The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-07-18
War News OF the Week.

War News OF the Week.
The great battle at or near "illiamsport
Nv which Lees army Wis to be finally de-
1nolished, and which WAS promised u
every day Tor the last ten 70 fall surely On
tomorrow, has not como Of yet. nor is il
likely to- very soon. On Monday and
Monday night Gen. Lee succeeded In re-
crossing the Potomac with his whole army
The crossing was effected On bridge at
Falling Waters, and on boats at Williams
port. Gen. Meale had ordered an adj
vance upon Leo early on Tuesday morn
ing, and his cavalry reached "iiiiamsporf
IN time only to gobble up about l'oo OF
Lees rear guard. Lee had managed
adroitly. 4 defiant battle front was main
tanned as our forces kept crowding up, and
whenever battle seemed unavoidable he
would fall back to q second line, and so on
until he reached the river and effected his
crossing.
The crossing, however, appears 10 have
had a d.moralizing effect on his men and
Secretary Stanton says his -retreat across
the river was rout It is also intimated
that cur army is in a condition to make
effective pursuit, and is in rapid motion.
Lee is said to be moving down through
Manassas and Smokers Gaps, intending,
apparently. to resume His old line at Gull
pepper Neade's pursuit IN that direction
is 1" all in my eye" If he was not in 4
condition to assail Lee while crossing the
Potomac, he is less able to assail him On
the other side.
Port Hudson surrendered on The Sth
ips.. to Gen. Banks Internationally"
with its garrison Of some 200 nsn, 90
cannon, dc.
On the evening Of the eth Gen Gardner
sent out flag of truce. He bad heard.of
the cspitulation of Ficksburg, ard desired
Gen Banks to give him such information
as he might have concerning the truth ana
faI.ity of the rumor. Gen. Banks sen,
him a copy Of Gen. Grants dispatch. Civ
ing fall particulars of the capitu!a:ion of
Vicksburg. Gen. Gardner then expressed
his willingness to surrender upon TIE same
terms Gen. Banks declined, AMI an
nouaced that he would accede 10 nothing
short of an unconditional surrender Gen
Gardner had before expressed his deter
mination to hold 10 the last extremity,
and seemed sanguine both Of the ultimate
success of the Confederate arms in holding
the Mississippi, and his own ability to de-
fend his works until he should be relieved
by al attack upon Gen. Banks rear. The
intelligence Of Gen. Grants splendid tr.-
umph at Vicksburg, however and the adj
vance of strong column into the interior
Of Mississippi, cutting of his expected re-
lief, speedily dispelled Gen. Gardner :
hopes. Disheartened and discouraged by
the news he had received, Gen. Gardner
surrendered his force Internationally On
the morning of July Sth.
Gen. Gardner appears not to have been
quite SO hard up for provisions as Gen.
Pemberson. He had abundance of corn
and molassas, but no beef He was, how
ever, issuing mule beef instead Of which
he had large supply. The surrender. o.
course. opens the Mississippi through it,
entire length, Though nat - --r----.
structediy to commerce. Its banks vii
still be infested by guerriIlas, and tn,
commercial marine will be unsafe save a.
it shall be cow Dyed by gunhoats The
var must be closed before the Mississippi
will be open unobstructedly 10 commerce
There seems to have been another Sc
rious attack made upon Charleston, by
the gunboats and Infantry under Gen
Gilmore cooperating Dispatches il the
Richmond papers from Gen. Beauregart
twho is thus, ut a. Richmond bat still a
Charleston state that the Feicra,s had
taken possession Of the whole Of Morn
Island except battery Wagner on the north
end Also that the Federals have
threatening force on James Island an,
menace the Savannah railroad bridg
across the Edisto He also admits tn
rebel loss to have been severe" in orpo
sing the landing OF the Federals on Nor
RS Island.
There is nothing of Importance from
Vicksburg On completing the work
of paroling all the prisoners taken by Gen
Grart, they footed up within . fraction OF
32Uuu
Gen Grant still maintains his head
quarters at Vieksburg Gen. Mcpherson
Is in command of the works there, apc
Gen John \ Logan has command of til,
psf. Gen. Grant sent a force down III,
river accompanied by some gunboats. 4
re iniorce Banks but it was met on tie
way ty news that Port Hudson had sur
rendered. and retured Gen Herron ha.
been sent up the Yazoo. while Gen Sher
man, with large force is in pursait 0
Gen 10. johnson. johnson at last &C
count was at Jackson. while Sherman wa
at Bolton, 10 miles of Sherman is sale
already to have sent to the r. ar some
1000 of Johnson's men.
The news from Gen. Rasencrans depart
ment is somewhat DIM. He appear to
have fought some pretty sharp little bat
ties with Bragg S retreating forces two
weeks ago, and to have taken in all som.
1000 prisoners, driving Bragg into Chat
tanoga- 1t is now reported that Brag!
has evacuated Chattanooga, sending par
OF his force to Atlanta and part into east
ern Tennessee or to Richmond 1t doe
not appear, however, that RoSecrans ba
advanced to CHATTANOOGA
zen DIX has been placed in command
of the department of New York in place
of Gen. Wool, relieved" Gen. Eeve
takes Dix's place at Fcrtr ess Monroe.
The REBEL MIssIoS--l'he telegraph an
nOunced a week ago that Vice Presitien
Stephens and other notabiltles of tn,
"CoufeneracY" hEi coma fioxn the lame