Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1864-07-13
WAR NEW S .

during the past week has certainly
learnt what .'muddle' is, if he did
not before know the definition Of the
word. One day there was raid. then
there was none; next day there was
an invasion, then there were guerril-
las about; one day the rebels number
ed two, three, four or five hundred,
then thirty or forty thousand; one
day Hagerstown was burnt and plund-
cred, then again it wasn't Lee was
in command one day, then Early, then
Longstreet, then Hill, then Johnson.
then somebody else, and sometimes all
together. As time passed OH, howev-
err this jumbled mass Of nonsense, re
fecting but little credit on city pub
fishers, began TO assume shape, and
came round precisely to what the
President had stated TO Gov. Curtin
and others, namely that "a large reb-
ell force had been detached from Rich
mond" and was advancing north
Had credenco been given to this, in
stead OF idiotic statements contained
in the daily papers, force sufficient
to intimldate if not repeI the invaders
might have been easily raised, and
much evil prevented
The first certain indication of con
siderable rebel force WAS made appa-
rent at Martinsburg, Va, from which
place Gen. Sigel retreated to Harper's 5
Ferry, saving all his supplies. The
rebels then began to appear in small
parties on this side Of the Potomac.
causing a general stampede and panic
in the Cumberland Valley-cnough
abIe-bodied men having run away from
thence and parts Of Maryland to have
rePeIIed ten times the force that after
ward appeared in Hagerstown. where
several buildings were burned, and
stores generally cleaned out The
main body OF the rebels evidently
crossed the Potomac farther down.
and appeared at Frederick, Md, where
Gcn. Lew. Wallace made a gallant
stand with some 5000 or 5000 men.
but after severe fight was compelled
TO retreat to ElIicott's Mills, point
covering both Washington and Balti-
more. \ rebel cavalry force, variousIy
estimated as high as 1900, under the
guidance Of some Carroll county Md
cutthrOats, crossed the country. struck
the Northern Central Railroad. this
side Of Baltimore, and DESTROYED a
number Of bridges, &c. They then
proceeded to Magnolia station on the
Philadelphia and Baltimore Railroad
captured two passenger trains from
Baltimore, robbing the passengers and
burning the baggage, &c.
The 18th Army Corps, numbering
some 10000 men, arrived at Baltimore
last week, and are now either there on
at Washington. These with other
troops and the citizens are probably
strong enough to hold those cities
against the rebels, out leave the whole
country subject to their maraudino
parties. The wires between Baltimore
and " ashington having been cut, there
Is no telegraphic Communication. So
that we are without any late informa.
ton from that quarter Reports state
that Gen. Sullivan is in communication
with Sigel, and Hunter cannot be fan
off. Were the militia of this and other
States to respond as patriots ought
this invasion might yet result in the
destruction of the rebel force now
north, and the defeat of Lee, but we
fear the cold Indifference Of too many
fostered by the snakes in our midst
will compel Gen Grant to weaken his
army.
1t is now reliably ascertained that
the rebels have strongly fortified them
selves in the South Mountain passes
1t is also stated in semi-official sonr.
ces, on information derived direct from
Maryland, that $4,000 rebel troops
passed through Frederick. The force
OF artillery was composed of moro than
one hundred guns
The persons who report the number
at Frederick, say that rebel officers
informed them that Hills corps was
approaching in large force, and that a
Junction was expected to be made at
or near Leesburg. In connection with
this report we have a rumor that the