Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-25
FROM GEN. McCLELLAN's ARMY.
Everything Ready fer the Great STRUGGLE

Everything Ready fer the Great struggle
From Editorial Correspondence N. Y. Times ]
June %, p. M.-The rebels have been busy all
day shelling our batteries and camps across the
Chickahominy, near New Bridge. This bridge
Is vet unfnished-the rebels Commanding tie
west side Of II, while we hold the other. IL
crosses the river Just opposite OF their heav.
lest batteries, and thus becomes a very fmpoftsnt
work. As we have not needed 10 hitherto, we
have been In no haste TO finish II But ss the
time draws near when they apprehend a forward
movement, the rebels become more and more de.
termined that we shall not com plete IT, They CON-
menced throwing shells this morning from two
batteries, one at Prices house and the other half
a mile further up, at about OK O'Clock aud con.
tinued II until 2. AS soon as the firing began to
be brisk, rode over to the opposite side and
witnessed the effect, and tried TO conjecture the
object of this demonstration They seemed to he
trying 10 STIR up two or three Of our batteries
Some OF their shells fell within half mile Of
them, and some went half over everything that
they wished TO hit. But not one Of our guns re-
plted-nobody was hurt-and soon after the
rebels gave IL up in disgust
On our side everything has been perfectly quiet
met three or four OF our companies Of engineers
or three small corduroy passages for artiIlerv
and al one or two points saw men at work COM
pletlng breastworks But all our preparatIons
are suD.tantaily done And If there is any further
oelay Will De due to some other cause than that
quite ready" NV
tne oossrucf"as, including Fort Darling, can
oe 80 r-..Oved a. 10 permit the passage Of our
eanooets up the river, the surrender Of Richmond
becomes question Of hours only. Considering
McClellan's well-known inclination to save life
his utter abnegation Of himself in his desire to
serve the cause-his rather inexplicable DELAYS
here for the last few days and other circumstances
to which | have referred, am half inclined TO
suspect that he means TO postpone a direct at.
tack until he hears the echo Of the gun, OF Fort
Darling.
Eart ,r,o
made deuce Of a row with the drum every morn
ing. AT a very early hour we can hear tattoo In
their camp, with the words Of command, &c
IL they intend to attack US, they would not thus
would cloak their design with precisely such
demonstrations. Their Ostentatious firing today
reminds one very much Of the similar Perform
ance the day before they left Yorktown Gen
Mcclellan on "Wednesday said he had lain awake
all the morning listening to their tattoo, end Won
dering whether 1t did not mean "skedaddlen
letter written by Mr.. Thomas Robinson
and dated Richmond, June 10, and addressed to
his wife, by some means fill into Federal hands
The letter says that both drnliss are entrs
This IL true. The rebels have put I'D some yery
formidable earthworks during the las, three
weeks and our side has at least kept paceswith
them They dig to prevent our advance. We
dig to make sure that, IL checked, we need not
retreat do not think that this proceeding war
rants Mr.. Robinson's inference that there will be
no fighting for some time. There may not be,
twill be severe; and on our part will be mainly
a battle Of artillery.
Affairs at headquarters are perfectly quiet
Gen Mcclellan, VINO had been quite i'll, Is now
recovered and In perfect health. Gen. Barry,
chief OF artillery. who has been anxious about the
weather, 10 perfectly satisfied with the existing
state OF things. He foods as IL Ais part OF the
preparatory work has been done.
All that has been said In reference to the non-
occupation OF the hite House as a hospital Is
very stupid, very malicious, and very contempti-
Die. The story OF an arrangement between the
p W1 ia agreeing gree to protect each Others
house has but six rooms,-an would hold at the
outside, not more than fifty patients 1t is at
some distance from the landing place, and In the
Judgment Of DR.. Tripler, TIE Medig al Director
is not needed for pitai purposes as tents have
been provided for the temporary care Of the
wounded al the landing J.is guarded from In
uusion ana Injury partly because the orders
OF the army are to protect private property, and
partly because II is the site a Washingtou's
early home,-both in my Judgment, perfectly
JUST and conclusive reasons rhs well is guarded
solely to prevent its being exhausted 6y over
drafts; the water is used by the soldiers con.
SANITY, although excellent water 10 abundant and
much more accessible. / trust the W hite House
Will continue to be protected from invasion and
injury IL slavery small price to pay out Of re-
spect to the memory Of Washington. There are
twenty houses better adapted to hospital purposes
than the White House,-and every one Of them Is
untouched.
The letter Of Mr.. Thomas Robinson, referred
to above, among other things, says:
You have no idea Of the destruction of property,
and the scarcity Of everything. II is with great
aimculty clothing can be obtained for our SOL
oilers now, and II is getting worse every day, and
expect we shall need even otr bed clothing 10
clothe ourselves and our negroes
You speak OF wishing to get to Richmond Let
me advise you not to come Friends that were
glad to see you before would not be now. II is
near upon starvation here With every one Beard
81 SO per day, and nothing to eat at that MI
Dudley was kind enough TO give me a room at
the depot, and he and |, and four or five Others
are messing and doing our own marketing and
cooking. will give YOU a sample Of what we
pay FOR what we eat:-Bacon, so cents per pound
peel and lamb, do coffee, 81 so Per pound sugar,
GU cent?; greens, so cenu per head; bread 10 cents
per loaf; molasses, 81 per gallon.
Botn armies are entrenching Themselves around
tnls place, and DO not think fight will take
place for some time.