The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-07-24
Our Army Before RicIimOnd.

"The war bulletin Of the Government has no ac
curate account Of the state Of affairs on the Peninsula,
by reason Of the interruption Of telegraphic COM
municatiOns,' says our latest dated despatch from
Washington. That being the case, il Is not to be
expected that At this distance. with the meagre and
incomplete accounts that have reached ", our esti-
mate # the result q the battles Of the 18th and 2Tth,
before Richmond, shall be very satisfactory. Pre-
yiOus 10 these battles Mcclellan had his forces drawn
up along the CLickahominy, which little stream all
his army had crossed, except the reserve and Frank
Inns aud Porter's divisions Gen. Casey protected
the base Of operltious from White House, whence he
had railroad communication with West Point, on the
York river
We had a small force at Hanover Court House, on
the E.rgiuia Central Rlilroai-probabl it was not
expected 70 contribute much in the advance, but it
was IN easy communication, in case Of serious attack,
with hile House. The column which marched up
by New Bridge formed the right of the army. The
column that came up by Bottoms Bridge formed the
centre and the left. 1t was this column that bore
the brunt Of the TWO days battle Of Fair Oaks. Our
lines stretched on the 18th from before MechanicsyilIe
on the north southwark across both the roads that
lead into Richmond from the east, and to near White
Oak Swamp. The right. the northern end Of our
lines, was within five miles OF the city the left was
over 10 miles away from il.
The affair of I~einiZlemau's CORPS supported by
Reyes" on the 10Th. which Mcclellan telegraphed,
was a movement to advance the entire Bottoms
Bridge column out Of the marshes, ON 10 the solid
grOund-at least, that was all that could be inferred,
ut the time, Of its meaning. Now, II seems il had a
still deeper Importance for on the preceding Tues
day, 2ith, Mcclellan had sent Capt. keenan, and two
companies Of cavalry on a reconnoitering expedition
across the country to James river. keenan, found
Gov. Wise holding 4 position opposite Fort Darling,
aud that this was the extreme right Of the rebel
army This knowledge gained, Mcclellan proceeded
at once to accomplish his purpose Of changing the
base line Of bis operations, bringing his left down TO
the James river, evacuating West Point and occupy
ing Key Bend q position II miles above City Point
and 80 miles from Richmond, by water, though far
less By land) for his new point Of support to his base.
The enemy, however, were not ignorant Of his
movements On Thursday afternoon. the 10Th, a
large force appeared III the vicinity of Hanover Court
HOuse-whether it was u genuine attempt on the
part Of the rebels to flank our right, or was only a
demonstration intended TO divert attention from a
more serious attack upon the advance of the New
Bridge Column, l. not known. But simultaneously
the attack upon our advance near Mechanicsyille
commenced The enemy were in immense force, and
fought with great determination from = to 9 p. NJ,
but were met with equal spirit and unyielding Obsti-
macy on the part of McCall's Division, who did not
yield a rod OF the ground they occupied throughout
the day. Next morning the battle was resumed.
The attack was male along the entire line of Rockers,
and Summers Divisions. First, they
TO break through our right, but were re-
pulsed with great slaughter. They then assayed our
left but were forced back with prodi giOus loss. Still
assault and we've apparently about to succeed, when
freshmen came over the hill and went in
with such a will that the enemy fell back to the wood.
The slaughter on both sides is reported as prOiigious.
But whatever losses we may have suffered, the enc
ny failed of their object and Mcclellan gained his.
General Stoneman's division OF the advance of our
light was cut off from the main army, but by n
route lie brought his safely to Yorktown
md Fortress Monroe.
Our evacuation Of West Point was completed on
evening, June 2S-the difficult task achiev-
j with perfect success. without losing a man or leav-
ng any property for the rebels who moved in imme-
lately after Gen. Casey went out. by Sunday night,
oO blrgeS and SchOOners IN TOW Of steamers had
rrived down the York river, at Yorktown. BY
Monday night, ii was thought all would be at For
Monroe. Mcclellan had taken 40, 900 men and
10 pieces Of artillery across White Oak Swamp, on
hitch previously his let rested. to n position farther
yuth and west, and had opened 4 line of commune
alton to James river, where the ~gunboats are once
available. So our young General has accom-
lished his purpose, drawn his lines nearer together,
rought his base closer TO Richmond, obtained the use
{ the James river and the gunboats on it. yet keep
Ig his front unbrOken. While accomplishing this
nemy, he has fought n ~twO-days battle, which,
iOugh II cost rs perhaps thousands Of lives, we have
eason to believe cost still dearer to the enemy.
The t'reet Is full of rumOrs TO day of a great ca
Imity-Of whispers that the issue of the battle of
ne 10Th and 27th was substantially a Union defeat.
he news that has reached the city jnstiies no such
SympathiZers with secession are simply
utting the worst construction upon the incomplete
iSpatches that have already been published. On
ne "a Of July, as we learn from an unquestionable
lthOrity, specie was commanding in New York but
] premium-an unmistakeable evidence that no
Ilamiiy has Overtaken US, for nothing more quickly
nd certainly shows the state Of affairs than the price
gold. IL has not advanced upon the rates Of ten
ago, when gold went up, and chiefly in conse-
lCnce Of the movement TOR an increased issue of
paper. When all the facts come out, we
elieve ii will be = en- that instead of a calamity, the
attic Of the 10Th and 9th was a splendid Union vic
Try which has insured the fall Of Richmond.