Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-07-16
!. eIeaE statement eoneernIas she

Rebel Invasion, where they went,
what they did, and where they are.
The first that wss publicllly known of a
Rebel raid into Maryland was last Mon
day week, when an approach of force
toward Martinsburg was announced. The
head of the Shenandoah Valley was then
held by Gen. Seigel, who seems not tohave
apprehended the possibility of Rebel ad-
vance, and who accepted the news of 1t as
a signal of retreat upon Harpers Ferry.
1t does not appear that the Rebels were
at first in any considerable forte. They
made various demonstrations, pushing cav
alrv across the Potomac, at Falling Wa
tiers, and at Shepherdstown, and threat
ening simultaneously an inroad into Penn
sylyania andR movement upon Baltimore
With their accustomed audacity, they had
shown their heads of columns days before
the main body was within supporting dis
tance, and although they might easily have
been driven back in confusion had they
been r9solutely met, were suffered to es-
tablish themselves south Of the Potomac
without serious opposition. They occI-
pied both HagerstUwn and Frederick, and
did not decisively indicate their line Of ad-
vance till the whole PENNSYLVANIA border
had retreated in panic-then turned scorn-
fully toward Baltimore. "
The evidence of what We have stated
above as to the slow arrival of the Rebel
columns is found in the fact that from the
time when the crossing of the Potomac
was ascertained down to the time when
the hattIa of Mnnnrany- ruas eane,l,+, ran+h-
ing was known of the Rebel movements.
Their force was simply concentrating
Gen. Wallace, with what troops he could
gather, went up from Baltimore to Fred
eriek, and on Friday discovered the pres
ence Of the enemy in force advancing on
the Hagerstown turnpike. Falling back
to the Monocacy as the best defensive line,
he fought a battle on Saturday, and was
defeated. His force was about 1000; that
of the enemy at least twice as many. But
bis stand had served to develope thenum-
ber and something of the intention of the
Rebels-was, in fact, q reconnaissance in
force, and as such successful, and We havo
seen nothing in the published accounts of
the battle to explain why Gen. Wallace
was subsequently removed.
After the battle the movements Of the
Rebels were rapid and well directed. A
cavalry force were sent east to cut the
Northern Central and Philadelphia and
Baltimore Railroads, and did there work
pretty thoroughly, considering the time
and means given them. They succeeded
in creating the impression that dash on
Washington was contemplated-the sup
posed danger to Baltimore disappearing
when it became known that Wallace was
not pursued, and that no infantry force
had crossed the Monocacy. The bridg-
es on the Philadelphia road, being protec-
ted by gun-boats, were not seriously in
jured excepting over GunpOwder Greek,
but the telegraph was cut, two passenger
trains from Baltimore were captured, and
time was gained for the safe movement of
the main body on the Rockville road to
Washington. -.i q
South of Baltimore the Rebels followed
the same tactics. Their columns were
massed, their cavalry cut the Washington
road with the same purpose and result as
they had previously cut the Philadelphia
From the cessation photographic and rail-
way communication sprung the widest
rumors Of attack upon Washington esti-
mated to comprise two-thirds of Lees ar
my. Tho original invaders were nearly
the whole of Early's corps and were
said to have been joined at Edwards Fer
ry by A. P. Hill with more than men
enough to make up tho traditional forty
THOUSAND which used to follow at Stone
wall Jacksong heels. Tuesday and
Wednesday it was scarcely doubted that
these combined forces had assailed the de-
fenses Of the Capital.