New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-07-31

Of the battles " Rich Mountain and Laurel HlIi inc
men Law that some of the Rebels fought WELL but the
majority ran away early in the action, and appeared
10 b. stricken with ast nlshment that the mon men
could gl 1T sl. They had been led 20 believe mat
IN, Feder,swoud neversand fire, but would run away
st the fret opposing shot. Their ehie care seemed 10
be- after each defeat, 10 get their dead men out Oh
sight of their own and Of our forces 10 one place
on Rich Mountain soldera found about ~ corpses
Of the enemy, pitched by their comrades heba'
long down the dsused shaft Of an old coal mine In
another spot 81 bodies had been thrown into dtch
which bad been dug for the reception OF oal IRON the
camp. In still another place. 10 eorTses were dlsco'-
cred living under The lee Of huge rock, covered over
slightly with bruslwood. In the battle Of Rich Noun
tain alone 80 Rebels were killed, nearly every man
being shot through the head, from tie fact OF their
sheerng their bodies behind rocks, and exposing only
their faces.
An interesting incident Of tie surrender Of Col.
Peqram i, thus related When Pegram advanced to
land his sword % Major Laurence Williams each m
stnly recognized the other, and both were moved to
tears and tuned away unable TO speak for several
minutes, They had been college classmates and had
met thus for the FIRST lime in many years.
Col Lander behaved most calamity at Rich Aoun-
tain az indeed be has done everywhere else His horse
was shot under him; he then advanced 10 the very
front of the column, and assembled rock whence he
could overlook the intlenchmens of the enemy, and
there ooolly enve the word of command 10 our boys
when TO fire; Immediately after the enemy had fired,
the Colonel would cry now boys, mp aud pour il into
Them our men would instantly rise aud deliver
them fire, and then quickly lie down to reload. By
! this oool.heuded aud fearless management our men
fl a,,n1 rod
One cartsin of gun, which had given orr Men
much annoyance, held his ground after every one Of
his men had deserted him, and, by his own unaded
cxertions he loaded and fred the piece three Iimes'
Col Lander called 10 one of his men 10 load rifle for
| him, which tue man did, and gave IL into his hands.
| The Rebel gunner was preparing 10 fire the iouith
time; he was alone, and Col Lauder, Ion to hill 20
gallant foe cried 10 hin 10 surrender; the captain re-
fnsc and continued loading his piece IN opound can
nom, when Col Lander reluctantly yielded 10 tire
necessities Of the cGse and shot his brave enemy 4eid
In every instance did Gen. Mcclellan and Col. Lam
der behave with similar gallantry, being always The
foremost in making dangerous reconnoi.sances, or IN
leading hazardous advances, and always the irst 10
/ erieye with men who had lost friends, and always
anxious to give them every feasible opportunity for
rest and recreation, though always insisting on ant
maintaining the moot sui,t and thorough discipline
Is il any wonder that such officers should have snch
menl Though they have been here bui TWO or three
DAYS the city is reassured the utmost confidence is
! expressed IN the new commander, and even now the
evidences of the masters strong hand are visible, IN
the perfect order preserved in the city in the newly
enforced rigidity of camp discipline, and in such an
advantageous disposition Of our iorcei as without qu-
ton makes the city inpregnable to any attack the
rebels may muster courage To attempt.
In relation to an attack this city, tire rbes have
doubtless missed opportunity tdey will rover again
have. 1t If my deliberate opinion that, one week ago
this morning Monday, FIVE tbcnsand determined men,
under An able leader, could pressing the hees Of
the panic roat Of Bull Ran, have captured here the
City of Washington, aud taken twenty thousand pris-
oners. Nov, tue extensive reGniorcements we have
had the attention that haa been pd TO forif ing the
weak points Of the approaches, the msieIy dspori.
ton Of our ;roops and the unquesiionng confidence in
the new commander permit TO rest in safety until 1t
| IL deemed Advisable TO make IA new advance.
IL is especially noteworthy that under the new dspn-
sation the ,sb troops Of whom several regiments arrive
every day, not SYSTEMATICALLY paraded through the
city, but are immediately marched to their esPl"iu;-
ed campo quietly tEat one not ON the lookout FOR
them would never dream that the Capital is strength
ened every day by thousands of wel-irlled, wclai-
| pointed, and determined men.
The men who have served under him 30 flilhfuiiy
assert that prominent characteristic Of Gen. McClel-
lans movements Is their unexpectedne's. He keers
his own counsel til the last the very last moment and
the plan IL only fully eomprehended when the blow is
struck.
At one time he hired foil feet Of steamboats,, con-
sisting Of eight Everybody expected Of course, u
water expedition; the troops embarked, sailed few
miles as a bind; suddenly taken shore and
marched overland, and decisive land battle he
! result.
Meanwhile, the eager spies, who had seen the iroor'
40 on board had carried The intelligence TO the pot Oh
the Kanawba, or Ohio, 10 which they assumed tie At
tack was to be directed aconccntration Of Rebel tooY'
there was effected, while the real attack insi'
| elsewhere.
II would indeed be curious it, by mastery strategy,
Richmond should be taken, while the Rebels prepare
! An rain, tn s.Ju WasbinOtan-