The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-06-10
OPERATIONS ON THE JAMES RIVER.
News from the Prisoners Taken at
Pittsburg Landing,
Our Naval Correspondence.


Our Naval Correspondence.
UNITED STATES STEINER ISLAND BELLE
BELOW FORT DARLING, JAMESTOWN, Va, June 8, 1862
Tie Atss,on " II. Island Bslle-F'eshet the James
Rirer-Whai DrUed DoU,-A 7reacherous Deserter-
Raurnss raso~ 0See-s Parole Negotiate Ez.
saane. If Foreign Consuls from Charleston
"KinS Cotton snppaned BY King Corn"-Jeg. Davis
Aadr.n . ne hstei Army-Namss Of Union Officers to
y Kachaa9sd-Scarc,iy Of SuygsOrt q Fortress Monroe,
a.. &c
rts mission Of the Island Belle to jamestown Island,
with important despatch General Mcclellan,
admirably accomplished. We arrived at half-past
twelve A. NJ, and officer was sent on shore in
heavy shower Of Shortly after the boat returned
with sergeant who had been detailed for such special
duties To him Captain Harris entrusted the despatch
for the Chief to be delivered Colonel David
Campbell Military Governor of Williamsburg So expe.
ditiously was the message sent to headquarters and an
answer addressed to Commodore Smith returned over
the wires, that Captain Harris had the latter placed w
his hands at three O'Clock A. NJ
At daylight we left and stood up the river
return. On arriving at City Point were ordered by
Commodore ellis, on board the Delaware, TO anchor
We now learned that Commodore ellis had arrived for
the purpose Of commanding the squadron and relieving
Commodore Smith During tho afternoon the Dearare
and tpe Is and Belle, accompanied by the Mosswk and
the Jacob Bell, that had run down, came up 10 our
present anchorage.
While coming 40 the river Wednesday the height OF
the t1de Indicated that the heavy rains had caused
freshet This was considerably increased yesterday,
and still continues Immense quantities OF drntwood,
logs pieces Of wreck &c have been and are still being
oated down the stream by the force OF the So
strong is the tide that it is with great difficulty boat
frotD of the vessels lower down can reach another
soon after cook galley with the stove driitce
down and the corpse OF man aoated past face down
wards feet foremost and legs extended The corpse
clad a white shirt and white trowsers drawers
AS the face downwards we could tell whe her
| the body that Of a white a black
Last night, about ten O'Clock, two large canal boats
were driven past tho squadron by the force of the
rent These appearances to indicate that ;hs o.
sructons placed across the river above Fort Darling b,
| the rebels being gradually washed away by the
freshet; but it is exceedingly doubtful whether they wa.
have been far removed to admit Of the passage o
vessels SO cectuay have the sunken vessels been
secured between piles driven into the river aud such
large quantities Of have been sunk between The
nerstices The weather is threatening and the
in full force, with rushing sound like that of
fall, and there no indication Q! tho freshet subsidine
| for some time
| Commodore ellis has assumed the command OF the
squadron, OF board the wachusett ard the Delaware
| left yesterday, with Captain smith On board.
ON tuesday pseudo deserter from Fort Darling
n. He reported that the rebels At that place had
ronfaced battery mounting twelve guns, and that
there we're three thousand troops at the fort was
from him the information received Of the cccupa
tion Of Richmond by the Union aroops on sunday-a
statement that was subsequently, confirmed by negro
The deserter sent board The Gaena. During the
evening Of the Galenas took bath in the
river On getting on board again inquiries made
evident that the clever rascal had got in to battle
with tho other men. and had ashore unobserved
in the dusk of the evening 1t is not likely, however
that he has carried moro valuable Information
than notions of abe armament Of the Galena and
the other vessels, Of which the rebels. doubt had
better Information before. At all events, he could not
have learned any thing Of plans supposng that
lave any, which is doubtful, it is most likely that
the Commodore will act circumstances may dictate
instead OF binding himself prearranped plans which
may not suit when the time for acton shall arrive.
Heavy eannonading heard up the river yesterday
baya hecu La ain tba
but OF course your ubiquitous army correspondents
win let you know il they have not done already
Usrxp STATES STEAMER STERLING STONES
Cir POM, JAMES RN ER, Va, June 7, 1862 !
hsd just closed the foregoing when We were ordered
get under weigh, and proceed hither TO enable the
Island Belle 10 take in coal stores. AT that moment
large scow drifting down with the current. She
fitted up with . platform and her sides protected
with ratings, evidently for horses. We took her in
with difficulty, from the strength Of the current
Lower down We fell with the other boats tina,
passed last night They lying close the ief,
bank Of river where they had been secured BY
negroes by means Of piles driven int the mud. An
attempt was made tow them both or but succeeded
only with one which lay furthes4 from the BANK The
other stuck in the had TO be left for the
| present.
On reaching Le:e flag Of truce sying the rail-
road pier and boat from the Monitor with similar
flag, was alongside. On the pier group Of United
States officers prisoners Of war in charge OF officers
tho rebel service arrived for exchange. The Union
Gers have been brought board the Stepping Stones
| which 10 now her way TO Fortress Monroe. Their
names are Colonel Madison Miller of 81 Louis Eighteenth
Missouri regiment Major NJ. Stone Third Iowa regi
ment and Captain P. Gregg, Fifty eighth Illinois reg
| ment With them Count do Choiseul, OK French
Consul al Charleston his wife. child and Mons
j. dc Bruyn Kops exvcc Consul Of the Netherlands III
Charleston. The last named gentlemen left Charleston
the 18th ut, and after short stay at Richmond
on their way to Washington.
The officers taken at the battle of Pttsburg Land
ing the 9th of April. whence they eyed
Corinth, and after being moved about from place "a
place. and from State to another finally confined
as prisoners of at Selma, Alabama After remain
ug there nearly months sixty officers, among whom
| was General Prentss, held meeting u devise some
plan of eIectng their liberation by exchange and
same time bring about general exchange Of prison
ss or all sides. II was agreed; to refer the pro
position Colonel Kent, who in command OF the post
and that officer said that II the Union officers would ap
point committee from among themseS TO proceed Il
Washington 10 make the necsssar arrangements tn,
federal SIDE he would undertake TO procure their liberia
parcels for that purpose. Accordingly the thrc<
officers now board the stepping stones we're selected
forhat purpose whom their parole taken under TIM
authority Of william Randolph, the rebel Secretary Of
War, and they allowed ~ proceed their journey
Leaving Sc ma saturday last they arrived At Rich
nond Tuesday evening, and yesterday they took tho
for Petersburg which place they left to-day snt
arrived ut city Point under a flag OF truce
The terms OF arole Of course seal tho lips OF the tenn
pofarAy liberated officers in reference the state
feeling down SOUTH tho treatment they received II
prison aud especially In respect to military Affairs: bu
Their retcsnce ia more eloquent than language II wou
not he rotio 10 complain % bad treatment when the
remember that, i unsuccessful In their mission thei
word or honor binds them to return 10 captivity tina
would be rendered more grievous than before, and sub
iect their fellow prisoners tho rigorous treat
ment az themselves; while there would be no induce