The Portland daily press., 1862-07-03

attacks from the rebel guns, perched high up
on the hills, or masked behind the universal
woods which fringe the crests of every rebel
vantage ground opposite that long-ago des-
troyed town.
A week ago not single rebel dared to cross
the Chicahominy in all that neighborhood, and
our scouts patrolled the river bank in perfect
safety. A few shells now and then, doing no
damage, but, from their notoriously bad aim,
only exciting derision, were the utmost to
which the rebels ever ventured. Musket firing
upon us was unknown, and from the utter 81
lence and lassitude of their whole force, an un-
military Judge might have conjectured that
but handful of artillerymen held their posi-
ton, all the rest having gone away.
Such was the extent of this quietness that
story of the evacuation of the place brought
over by contrabands, and diligently circulated,
was generally believed.
But gray-headed military officers knew 9TH
erwise. The less they could discern of the
enemy, the more and more precautions were
taken to guard against his attempts. Picket
ers were made more watchful. Reserves were
posted closer. Battery upon battery, brought
from the enemy's exhaustless supply, were
placed in every spot which commanded reb-
el hill or crossing-place. Everything in the
science of war; which learned and experienced
men could devise, was employed to resist any
movement, for whatever purpose made, which
might be indicated by the enemy.
DISCOVERY.
The usefulness of all this extreme caution
was soon demonstrated. A forlorn hope from
the Federal forces directed by high officer,
started on dark night on an expedition of
the greatest secrecy and danger. Through the
wet grass of the swamp, sometimes wasted in
water, they crawled for nearly a mile-now
back, now forward, doubling upon and re-
tracing their path all the way to the rivers
edge. There all the trouble taken was amply
repaid. A snug log way had been built across
the stream, and through the gloom could be
traced until it lost itself i'm the distance. This
had been one quiet performance of the rebels,
made right under our batteries and in front of
our picketers, but so efiectually concealed by
the rank luxuriance of the swamp that, until
the brave party discovered it, from Mcclellan
down, we were in entire ignorance of its exist
ence.
Over this structure rebel scouts had come in
numbers, spreading about on the Federal side
of the river, and correctly viewing many of our
most important movements. The newsboy
crossed there with his copies of the Richmond
Despatch, and many spy and deserter had
tr d that timber, brimful of the information
which he could give to the Richmond conspir-
ators. This bridge, so opportunely discovered,
was built across the stream, about half mile
below Mechanicsville.
The enemy were found to be equally busy in
other ways. A solid line ofentrenchments had
been built all along the hill tops on their side of
the stream, andnumerous guns had been mount
ed there. Their pickets had been strength
ened and balloon view exposing their camps
behind the hill tops, gave a grand landscape of
the camp of thousands of men. Their quiet
ness was only ruse. and under its cover they
had prepared on an extensive scale for the
movement which Monday last brought forth.