Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1864-07-28
National Union Nominations.
IT is natural that we should hear very

IT is natural that we SnOuIu near very
exaggerated reports from Martinsburg,
since it seems to be fixed fact that we
can hear nothing responsible and reliable.
The kilograms furnish us nothing intelligi-
BILE. They are, in fact, made up from just
such reports as we have on our streets
here. The Specials east make them up,
aud send them to general newspaper head
quarters, and from thence they come to us
in no wise improved. We apprehend that
the facilities for gathering news along the
Baltimore road, are just now difficult. We
can infer as much from the fact that we
could not make out yesterday whether our
forces or those of the enemy occupied
Martinsburg Whatever is known at Wash
ington by the authorities is kept secret,
and is not allowed for prudential
reasons to go out to the public over the
wires. Dispositions of troops are being
made that are all the better made If at
least partially concealed from the enemy
We had an official notification to this effect
yesterday. The intentions, force and oPe-
rations of the enemy are only known TO
the military commandants. We can gather
the fact, however, that Early commands
the rebels-that they are, as all reports
agree, about 25, 900 strong, and that they
have been more than able to cope with
our forces. There is something mysterious
about this force of the enemy. We pre-
sume that all, or good part at least, OF 1t Is
the same invading force of three weeks
ago. Where did it retire to after re-
crossing the Potomac near Washing
toni That question has been puzzle
to all the newspapers ever since the
recrossing. The military were evidently
in the dark, or they would not have been
so badly surprised as they were beyond
Winchester at and after the Smokers
Gap affair. The Richmond papers COM
menting on that encounter, vaguely hint
that it was but a preliminary in their pro-
gramme, and that their army is not mere
corps of foragers, but the advance of a
large invading force. The enemy, not less
than our own forces, have manifested an
irresolution ever since they retired from
before Washington. They have seeming
ly halted to reflect whether they should go
back and try their bafled programme over
again, or go forward towards home with
their plumber.
y theory has been started that they are
advised that an iutercepting force from
Grants army has cut off their return-in
other words that Sheriden starting out
from his White House base awaits them
But the fact that the Richmond rebels
have prompt correspondence with Early
shows that this is not reliable theory
We interpret the persistence manifested in
their stay to two considerations, one o
which is their desire to gather the crops III
the Valley, and the other to determiRa-
ton to divert force from Grants army
and thus relieve the situation at Richmond
and perhaps enable Lee to strengthen Hood
at Atlanta for last desperate attack on
Sherman. Early is not kept on the upper
Potomac for anything less than very des-
perate reasons, we may be sure of that
Men are not so plenty with the rebels
Their situation never was so critical as
now. Lee and Davis realize that fact
Desperation may lead them to send supports
to Early aud to invade Maryland Pennsyl-
vAnia, in greater numbers than before, thus
compelling withdrawal of part of Grants
army.