June 27, 1863, The New York Herald
Our Baltimore Correspondence.
BALTIMORE, June 25, 1863.
The light breaks at last. The news which I have received this morning, and which I send you below, dispels the last remaining doubt in regard to General Lee’s intentions, and affords, as you will see, a clear prognosis of what that wily and astute general proposes to himself, and the route which he has marked out for the progress of his army towards Washington. Now that this development has become clear, it is impossible not to admire the adroitness with which, up to this time, the rebel general has concealed his real line of march.
On reaching Warrenton, with the head of his army about ten days ago, General Lee found that Gen. Ewell, in obedience to his instructions, had not only defeated Milroy and General Tyler, and captured Winchester and Martinsburg, with the immense quantity of military stores and all the artillery at the former place, but that he had also, with the aid of the guerillas, under Imboden, Jenkins and Jones, made an extensive reconnoitering expedition into Maryland and Pennsylvania, and has ascertained the exact position of affairs in those two States as far north as Carlisle, and as far out as Point of Rocks and Frederick City. Since that time all of General Lee’s manoeuvres have been directed to the object of making Hooker believe that he designed to move on Washington through Thoroughfare Gap, and by way of Centreville and Fairfax or Gum Spring and Drannesville. Hence the various skirmishes, even amounting to battles, or at least to engagements of considerable magnitude, at Centreville, between Aquia creek and Occoquin, and at other points between Vienna and Aldie, rumors of which have been circulating for more than a week past. The fact that any such engagements have taken place has been sought to be concealed. But I have positive evidence that they did take place.
In the meantime General Lee was steadily moving his whole army from Warrenton, along the Western slope of the Bull run and Kittoctan Mountains, past Thoroughfare Gap, or rather through the valley that lies between those mountains and the Blue Ridge, directing the march of his columns towards Upperville and Ashby’s Gap. While this movement was in progress Hooker was expecting every day to see the rebel army debouching through Thoroughfare Gap. That gap, and the gap near Aldie also, was at that time held by a strong rebel force, posted there in order to prevent any of Hooker’s troops from coming west of those gaps, and to mask the important movement of Lee’s army, which was then going on. When the rebel army, however, had all got through Ashby’s Gap, in the Blue Ridge, and were moving on Winchester, there rear guards were withdrawn and were posted on the west side of the Blue Ridge, holding Ashby’s Gap, Snicker’s Gap and Upperville. Then it was that Hooker, on sending a strong cavalry force to Aldie and Thoroughfare Gap, found no enemy there at all, except a few scouts, who quickly retired at his approach. Then it was, too, that Hooker occupied Leesburg, Aldie and Thoroughfare Gap, and that the announcement was made by the War Department that there are now no rebel forces east of the Blue Ridge. That announcement was correct. General Lee, with his whole army, was rapidly advancing from Winchester towards Martinsburg, Williamsport and Shepherdstown (and this was only a few days ago), over the routes cleared and opened for him by General Ewell. This was on Sunday, the 21st inst., at which time Hooker had sent General Pleasanton’s cavalry to reconnoitre towards the Blue Ridge, and it was on that day that the great cavalry fight at Upperville took place. After that fight the rebel cavalry engaged in it crossed the Shenandoah and proceeded to Winchester, covering the rear of General Lee army, which was then just leaving that place.
Yesterday, as I learned this morning, the whole of General Lee’s army was engaged in crossing the Potomac into Maryland, at Williamsport, Falling Waters and Shepherdstown. They had occupied Boonsboro and South Mountain yesterday afternoon, and today are reported to be in strong force at Frederick City, where we have no troops at all. From that place General Lee will advance on Washington.
When the map is examined in connection with this remarkable movement of Gen. Lee, it will seem strange that he should have made such a wide circuit in order to reach Frederick City, when he might have done so by marching up the shorter road in the valley west of the Kittoctan Mountains, and crossing at Point of Rocks. The explanation of this will be seen by the further progress of the campaign. It deserves to be noticed, however, that the movement of the advance of the rebel army under Gen. Ewell, and the present occupation of the territory between Frederick City, Hagerstown, Chambersburg, and Cumberland, enables Gen. Lee to draw from the rich farms of Southern Pennsylvania all the supplies of whatever kind he may need for a long campaign.
There are only two roads by which Gen. Lee can move from Frederick City to Washington. The one is by the great national road, an old turnpike, which would lead by way of Rockville, directly to Washington, or to a point on the railroad, near and northeast of the capital. The other is a road of much more recent construction, called the Frederick turnpike, leading to this city from Frederick and leading also, by a branch turnpike, to Annapolis Junction. If it is Gen. Lee’s intention to move on Baltimore before he attacks Washington, he will march on the latter road by way of Elliott’s Mills. This road enters Baltimore at Baltimore street, and its approach to the city is well defended by a strong work recently erected. If it is his intention to move on the railroad between this city and the capital, and to cut that before attacking either city, he will also march on this road, but by the branch which strikes the railroad at Annapolis Junction, or by a good country road which passing through Brookville strikes the railroad at Bladensburg.
It is, of course, not allowable to give any details about the movements of General Hooker’s army. On the other hand, it is quite evident that General Lee’s movements are designed to force Hooker, if possible, to fight away from the neighborhood of the capital. This is probably the only thing that would induce General Lee to attack Baltimore and in order to effect this end it is possible that General Lee may manoeuvre in the neighborhood of Frederick City and of Baltimore for several days before he advances to the grand attack. The distance from Frederick to Washington by way of the National road is only miles. Baltimore and Annapolis Junction are each about the same distance from Frederick.
All the apparent movements of the rebels in the direction of Harrisburg and Pittsburg are feints executed by guerillas.