Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-05-16
FROM YORKTOWN.
Hon. II. J. Raymond, of the New York
Times, writes from Fortress Monroe Monday
morning as follows:

Hon. ii. j. Raymond, of the New York
Times, writes from Fortress Monroe Monday
morning, as follows:
Long before this reaches You you will have heard all
about the evacuation Of yorktown As my former let.
ter will have shown. the wholly xpect-
ed. The main question Of interest now is whether the
main body OF the rebel army will escape OF not | am
inclined to think ii will. Il seems 10 have had nearly
two days the start Of Mcclellan, who is nevertheless
pushing forward his forces with all possible dispatch
which it seems most likely the rebel arm, has decided to
abandon. II they should fall back upon Richmond Nc
Cellan can frtake them, put himself ia posi-
ton 10 stiike them in flank West Point twenty FIVE
miles above Yorktown, is accessible for our boats aud il
ia understood that Frankin's DIVISION with five six Of
our gunboats has already been pushed forward that
ont Once there, very short march will put them in
command of the main road 10 Richmond and euahle
them check the rebel advances long enough for the
main body Of our forces 10 oycrake them IN pursuit n
the rebels fall back upon Richmond, there fore, no
way by which they can escape. They must be greatly
demorA1ed aud cannot make any effective resistance to
vigorous pursuit.
The probability is that they will not take this line -
They will be much more likely To- strike ffom Williams
burgh across The Cmckahlmuy River and other trbuta
cs TO the James, and by DESTROYING the bridges Geiard
Che pursuit. OF QUO troops Ii they take this route TO
Richmond, Mcclellan can reach hat city ia advance Of
hem and at the same time be n the Of any force
that may menace Mcdowell and Banks Il seems TO me
much moro PROBABLE that the rohc army will simply
10 escape .ou'h"aid 10y crossing The James River, aid
abandon Richmond and thcIchl Government 10 its fate
The only way 10 prevent It's e.pc This direction By
adtHcc Of gitqb0afs an che JD,ss Rtrer and This
tits hopeless to Obtain implies the active aud vgor.
Gus corporation Of the Navy Departmental pheno-
menon which has not yet been Witnessed aud which is
not likely now 10 he display fir the first time The
whole American navy Is patallae 10y the Mryyinac -
Commodore GoldsboIough, this station, will not sir
vessel nor move gun in any direction so ong as the
Merr''nao threatens this part II the coast Whether he
" acting on his own discretion under orders from the
Navy Department. do not know but the spectacle pre-
sentcd here is pitiable We have here the MoHifor
which has already shown herself match for the Mey-
ruHac the NaugdiNeA and Gaieaa, both iron-clad
tue IdnNe 5, A ago and iH0iS are prepared for he
express purpose Of running her down-brsdes two guns
mounted On shore throwing balls and shells weighing
400 pounds. and both commanding AT point-blan
pass 70 enter York River, and the entire armament
Fortress Monroe an yet with all this force the naval
authorities here do not dare look the Nirnao in the
face, but act II the end Of the world had come il she
shows her nose oft Cianey Island.
The gunboats moreover, OF not the slightest use
against the MertHac, and doing not the slightest
service of any kind where they They could run up
Jamts River any night without the knowledge Of the re-
els and when once twelve miles up perfectly safe ON
pursuit, the Meraao draws too much water TO get
any higher up.
The speed Of our gunboats being without doubt much
greater than that OF the Merrac would ia fact en-
able them to pass safely beyond her reach up the James
at any hour Of the day, and glance the map will sat
isfy even those but little yersed in military matters that
such movement could be attended with no other result
than the capture Of the greater part II not the entire
rebel army now on this nsua. The gunboats can as
eend James River TO point almost within shenR dis
lance Of Richmond, and with that river once under our
cuntol-Nith other gunh1its at West Point ON York
River, and strong army following rapidly ia his rear
there would be alternative for the enemy but To sur
render or hazard battle with certainty Of defeat be-
fore him.
have doubt of the speedy occupation Of Richmond
with an active cooperation Of the navy at this golden
moment