivers are swollen and overnowing
their banks; the country is flooded, and the track
ed to the depth Of two feet for over hundred
yards. The trains yesterday passed safely through
however.
We publish to-day an interesting communication
from our correspondent at Richmond, where he
was we'll received by the authorities, q house hav.
ing been furnished him-we will not caA It o
prison--and being sent back to our lines under
escort and on special boat.
We learn from the Wheeling Intezigencer Of
Wednesday that the rebels are still at Weston in
West Virginia, and that they are seven thousand
strong. the forces of Jones and Imboden having
united. There is another rebel column under Gen.
Wilder. numbering about four thousand, lowering
In the vicinity of summervillc, along the New
river. This latter force is acting in conjunction
with Jenkins and threatens Charlestown
By dispatches from Cairo yesterday, we ascer.
tain that troops have positively captured Grand
Gulf. taking 500 prisoners. and oil the guns, am
munition and stores. The rebel accounts
from jackson, Miss, on the I'd, state
that their troops had then fallen back within
their intrenchmcnts. and had then repulsed
three assaults Of the Union forces. Guerilla forces
at Greenvile, Miss, destroyed the transport Min
nssota on Sunday; but the gunboats scattered the
enemy soon after. Our gunboats at Grand Gulf
stsod fire for eight hours. and then passed safely
on, with transports and troops.
Our news from Arkansas is interesting. Colonel
Phillips encountered and defeated the rebels at
Weber Falls on the Gath ut., capturing all their
..nmp equipage.
We Rave dates from New Orleans 10 the soth
uit. by the arrival Of the Columbia, Captain
Barton. yesterday, nom Havana. General
Banks has been issuing some important gene
ral orders. oY condemns to death all who
supply aid to the enemys another orders the
registered enemies Of tho United States govern
ment to leave the department by the 10th Of May,
and another forbids sherifs and others TO CON.
script slaves for the rebel army, u pursuance Of