The New York herald., 1863-10-21
THE SITUATION.

THE SITUATION.
The retreat of General Lees army is now ac
counted for by the fact that startling intelligence
was telegrsphed to the rebel chief that General
Burnside. with a large force, had worked his way
from the West through the mountains of East Ten
nessee and the southwestern part of yirgnis, and
was moving on .ynchburg, the base Of supplies for
the rebel army. He was reported to be near
Abingdon, Va, one hundred and seventy-ive
mi,es from L,Icaburg, and to have destroyed
the railroad for distance Of over forty miles.
The uews reached General Lee by courier on
the l6th. and Oh the following day his
retrograde movement towards I.ynchburg
commenced. The troops in advance, under Gene.
raj HUI. were carried by an immense train of cars
from Culpepper southward on Wednesday, the
rest Of the main army following by way Of War
rentOn and Greenwich. This movement of
General Burnside is confirmed by a despatch
from Iynchbsrg to Richmond, on the 10th,
which says ths. twenty regiments of
Union cavalry and mounted infantry, estimated at
fourteen thousand men, passed Gresnyille, Ten
nessee, around eastward, to make q raid on the
Virginia and Tennessee Railroad, and attacked the
rebel forces at Bible Ridge. six miles west Of
Greenvilie. ON Saturday, the 10th. The rebels
withdrew to Henderson's, ten miles east Of Green
vile. The Union troops having succeeded in
reaching The enemy's rear, they fell back TO Zolli-
Golfer, aud finally retreated to Bristol with loss
OF three hundred men.
The fight at Thoroughfare Gap on Sunday was
between Stusrt's and Buford's cavalry and their
respective batteries. It lasted four hours and was
almost exclusively confined to the artillery ON both
sides The action ended by spirited charge Of
General Buford's cavalry, who drove the rebels
back into the mountains.
General Fitzpatrick, with force Of his cavalry,
got into scrape with some three brigades Of
the enemy near New Baltimore on Monday
evening Hs made spirited attack on the
rebels, but soon found that they were cutting
ia on his flank and rear, and had to turn
and 6ght his way back towards Haymarket, hotly
pursued by the rebels, but was fortunately sus-
tanned by the arrival Of the First army corps,
under General Cutler. upon whose appearance the
enemy fell back towards Aldie.
At nine O'Clock last night everything was quiet
on the front.
General Grant has been ordered to supersede
Genera, Rosecrans. The change has not occurred
beosuse of any fault with General Rosecrans' con
duct OF the war in the Southwest, but il is said
that the fact Of lis moving beyond Chattanooga
without orders from Washington has given Of
fence to the high military authorities there
and the circumstance Of General Grants ranking
him ia pretext suaciept for the substitution Of the
latter for the gallant and cautious chief Of the
Cumberland Army, IN command Of the men he hs'
90 often led to victory. General Grant Is put IL
command Of the Departments Of Ohio, Kentuck,
end the Cumberland, while General Thomas take
direct command Of che Army Of the Cumberland
General Rosscrans ID ordered to report at Cincin
aatl.
Al interesting correspondence which lste
Pep9eQ O0tWoeu DfiBeuAot VVnSiei S' n "cieWth
Ageos for exchange Of prisoners on the part q
our government. and Robert Ould, rebel exchang
agent. is published in another column. This col
ssspondencc arose from the carrying out Of the cal
Gel for the exchange Of prisoners agreed upon la'
year.. Our agent charged Mr.. Ould with brssc
ef good faith on the part Of the authorities
andsr whom he acted, particularly with regard {
che exchange Of Generals Stevenson and Bower
6aptured at viksburg, the only rebel officers 70
whom equivalents were IN rebel hands. MI
QsId complains that Colonel Ludlow, the forme
Onion exchange agent, did not furnish him with
IL. TO eosble him to declare equivalents, and r
torts the charge Of breach Of good faith fAtb
wsrmIy, aud declaring that the "boot Is on Il
ether leg"
Governor Seymour ~ issued proclamation
ss~Pesss u thAs of PfsadIit Lincoln. calling (