The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-05-05

army there They INSISTED thai Gen. McDoweishoud be
assigned 70 a separate command order that no might
60 10 Richmond with sono portion or our army as II was
utterly impossible for General Mcclellan to advance
single inch without the risk Of losing his whole army
To-nght with astonishing versatility, these
ridiculing and dcnouncing Mcclellan for having driven
the hundred thousand rebels from their intrenoh
without battle, and accomplished tho capture OF
Yorktown without the LOGS Of thousands Of lvcs. Now
they profess 10 have known all the time that there
rebel army at Yorktown, aud that Mcclellan might
have gono 10 Richmond long ago without contest.
With singular inconsistency, however, they assert that
the rebels have only fallen back to Williamsburg, and
that IL always intended by hom that tho great bat
tic the campaign should bo fought there II is do
cared that information received long ago that the
strongest rebel works at Williamsburg, and IL tncr
intention make their stand at that pout out OF reach
OF our gunboats These bloodthirsly radicals, who
not appreciate victory unless won at the expense OF
thousands Of Killed and wounded or the Union soldiers
may and will probably find thai they have fallen
back from thoir position in regard to Yorktown
only be severely mortified BY the failure Of thoir
predictions as 70 williamsburg Tho opinion OF tho best
informed here is that the abandonment Of Yorktown
is virtually abandonment n The contest the part of
the rebels and preliminary the dlsbanding OF their
Eastern smy. II they cannot mako stand Of York
town they do nowhere else. At that point their
defeuCes complete warwick river, with its natu-
raj and artificial distractions TO tho advance OF army
left them only about milo and a ha.f 10 defend DO.
tween IL and Yorktown II would have been necessary
for tho whole of General Mcoelan's army to
pass through this gap IN their advance.
Both tanks Of the rebel army were perfectly
protected by the dofsnces the mouth Of James
on ono side aud by the rortncations at Yorktown and
Gloucester Point the other To turn tho left flank OF
the rebel army was necessary for General Mcclellan TO
land force in Mob Jack bay and attack the foris
Gloucester Point in tho Preparations for th,s
movement had been made, but IL involved desperate
fighting, who the grand assault going in front 10
force dcfeuces between Yorktown and the OF
warrick rycr. IN falling back to Williamsburg thoy
leave their lett nark entirely exposed 10 a
flank or attack from
forces from some point York river, whsro they
may he landed under coyer Of hale dozen Of our gun
boats Aftor Yorktown thero 10 spot tho penin.
sua where the robols have half the chance for suc
cessful deenco besides, there 10 better position
which they can retreat Richmond, with It's three
hnes Of circunvaiation, 10 mere earthwork 70 the
dcfcnces at Yorktown, and may be assailed smal-
neousy sides by combination Of tho Union forces
now threatcn n It, those who have stud cd closely
tho pasiton regard the evacuation of Yorktown an
OF the rebellion In in Tho East and
rejoice thai 10 has been attained without the immense
loss Of fe and blood that anticipated. II makes
40 victory q General Mcclellan ten times elor
ous that IL was hloodcss
lbc yadse porlcrs ars, however, tseusting tho poo