The Daily Dispatch: July 1, 1863., [Electronic resource]

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Additional from the North.

The Baltimore American of the evening of the 25th, is received, and contains some intelligence of interest. The following is the latest telegram from Harrisburg:

Harrisburg, June 25, 12.30 A. M.--At ten minutes past ten o'clock last night a rebel operator attached his instruments to the wires at McConnellsburg, and opened communication with Pittsburg.

He told a long story about Jenkins, and what he intended doing. No reliance is placed in the statement.

It is reported and believed that Milroy has been relieved of his command.

It is known here to a certainty that twenty regiments of rebel infantry passed through Chambersburg to-day. They were moving in this direction, and undoubtedly consisted of Ewell's corps (late Stonewall Jackson's)

A dispatch from Cape Cod, dated the 25th, gives the following exploit of the little Confederate privateer Tacony:

Hynum's Cape Cod, June 25.--A Welfleet schooner arrived here last night, bringing the crews of the fishing schooners Marengo, Elizabeth Ann, Rufus Choate, and Ripple, all burned by the pirate Tacony.

They report that on Sunday last the Tacony burnt the Byzantine, from London for New York, and the bark Godspeed, from Londonderry for New York.

The crews were all sen, New York in the schooner Florence.

The Tacony has burned seventeen vessels since the 12th inst.

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Army of the Potomac situation of Affairs on Sunday week — supposed position of the rebel army &c

The correspondent of the New York Times, writing from the Army of the Potomac, June 21, says:

‘ The situation is not materially changed since my last. Stuart's cavalry still range through the lower part of Loudoun Valley, and hover about our forces in the vicinity of Aldie and Thoroughfare Gap. No additional information concerning the position of Lee's main body has been received.

Several circumstances combine to render the obtaining of information more than usually difficult.

One is, the constant change of position by the enemy, and another is the strict instructions latterly given by the rebel commanders to their troops against giving information concerning their position or organization when taken prisoners. This was strongly manifested the other day by a stray rebel who was picked up, and who said he belonged to no regiment, came from nowhere, and was nobody generally. On being informed that persons of that character, found in our lines, were always considered and treated as spies, he found his tongue quite readily.

There are now about 250 rebel prisoners at headquarters, including ten officers, the captives mainly of the cavalry fights of the last few days. They are from the various brigades of Stuart's force, who is getting all he wants to attend to at the hands of Pleasanton's active troopers. One of the officers is a Lieutenant Colonel of a North Carolina regiment of mounted riflemen, and he tells a very interesting account of his capture, which was made by Capt. Brown; of the 1st Mains cavalry, on the 19th.

The mounted riflemen of the enemy's force do not appear to have had very good luck. In the fights of the 12th, a detachment of eighty were sent out as sharpshooters, and they were nearly all captured. They inflict severe losses, however, upon us, by picking off officers.

The loss in Col. Duffle's obstinate fight with overwhelming numbers at Middleburg, will probably not exceed one hundred.

Major Farrington is probably killed, or wounded, as he was not taken prisoner. Capt. Allen and Lieut Falos, who were sent with dispatches to Aldie, for Gen. Pleasanton, were thought captured, as they had not been heard from, and in going to Aldie they had to pass through the enemy's pickets.

We have news this morning that some of the New York papers of Saturday have published an account of a defeat of this army, at Centreville, by Lee, on Thursday; and the same papers also announce that Lee is marching on Washington, in three grand columns, by way of Leesburg. Thoroughfare Gap and Dumfries. This is strategy with a vengeance.

The communication to be kept up with three such columns as that, would involve a circuit of one hundred and fifty miles.

The present contest is chiefly one of strategy, thus far. It is plainly seen now that Lee desired nothing better than that Hooker should cross into Maryland and uncover Washington. What Hooker proposes to do no one seems to know — but he don't seem in much of a hurry to cross. That he did not move rapidly into Maryland the middle of last week is due to his want of consideration of official fears at Washington. These fears were tantamount to requests — if not orders — and Chain Bridge was to be put in good repair for the passage of the army, even though Gen. Hooker preferred to use pontoon bridges at another point.

There is abundant evidence that Lee is disconcerted at Hooker's failure to move promptly into Maryland. The backward and forward evolutions of Lee's infantry for the last few days indicate that since Wednesday Longstreet's corps has been moved from the Shenandoah into the Loudoun Valley, and back again into the Shenandoah.

Stuart's cavalry have been busily engaged in masking these movements of Lee. They protect and cover his flank and rear from the vigorous assaults of Pleasanton, and severe fighting has resulted each day, with the advantage on our side. In the upper part of Loudoun Valley, Buford has reconnoitered to Snicker's Gap; Gregg has repulsed Stuart twice at Aldie and Middleburg; Duffle cleaned out Thoroughfare Gap, and Stahl has reconnoitered at Warrenton.

The ground is well covered by our active cavalry, and they are now doing better service than ever before.

There has been heavy cannonading between Aldie and Middleburg all day. The probability is that another severe cavalry fight has taken place there. Pleasanton, under orders from Hooker, is throwing his whole force upon Stuart-to-day, assisted by a portion of General Stahl's force, and two brigades of infantry. It is believed he will this time either smash Stuart or get smashed in the attempt.

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The Military spirit at Harrisburg.

The people of Harrisburg have an idea, says the American that the place has received force enough to make it feel secure against the approach of the rebels, but this must be a mistake, for from what the Union of Wednesday says the proposition was under serious consideration of some of her citizens, whether they should "fight the enemy or surrender." That journal, alluding to the report of a rebel force from 4,000 to 15,000 says:

‘ "If this is so, and his intention is to come this way, we may expect a visit from him in the course of the day — probably before noon.--Under these circumstances, the question is what had we better do, fight him or surrender? We are in favor of defending the city, if those in authority think we have the means of doing it. With all the warlike appliances we have at hand we think it would be a disgrace to surrender the capital of the State without a heroic struggle in its defence. We trust, now that there seems to be danger in reality, and very near, that no loyal citizen will either tremble or fly, but that all will stay to defend their homes, their families and their property, if defence should be decided upon by those who properly have the matter in charge."

’ If this, says the American is a fair illustration of the military spirit at Harrisburg, it would not take many rebels to sack the city.

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Statement of a refugee from Hancock, Maryland.

A refugee from Hancock, Md., has arrived in Baltimore. The Americansays:

‘ He left Hancock on Monday morning, passing through Hagerstown, on his way to this city. His account of the movement of Ewell's division upon Pennsylvania is the most complete that has yet been given. He wished to come on in the stage coming to Frederick from Hagerstown, but on his stating that he was going home to Delaware, they refused to let him pass out of their lines, fearing he might give information to the Unionists of their movements. He managed to get through by the underground railroad, without giving any pledge, and I have thus been enabled to get the benefit of his observations.

On Tuesday he saw General Rodes's division, of Ewell's corps, commence its march to Chambersburg, by way of the turnpike from Hagerstown. They had ten pieces of artillery in this division, and the force consisted of cavalry, infantry and artillery. He estimates the number of this force at about 10,000, with along wagon train. The principal part of the force was infantry.

Another division arrived at Shepherdstown, Sunday evening, and marched to Boonsboro', where it encamped on Monday evening, about three miles outside of the town on the National road. This force numbered from 12,000 to 15,000 men, embracing thirteen pieces of artillery and a regiment of cavalry. It had a long train of wagons, many of them United States teams, loaded with knapsacks, camp equipage, and forage.

The aqueduct on the canal at Williamsport has been blown up, the locks destroyed, and all the boats in the vicinity burned. The lock gates at Millstown Point were also torn out, and the canal boats burned. At Green Spring the embankment was broken, and the water running out of the canal into the field. The canal is a perfect wreck from Williamsport to Cumberland, Md.

It is rumored here, and generally believed, that the greater part of Lee's army has crossed the Potomac and is now on the soil of Maryland. It is confidently asserted that the crossing was made at three points — Williamsport, Shepherdstown and Antietam fords — and that it has been going on since Friday and Saturday last.

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M'Clellan.

A Cincinnati correspondent of the Chicago Times, under date of the 21st, writes:

‘ A prominent office holder from Washington, who enjoys the confidence of Mr. Lincoln, arrived here this morning, en route to Murfreesboro', Tenn. He states that the President remarked on Thursday evening last that he felt almost persuaded to call General McClellan to the Army of the Potomac, and that unless Hooker, in whom he had confidence, executed certain successful movements against Lee by Sunday, Gen. McClellan would be ordered to resume command, in order that harmony and enthusiasm might again prevail unlimitedly in the army. My informant, who knows whereof he speaks, declares as his opinion that McClellan will receive his orders during the present week, and will accept the same only on condition that no interference shall take place by Stanton, Halleck, or anybody aside from the President.

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Federal raid in East Tennessee--immense destruction of railroad bridges and other property

--The following dispatch has been received by Gen. Burnside from the expedition sent into East Tennessee:

Boston, Tenn.,June 23.--I arrived here with my command this morning. I struck the railroad of the enemy at Lenoir, and destroyed the track up to Knoxville, made a demonstration against Knoxville so as to have the troops drawn from above; destroyed the track and started for Strawberry Plains; burnt the State Creek Bridge, 1,600 feet long, and Massey Creek Bridge, 325 feet long. I captured three pieces of artillery, 200 boxes of artillery ammunition, over 500 prisoners, and 1,000 stand of arms. Also destroyed a large amount of salt, sugar, flour, meal and saltpetre, and one saltpetre works and other stores.

My command are much fatigued. We have had but two nights' sleep.

The force in East Tennessee is larger than I had supposed. I did not attack London bridge for reasons that I will hereafter explain.

At Massey creek I determined to return. In the movements I had very great difficulties that were unexpected. I found the gap through which I intended to return strongly guarded with artillery and infantry, and blockaded with fallen timber. A force was also following me in our rear, and I determined to cross at Smith's Gap, which I did.

I will report more fully as soon as possible.

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The scourge at hand a fierce denunciation.

The New York Freeman's Journal has the following bitter denunciation of the Federal Government:

‘ The imbecile and wicked Federal Administration is drifting without rudder and without compass. It knows neither where it is, nor whither driven. We can well believe that the ungainly and vacant countenance of Lincoln, as it is reported, is frequently overcast with a vague sense of terror that renders him incapable for a time of speech or of motion.

The truculent incapable that surround him are seeking to illustrate by a new example the old adage:Improvise permeant perdunt. "The wicked destroy others that themselves may escape."They are fools in this as in all they have hitherto attempted.

And those cowardly and incapable things--Lincoln, Seward, Stanton — have imagined that this fierce fighting American race, trained to liberty even in its excesses, will bow their heads beneath the trembling paws of these creatures, and quietly lay on the ground the "symbols of the free"--the arms that the Constitution of the land guarantee to them to keep and bear, "for the protection of themselves and of the State!"

Every revolver you take from these people is replaced by a rifle and bayonet! Every old shot gun you steal from them is good for a dozen regulation muskets, with ammunition to match! You think you have a trophy when you have seized a rifle will find, as if it had dropped down from the clouds, or as if the earth had yawned to let it forth, a well furnished mountain howitzer, making good the loss of the rifle!

Hunt the brush, and you will not find them! Burn burns, and you will not destroy them! Exhaust your suspicious and narrow brains, and you will be no nearer the mark. But we tell you — not by political forecast, but as the chronicler of what is, and is ready to become an accomplished fact — that, if the freedom of the ballot box be interfered with in the Northwestern States, or if the free canvass necessary to a free election be further interrupted there, the irreparable blow will fall. As if the heavens dropped it down from above, and the earth budded it forth, from the four winds of heaven the entire Northwest will be in one blaze of armed array. By your attempts at suppressing speech and the Democratic press you have forced men to action instead of words. You have to deal, in the Northwest, with the kind of men who took Fort Donelson for you. Against them what can avail our weeping "Wide Awakes, " transformed into "Union Leagues?"

We want peace and order here at the North. In order to have it, we must have peace with the South. If we have it not, we tell moneyed men, even those who are making profit by the war, that their gain will turn to loss. Their sweet things will become bitter. Their fancied security will vanish. The scourge is at hand. When it comes — if it be not stayed by wisdom and consideration — we will see who will howl loudest, the men who will not believe us now, or we.

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