The latest from the North.
great raid by General Stuart.
he Captures There Pennsylvania towns.
We are indebted to the kindness of friends for New York papers of Saturday, the 11th, and Baltimore papers of the evening of that day. The most important feature of the news is a raid into Pennsylvania by Gen. Stuart with 3,000 cavalry.
Gov. Curtin, of Pennsylvania, at Harrisburg, received the following dispatch from Chambersburg on the 10th, dated 7.30 P. M.:
Mercersburg was occupied by Stuart's rebel cavalry force to-day, and they are now advancing on Chambersburg.
They took horses and all other property they wanted at Mercersburg and gave rebel scrip for it. They did no injury to individuals that I have heard of. The force is estimated at 3,000.
The rebels are certainly advancing on Chambersburg.
They have cut the Bedford wire.
They are reported as near as St. Thomas, seven miles from here.
There is no doubt whatever of their being in Mercersburg.
They will certainly give us a call to-night.
We had the rumor at 4 o'clock, but it was not credited.
We can make, no resistance, as it would only exasperate them and cause wanton destruction of life.
Col. McClure."
Chambersburg, Oct. 10, 8 P. M.--About fifteen men on horseback are in town, with carbines and a flag of truce.
They want to see the principal men of the town.
They have a large force about one mile from town, who will enter in an hour.
Col. McClure and Provost Marshal Kimmel have just gone two miles from town to meet the rebel commander.
Nothing can be done except surrender.
We look for the whole force in half an hour.
They crossed the Potomac at Hancock and came over the country to the Pittsburgh pike.
The deposits of the Chambersburg bank have not been returned from New York since the last raid.
Harrisburg, Oct. 10--10 P. M. --Dispatches just received from Shippensburg confirms the news of the occupation of Chambersburg.
The advance rebel force consists of 1,000 cavalry and six pieces of artillery.
Governor Curtin is now pushing troops up the Valley.
[The town of Chambersburg is 45 miles Southwest of Harrisburg and 150 miles West of Philadelphia, and has a population of about 5,000 souls.
It is a thriving place, and has eight churches and five newspaper offices.
Its business is chiefly the manufacture of flour, cotton, and iron.]
The Philadelphia Gazette, of Saturday morning, commenting on this extraordinary movement of the ‘"rebels,"’ says: ‘
The telegram brings us news which we scarcely know how to credit, although it bears the impress of authenticity, and emanates from the highest official quarters in the State.
It seems that a body of three thousand rebel cavalry, under the command of General Stuart, have managed to turn McClellan's flank by crossing the Potomac at Hancock; and, marching rapidly northward into Pennsylvania, crossed the mountains into the into the rich and prosperous Cumberland Valley, captured Mercersburg, St. Thomas, and finally the flourishing town of Chambersburg.
As far as we can understand the situation, McClellan's lines did not extend beyond Williamsport, the main body of his army being at Sharpsburg and Harper's Ferry, while the rebel army, under Gen. Lee, had retired mostly upon Martinsburg and Winchester.
The invasion of Pennsylvania, therefore, is feasible enough, as Gen. McClellan himself was in Philadelphia yesterday, and not with the army, and there were no obstacles whatever to prevent Stuart from making such a raid, the whole of the militia recently on bodied for the State defence having, unfortunately, returned to their homes.-- As regards the measures to be taken in this emergency we can only guess at them.
Gov. Curtin has in Harrisburg arms and munitions of war enough, and he probably has hastily collected the militia of that city, armed them, and sent them to meet the enemy.
Harrisburg is a city of about 15,000 inhabitants, and on such an emergency ought to be able to raise a regiment of militia without difficulty.
Carlisle, which lies between Harrisburg and Chambersburg on the Cumberland Valley Railroad, would also be able to raise from Cumberland country a regiment.
The next nearest town is Gettysburg, from which a regiment would probably march along the turnpike to Shippensburg.
From other parts in the neighborhood forces could be collected suddenly to swell the aggregate to some five or six thousand men. Fortunately the recent militia gathering established the organizations, which will now be useful for the people to rally around, to repel the invaders, and as the telegraph says that Governor Curtin has commenced sending forces forward to defend the State we presume that he has promptly called out those nearest and most serviceable.
From the populous counties of Berks, Schuylkill, and Lancaster, help will no doubt go forward immediately, although the rapidity with which the rebels advance seems to give assurance that they have thoroughly informed themselves of the defenceless condition of the State, and have resolved to profit by it to the utmost.
The natural inquiry, what is the object of the invasion, is not difficult to answer.
Since the great battle of Antietam, McClellan has been gradually but slowly pushing his army forward into Virginia.
Had he moved his army suddenly and in mass, by any particular route, say Harper's Ferry or Williamsport for example, the rebel army would have recrossed into Maryland at some other point, above or below, and thus forced McClellan to return and defend Washington and Baltimore.
He could not go above the rebel line to advance, for then the enemy would be between him and the great points of defences.
Washington, Baltimore Philadelphia and New York.
He has, therefore, tried to keep them in doubt as to his movements, by slowly moving about on either side of the Potomac at Harper's Ferry and Williamsport, and they, understanding his game, have outflanked him by this raid into the Cumberland Valley, by the circuitous route of Hancock.
Even had the Pennsylvania militia remained at Hagerstown and Greencastle they could not have prevented this incursion, for, as will be seen by reference to the map, the enemy have turned both points via Hancock; Mercersburg, and St. Thomas and thus our militia would have had their communications cut off, and been obliged to advance and fight the rebels at once to insure their own safety.
In any aspect in which we may view this movement, therefore, it is a very serious one, and we must all be prepared to meet it promptly and with the spirit of men whose homes are in danger.
The Cumberland Valley is one of the most fertile and best cultivated in the Union; populous, thriving, and wealthy, it offers to the enemy a tempting opportunity for plunder.
The enemy could easily levy a forced loan on Chambersburg, and sweep off besides, horses, cattle, forage and provisions, and if these be their objects they will be off again back to Virginia before we can muster forces enough to repel them.
In like manner they could make incurious into other Valleys along our Southern border, from time to time, and compel as to keep a large force in the field to defend the State.
This proceeds, however, upon the assumption that the army of the Potomac would remain idle, which it cannot do with any safety to itself.
The security of the North is essential to that of the army of the Potomac.
It will be necessary, therefore, for General McClellan to resume active operations at once, is some new direction, in order to counteract the enemy's movements and threaten their army.
As it would interfere with the success of our operations to indicate the obvious lines of such operations, we await further developments, and confine our attention to our own affairs.
It must be apparent now to the commonest apprehension that we must make on immediate and general rally of all our available militia forces and prepare for an advance against the enemy.
It is true that such a movement at this time would be most unfortunate, in view of the approaching election, which this rebel invasion may have been intended to influence, by drawing off the Republicans and leaving the Democrats in a majority at home.
The Administration at Washington could help us in this emergency by sending to Chambersburg the available forces from all parts of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, which perhaps will be done.
Still we must all now be prepared to rally for the defence of our own State.
Unless we do this, the rebel detachment which has captured Chambersburg may just as easily take Harrisburg, and establish a provisional government at the State capital, under the auspices of Hughes and his coadjutors, most of whom would not be slow to avail themselves of this opportunity.
The times are perilous, and require plain speaking and prompt action.
Let all our militia organizations be again called to meet and drill at their various armories, preparatory to marching once more to meet the enemy and defend their firesides. ’
The latest — the raid in Pennsylvania--the enemy falling back.
Philadelphia, Oct. 11.
--A dispatch from Governor Curtin to Mayor Henry states that no troops are needed from this point, as the rebels are already reported to be falling back.
