New-York daily tribune., 1861-06-09
FROM NEWPORT NEWS.
Improvement in the Carnp-spirif OF the
soidiers-Liferary Occupations.


NEWPORT News, Va, June 6, 1861.
Taking the steamer Catiline, yesterday morning, at
Old Point, Oh which Gen. Butler embarked for run
through the Roads reached this point little past
noon. As we were leaving, the Harriet Lane caue
down from her brush, earlier in the day with The bat
terry at Pig Point The hole through her buIwarks,
made by the riHed cannon shots, scarcely to be
seen go slight was the damage The particulars Of
the fight not known to Gen. Builer then,
he aware that it was Capt. Faunces design 10 engage
the battery that morning. II was the Generals ex-
pectation that the reconnaissance would take place
or three days before.
On reaching the camp here found that the works,
both at the ntrenehments and the heavy gun battery
facing the river, had very much grown since last
them The redoubt is formidable work. stretching
across the point Of land which makes out and
the bend in the river it will afford protection TO large
body If men, aud would seem to contemplate an in-
crease of the forces here. The Yermonterr, who
occupy the CENTER appear have progressed furhest
in their labors.
The fight in the morning at Pig Point was wit
messed by the men with interest. The distance ia be-
tween six and eight miles and the shois could he dir
tincty seen by those having glasses, with which very
many Of the have provided Themselves. There.
was a very general wish in the camp to be allowed to
90 over and pitch the guns into the river and occupy
the spot; but the time has not arrived for that
ment.
We found Major Williams hard a. work in diSeharg-
ing bis duties as Inspector. ] glad TO hear the
commendation which the Major bestOws on the men,
lie bears witness TO the Improvement they have made
and their capacity for making good soldie. The srin-
gent adopted by Gen. Butler have had the VI
feet to silence complaints against maraudeis Night
before last the camp considerably excited by ru-
mos of an intended attack by the rebels who were
ported by parties Of negroes who came IN 10 be but
few miles in the rear IN numbers varying from hve
hundred five thousand. The reports OF the negroes
are very little 10 be relied on. Their capacity 10 mag
Nifty invent and exaggerste is truly wonderful Those
who know their peculiarities pay little heed to what
they ray. They seem 10 think that when inquired Of
the enemy, they expected 10 give i'm
porant ald startling information, and they do their
best not 10 disappoint the expectation. However,
wholesome interest created IN the camp our
started up and hoped that the runors might be true.
Some time during the night when it was raining as il
never did rain BEFORE and when the darkness would
have shamed Egypt, captain of one Of the Vermont
regiments who had been waiting t lie could stand it
Do longer and having come TO the conclusion that
enemy would to us, proposed TO go in search Of
them. He therefore proposed 10 Col Phps to sally
put, but the Colonel thought it was not best az he was
Of the opinion that it would take great many
lamps than the camp afforded to enable the "boys" TO
ind tho rebels anywhere within marching distance.
The Rebels manage to keep up communication be-