The New York herald., 1862-11-16

battalion. / say "furnture for they carried tables
chairs, and even armchars. f there had been
that i was an armed emigration rather than
march o. eodiers. The lighting trooye advanced by
brigades, but followed by their baggage ana those hong
hies OF wagons drawn each by four horses or by six
mu.es with single toenster. madc tho army these
narrow roads through tho woods immense spaces
ience also groat delays. world have been impossible
10 have made long marches without leaving the tails ii the
columns scattered wandering in the woods NJ night
Two leagues was the maximum march. The distances
between stopping places sometimes longer u has
happened that detached corps lghtsned OF everything
would make long days marches but that was tho oxce
tion. The troops, besides, looked we'll TIC men wore
strong vigorous and appeared Ia be Intelligent The uni
form Of all tho army the same-sky blue pantaoons
generally pushed Into the boots, with short, deep blue
blouse vost or tunc. Something Of red In this costume
mark the artillery little Of yellow the cavalry ihc
most common head dress was the kp', but often 80
soft blask ie with brass The officers,
dressed like the soldiers distinguished by small soui-
der straps and scare, girdle There nothing more sim
pie commodious and military than this uni
form when well put On. 10 the evenings on arriving
at the end Of the march, the camp was formed with
much ordor and regularity. The tets, shelters for the
soldiers. pitched Ia the twnkling OF an eye The
staff officers pitched thers-larger and moro commo.
dous The headquarters wero established 10 central
position whthe tent OF the Generalin Chief In the CEN
tire and two rows OF parallel tents on each side Ihe
cavalry officers TO report their rcconnossances
and upon the numerous skrmshes that they had had with
the enemy The telegraph brought its wire fixed upon the
ordinary poles, covered with gutta pefcha, and
rayeed on the ground at the full trct Of little wagon,
sung around them Ali the services organized and
tho printing press worked as regularly as it had done at
Lot us render justice to the Americans They understand
this camp life better than anybody else. Their habits OF
locomoton the spectacle which many among them have
had ot the patrirchal march OF columns of emgrants
through the Western prairies, the nomadic existence
which their officers have all led among the Indian tribes
all that onders hcm adapted 70 this style of living
than other soldiers would be. This encampment of
army or hundred thousand men, the daily establish
ment Of this city Of tents truly curious spectacle
IL recalled the descriptions tho Bible but that which
did belong tho biblical age the forest Of
port vessels, most OF them steam vessels which arrived
b. water enveoped IN clouds OF smoke as soon as tho
camp established and which, noisily blowing OF
their steam, moored along the high banks oil the
river, and there nlyroyised quays where extraord
nary activity re.nei Thousands Of wagons came
on all sides by roads which tho had opened 10 them
in the woods in few moments and soon returned loaded
with all the provisions necessary for armybiscuit
salt meat coffee sugar hay, corn, oats go Tho sick
were emba ked-aias moro and more numerous; for
the was at once rainy and hot and those beautiful
pacs the banks OF the PamuDxey engendered fatal
fevers Then came the night and IL only disturbed
by the atigung cry Of the mockng bird The next day
otla and army resumed the march leaving behind them
nature silent, but dciowercd by their pas age.
On the 10th Of May We arrived at tho White House,
me dwelling formerly the properly OF Washington
and now belonging 10 his descendants the Leo family
The head OF this houseGeneral Leewas one OF the prin
opa officers OF tho Confederate army; one OF his nephcws
served ia the federal ranks. General Mcclellan always
aret 10 maintain the respect due to property had
nes placed around the residence Of the hostile general
prohibited admission TO IT, and would net enter II him
SELF This respect for Southern property has caused
reproach TO the General 10 Congress The opinion Of the
cate sentiment Of It's Chief That sentiment carried
Far that the servants Of general having found In de.
serted house basket o. champagne that general sent
back ostentat0usy next day by OF his adsde camp
One might smile at this somewhat Puritan austerity OF
manners-to which not at all accustomed in Eu
rope-but for my part, confess that 1t has always
caused my admiration.
AT White House the navigation OF the PamunEey ended
The York River Railroad which connected that river
with Richmond crossed il at this place n bridge hch
the enemy had destroyed and then stretched in almost
straight line towards the Virginia capital This road had
loa tnfan thar
tiaducts, it WAS difficult to destroy It, Some rails only
had been taken away They were quickly replaced. All
army had upon its transport vessels locomotives and
numerous wagons that we're soon landed. The whole
transport fotla came 20 be discharged at the White
House. where formed, under the protectis OF the
gunboats. vast depot, and whore all the activity OF
seaport reignsd Then tho army resumed its march
towards Richmond, following the route OF the railroad
which 70 servo as an artery vital 10 It's operations
TIN REBELS CONCENTRATING.
wa; was s0t the enS"y dining dcrns .ns ms We
advance guard the 5h Of May at williamsburg then
the 'th Frankns corps on the very ground Of thor
for the purpose Of giving time TO the bulk OF his troops
fall back without encumbranccs in the direction
in ali directions demonstrated that almost the whole of
the enemy's army had rccrossed the chckahsmny and
everything led - the belief that our next affair with II
would under the walls OF the capital but everything
Indicated at the time, that the Confederate forces
would there TO make desperate resistance
Some had been picked up belonging TO corps
which had been up 10 that time, posted opposite the
federal General Burnside in North Carolina. II there
fore evident that that corps had reousd the Army Of
and the occupation Of that city by General Wool 1t
manifest that Davis had only resigned himself TO that
Hugcr and the eighteen thousand men who had till that
time defended the great Virglnan arsenal. In fine,
the chief OF the Confederes had ordered the enrolment
en- nosss Of all individuals able 70 bear arms They were
sent into camps Of instruction. then they were ncorpo
rated into the old regiments whose ecstve strength was
almost doubled All that was going to deprive the Army
Of the Potomac Of the only superiority had had up TO
that time-that Of numbers; and unfortunately. every
thing conspircd 10 hasten this change.
THE FEDERAL ARMY DIMINISHING.
Whilst the enemy concentrating and increasing his
forces, this army was vsbly melting away. We have
already seen how on the departure from Alexandria,
division had been taken away and given 10 Fremont
fore Yorktown the army had lost two other divisions
Afterwards IL necessary leave garrisons at York
town. Gloucester and Williamsburg Men had been lost
in battle and from disease great number ostraggiers had
been left behind and no men had come 10 OIL these vods
When regiment OF American volunteers sets for the
war; goes as whole and leaves nothing behind IL.
There is depot renewing Of the personnel, according
II s used up, by drilled recruits coming n up the
gaps and to increase the strength II easy compre
bend how much reason there vas TO be uneasy about this
diminuton OF the army, when II known that the
Conlsderatss were daily increasing their forces, and
when in penetrating into the heart Of their country the
and losing at the same time the material and pro-
tecten Of the navy whose cooperation had been hitherto
powerful and useful.
jas cANrAicN.
am well aware that the evacuation OF Norfolk by the
Southcrners had been followed by important event,
and that fortunate for the federas The Morr
mac longer commanded by the brave Captain Buchan-
an, and not Knowing whcro TO so. had been burned
by her new captain Henceforth the james
river spcn to the navy Of the United states.
Unfortunately II too late. The iron gunboasthe
Galena the Monitor and the Naugatuck- assembled TO
within miles Of Richmond but there they found the
river barricaded by impossible stockade and on the
high bank that borders the James river battery Of large
Darnk-whch hey did not succeed in
sencing. Tho large gun OF the NaugatucK burst the
Monitor could not give sufficient elevation her pieces "
strike the Tort As TO the Gaena her sheahng Of three
inches and half 10 thickness insufficient 20 protect
her against their hundred pound balls she had
TO retire, after heroic strife, with great part or her
crew disabled To force the passage would have been
necessary 70 capture the fort with troops but face OF
the Confederates assembled en- mde at some miles from
there before Richmond such operation would have
required nothing lessathan effort o the entire army
General McCkton should kas hen soon a. ne nesoS or
s destruction Of the Merrimac reached him. obqnd,ncd a.
plan sf campasen which Ae had tn execute and BY On