The New York herald., 1862-08-20

entirely deguisethe exhibition Of their rejoicing az the
rally made professOns of neutrality and denied having
auy part in the war nc. One fact is especially notice
abe In this s!ats and have found almost invariably
wherever have been, and that Is the absence Of Al
usually disclose the fact that they are with the rcbs
they have been forced away under the conscrpion
volunteered 10 te dissaco OF having been drafted
There are 70 ee found On the plantations only women old
msn snd cndrep. The negroes who arc able 70 10 Of
moved down South BY their masters for safety and the
army where, x course thew ncs ;. pursued and are
thepcesorh free This portion of ths state II fertile and
poductlye, ana has been styled the ssgdeu o. Virginia
but owng o these causes and the disturbing influence Of
war, 10 largely lying waste and oyeryown with
weeds and brambles Al present. the crops
struction caused By the presence coniendins armies
the Inhabitants must suner greatly apd win find dinca
" n obtaining subsistsncs until next years harvest
gathered They are truly reapng the bitter fruits or
cession, and the worst IL yet come In almost every
household there mourning for dear whose
lives have been sacricsd TO the wicked and pestlent
dcuso0 " which, Tor the time being, The souihsrnsrs
seem toabe given over.
AN along the iine OF our march the houses wore visited
be many IN spite Of every exerti0n possible prevent
t Ihc Occupants Of these houses. some Instances
appeared bfghy Indignant because guards not sta
toned, formerly to guard theft property and prevent
intrusion. They thought extremely hard that they
should be compelled 10 contribute the support Of
the army in any way Poultry and fruit rap,dy dsap
peared and maDy soldiers mess that night could boast
Of fowl addition In some instances what taken
was paid for but IN more they were in too great hurry
10 reoin their regiments TO settle. The sufferers ac-
kpowedged however, that their friends OF the rebel army
treated them with no regard for their vested
rights; but what seemed 70 aiict them most severely
the th0nght that the hated Yankees should nave
benen Of secesh property. or course this pagng by
soldiers IS they pass through ensnys country
must be condemned, and, whom detected and proved.
must be punished for tho good OF the army itself which
such practices tend 10 demoraize but still it is undoubt
edly severe temptation 10 one who has Tor weeks lived
salt pork and hard bread see young ana tat fowl
within close proximity 20 him.
The march Was conducted in an orderly manner, and
the absence Of attack attempted opposition our
passage must Of detract from the Interest of the
story 1t, however. grated both officers and men, who
nothing could have been gained BY ghtina moro than
was better attained without it passage through the
counry-desired that we might set through peaceaby
They were all ready 10 fight, required but preferred
possible, TO be spared the necessity
Without any incidents worthy or note. the river was
night the divisions Of Gen. lorel and Gen. sykes were
crossed over TO the opposite bank. Gen. McCals dyi-
sion having taken another road and having left the old
camp subsequently, to the others, did not reach there
I'll the next forenoon. splendid pont0on bridge OF
nearly third OF mile in length and about thirty feet
wde had been built across the Chckahviny by The En-
gneer brigade. and upon this marched our weary SOL
ders ollowsdby the artillery wagon train and en-
caped upon the opposite shore for the night Near this
kec 70 protect against any attempt which the enemy
might mske 20 destroy II. The days march
we'll The weather throushous the day T was % cool, sud
unt about r n overcast that except icr ths
dust, the march had been pursued In comparative
fort In fact, up TO this time the weather has been
favorable. Had been ordered expressly Il could not
have been betored except perhaps little rain lay
the dust would have been acceptable improvement
Tue intense heat under which had been swcerng for
Wee past has been succeeded by cool and comfortable
Temperature which has enabled u narsh hrvush ths
s army q rss s hsa nS and SsS
marches have mot been resorte1 TO exsspt upon the st
night but the sn have besn alewel rest ana refresh
themselves after their days march and prepare for the
labors and fatgues Of the succeeding day.
Saturday morning the march was resumed ana the
column moved N towards Williamsburg, ~ which place
s ssS ssnsss sNs s .
the vicinity Of the old battle ned where they remained
Without s1 ssss %sss es % & march
along ps:ceably u was now evident that the rebels
were either unaware Of the time when and tAs
had other business for their army Than Following
U.S. us, Jn,n Jnsr sxgs,icncs at white Oak Swamp
lesson which they % 70 have repeated Al
any attack IL yet intended BY them, must be upon
guard, bnt It is not thought now that they viii
by the caeIessness Of cavalry soldier who ran agaust
mo, but fshal bs abIo 10 keep the saddle This days
n msrsa ~ AT arha. o. hs & previous snsa
BY the stragglers. As general thing they were civil
however and willing to pay FOR what taken when r
quosed 10 do 20. Largo quantities Of unripo fruit aud
melons devoured, which VIII most probablycasso
material increase Of Of darrha and dyseuory and
refill ths'regmenta hospitals which had been cleared OF
was also very general dsappearance Of fowls of all
kinds, and poultry has become very common article Of
carry IN addition 70 their arms and extra
rations In the shape OF turkeys chickens geese aud
ducks which, by the morse they made had evidently been
instances alive and kicking. Just bsfore entering vii.
ausburg noticed an cnterpring private by the side
Ss zsn ha rnc s,sr 0sps srs ss n some
which he was dspcsng II 10 bis less fortunate comrades
at the moderate rate Of hy ceAts EACH How he became
your correspondent but that his profits equaed the total
OF his receipts have doubt. He was not native
Yankee, but Hbcrnan, and one who evidently with the
reckless generosity and profnson characteristic of his
countrymcn, combined the thrift and shrewdncss which
to belong 70 the natives Of the land or his
adoption
The sccessioriss or Williamsburg as sisewhsre along
the route were much reoiced to roe army making
rctrograde movement, anticipating that this part OF
the peninsula also would be surrendered the rebel rule
again. The colored population had taken tho alarm and
very anxious learn what the future had in store
for them Some Of tho more iudscroes OF the rebel sym
pathzers upon learning thai we evacuaing po
sit upon the James river indnleed In threats what
should be done to thom when the Yankees wore gone
This increased their alarm and agitation and the exodus
Of this Of the population mort OF whom had been
the slaves Of fugitive rebel masters, has already com
mcnccd. and probably few days will the town re-
iisvcd o. nearly ~ OF thcm and but very few viii
man TO experencc the tender mercics OF their secesh
friends Between the action OF the rebels carrying
their slaves down South and the operation of military
rule the peninsula has been pretty we'll cleared OF the
valuable portion of tho slave propertythosc who
left generally being either Of ancient vc.y ten
der nvcnie age, neither which are OF much iroht
Practical emancipation has taken place. and those WIZ
have not ayaed themselves Of s benefits arc OF the
class who either too Old too young, shcss TO
do
This morning one Of the rebel sympashizcrs OF this
place, Robert Coles arrested by the order OF
The Provost Marshal, and at his residence found
quantity u ammunition and smc arms. II Is said that
be busy engaged yesterday In running bullets while
troops passing through the town. The ayowed
purpose o. these preparations stop the departure
pf the oontraoands after he expected withdrawal u
Iorccs
Al an carly hour this morning ths march resumed
and continued In orderly manner until lorktownwas
reached. There now no daugor Of an attack, and
there did not exist the Necessity FOR any special In
making the advance Nothing worthy Of note occurred,
aud Yorktown reached soon after noon, aud the
weary soldiers ercamped Ia tho old camp made familiar
most OF them by -four weeks residence during tho
Iaruous siege c the rebel fortIncations. Here hoy
naincd aud rested The marching beginning 20 tell
upon the men, and there were good many ssragglers
who had fallen ont Of the ranks Tho Provost guard
constantly employed riding q and fro upon the rolG hur
them up but In spte Of their exsrtions they
slowly In by twos hrecs, and sometimes squads
Most OF them reIoned their conmands In the of