New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-05-24
gUOv GENERAL NCLELLAN'S ARMY.
A FAMINE IN VIRGINIA.
uyAuHEaARD Az RICHMOND
Eebels Want q Ten Days Armistice.
a Reconnaissance Across the Chicnhominy
--Rchriiding Tire Eridgcs-The North
van. Goa TO Face rae starving Virgin.
lens,

C,r-s poDd-ncs oI The y \. ifi90ut.
Mar Rorgps BlIDGg ~ TER CnIC,BosTNY, WHICH
j. FtTsflN WINS FAOd NiChicNp, Nsy y, idhA
assisted IN what was meant to be very impor-
n reconnaissance yrsteray - ascertain the florida
be depth OF the Chicaoonny "a, different points The
in app oacbes to il for our artillery and baggage,
and the strength Of the force left hoGud by the
enemy 10 dispu'e our passage. The Bottom Bridge
orc of the several bridges across Tie river wiieh
have been destroyed by the Rebels was yet burning
when approached il. a dense, iuAurian'' III
tnsev Green line of timber marked the course OF Tue
stream DIS we looked down into the narrow 'ae!
from the old cultivated field which oVerhnngh' Inc
woods beyond he river, thinning a. they ascended
10 higher land. reached an opening half way ny,
wh;ch WAS m part n sweep ia road. Cavalry
horses saddled and horres with dragoons mounted
md sheltered under trees, we're Visible with The
gtae7.
Higher up the slope soon distinguished n chin
ney stack, with reach-orchard about IT, and large
eavalry picket watching IA IRON among the trees
which skirted the lawn OF grass that once adorned
tbe ruined Il.nier's home. Reac'usting my glass,
watched with interest tie oaleIing OF young hdy
horse Of wonderful beauty, @ho had slipped his
halter and Was eludng bis active Ilder grasp, and
raw spaniel o: equal beauty enter ftly as an ele'
rnent into tie military picture, which 3d medieval
character As softened and obscuied by distance and
nothing Virginian or rebelhous abOui It. hunted
with the glass @new for the dog and saw purely
white horse, with an officer in the saddle, come
through coppice, and then gray horse. aud then
half dozen dragons revealed themselves slowly in
the turn of the wooded road, aud then--bang went
some Yankee howitzer way of ON my Iight, and the
she'll screamed over the river, and buret near sODe
rihe-pits ettabli,hed beyond the burned bridge.
That vas tie end Of the reconnaissance.
The night bel, re, Col Russell Of the 9TH Massa-
chuets lad pickeIed quite up to the bridge, snd the
ususl amount Of ssirnishicg had taken place. A
soldier IN the Pennsylvania sd was wounded, ore
unknown to me in the Massachusetts, eth, Com.
pany A. was struck wih ball. and Powers,
Company c, same regiment, was wounded, and
Sergeant Hathaway OF the same Company was sup
posed 10 be killed. This morning Col Russell is OH
the other side of the river aud busy rebuilding the
railroad bridge and tie Bottom Bridge. lie has men
who can do everything, from charging bsyouets up
To making locomotives. His Iickets at the rising of
the GIT Jog, advanced three quarters Of mile from
the west bark OF the river without, seeing Rebel.
Our army may now be said TO be within fourteen
mil of Richmond
Will we have battle before we get there?
The Rebels were ole week in moving past the
farmhouse write III. 1t Williamsburg, their rear
guard only turned and struck At TO delay our pur-
suit. Among their wounded aud prisoners left in
Hooher's bands the representatives Of 40 diff
ferent Southern regiments.
Unless the troops drawn back from Yorktown aud
Norfolk and EIeceTick sDurg have been sent 70
Coiinth, why should We not have q bsttle They
exist somewhere, and th'y exist TO tight. They have
no. moved back for grand dramatic surrender but
for Grand and desperate fight. And believe that
that IL uraug for MS aboni seven miles from mere
Yet mast Confess that the general military opinion Is
that Richmond viii he surrendered without contest.
TIE James River, unfortunately, is obstruc'ed
sboui ten miles below tie city. When news OF The
bafTing of the Megrinac wac received, the hich-
n.and people in ~ paric, started old hulks right
down 10 d suitable poiut and there sunk them, ano
feled into the stream, aud even employed carts
% carry earth TO add TO the obstruction. How long
IL will take TO clear the channel have not heard,
tu, of course q pathway will DC made for the Mon-
tor and our other ships II these could be moved up
10 -helling distance OF Rictmond there would prob
ably De battle for Us III or near any OF tne swamp
that huge tie city on the east and NORTH But II we
have GOT to 90 there uuaided by the navy, u ink
we viii get nto the biggest fight within ioriy-eight
hours ever seen on this continent
Now before we strike tenls LET me tell the char
table teople of the North what demand is soon TO
be made upon them. You A0w got 70 feed these
Vretni0ns on tie Inc II our march very
clearly rec this. Two great armies have eaten
these people out, and gT5zed of their growing CROP
and burned their fences enl!eIs from aTouhd ,her
fields. When we have gone by, 1t VIII be 100 late,
in The case Of most crops to liant. IL VIII be ue-
lees ANYHOW 10 repant-or without fences the crops
could not be produced. 30 this year II ost 70 THESE
farmers; and for seven months OF the next year,
aud until the new crop is grown, they viii DO heiP-
The peeIle of the North may as well make up
their minds to the recessityof feeding the Vrsni@ns
living on the line of our march.
Postscr.pt.-Snee the above was written, orders
have come 20 Gen. Reyes TO move bis corps night
down TO Bottom Bridge, ana 70 hold 1t preparatory
20 an advance 10y thai avenue. 1t 10 matter OF
great ratification TO all earnest men IN The array
thar this commander ia in the advance A good
soldier wide-a axe, Jealous nlan and OF the most
upyieldng Northern sentiments confidence is felt IN
him wherever he marches.