July 2, 1863, The New York Herald
COLUMBIA, Pa., July 1, 1863.
THE REBEL MOVEMENTS.
There are a large number of persons here this morning anxious to cross the river, in view of the fact that the enemy has fallen back, but the military authorities are not disposed to grant passes for this purpose at present, as we are unable to throw any troops across for their protection. I endeavored to get across to-day in a skiff, but was ordered back. A large number of persons have arrived from York and vicinity, and report that the rebels under General Early have stripped the town and cleared out. They took up their line of march westward, towards Gettysburg or Chambersburg. It is thought that the rebel army is in full retreat for the Potomac river.
THE CAUSE OF THE RETREAT.
It is said that a courier arrived at York from General Lee’s headquarters, on Sunday night, with orders for him to fall back to Oxford immediately with all of his troops prepared for battle, and the rebel soldiers were confident that a great battle was imminent.
STATE OF AFFAIRS BELOW.
A gentleman, who came up yesterday, informs me that the hills opposite McCall’s Ferry was black with swarms of rebel troops, who were part of Longstreet’s corps d’, which, he says, has a long pontoon train and will no doubt attempt to make a crossing to-day. This news seems almost incredible, now that Generals Ewell and Early have retreated down the valley; but as it is vouched for and believed here, I send it on to you. Our forces at the point, under command of Major Stevens, are wholly inadequate to prevent a crossing; but the river is very deep and rapid at the ferry, the current running at the rate of twelve miles an hour. It will be next to impossible under these circumstances to lay a pontoon bridge over it. Our difficulty is that there is no way of reinforcing Major Stevens immediately, as the troops would have to walk from Lancaster to the ferry, a distance of twenty-eight miles.
GENERAL LEE CONCENTRATING FOR BATTLE.
It is generally supposed that here Gen. Lee is endeavoring to leave the State without fighting; but there is the very best reasons for supposing that he will first endeavor to destroy the Army of the Potomac, as otherwise he himself may have his army destroyed by it, and his ill-gotten gains will fall into the hands of the United States government again. I expect to hear at any moment of a battle in the Cumberland Valley, and perhaps the battle field of Antietam will be the scene of the conflict.
It is the universal desire of the people to have General McClellan lead our great army now on the Susquehanna forward to the aid of General Meade and utterly destroy the rebel army of Northern Virginia. We all see the end of the rebellion in such a movement, but fear radicalism and corruption must yet rule, until other and perhaps severer warnings should be sent us by the God of nations.
THE COLUMBIA BRIDGE.
The authorities here are heartily ridiculed for destroying the bridge, which was done entirely from fright. The planking from the southern section might have been torn up, and this would have rendered its passage by the rebels perfectly impassable, especially if our troops had done their duty. It now appears that a very small force of rebels entered Wrightsville, consisting only of cavalry and a section of artillery. As it is no one can cross the river, and pursuit of the rebels is out of the question.
THE PHILADELPHIA TROOP.
The First City troop of Philadelphia, a company whose original organization dates back to the Revolution, have done excellent service since they came out upon the occasion of the present invasion. Honors, however, crowd upon them entirely too fast. They are credited by the enterprising agent of the Associated Press with having taken an active part in the shameful scrimmage of the “Custom House Guard” at Wrightsville. They were on this side of the Susquehanna at the time of the fight, and had nothing to do with the affair. Had […..] troop” been there they would have fought like heroes, unless the odds were largely against them, and then they would have discreetly fallen back to the bridge in good order, and not do as the Guard did — scatter all over the country, and surrender to stumps, trees, cows and sheep.
The Revenue Guards have gained an unenviable fame. A year ago Colonel Thomas is alleged to have surrendered his regiment to another in the State service, mistaking the latter for rebels, without any hesitancy, so little did he or his officers know about the tricks of camp as practiced by New Yorkers on the unsophisticated. The disgrace of the present affair falls upon the proverbially profane and irascible Collector of the Port of Philadelphia.
MR. BUCHANAN.
That delectable correspondent of the Tribune, who writes from Lancaster, telegraphed a miserable yarn from that city on Wednesday, which was a fabrication manufactured out of the whole cloth, about ex-President Buchanan. This gentleman was in Lancaster on that day, doing all he could to encourage the citizens to enlist for the defence of the State, and beseeching the […..] screamers” to desist from packing up their goods and leaving the city. The old man is thoroughly devoted to the Union cause, but opposes the administration in its miserable war policy. He was perfectly cool, and not half so badly scared as those who have been advising war to the teeth and the hanging of all who breathe a single syllable against abolition leaders.
THE FEELING IN YORK.
Union men who have fled to this place from York report that many of the people of the latter town feasted and […..] the lacquey” to the rebel officers, volunteering advice and information to them very freely. Mr. Chief Burgess Strong, who was so anxious to surrender the town before the rebels appeared, is said to have been quite a lion among the rebels and tendered all of the flour at his mills as a humble tribute at the shrine of the rebel gods. These men deserve the execration of humanity.
“THE RAID IS OVER.”
This is the cry now among the stolid residents of this and neighboring towns. As we have not McClellan to lead these raw troops to victory we may expect that they will follow the Army of the Potomac to the State line for guard duty, and then be discharged. I suppose it will be no harm to tell the people now, that with all of this great uprising and turning out of the people, not one of our military wiseacres has been wise enough to organize a single brigade to be pushed forward in proper order after the enemy. General Sanford tried to do this with his new troops, but he seems to have got swamped in red tape; for I cannot hear anything of the three brigadiers and their staffs that he sent to Harrisburg. There is one satisfaction, however; and that is that our government has been pretty thoroughly frightened; and if the rebels should advance again we shall be prepared to receive them in at least a decent manner.
TROOPS COMING IN.
Men are pouring in now along the railroad from almost all quarters, under the Governor’s call, and there is every prospect of our having a find, large army to move down the valley in a few days. Attention is now being paid to the organization of cavalry regiments, and some infantry companies from the country have been mounted. This will render our advancing column quite effective. Five companies of Colonel Thomas’s regiment have come in and have reported for duty. They evaded the rebels, after having been cut off between York and Bainbridge. They told the people that they were going to Peach Bottom, and then marched directly to Bainbridge.
ANOTHER GREAT UPRISING.
There are evidences that the authorities will soon be swamped with troops. The war fever is running high all over the State. In some of the counties every man capable of bearing arms has enlisted. Several old men who fought in the last war with Great Britain came in from the benighted regions of Lancaster county and tendered their services this morning, having first shamed the […..] men” of their communities.
REBEL DESERTERS.
A large number of deserters are coming in at our different outposts, and report an immense number in the woods in York county anxious to come in. They say that probably a majority of the rebels were opposed to the war, and would gladly desert if opportunity offered.
THE BLACK TROOPS.
The colored company sent down the Northern Central Railroad from Harrisburg is said to have fought very hard at the battle or skirmish near Bainbridge. About two regiments of these sable soldiers are now in the State service. They are kept separate from the white troops, who are getting more kindly disposed towards them.