Northwestern Virginia-New Affairs are reported North.
The Philadelphia North American has this summary of the progress of events in Western Virginia:‘ "From various sources we are in possession of late and interesting information from Western Virginia, which goes to show that the delay of our operations there has resulted very unfortunately in a large gathering of rebel forces which will render it necessary to fight a severe battle to get rid of them. At the camp beyond Phillippi the rebel army numbers at least 8,000 men, variously armed, entrenched upon a hill, defended by five pieces of artillery, and having about six hundred cavalry. Of their cannon, two are in a masked battery. Gov. Wise, though not with them at the date of our advices, was expected. Each side has been meditating and preparing for an attack, and each has been mustering strongly for the purpose, until it is now admitted that instead of a skirmish, there will be a hard battle.
Col.McClellan has been reorganizing his scout service, having found his scouts green hands, who were both careless and useless.--To remedy this he has selected a number of picked men, and organized them into a company regularly under instruction. Among them is an experienced Western trapper, who has served as a scout in several of our Indian wars. Governor Pierpont has appointed Col. Kelly to the command of the Virginia brigade of volunteers. Brigadiers Generals Hill, Morris and Scleich are also on the ground in command of the Western troops, so that all the brigades will be fully organized. Two regiments of Indiana troops have left Indianapolis, 'and two regiments of Ohio troops have left Camp Dennison to join McClellan's corps. Each regiment has a corps of sharp shooters, two pieces of artillery, fifteen days rations, 120,000 rounds of cartridges, and 200 rounds of shots and shell for the artillery.
At Phillippi, Gen. Morris is in command of our troops, Gen. McClellan moving with the Clarksburg column. The rebel lines stretch from Laurel Hill to Huttonsville and the Cheat Mountain Gaps. Immediate action being requisite, Gen. McClellan has begun his movements by posting detachments in various directions with a view to surrounding the enemy, who to avoid this has retired to the position above stated, presenting only the front of his lines to an attack, his rear resting on the mountain, passes to keep open his retreat.
At Grafton the Kansas Artillery and the Ohio Sixth Regiment had arrived, and also a troop of horse from Washington county, Pa., numbering eighty men, who were mustered at once into the United States service. They are an able-bodied, hearty looking corps.--Gen. McClellan uses the telegraph in his operations by establishing temporary lines between his scattered detachments. The troops on our side have not been idle, as is supposed. On Saturday last two Ohio and two Indiana regiments, with Capt. Lommis' battery of six pieces and twenty-seven Chicago dragoons, advanced from Phillippi to Buckhannon, when the rebels posted there immediately fled. Our forces occupied the place at once, and Gen. McClellan was expected to arrive there on Tuesday night. On the same day Gen. Tyler, with another body of our troops, took Weston, and seized $28,000 in gold belonging to the rebels. He also captured five prisoners, among whom was the rebel paymaster, who had this money to pay the rebel troop with. Since the United States forces reached Clarksburg a company of cavalry and one of infantry had been formed there for United States service.
The Clarksburg column numbers ten thousand men, under the immediate direction of Gen. McClellan. It was the vanguard of this body which reached Buckhannon. It is marching against the rebel army at Laurel Hill, but is delayed by the want of cavalry, and by the non-arrival of 200,000 rations, which had been expected. A battle was anticipated on the 4th. A strong column is concentrating at Phillippi, under Gen. Morris. It is difficult to explain the movements of Gen. McClellan's whole army, as many of the places where they halt are not set down in the maps.
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