Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-07-21

fsl wAish they calculated their fsFlaab asasasssa.
toa would exotic respecting the safety Of the ssplss
The entire movement wsA deliberately concerted and
carried outevery detachment of any size
evidently understanding exactly what expected OF
them and where they expected at appointed times
The force was commanded by Gen. Early, and under
him Gem BreckinrdQe commanded the infantry and Gen.
Ransom the cavalry; the latter numbered from six to
eight and many of the former returned mount
ed though care was first taken to supply all tho cavalry
with better than they had when they came When
they returned they admitted large loss at Fort stevens
aud expressed disappointment at encounterng veterans
there Their artillery consisted OF three some say lou)
batteries The infantry and of the cavalry are rep
resented have been terribly ragged and many oil tnem
barefooted when they advanced
When the detachment which came in by the way OF
Rockville we're approaching that village their coming hav-
ing been reported by fleeing citizens Major Fry, with
force of dsmounted cavalry went out 10 meet Them and
at aithersvle about Ave miles from Rockville, with
about ak hundred men, encounte ed twenty FIVE hum
dred infantry ard cavalry and Obliged to fall back
His movement checked them but a short time
When they reached the town they speedily proceeded TO
help themselves to what they particularly needed IN the
way Of shoes and clothes and gathered few horses aud
CATTLE which they dispatched to the rear leaving the mos
part of their plunderng until their return On tuesday
last they finished up their work perfectly leaving out four
horses Rockville and larger proportion IN other parts
of that county They all the carriages but one or two
Mr.. David Bond well known secessionis was the only
stovekeeper in Rockville who escaped They not only
droye off the private vehicles single as well as double out
they captured the mailstages Major John u. lngnain
lost twelve hundred dollars worth of horses Mr. Vers SIX
hundred bushels of OATS and Judge Bowie all his horses
and large quantity of corn.
We learned from the Union citizens of Rockville and
vicinity that the people of Rockville and indeed Of almost
toe entire county, have taken the oath of allegiance and
yet that there are large numbers of them who had been
predicting the coming and purposes OF the raiders Tor
weeks before they came Among the citizens who were
especial objects of search and had fed to the woods
and thus succeeded in escaping, Mr. Maiden provost
marshal
Breckenridge stated he returned that their friends
had exaggerated the fororn condition OF the Yankee CAPT
ta-bereft of all troops the hundred days men and
of the forts having been cleared OF their batteries
And though their intention had only been to cover up their
radng operations and induce Grant TO withdraw troops
from the Army of the Potomac when they beard these
sorles they determined Monday to attack the city that
night But the order counter manded that afternoon
The counter mandate did not reach all their lines hence
the apparent intention to assault Fort Stevens on Tuesday
When the rebels leaving the town. on their return
Edwardss Ferry they harassed considerably by
Col Lowell of the Cd Massachusetts, his force numbering
some FIVE hundred dismounted cavalry driving them until
their rear guard reinforced when he obliged TO
fall back Before doing however he hsd quite spirited
with them during which be lost seven wounded
and one killed The rebels lost seveal killed colonel,
believed to be MORALLY wounded who supposed to be
secreted somewhere in the vicinity of Rockville two
wounded whom they could not carry away and large
number of others wounded whom they took with them in
carriages and wagons which they had stolen,
Their retreat was simultaneous throughout their whole
line, nearly so, small portion passing down the river
road and the remainder of their force nrang from
various directions aJa passing through Rockville route
for Edwardss Ferry where almost their entire force
crossed.
They commenced rereatng Tuesday and their front
line passed Rockville and along other adjacent roads upon
line with that place, at twelve O'Clock Tuesday night
and was continually filing by until twelve o'clock Wed
neday, when the of their main body had gone They
retained their pckets at Rockville and at the crossroads
the river road, well upon road leading towards
Frederick until between five and six O'Clock Wednes
day evening Almost their entire force believed to have
crossed the river Wednesday night Thereafter the
retreatng foe consisted chiefly OF strsggers consider
able number Of whom were captured by the dsmounted
cavalry and the advance of the Sixth Corps.
At three O'Clock p NJ to-day the main body of the Sixth
Corps had passed the roads above named believe
Atorfs) and a considerable number of the Nineteenth
Corps had followed This evening the headquarters of
Cen Wright, commanding the Sixth Corps were at
Pooesvlle, twenty miles beyond Altorrs, and about
thirty miles from Washington. F.E.F.