Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-08-21
Letter from Virginia.
YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA,
AmrnSt D lSn2.

[
August 2, 1862. !
E. 0. GooDRICH, Esq, Dear Sir I'm the
present dearth of exciting war news, perhaps
you can find space n the REPORTER, for a let.
ter from a soldier serving with the army Of
the Peninsula, though it should possess no real
merits OF interest | have seen all the grand
! encampments Of our army between Ship Point
and Mechanicsville as we'll as all of the frog
ranches," of the Chickahominy. Only seven
weeks ago our battery lst New-York Artil.
cry, and General kearnoy's JerSey Brigade,
were on picket duty at Mechanicsville, five
miles froLn Richmond, and in sight of some of
its church spires. While our boys-by turns
stood at the guns night and day, for ten days.
in the very face of the rebels, with now and
then shell whizzing by cur heads, ,andl Serving
only to shak off our drowSy fears every boS-
ON swelled with high hope Of successful en-
counter with the rebels and OF q triumphant
entrance into their Capital But the fate of
war has turned the tables against u.s. and we
now fad ourselves within the enclosure of
Yorktown, instead Of Richmond Although
this city is Of Revolutionary renown /; yet it
issa small djlapidated village of some twenty
! brick houses, built in the real Virginia style,
with large outdoor chmueys-at either end
| The public buildings are Court House, Clerks
| Office, Jail and an apology for church.
| This port is commanded by General NanAllen,
and the troops here are the Fourth Pennsyl-
vana Cavalry. the 9th Newly ork Malitia, an
Independent Battalion Of four hundred styled
the Lost Children, and two Batteries of Light
Artillery, the Seventh Mass, and First New.
York, 1t is rum0red here and generally be:
lieycd that the rebels are concentrating troops
at West Point for the purpose Of retaking
this place. But they will find US ready for
them. ALI The heavy guns they had to de-
ieud the river, we have moved SO as to emf!
lade the whole country approaching the town.
A few nights ago. about live hundred rebel
cavalry made dash on Glowcaster Point, ,,but
they found the guns left there diSmonnted a3d
destroyed. They set fire to several shanties
or barracks, anu attempted to fire some ship
timber laying on the beach, but the gun boat
CAGcUrG opening on them with shell, they left
on double quick taking with them some half:
dozen cOuscripts and aiI the negroes they
c0ald fnd, and threatened to come hack and
hang every citizen that sold any provisions to
the anhceS, and since then, oar stock Of Oh;
lens aud potatoes have been light. Last week
twelve hundred ContrabandS were sent from
this place TO Harrison'S Landing, to McClel-
lan'S army. Though our army has suffered a
sad reversal deieat-the soldiers are not dis
hearteued. VI were told last fall by our gen.
erals that q few months delay would secure
an early victory for our army-that delay
would demoraiize the rebel army, and would
be destroyed by its own internal factous.-
And last spring, when it vas known that the
yebe. army had nearly doubled its number dur
ing the winter,w we were told that most of them
were good Union men, and had been forced
into the rebel service by conScrption, and that
they would desert the first opportunity But
with all the tender treatment Ot the peculiar
institution" and all the kiL dness shown TO reb-
els, and the protection offered stheir pr0pertT
not one Of them has been induced TO reveal
any plan Of JEFF. Davis, or do any act that
wolld iniure the rebel cause. Our generals
have sacrificed fifty thousand lives, rather than
Law violent hands Oh the "sum of all VilIaniesn
Our army has been placed in the category Of
q man fighting an enemy with his child in bis
arms, to shield Of the blows. and the lockers
on crying hit tae man but spare the baby
Down with rebellion but spare the institution
Of slavery. Bot thank Con aud Congress, the
/" kid glove" policy of dealing with traitors
aud their peculiar institution of waiting on. of
hemmiug in, OF starving out, and OF coaxing
back these vile traitors, has been abandoned.
and henceforth we are to fight the enemy of
our Government as rebels aud not as deIuded
brethren. The Proclamation Of General Pope
inspired every soldier with ueW lie and vigor.
and causes the hoge'0f success to spring afresh
in every heait 1t is not too late to sate our
government if The people respond immediately
and with will to the call for troops. Old
Bradford has done uobly, many of her sons
covered themselves with glory at Mechanics.
vile aud Canes Mill But she eau do more:
Sous of Bradford! if you love your country,
prove it By lending your aid in this hour of
her peril. Your help is needed now,-your
country aud friends arc in danger Renem-
Der it is better and fer more glorious to die on
field battleDg for liberty, than be ruled by
Slave OIgarchy, aud enemies of hu nan free
dom. Ii necessary, let the patriotic ladies Of
the North, resolve themselves into recruiting
officers, discard ell their beaux, and treat with
contempt every man that can sud will not fight
for his country. Let every one remember that
Pennsylvania sons gathered a rich harvest of
fame i'll our week OF battles, but the cod is not
vet While the whole soul of the rebellion
clusters around Richmond, come down ond
help US to give it the death stab. .1sOle vote has
elected President and one solder may save
al army aud his country. n. l..
R2 We belive it was Kingsley who said
no bo bla think ohnut yOnrcolf