New-York daily tribune., 1862-04-26
Fren Oar Special Correspondent.

IN CAhP sxITn's DIyIsioS, on THs PssIssuLi,)
April ~. 1852
Yesterday Gen. Smith sent flag of truce to the
Rebels proposing an exchange Of prisoners, the OBJ
ject more especially being to regain the wounded
men 10 their possession. IL took considerable time
to obtain an answer and when after lapse of several
hours came it refusal to aecede TO tho propo-
sition. Tue prisoners they said, had been gent 20
Redmond, with tie exception Of two who bad died,
KiLby and Swetland Of the 80 Vermont. In viola
ton q every principle relating to flags Of truce, the
Rebels improved tue temporary Cessation Of bosiili-
ties to set gang Of at least 900 negroes at work
digging life pits, and strengthening their works.
remoustrance only produced promise the next
insiuut broken, to cease. There 10 nothing in the
world more certain than that We so completely COM
nand their works that the enemy cannot show
man, except in violation OF faith ON such occasion
as his. They babl.ually place negroes on the most
exposed posilions. During the previous lombard
men, by our artillery and the scarcely more unerri9g
firing Il our SHARP rfshooers they thrust negroes for
ward to man their guns, and they were shot doSn
/ by the co1en Pending the Truce on the lsth seven
yenous, negroes no doubt. were seen carried away
from one embrasure, wi ere they were suffered 10 lie
~ they bad fallen, because any attempt 10 remove
them would only increase the number Of victims.
These facts prove the wisdom Of tie bold advance OF
Gen Smith on the morning of the l6th aud the san-
culinary reconnaissance later in the day. Had tie
step been poepoued, the advance, if made at all,
would probably have been made, as elsewhere, by
regular approachesat least ID, the cost Of the strug'
gle which the enemy, had they OF been taken by
surprse, would have made 10 dispute, and if pos.
81. !, ,l,b.,
by The sudden, not 10 say audseous, movement Of
Gen. Smith.
In the fore part of Yesterday, three negroes es-
capsi from The enemy in FROM by crossing The !
Warwick, and were taken to the headquarters of
Gen. Kcyes. One Of them was bright, intelligent |
Young man, who related many things Of interest;
There things in bis story, ho Sever, that
prudence dictates should for the present he withheld
from publication. Ttis man lahose story wss cor.
roborzted mainly by the other two had been cook |
for a Rebel officer Ho gives tie Rebel force with
mnut.ness. Gen. Naguder and Ger. johnson
have their headquarters at Lees Mills and Gen.
Lec az Yorktown. At the position directly in front
Of us known ~ Dam No. 10, Gen. Wilcox is said TO
be tue commanding officer. IL will be recolected,
however that Gen. Svmmet, as commander Of the
position, communicated by tag of truce on the 18th
The calored man describes Gems. johnson and
Magfuder 80 accurately that be must know them. /
lie confirms the previous confessions Of tue Rebels
~ 10 their loss though the exact number he does not
pretend TO know. lie says that the loss was
rpoken Of Us heavy. Among the killed 1T
tie time our artillery were playing on the enemy so |
uriousy, were Col. Kinney OF the ID North 1
Carolina Regiment, aud a captain, whose name lie |
did not rember. IL ID represented that the Rebels
are FAR from confident Of being able 10 maintain their
position on this Inc Of their delonses. TIE negro
stated that word bad been tout from Richmond that
tie Union army bad struck into the country lrroba. |
bly, referring 10 tue movement up The Rappsban- |
nockj and we've moving toward Richmond, and for
tho army OF the Peninsula 10 bold itself IN readiness
20 eyacuae its present position and fall back TO !
Richmond. During he firing 10y our artillery, it is
represented that she'll ozploded tho only remaining
barrel of whisky in the neghborLood. sud il is re-
ported, also, that tiereupOn Magrader was 60 AZ
fected hat be wes for time the object Of much
concern on the part Of his friends. Magruder is
rcorigiJlo on the whisky question. Ali but one
gun, n 6-pounder. were dsmounted in the Rebel
works.
Situated ss we are face TO face with the enemy, |
our line is subject to constau. alarm. Scarcely a
night elspses withou. an parn-sometmes two and
three. The sacrity with which our troops resPond
to tho call and fall into line is well worthy Of re-
mark. / have on repeated occasions undertaken to |
make mention Of the 5th Wisconsin, regiment that
stands 80 seseryedly hgh, for all good qualities of
the soldier and pioneer. % challenge universal ap
probation; but my pencil or your types have persist.
eutly assigned tie regiment 20 the sister State Oi
Michigan, and she might well feel honorei BY it.
Well having got the right regiment this tlmo will
only relate what is perhaps equally tue of other
regiments-that on the first Gl,rm-night, having |
turned in with their shoes off, tho time they took 10
turn out, though prompt, was greater than they.
could wish. The next time, having KEEP: their shoes
on they were out as ~ their officers; the uex.
tine they wero out andn line in about one minute;
sud, report says, they sent & depuaton TO the |
ofoers-who were by no means tardy, however,
informing them that they were ready and waiting, |
though not single orier lad been given.
To-day the enemy manifest enterprise than
for the last few days. On our left, near Lees Mills
two bauaons Of Missssippians ind Tenneseeeans
were thrown across the stream where our pckets o.
tho 9Th Maine Regiment were posted. snaiP
ukirnish ensued, and the enemy were driven oacA'
We had two killed aud took one prisoner. ine
sharp-shooters in the rihe-pts have made frequent
attempts " pick our men of, but up TO the Presen'
writing without success. After one Of our mep is''