Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-05-22
From the Army Before Richmond.


/ selves on this side Of the Chickahominy on
/ the hilly side of the river, and that all able
/ bodied negroes have been put in requiSition
/ for the building of breastworks, the digging
| Of trenches and the construction of abattis,
intended for the defense of the selected spot.
/ They also say that the place distant from
| Richmond about fifteen miles, is naturally
| protected by swampy ground, which will
| make 1t necessary for us to bridge our way as
| we advance-an operation full of dangers
when made under the fire of the enemy's ar
tillery. The evacuation of Yorktown. there
fore, was not so much a proof of weakness as
the consequence of a strategical movement
winch future operations will probably deyel-
| OPP 1helr rear position undoubtedly affords
several advantages they did not possess at
Yorktown; they may dispose of all the forces
concentrated at Richmond. and in case of de-
feat their line of retreat, as well as their iunc
tons with the rebel corps beyond that CITY,
Will be easier OF accomplishment Notwith-
standing the confidence they possess, how
ever, In the resources afforded by the strate-
glcal point they have selected to give us bat
tie, the rebels are not without doubts as to the
result. We learn that they have removed
from Richmond the Tredegar iron works. all
the bank funds, state papers, public docu-
ments-in word, every object of value
The wealthiest inhabitants have gone further
south, carrying with them their negroes and
their household furniture The most patriot
&c have left their blacks with the army. to la
Dor on Notifications and other field-works.
SUNDAY IN CAMP.
CAMP NEAR WHITE House, May lS.-This
being Sunday, it has been very quiet in camp.
The curiosity about the ''White House" and
other points Of interest in the immediate vi
cinity having been satisfied, a large number
Of officers to-day visited st. Peters Church,
about two and half miles distant, mcmora-
bic, as is well known, in history, as being the
church in which Washington was married.
On one side of the bricks is the date ITO,
which is said to be the date of its erection.
The oldest tombstone is dated back as far as
ZIG. The last services held in the church
were about month ago, Rev. Mr.. Repner.
the rector, having suspended services and
gone over to Secessia. In the neighbOrhood
of the church is a fine old Virginia mansion.
the sole occupants of which now are five fe-
males. 1t is now in charge of the provost
guard, as are all the dwellings hereabout
The ladies' all of whom have husbands or low
ers in the rebel army, utter secesh strong,
and say the enemy will fight at Richmond to
the last gasp.
LIVELY SPEECH OF GEN. MCCLELLAN.
The following is the speech made by Gen.
Mcclellan to the seventh Maine regiment,
Col. Mason, which, with the SD New York.
made, under Gen. Hancock that ''brilliant
bayonet charge" that closed the engagement,
and gave our army the victory
''SoJdierS: l have come to thank you for
your good conduct and gaIlantry. On that
little plain you saved our army from Il dis
graceful defeat. You would have deserved
equal praise had you been overwhelmed by the
masses that were hurled against you. You
deserve the highest thanks Of your country.
and your state should justly be proud of you.
Bear upon your colors the inscription, Will
liamSburg,' in token of your bravery, and as
the highest honor that | can confer upon you.
Soldiers, my words are feeble, but from the
bottom Of my heart | thank YOU
THE DESCENDANTS OF PoCAHoNTAs
Indian Town, across the river, has been and
continues to be a place of rather popular re-
sort. There is reserved tract of 100 acres
of land occupied by Indians, all of whom
claim to be descendants Of Pocahontas |
spent several hours among them this fore
noon. 1t seems that Gen. Magruder had all
| the men in the tribe capable of shouldering a
musket impressed into the service. The fee
bic old men, wives and young squaws made Il
| pow-wow about it, and applied to Gov Letch-
er for redress, which resulted in the Impress
| ed masculnes being returned home. An in
| telhgent member of the tribe told me that the
rebels were in peck of trouble about the two
| engineers of the railroad, both being northern
men. Afraid that the engineers might be
working against their cause, they arrested
| them enthusiastically, and, with view to
| keep them straight, threatened to hang them,
| shoot them or tar and feather them, and to do
anything but discharge them, which they
dared not do, as they could not possibly get
| along without them.
SHOCKING ATROCITIES.
| The whole peninsula here and elsewhere is
| swarming with guerillas, who rob and murder
| without restraint proving into our camps and
| lurking in the edges of woods to seek an OPP
portunity to shoot down stragglers, both civil
and military. The artist of an illustrated pa
per started from Yorktown to-day to walk to
Williamsburg, but was stopped by a company
of cavalry, some little distance from the for
mer place, and told that it was dangerous to
proceed. Two Massachusetts soldiers had
Just been found hanging to trees, shot, and
with their throats cut. Two had been shot
the day before, and so notorious have these
depredations become, that our cavalry are
scouting the country to secure the perpetrat-
| ors. Sixteen rebels were sent to fort Monroe
to-day, and they are supposed, in fact, to be-
long to the guerillas, as they were found armed
near our lines.
From the NewYOrk Evening Post 2lst
On THE ROAD TO RICHMOND, NAV IS
Seven contrabands came into our camp this
morning, reporting themselves from Hanover.
the capital Of Hanover county, lying near the
| Pamunky river, on the line of the Virginia
! Central railroad, and eighteen miles north of
Richmond. They declare that there are no
rebels this side of Richmond and that there
| Is a great panic i'm that CITY Tho Io,d;nc MOI,