A show of force had been kept up in the Shenandoah Valley, and east of the Blue Ridge, by the Confederate Government throughout the month of July, chiefly for the purpose of preventing reënforcements to Gen. McClellan. The knowledge which it had of the position and strength of the Federal forces made it manifest that no reenforcement to the Army of the Potomac would come from any other quarter. The departure of the division of Gen. Burnside from Newport News, where it had been for some weeks ready to cooperate with Gen. McClellan in any forward movements to Aquia Creek on the 1st of August, was immediately known in Richmond. It showed not only that no reenforcements were coming to the Army of the Potomac, but also that this army would soon evacuate the peninsula. The star of their fortune now appeared to be in the ascendant. The day, so long and anxiously looked for, had come, in which they should be able to take their great and powerful adversary at a disadvantage, and demonstrate to civilized nations their own military strength and ability to win that independence which they had proclaimed. Consultations were immediately held at Richmond, and their purposes were soon formed. It was resolved to abandon the defensive policy and to repeat the exploit which Gen. Jackson had performed by driving Gen. Banks out of the Shenandoah Valley, on a scale of national magnitude. Rumors were set afloat that Tennessee, Kentucky, and the whole of Virginia were to be recovered at once; Maryland liberated from her oppression, and not only Washington and Baltimore captured, but also Harrisburg and Philadelphia in the east, and Cincinnati in the west. It was a magnificent enterprise for a people situated like those in the Confederate States at that time. Measures were immediately adopted for the execution of these plans. Gen. McClellan was to be left to retire from the peninsula without any further attacks than were necessary to cover their real designs, and their forces were to be prepared for an immediate movement northward. The Confederate forces at this time were greater than ever before. Not less than one hundred and fifty thousand men were at Richmond and in communication with it. All this force, excepting a strong corps of observation, was to be precipitated at once upon Maryland.

The preparations to advance into Maryland which were making at Richmond, were immediately known at Washington and awakened great anxiety. An order was issued to Gen. Cox in western Virginia to send his main forces, with all possible despatch, by railroad to join Gen. Pope. To facilitate the withdrawal of the army from Harrison's Landing, as stated by Gen. Halleck, and to gain time also by a demonstration against the enemy, Gen. Pope was ordered to push his forces across the Rappahannock, and occupy Culpepper and threaten Gordonsville. At the same time President Lin

coln issued the following order, calling out an additional three hundred thousand men to serve for nine months:

WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, August 4, 1862. Ordered First-That a draft of three hundred thou

sand militia be immediately called into the service of the United States, to service for nine months, unless sooner discharged. The Secretary of War will assign the quotas to the States, and establish regulations for the draft.

Second-That if any State shall not by the 15th of August furnish its quota of the additional three hundred thousand volunteers authorized by law, the deficiency of volunteers in that State will also be made up by a special draft from the militia. The Secretary of War will establish regulations for this purpose.

Third-Regulations will be prepared by the War Department, and presented to the President, with the object of securing the promotion of officers of the army and volunteers for meritorious and distinguished services, and of preventing the nomination and appoint ment in the military service of incompetent or unridding the service of such incompetent persons as worthy officers. The regulations will also provide for

now hold commissions.

By order of the PRESIDENT. EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

The Confederate army began to move immediately after the 1st of August, and the divisions of Gens. Jackson, Ewell, and Hill were hurried to the Rapidan river, which is the south fork of the Rappahannock. On Friday, the 8th of August, Gen. Pope reached Culpepper Court House, from his last encampment near Washington, the county seat of Rappahannock. At the same time the corps of Gen. Banks was in motion in the direction of Culpepper. The corps of Gen. Sigel was encamped at Sperryville, twenty miles from Culpepper, and on the road from Washington, Rappahannock county. At Culpepper Court House was Brig.-Gen. Crawford, with his brigade belonging to Gen. Banks's corps, and Gen. Ricketts's division, belonging to Gen. McDowell's corps. They had arrived two days previous from Warrenton with Gen. McDowell, who took command of all the forces then at Culpepper. Gen. Bayard with his cavalry had been guarding the fords of the Rapidan from Racoon Ford to a point fourteen miles below, and south of the railroad at Burnett's Ford, where he connected with the cavalry of Gen, Buford. At noon on Friday he sent information to Culpepper Court House that the enemy had early that morning crossed the river and driven in his pickets with such force that he was obliged to retire before them. He was retiring to the north and east side of Robertson's river, about eight miles from Culpepper, there to await a supporting force. The numbers of the enemy he estimated at two regiments of infantry, two pieces of light artillery, and three small regiments of cavalry. Gen. Buford at the same time reported the enemy to be advancing in heavy force upon Madison Court House, thus leaving it in doubt whether the movement was directed toward Culpepper or Madison. Wishing to maintain the communication with Fredericksburg at all hazards, Gen. Pope resolved to concentrate at Culpepper, in order to keep his forces interposed between

the main body of the enemy and the lower fords of the Rappahannock. He accordingly immediately ordered Brig.-Gen. Crawford to march to Gen. Bayard with his brigade, which consisted of the 28th New York, 10th Maine, 46th Pennsylvania, 25th Connecticut, with ten pieces of artillery. He proceeded rapidly to the front, and occupied a position about seven miles from Culpepper, immediately in rear of the line of Gen. Bayard's cavalry. Soon after, Gen. Pope ordered the remainder of Gen. Banks's corps to move rapidly from Hazel River bridge, nine miles from Culpepper, where if was the night before, to the scene of expected conflict. By eight o'clock that night, the head of Gen. Banks's column was descried marching around the village to its destination, which it reached before midnight. That point was immediately in the rear of Gen. Crawford. Gen. Sigel was at the same time ordered up from Sperryville by a forced march of twenty miles, his advance reaching Culpepper late in the afternoon, where it was halted.

Throughout Friday night and Saturday forenoon, skirmishing was continued between-Gen. Bayard's cavalry and the advance of the enemy, until the latter had advanced within long range of Gen. Crawford's artillery. The enemy soon developed a strong force, and occupied both sides of Cedar Mountain, a sugar-loaf eminence situated two miles west of the Orange and Alexandria railroad at Mitchell's Station. The artillery of the enemy opened early in the afternoon of Saturday, but he made no advance until near five o'clock, at which time a few skirmishers were thrown forward on each side under cover of a heavy wood, in which his force was concealed. A strong force was pushed forward in the rear of the skirmishers, and Gen. Banks advanced to the attack. The engagement did not fairly open until after six o'clock P. M., but for an hour and a half was furious and unceasing. The report of Gen. Banks to Gen. Pope had expressed the opinion that no action was imminent that afternoon, and it was not until after it was fully commenced that the latter ordered Gen. McDowell to advance Gen. Ricketts's division to the support of Gen. Banks, and also Gen. Sigel to bring his men on the ground as soon as possible. At 7 P. M., when Gen. Pope arrived, the action was raging fiercely, but Gen. Banks held the position he took early in the morning. During the action he had fallen back about one mile from the spot where it first commenced, but without any disorder or confusion. The enemy were evidently pressing close, and the artillery was firing at short range. The division of Gen. Ricketts pushed forward and occupied the right of Gen. Banks, taking the place of his right wing, which was ordered to mass upon the centre. Before this change could be effected it was quite dark, and the musketry firing ceased, but the artillery kept up an intermittent firing until near midnight. The Federal troops rested on their arms during the night in line of battle. At day

light the next morning the enemy fell back two miles, and still higher up the mountain, and the pickets of Gen. Pope advanced and occupied the ground. The army rested during the day. Monday was spent in burying the dead and in getting off the wounded, and during the night the enemy disappeared, leaving many of his dead unburied and his wounded on the ground. The slaughter on both sides was severe; much of the fighting having been hand to hand. A cavalry and artillery force under Gens. Buford and Bayard was thrown forward in pursuit, and followed the enemy to the Rapidan, over which his rear guard passed about ten o'clock on Tuesday morning. The Federal loss was fifteen hundred killed, wounded, and missing, of whom near three hundred were taken prisoners. Gen. Pope also lost two Napoleon guns, fifteen hundred muskets, and considerable ammunition. The Confederate loss was severe, among whom were Gens. Winder and Trimble. The battle commenced with the advance of Gen. Ewell, consisting of ten thousand men, who were reenforced by Gen. Jackson with five thousand more, and the balance of his command got into position early in the night.

On the Federal side the contest was maintained entirely by the command of Gen. Banks, and was conducted with great skill and bravery. The object of this attack on the part of Gen. Lee was undoubtedly to feel the strength and temper of Gen. Pope's army. His forces retired across the river, a few miles toward Gordonsville, to await the approach of the main army, while Gen. Pope pushed forward his whole force in the direction of the Rapidan, where he occupied a strong position, extending from Robertson's Rise on the right to near Racoon Ford on the left.

On the 16th a party of Confederate cavalry were surprised and captured at Louisa Court House. Upon them were found important despatches, including an autograph letter from Gen. Lee, which informed the Federal Government that Gen. Lee was moving by forced marches the main body of the Confederate army to attack Gen. Pope before a junction could be formed between him and the Army of the Potomac. Thus their plan was to throw overwhelming forces upon him, cut off his rear, and annihilate, if possible, his entire army. In consequence of this reliable information, Gen. Halleck, the general-in-chief, on the 17th ordered Gen. Pope not to cross the Rapidan, but advised him to take a position in rear of the North Fork, where he could be more easily reënforced. This movement was commenced by Gen. Pope on the 18th, and during the 19th the main body of his forces was behind that river, and prepared to hold its passes.

Ten miles above Fredericksburg the Rappahannock river receives the two tributaries which form it. The southern stream is called the Rapidan, the northern one is called the North Fork. This latter is the stream behind which Gen. Pope was advised to

retire, and which he effected on the 18th and the subsequent day. Below the junction of the tributaries the stream is called the Rappahannock. This junction is twenty miles below the spot where the Culpepper or Orange and Alexandria railroad crosses the North Fork. Gen. Lee commenced reconnoitring on the day that Gen. Pope retired, and at night a considerable body of his troops had crossed the Rapidan. On the 19th he crossed with a large force, comprising cavalry, infantry, and artillery. Gen. Pope had thus far received some reenforcements from Gen. Burnside, who landed at Fredericksburg from the mouth of the James river on the 4th of August. On the 6th, at six P. M., Gen. Reno, with his division of Gen. Burnside's corps, left camp to march to Gen. Pope. On the 10th Gen. King, of McDowell's corps, hurried forward to Culpepper Court House for the same purpose, and on the 13th Gen. Stevens, with six regiments of his division, and four of Gen. Wright's, which had been de tached from Port Royal, S. C., followed. Thus nearly forty regiments of infantry, fully armed and provided with trains and a large force of artillery and cavalry, were sent forward from Fredericksburg. He was also authorized to call the main portion of Gen. Cox's forces from western Virginia.

The Orange and Alexandria railroad, which runs from Alexandria, and connects with the Virginia Central railroad at Gordonsville, was, at the end near Alexandria, the route by which Gen. Pope received his supplies. The stations on that part of the road were as follows: Alexandria, to Springfield, 9 miles; to Burke's, 14 miles; to Fairfax, 18 miles; to Union Mills, 23 miles; to Manassas Junction, 27 miles; to Bristol, 31 miles; to Catlett's, 38 miles; to Warrenton Junction, 41 miles; to Bealeton, 47 miles; to Rappahannock, 51 miles; to Bran dy, 56 miles; to Culpepper, 62 miles; to Mitchell's, 69 miles. The road crosses the North Fork at the Rappahannock station, ten miles beyond Warrenton Junction. At ManasBas Junction the Manassas Gap railroad comes in from the northwest. The first station west of Manassas Junction is Gainesville, distant 8 miles; the next is Thoroughfare, distant from Manassas Junction 14 miles. At the Warrenton Junction comes in from the northwest the Warrenton railroad. It connects Warrenton with arrenton Junction. All these positions were in the rear of Gen. Pope's army on the North Fork, and were involved in the subsequent movements.

When the retreat of Gen. Pope commenced, Gen. Sigel's command was in the advance, Gen. Reno's held the left in the vicinity of Mitchell's Station, on the line of the Orange and Alexandria railroad, and Gen. McDowell's forces, supported by Gen. Banks, occupied the right centre. At half-past ten on the night of the 18th of August, Gen. Sigel commenced moving back toward Culpepper. Previous to this hour, however, the troops in the rear were in motion,

The night was dark and cold, and the march slow in consequence of the immense train of transportation wagons placed in advance of the troops. The usual camp fires were extinguished, excepting those necessary for the safe passage of the trains, and all unnecessary noise was avoided. At midnight the advance of Gen. Sigel reached Cedar Mountain, the scene of the late battle, and at a late hour on Tuesday morning, the 19th, it reached Culpepper. The forces of Gen. McDowell, including Gen. King's division, had then passed through the town. Gen. Banks's division was at an encampment on the right of the road, and Gen. Sigel brought up the rear. Far as the eye could reach, there was to be seen nought but moving masses of infantry, cavalry, and artillery; beyond that it could catch an occasional glimmer of the white-covered tops of the wagon trains slowly winding up the distant hills. All the sick and wounded, excepting eighty-five men whose injuries were of such a kind as to prevent their removal, and all the stores of the medical department, had been sent off by railroad before five o'clock that afternoon. The rear guard of the army consisted of the cavalry under Gen. Bayard. The movement of the troops during the day, although made in different directions, all tended toward one point, the Rappahannock station on the railroad, at which was the bridge crossing the North Fork. During the forenoon of the 19th, the advance crossed, and the rear, which was that day under Gen. Sigel, encamped at night some four miles from the bridge. Ail night, long army trains, infantry, and artillery were moving across the bridge, and by noon on the 20th the cavalry composing the rear guard made its appearance just on the west side of the bridge, and was then drawn up in line of battle to meet the enemy's cavalry, with whom Gen. Bayard had been skirmishing from Cedar Mountain. About one o'clock the Confederate cavalry made a charge, but accomplished nothing except wounding a few men. The Federal cavalry then came across the bridge, and the retreat behind the North Fork of the Rappahannock was complete.

During the afternoon and night, the Confederate artillery came up. On the next day, the 21st, being Thursday, an attempt was made by them to cross a few miles above the bridge. The New York battery of Crowell and the Third Maryland regiment, stationed at the ford, would have been driven off except for the additional batteries sent to their support. At the same time an attack was made at Kelly's Ford; this was also repulsed. An attack of the enemy was expected during the night, and the Federal force slept on their arms. Early the next morning a Confederate battery opened at the spot where the first attempt to cross was made, which kept up a fire for some time. A little farther up the stream a bridge was discovered which the enemy had erected during the night. A Federal battery opened, which slackened fire soon after and appeared to be silenced by the