The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-05-10

and escort entered Williamsburg and took
possession. Aboat one hundred and fifty
of the enemy, wounded were left behind,
without anysrations, medicines or surge
ons. Theya left number Of their dead
unburied
All of our wounded in yesterdays en-
gagement Who fefl into their hands were
left behind. Col Dwight of the Excelsior
brigade, who was seriously wounded and
taken prisoner was also left"
- There is no direct news from Gen. Nc
Clellan beyond Williamsburg, except that
the pursuit of the enemy is kept up to-
wards Richmond. Yesterday dispatches
however, have the important item that
the Galena, one of our invulnerable iron
clad gunboats, has gone up James RIVER
with two wooden gunboats in company
They propose 10 cut off the escape OF the
| rebel army across James River, this sac
| (the Federal side. we mean) OF richmond
York River to West Point is in possession
of the Mon army, and the rebels are
| now closed in on the peninsula, with Gen.
Mcclellan army in their rear. 1t is driv-
ing the enemy straight forward to Rich
mond He IS already across the Chicka-
hominy, and our forces are in active pur-
suit. -s.r-ec
There is nothing of importance from
Gen. Banks column At last accounts he
was still at New Market, awaiting for
age and provisions.
From Gen. Halleck army there little
besides rumor since Sunday evening
Some great movements are undoubtedly
going on, but Gen II. seems unwilling to
have his plans spoiled by:undue publicity.
Since Monday no boats have been allowed
to land at or leave Pittsburg. Even Gov.
Yates, with boat load of nurses, was not
allowed to land at Pittsburg Gen. Hal
leck sending in reply to his Gov. Y.'s) re-
quest of permission to land, that " he had
old women enough there.
Our froces have possession of the rail-
roads north East and South of Corinth, so
that Beauregard's only escape is to Grand
junction or Memphis on the West. In
land the impression is, that he has already
" evacuated"
Wehave in the dispatches the following
account of a spirited skirnaish on Saturday,
on the extreme left of Ilalleck's army:
At two o'clock on Saturday afternoon.
as Pope's forces were slowly advancing on
the extreme left, from Monterey, an adj
vance column Of the rebels was suddenly
encountered in the woods. The latter
opened fire on our troops, who stood their
ground firmly Gen. Pope ordered out
three batteries of artillery, which were
speedily numbered and prepared for
action. Fire was opened on the rebels,
who replied with spirit The fire lasted
three quarters Of an hour, sharply contest
Ell on both sides, and threatening every
moment to bring Oh general engagement.
Great excitement prevailed. The divisions
and briyades were formed into line, and
there was a general call to arms.
Both sides, however, seemed adverse to
bringing on general conflict, and the
rebels finally broke and fled in confusion,
/ leavin. q large number killed on the field
| Popes army followed in pursuit, and
chased the runaways as far as Pennington,
a small settlement near Corlnth.
| On Sunday morning General Pope, 10y
placing a battery Of artilley in an open
| field at Pennington, i'll sight OF three
| regiments of rebels. succeeded in Turing
! them on to take the battery, and took
the whole force prisoners, numbering
! nearly 2UO.
| We lost twenty killed and forty wound
! ed
| The enemy suffered much mere, as our
artillery D, aced them under heavy fire for
half an hour Their loss, however, could
not be ascertaIned, inasmuch as they sue
cceded in taking away many OF their
dead.
About three hundred prisoners were
captured.
The rest of Saturday was quietly spent
! in a gradual advance of our forces, General
! Halleck being present all along the lines,
! cheering and animating the troops.
I On Sunday morning loud and continu-
Gus artillery firing was heard at the Land
/ ing. but it was not Known whether or not
a general fight was provoked.
At Fort Pillow Jeff. Thompson is now
in command of the rebels. There Is no
thing new from there Rebel deserters
recently captured say Thompson has from,
three to seven thousand men, five or six
cunboats, and twelve cannon in all lis
battery.
The bombardment is kept up rather
more briskly The rebels reply only .in
rare instances. On Saturday they did not
reply at all. -... -.-
From Gen. Curtis command in Arkan-
sas the following despatch is about all
that has appeared in the papers dnring
| the week. c5a sH-
| ST. LOUIS, May s, 1862.
seen. Curtis reports from Batesville that
the enemy in force, on the opposite side
of the river, under Coleman, fired on our
pickets. wounding one man. The Union
troops returned the fire with artillery, and
drove the enemy, several of whom were
carried from the field, and captured a
number of prisoners, about lOO stand OF
arms. and considerable contraband pro
perty.'
IBateville is on the White river, in AR
kansas, about sixty miles south OF the
Mississippi line, and about one hundred
miles west of the Mississippi
THE CoxTRABAxOs are fiocking into
Washington, since the abolition of slavery
in the District in numbers to excite alarm
A dispatch of the 9th say, About thirty
contrabands arrived here to-day. mostly
from Virginia, and are quartered ii
> Duff Green's Row, which was once a fash
l. E.