The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-05-30
are staying behind to pick up stragglers
and watch our advance. ~

with one below and two above that point.
The stream, however, can be forded, except
at high wa er, but the country is low and
swampy, both below and above, and offers
good place for defence.
Reports have just reached US that few
shots, beard two hours ago, were thrown by
our gunboats at some rebels near the burnt
railroad bridge, when they dispersed.
TRIP UP PAMUNKEY RIVER. u
Correspondence dated iSh) N. Y. Herali.
Captain Romano B. Ayres, of the 9Th
artillery, who fought Sherman's battery so
spIendIdy at Bull Run, now attached to
Gen. Smiths division as chief Of artillery
has been absent to day on a guDboat expe-
dition. He was accompanied by Major
Willard, with squad of regulars, and Cap.
tain James Steele's company of Sturgis
(Chicago) rifles. This expedition proceed.
ed up the Pamunkey River in two large
gunboats-the Seth Lowe and Currituck.
The object Of this movement was to ascer-
tain the condition of the river, and its ca.
pacities for navigation, and also the position
of the enemy, as we'll as to destroy a large
amount of ordnance, military stores and
forage, which it was known be had collect.
ed. After proceeding few miles up the
river, the expedition encountered some OBJ
stacies in the shape of large trees cut down
on each side OF the stream, their upper
branches being interlaced together in the
middle. The gunboats pushed their way
through these without difficulty.
The scenery all along the Panunkey,
from its Junction with the York river to
the point to which these gunboats assembled,
is magnificent. Indeed, have seldom, if
ever, seen anything equal to it. The banks
are usually high. Ia some places, quite
frequently, too, these banks form bluffs
from fifty to one hundred feet high. In
Others they slope gradually down to thu
waters edge. The river is comparatively
narrow, yet wide enough for the passage Of
any of our vessels. It's banks are beautiied
with innumerabie cottages and buildings of
more ambitious professions, each one sur
rounded by lawns and grounds beautifully
laid out, and each one, inhabited by people
of comparative refinement, who must have
sense enough to deplore the infatuation
which has brought the scourga of war to
their doors.
The gunboats having assembled the Pa,
munkey river twenty miles from here, to a
point called Bassett's Landing, within fiji
teen miles OF Richmond, without seeing any
signs of the enemy, landed the troops there.
The latter then marched two miles toward
Richmond, the mounted pickets of the ene-
my, as was the case with the other recon.
nOjssaDce. retiring before them.
should have stated that, on reaching
Bassett's Landing, it was found that the
enemy had already destroyed twenty schoon-
ers, and large Sound steamer, called the
Logan, which were lying short distance
above. 1t was ascertained that these ves-
sells contai ed twenty thousand bushels of
corn and other stores, all of which, with
the vessels themselves, the rebels burned
and abandoned. The vessels were wrapped
flames when Our men arrived.
All along the banks of the river were
seen herds of cattle and sheep, which had
been collected by the rebels and driven thus
far in their retreat from Yorktown.
The result of these Reconnaissance show
that the read and water approaches to
Richmond ere open to within twelve or fit,
teen miles OF that city, and that the enemy
is in force beyond that. The state of the
roads is such that it will require some days
to get the army up to those points. Ever
since last Monday, now week ago, the
army has been moving from the neighbour
hood of West Point to this places distance
OF only about twenty miles. Yet steady
progress has bsen made On each day The
nature of the soil is such that it is found
necessary to construct military roads nearly
the entire distance in order to transport
the artillery and baggage wagons. This
work has been admirably performed by the
engineer corps OF General Daniel P. Wood
bury, whose labCrs have been incessant.
There are some spots in the roads, over
swamps and ravnes, where mile day is
considered good progress. Let those
who teel impatient at our slow progress to-
wards Richmond remember this and be
content.
The Importance of having the J ork Riv-
er and its continuation, the Pamurkey, 10
our possession, cannot be too highly esti.
mated. By this means we have direct wa.
ter communication from this point to Ball
timore, which city is distant only twenty
hours sail, while Fortress Monroe can be
reached from here in eight hours. Thus
we can have everything needed brought to
US very rapidly by water.
TEE REBELS BEFORE RICHMOND.
Correspondence of the New York Times.
The COniederates are reported to have
been actively engaged iu Strengthening their
deiences in front OF Richmond for some
weeks past, commencing the work ten days
or fortnight before evacuating Yorktown.
Their Notifications extend from within half
mile OF Richmond to point on the Chick
ahominy, fifteen miles from the city. The
land ia that vicinity is undulatipg, except
about the river where it is low and Doggy,
compelling the use OF bridges of consider
able length to cross the stream, which is
of no size in ITSELF 1t is believed that po.
ltical considerations will induce them to
oppose to the last our entry into Richmond,
though point further away from the water
courses would give them a much stronger
position, when they would have nothing to
Tear from our gunboats. The destruction
of the Merrimac and our possession of
James River will not lessen their dread Of
these, and for this reason some are inclined