Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-07-30


telegraph wires and commenced the des
uueiion Of the ircR Of the Baltimore and
Ohio r. r.
Our forces, aeeording TO the best advices
VIC could obtain, are now concentrating at
Hsrper's Ferry under Gen. Hunter.
II is rofaored ,tat the rebels are in large
force btrt this eau hardly be possible be.
yopd the tosces under Early aud Breckin.
ridge.
The Object Of the rebels returning Is
doubtless give time for the safety Of
their trains and pluuder and to secure a
portion Of the crops In the Shenandoah
Valley. Probably they may agaio ievsde
Maryland for more plunder.
There is no authentic aecoaats Ct the ex'
tent Of the disaster 10 our forces beyond
Winchester, and no cop6rmation of the
deaths of Averill, Kelley aud Muliigsn.
We learn that orders were sent to re.
move the army and medical stores from
Frederick, Nd, last night.
II Is reported that heavy lighting had
taken place between Harper's Ferry and
Winchester, aud that Hunter was repulsed
and also that several pieces Of artillery and
two brigades had been captured by the
rebels ..
1t is impossible 10 ascertain the true state
of affairs in that region. There is no
doubt that a serious disaster has occurred
to the 70 ces under Gen. Heuter.
The Rebel raiders 10 Kentucky made an
attack on the village of Henderson, uear
the bank OF the Ohio river, on Thursday /;
but the gun boat Brilliant shelled the
woods around SO effectually that it is not
likely that the raiders did much dang, &c ID
the village.
From al iuformation thus far obtained
il Is believed viii be found that the rebel
force at present in the Valley, and report
ed to be at Martiusburg and other points,
is none other than the recent force of raid
ers who 6udiag that they were no longer
pursued by any large force, suddenly turned
and fred upon our small force under Gen.
Crook, with the object of driving him back
beyond the Potomac and freeing the Val
ley from Federal troops SO as to be enabled
to gather the crops OF the Valley, so vtaly
important to Lees army. Doubtless they
intend ut the same time TO do all the mis-
chief they can north of the Potomac. aut
may, it is thought, attempt raid in tht
SO 'therD counties of Pennsylvania. y 5asi
II is believed to night that the wild sto
ries so extensively circulated here last nigh
and to day, Of disasters to our forces in
encountering the rebel advance, have little
! foundation. In fact, the telegraph hne /,
working west as far as Harper's Ferry but
is in The exclusive use Of the military au
thorities.
A cavalry off :er. who accompani ed Gen
Smish's late expedition gives the following
particulars: Our forces consiStedof division
each Of infantry aud cavalry, together with
brigade of colored troops. Geu. Smith
eu,mencuyertd Forest all through, & whip.
ped bis force FIVE times The battle oil
Tspaiuci on the l3 b, was very severe one
lhe yegemy being terribly punished by our
cavalry and negro troops who bore the
brunfof the engagement. The came night
the Rebels assaulted our temporary works,
and were repulsed. On the 18Th another
battle occurred, Forrest making the charg
es on our line, but was driven back each
time with great slaughter O1 the might
of the 18th the last days rations were dis
tribu'ed aud the next morning the exped
tion started on its return followed by Bu
ford's cavalry who retreated however, with
severe loss after going four miles On the
20lh the expedition reached La Grange
with loss Of less than 500 men. Not Q
gun or wagon was lost. The Rebel loss
cannot be less han 1000 Dispaic ches cap
tured by Gen Hatch admit luss of 2. 400
Col Wilkins, 0 Minnesota and Lieut..
McMahon, 9th Illinois. " ere the only Union
Ulcers known 10 be killed.