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


Hon JonS SLiDEIJ, &c. 40. &c Paris.
SIR Siuce my number 5, of 10th July, without
any communication from you, with the exception OF your
No. q OF 26h February last which brought to the
Depart ON the 26th Of this month by Dir. Chamber
lyn To whom yau had entrusted it, This gentleman has
hus consumed months IN dscharglDg the tius con-
ijed 10 him
VI ur numbers J. 3 A, :, and still missing and for
the regularity archives Of the Department beg
10 forward duplc ties Of them.
Events Of startling Importance have been crowded SO
rapdly into the short period which has elapsed since my
list despatch that any attempt TO give them IN detail would
swell ibis communication into volume. shall endeayor
send herewith flies of newspapers, which viii
furnish details and conne myself to statement OF the
present condition Of affairs.
On the 10Th july the remnant of McClean's defeated
army still encamped at Harrison Lsndng, on james
river fortified IN very strong poEten and protected by
formidable fleet of guuboats His defeat had been fol-
lowed by order Of President Lincoln investing Major
General Haeck with the command chief of all the mr.
mics of the United States, headquarters at Washington
Msor Gen Pope assigned to the command Of the
Of the Potomac which composed of the shattered rem
nauts Of the armies Of Fremont Moy and Banks after
their ront by Gen Jackson ID the battles of the valley to
which were added the several armies of Mcdowell who
occupied fredericksburg OF Burnside who was recalled
from North Carolina; aud of Hunter aud Stevens who
reeaied from South Carolina This 6rmy was also
increased by troops withdrawn from Norfolk and Fortress
Monroe and replaced at those points by leyes This
accumulated iprcs amounted probably To ninety thou
SAID effective men, aud the Old cry Of Ga to Richmond
renewed with the usual accompaniment of extrava-
CANT Boosting by the Northern journals.
Gen. Lee first dispatched Gen. Jackson with corps
d'aruies Of about twenty-five thousand TO check
Pps's advance and having satisfied himself that small
force would be sufficient to watch Mcclellan (whoss army
demoz ind dsprited by the result OF the battles
OF the Chickahomny, ana WAS being fast worn down by
sekness proceeded with thu main body OF the army
rapidly possible to join Gen Jackson; but the move
inent was accomplished speedily desirable,
in consequences Of deficiency in OF ransporta
lion Gen. Lee had bopei with his united rees, which
nearly equal in number 10 pope To crush the army
IF that general before Nc aan could to its relief,
il such movement wsrs attempted. Tie plan WAS on
the If ssul accomplishment when sudden rain
storm sosHeled toe Rad Ana river thst It necessary
wait Days before crossing IT, AID Pope, 10 the
time taking the alarm, retired rapidly behind the
Rappahaunock thus bringing himself within supporting
distance o: McCaG who bad been ordered round to join
him in accordance with the auticpatons OF Gen. Lee.
The comb of McC Ian and Pope were however,
met by Gen Lee series Of successful b. ties tue
plains of Manassas the " b. 9th and 3Dth August and
toe total OF the enemy followed by the with
drawai of the eltre forces into the Qualifications around
Washington; by the disgrace of Pope who ha been ban
ished to Insignificant command in Minnesota and by
the appointment Nc l5lian tue cmmand OF the army
collected " for the defence Of Washington /" Gen Lee
amusing the 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 ords EdRards Ferry in the neghb0rhood of Lees
burg without opposition aud established his headquarters
at Frederick
Again making deceptive demonstrations Of intsn-
top 10 march, at time mo Pennsylvania and at
aioiher against Baltimore Gen Lee disposed his army ia
such that by rapid movement he enveoped the
whole Feeera fierce OF el~vea Thousand stationed
~
render. TIE fruits of this movement were eleven
thousand prisoners including Than four hundred Off
Gers twelve thousand stands of ninety pieces Of
tIery and enormous quantity OF stores, principally
mutitions of together tn two hundFed wagons &c
Gen Mcclellan becoming aware too late Of the danger
moved from Washington in great haste with the view to
relieve the troops sed at Haprs Ferry and the
day before their surrender attacked with his whole force
nf eiqhty ihcpAapd men Gen. ID. IL Hill, who with
guard fifteen thousand men, had been left to resist his
advance aud who he'd his position with unconquerable
fTmness but uay compelled td give way for short
itaDce uder the stress of these whelming odds
I'll Gems Lee and Lnnestreet, arriving with reeaorce
mens re established his ines and repulsed tie enemy
Ih rapid arrival Of reeaforcementa for Gen Mcclellan
induced Gen Lee to withdraw his troops TO Sbarpsburg,
for the purpose Of cfsciag junction with the corps
Of Generals jackson and A. F. Ill., who had yet re.
turned from the capture OF Harper's Ferry. On Tuesday
and Wednesday, the 10Th and 18th instant, Gen McCel
au with his eutre army, amounting probably to one hum
ed snd fifty thousand men, attacked Gen Lee with great
faly while the latter It'll separated from the corps
q. jackson ard Hill, and had MT than forty thou
aand men IL the assault Incredible il may appear
our upconquerabIe OdeTs met the shock with unyedng
frInu fought with desperation, although terribly
fansed both wings and slowly rellrng maintained an
,1brokeu front until the arrival Of Jackson nnon fol
awrd By that of A. r. Hill at four T. NJ enabled them to
rn the tide drive back the advancing columns Of
nemy and regain their frgt position. when the ap
roach a right put end to the desperate conflict of
the war each party sleeping on its arms IN tie respective
positions occupied BY them when the battle began Gen
Lee prepared the engagement next mnrnng but
eneRy had disappeared from his front aud left him tbe
master ~ the field.
After occupying the day in providing for HE wounded
and the 6na! Of the dead Gen Lee withdrew his army
the river 10 Shepnerdstown fbr rest and for the
purpose OF gathering large lumber of q1ers yet
tie road from Richmond and this fact
known than Gen Mcclellan claimed ,ct ,ry and was
tempted by the frantic exhibition o the Northern papers
int, what he called pursuit 81 Tying foe His t.merty
ret with severe punishment On the 2st instant div.
SION Of his army, attempting ~ the river was de-
cayed nv eggei retreat Of jackson until they were too
advance for retreat aud routed with sppsiop
ssu1hter The river cbokei with their de1d who
by thousands aud out OF regiment of about fifteen
hundred who ateu pied the passage but sb ut
hundred aud fifty believed to have escaped Gen Lee
at the last accounts about IL into MARY land
Ut Wlamfyort and has probably already established his
hea iquartsrs at that point
Gen Ior ny, in We.tern Virginia, has in Z concluded
perfectly successful campaign with the aid of Gen Jcn.
kns nv which the enemy after being beaten in series
Of battles with heavy loss 10 killed wounded and prison
ere bad reached in the fight the lower waters Of the
Kanawhs aud the remnsnt Of their forces probably by
t time on the other eide of the Ohio river hus leaving
Western Virginia perfectly free from any other invading
force than snl prriss the extreme Northwest
the ne gaborhool q Wheeling
Signal trumphe have Illustrated In the vsey
az TIE Mississippi NJ lat tspttrh arn0unced that Gen
n ng had commenced movement VIII ch was expected
10 Der e Tennessee ON the presence OF the invaders
After long and aboricus march OF 400 mrles he
crossed uninterrupted by The enemy from Tupelo Mis-
siespp 10 Chattanooga Tennessee Cavalry expeditions
under the daring leadership Of Col Morgan tnt Gen raj
Forrest, dispatched into Kentucky add Tennessee,
which attacked the enemy Of their different encampments
and depots oi supplies. TAeir conmun catona were
in ercepted rrOa bridge hUr ed, unn IL destroyed,
cmps capt0red AID several thonsands Of their troops
~ kWwln