The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-05-20

Sturgs Rifles and section Of Ayres' battery Of arti
lsy This expedition proceeded up the Pamanksy river
In two large gunboatshs Seth Loweand Currituck me
object OF this movement TO ascertain the condition
OF the river and its capacities for navigation and also tho
position OF the enemy, well as to destroy large
amount Of ordinances military stores and forage, which IL
was known he had collected. After proceeding few
miles up the river the expedition encountered some ob
saces in the shape Of large trees cut down on each side
Of the stream their upper branches being insraced to.
gether in the middle. The gunboats pushed their way
through these without difficulty. Had the river been
however, had the trees been longer had
they been disposed across the stream with more art,
they might have proved very serious obstacle.
The scenery all along Pamunkey, from its junction
with the York river TO the point 20 which these
boats assembled, is magnificent Indesd have seldom,
ever, seen anything equal 1t. The banks usual
y high In some places, quite frequently, too, these
banks form bluffs from fifty to one hundred feet high In
others they slope gradually down to the waters edge
The river is comparatively narrow yet wide enough and
deep enough for the passage Of any Of vessels Its
banks beautifed with innumerabs cottages and
buildings Of more ambitious pretensions. each one
surrounded by lawns and grounds beautifully laid out
and each one doubtless inhabited by people Of compara
tive refinement, who have enough depore
the nfasuaton which has brought scourge Of 10
their DOORS -
The gunboats having assembled the Pamunkey river
twenty miles from here point called Bassetts Land
ing, within fifteen miles Of Richmond, without seeing
any signs OF tho enemy, landed the troops there. The
latter then marched two mies towards Richmond, the
mounted pcksts Of the enemy was ths case with the
other reconnaissance, retiring before them
should have stated that reaching Bassett's Land
ing it found that the enemy had already destroyed
twenty schooners and large Sound steamer called the
Logan which lying short distance above. It was
asceraned that these vessels contained twenty thousand
bushels of and other stores all OF which, with the
vessels themselves, the rebels burned and abandoned
The vessels were wrapped in flames whom our men ar
rived.
All along the banks of the river were seen herds of
cattle and Sheep which had been collected by the rebels
and driven thus in their retreat from Yorktown.
The results Of these Reconnaissance show that the
and water approaches Richmond open to within
twelve fifteen miles Of that city, and that the enemy
is in force beyond those points The state Of the roads
such that will require days get the army up
to those points. Ever since last Monday, now week
ago, the army has been moving from the neighborhood
Of West Point TO this place. distance Of only about
twenty miles Yet steady progress has been made on
each day The nature Of the soil Is such that 1t Is
found necessary to construct military roads nearly the
entire distance in order transport the artillery and
formed by the engineer corps Of General Daniel p.
Woodbury. whose abors have been incessant There
spots the roads acGmps and rauines, ,ohers
mile day Is considered good progress Let those acho feel
impatient at progress toOards Richmond remember
this and be content. ~ NEf
The importance OF having the York river and It's
tinuation, the Pamunkey in possession, cannot be
too highly estimated. BY this means we have direct
water communication from this point to Baltimore
which city is distant only twenty hours sail, while
Fortress Monroe be reached from here in eight
hours Thus have everything needed brought to
usv very rapidly by water
Tho whole army is in fine spirits and eager to be led
on The troops doize General Mcclellan and will fight
FOR him like The General himself Is necessarily
occupied with his numerous staff in making the necessary
arrangements for the movements Of such an immense
| army as this. X x
| The Military Telegraph Station Within
Fourteen Miles OF Richmond. ~
-wAsHNoroN, May 10, 1852.
The United States Military Telegraph has an Office
open and working in a sawmi at the fourteenth mile
| post from Richmond The lines to the various camps
and stations headquarters and Monroe
are good condition and working admirably under the
1 or n Tt,,