The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-07-17
The Seige of Observation-Disclosures
fr..m the leading PaperS.
Special ispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette,
w ASu1NITpN In!V i

The absurd and ridiculous, and ye'
disaraceful, seige of Washington i:
over Telegraphic communication with
the North was renewed last night, bat
the Government required the wires for
it's uses and this is the earliest time a
which we can present connected view
of the tranactions since commumca
tons were cut OF,
On Sunday night dispatches from
/ Baltimore announced that the rebels
were moving in this direction. On
Monday morning a small force OF them
anpeared in front OF our Notifications
beyond Georgetown, and near Silver
Springs. on the Seventh street road
They took possession OF the houses
in that vicinity, established SHARP )
hooters. and began picking Oft our ex
posed men,
This state OF affairs was substantially
kept up until Tuesday night. Wher
they decamped early Wednesday marn
ing. their retreat was discovered, but ne
pursuit was permitted for several
hours. 1t is understood, though not
definitely known, that the whole rebel
force crossed the Potomac at Pooles-
vile and Balls Bluff, about - miles up
the river from Washington, and that
they are now well on their way To Rich
mond, with long trains OF wagons laden
with supplies and droves of cattle, and
that q large proportion OF them are
now mounted on horses stolen through
out MARYLAND. The bulk OF their force
must have been concentrating at
PooIasyille. while their rear guard was
besieging Washington. \ critical in
/ spection of their camping ground, viii
convince any one at all accustomed to
( such matters that they never had more
! than eight hundred, or at the very out
side q thousand. men on the Seventh
street road, besieEing this city.
The following articles from this morn
incs National lntelligencer, fairly
represents the general understanding
and feeling on the whole ridiculous
subject
THE military demonstration on the
outskirts of the National Capital, with
in the last few days, has come To an end.
this demonst alton did no. take theltorm
of ANYTHING like an attack on the city,
axcant in front OF Fort Stevens, where
some skirmishinS disclosed the pres
ance Ola hostile force on Monday and
Tues,!gy last. The number of the enc
my's force at this point, or al any other,
was utterly unknown to our military
authorities but il has been Subsequent
IN developed that at this locality II neY-
er much. at all, exceeded i've or SIX
hundred men. We have received III
formation 10 this effect from othcerN
VINO have traced the marks ot the en-
camniaent OF besieCeus SINCE their eVacu-
alton during the ui1It OF Tuesday last,
a-.er The reconnaissance which, late IN
the evening OF that day, was ordered
bv General Wright for the purpose Of
f-elin1 Inc strength OF the enemy. II !
! moreover confirmed 10y the testimony /
o. persons who have come into the city /
since the siege was raised Some SIIGH' |
demonstrations We're made 10y the enc
my at Two Ctler points on our horth !
and northeastern front, hat the NUM- /
her ENGAGED IN them, or III the dash !
made up0n the railroad between ASH |
ington and baltimore on Tuesday last |
i, of coursel unknown, though IRON the |
parcity OF their achievements. their 60 /
operative detachments must have been |
small /
The reconnaissance on Tuesday eve !
ming in front OF FoTs Stevens. resulted |
III smart brush with the besieging
party. who were easily driven Toy the
small body of oar troops sent out on
the scout, until darkness pat an
end 10 the pursuit Our troops los;
not three hundred men, killed, wound
ed and missing, IL the attack. The IN
surgents loss was nos 50 great, from
the paucity Of their numbers. They
left upward OF ninety of their wounded
at the house Of Mr.. Blair, and 81 few o.
their dead on the field At daybreak
Yesterday morning the enemy was no
longer visible; and 80 for the present
ends what VIII pass into history as the
two days siege Of Washington, which
terminates d mysteriOusiy Il II be-
gan.
The location, number and distr!hu
ton OF the forces engaged IN the inva-
sion Of Maryland, during the siege of
Washington, are unknown 10 our mill;
tary authorities Further information
in al! these points may probably b.
excited by tie pursuit OF the enemy
which is nov being pressed by the eX-
perienced and gallant officers OF the
9TH ARMY Corps
We regret 10 state that before de
camping from the ci.y the raiders burnt
the country house of Hon. Montgonl-
cry Blair, the Postmaster1ieGeral, and
r.1led the mansion &C his father, Fran
els p Blair, abstracting, it is supposed,
the papers and correspondence OF this
gentleman, covering 4 portion of forty
years.
To this statement by the Intelligen-
Ger. it may be added that the pursuit Of
which it speaks is not understood here
10 be amounting TO anything. We have
small force OF cavalry,
md the majority of rebels had stolen
lorses for themselves, and had long
yays the start of Us. II is supposed !
hat they will not trouble themselves
o 20 over into the Shenandoah Valley
Is that seems to be an utterly useless
movement. but will push straight for
he Rappahannock, and then for Rich
nond, unless Gen Grant should man
ge to intercept them. 1t Is not sup
,osed that there is even the slightest !!
possibility of capturing them.
The following leader from This morn
ng's Chronicle is supposed TO represent ,
he views of the military authorities: :
he sudden disappearance the rebels
rom before the city, after affecting to c
nv siege for three days, can leave lit t
lie doubt that their object was merely 2
D divert attention, while their cavalry =
-ere engaged in stealing horses and
attic and removing them beyond the
'otomac. The absence of any consid
rable United States cavalry force IN
ais department has enabled the auda- {
ious rebels to carry out their plans =
18th considerable success. 1t was next !"
, impossible for infantry to watch .
leir movements or prevent their sue e
essful dashes on the railroad, while the II
.pidity of their movements in small .
and their sudden appear
nee at so many different points stimuli
.neously, were well calculated to swell c.
or numt ers in the imag ination ola de "
useless population exposed to their y
expectations. y
arious speoulations have been IN if
ulged as to the objects of the rebels IN Il