, 1862-06-27
FROM MccLElLAN'S ARMY.
EVERYTHING READY FOR THE
GREAT STRUGGLE.
speculations and Opinions as to the
Time Of its Commencement,
CURIOUS PROCEEDINGS OF THE
REBELS,
Scarcity Of Food in Rich-
mOnd.

u
o'clock In the evening regiment was sent in
to the s1anpy ground below the williamsburg
road, to see if it WAS practicable for artil1erT.
Il was IasEachnBetts regiment under Col,
Y, ,Myman, and bad with It two pieces Of artillery.
Three rebel regiments came out to meet It,
and quite sharp engagement followed, which
lasted for nearly an hour. By this time we
had lost seventeen Ia Killed, twenty-sight
EFourded and twenty-four missing.
Whose names were forwarded; to you this
afternoon The loss ofthe enemy IS not known,
but q South Carolina sergeant, who vas
wounded and taken prisoner, represents 1t as
fire Of our artillery. As Col WyInan's orders
were to run no risk In bringing on a general
engagement, relnforcements were not sent to
him, and he withdrew. The object Of the re-
connolfsance was accomplished.
An hour previous the rebels opposite one Of
cur advanced positions heard loud cheering
IN our camp, and assuming 1t to arise from
McClelIan's presence, they sent forward q
regiment to fire upon any body OF officers
they might diecoYer. They drove In some Of
our outer pickets, bnt coming upon the
picket reserves, we're speedily driven back,
leaving two dead upon the field
These were the only incidents Of the day,
but they made very decided commotion
through the camps, In consequence Of the
general belief that everything is ready on
both sides for decisive battle So far as
for any great delay We haVe all the troops
We are likely to get, and it is believed we ha9.
all We ehal need, though Ii the government
had been wise it would have sent fifty
thousand mora men than he has now under
his command, to cooperate With McClellaa.
from some direction. But it has not seen IL
to do go. The roads are now perfectly dry,
and the fields ere every where hard enough to
make artillery movements perfectly practic-
able. Our bridges acEose the Chickahominy
are completed, and afford means Of crossing
from one side to the other with ease and
celerity. Our troops baye been placed COM
pacfly upon short front, and every disposi-
lion has been made which seems essential to
SUCCESS. Before this letter reaches you.
therefore, think the battle will h2ve com
mtDced which is to decide the fate of Rich
mond. Precisely where the attack will be
made, and what viii By the first point fought
tor BY the the two armies, should not think
ltquite prudent to State II I kuew, for accident
may delsy the battle, and then that intorma.
ton might become Important to others than
babilual readers Of the Tunes.
The reports received here as to the strength
Of the rebel army continue to be conflicting.
One Of The prisoners taken yesterday, who
eaJs be has been attached to the commissarY
department., Eaye that rations were issued on
Tuesday for 103> goo men. This may or may
not be true: If it is, their effective force can
not exceed rs, 600. The general belief here is
h0AC tli@y Lave utCu ~ uAht q very
severe fight, and they are determined to do it.
No one in the army now expects to have a
short and easy march into Richmond. They
expect to fight their way-and it is but simple
Justice TO say that they are ready aud eager to
do it. The whole army is tired Of inaetiou,
and will welcome most heartily the order to
advance whenever the general may see fit to
give it.
We hear from pretty good sources that the
sanlc feeling pervades the rebel army. The
troops from the Gulf States have been North
long time, on hard fare. with poor clothing,
the least importance. They are getting tired
OF it, and are anxious to have the contest
ended, one way or the other Very many OF
them are losing their interest in the war, and
are Tar more anxious to get home than to reap
any laurels they are likely to win in this war.
prisoners who fell into lis hands few days
since, what they were fighting for. They re-
Piled, "To support the gentlemen who got us
INTO it." An hours speech could not better
hsYe explained the general motive Of the mass
81 the Southern army. How long they will
gentlemen" who hare pushed them into the
war, at such cost Of life to Themselves re-
mains to be seen. If we beat this army, do
not believe they can ever raise another.
There can be no doubt whatever that not
only the army but the people Of Richmond
clothing. The Richmond papers are full Of
discussions on the subject, urging various
modes Of RELIEF, and seeking to calm the appre-
hensions OF the people.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, June No.
The rebels have been busy all day shel1ing
our batteries and camps across the Chicka-
honainy, near New Bridge. The bridge is vet
unfinished the rebels Commanding lie west
side Of it, while We hold tho ether. It crosses
the river just opposite some Of their heaviest
batteries, and thus becomes very important
work. As VIC have not needed hitherto, we
have been in no haste to finish it. But as the
time draws near when they apprehend for
ward movement, the rebels become more and
more determined that We shall not complete If.
They commenced throwing shella this morn
irg from two batteries, one at PEice's house,
and the other halt mile further up, at about
half-past nine O'Clock, and continued u1til
two. As soon as the firing began to brisk,
rode over to the opposite side and witnessed
effect, and tried to conjecture the object of
this demonstration. They seemed to be try
Ing to stir up two or three Of our batteries,
which were planted in that neighborhood.
Some Of their shells fell within half mile Of
Them, and some vent half mile over eYery-
thing TINT they wished to hit. But not one Of
our guns replied, nobody was hurt,--aud
soon aftertwo, the rebels gave it up in disgust
On our side everything has been perfectly
quiet met three OF four Of our companies
~ o0A @bE1AN@to ECAuE Ouk Will HAES nQU
spades to construct two or three small cordu-
roy passages for artillery, and Mt one or two
points saw men at work completing breast
works. But all our preparations are substan-
TALLY done. And ifthere is any further delay
it will be due to some other cause than that
not "quitc ready"
! have expressed the opinion that McClellan
will commence the attack within three DAYS st
farthest. 1t may come tomorrow, and cannot
well be delayed beyond Monday. At the same
lime ! am bound, IN Justice, to give you the
l. 1t is quite possible .hat McC Clellan NAV
be awaiting the cooperation Of Burnside,
Mansfield and the gnnboats on the James
River. 1 throw this out merely as conjec-
tuze. But Burnside came here to headquar-
ters last week, then went to Washington, and
then returned to bis command. Mansfield
was simultaneously sent to Suffolk with a
strong force, Il state only what has been an
nounced IL the Richmond papers, } and certain
ugly customers have gone up the James River.
Il the obstructions, Including Fort Darling,
can be SO removed as to permit the passage Of
our gunboats up the river, the surrender Of
Richmond becomes question Of hours only.
Considering McClc1lan's Weu-kuown inclina-
tion to save life,-his utter abncgation OF him
self in his desire to serve the canse his rather
inexplicable delays here for the list few days,
and other circumstances to which have refer
means to postpone direct attack until he
hears the echo Of the guns at Fort Darling
You may remember note ackno wledging tie
Important service rendered by our officers who
succeeded ID opening comm unications with
the james River. 80.
2. For two OF three days now the rebels
Lave made a deuce OF q row with the drurn
every morning: At very early hour We can
hear tattoo IN their camp. with the words of
command. &c # they intend to attack us,
they you'd not thus give Us notice. II they
intend to eyacuate, they wou1d cloak their de-
sign with precisely euch demonstrations.
Their ostentatious firing to-day reminds one
very much of the similar performances the day
before they left 1OrktoWn. Gen. Mcclellan
Oh Wednesday said he had lain awake al the
morning listening to their tattoo, and won
dcriDg whether It did not mean *tskedaddle' ~
lie may advance tomorrow in order to ascer-
tain.
.. Mr. Robson, "a resident OF Richmond,
writing to his wife), says that aboth aTmies
are intTenching-" This is tr8e. The rebels
have put up some very formidable eatthworks
during the last three weeks; and our side h.s
at least kept pace with them. They dig to
prevent our advance We dir to make sure
That, If checked, We need not retreat. I do
not think that this proceeding warrants Mr.
Kobinson's inference that there will be no
nghtlDg for some time There may not be,
and then 'gain there may! When there Is
any It VII: rs severe; and on our part viii be
mainly tatt1e Of artillery. You will proba-
bly hear Of sixty pieces being massed in sin
gle field. I do not believe the rebels haTc
ything which can Withstand it.
| Atta'rs at headquarters are perfectly quiet,
ten. Mcclellan, who hiss been quite iii, is now
recovered and in perfect health Gen. Barry,
| chief or artillery, Who has been anxious about
a ran<6 L.