Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1862-06-28
From General ,HcCIeIIan's Army.

of the Potomac army, writes as followsi
CAMP BEFORE RICHMOND, Thursday Night,
June 10, 1S62.-I thought yesterday that
fight was inevitable to-day. Everything
seemed ready for it, and, in point of fact,
we escaped it last evening by the skin of
our teeth.
STRENGTH OF THE REBELS.
The reports received here as to the
strength of the Rebel army continue to be
conflicting. One of the prisoners taken yes
terday who says he has been attached to the
Commissary Department, says that rations
were issued on Tuesday for 100000 men.
This may OF may not be true. If it is, their
effective. force cannot exceed $4,000. The
general belief here is that they have enough
men to make very severe fight, and that
they arc determined to do it. No one in
the army now expects to have short and
easy march into Richmond. They expect
to fight their way, and it is but simple JUS
ticc to say that they are ready and eager to
do it. The whole army is tired of inaction,
and will welcome most heartily the order to
advance whenever the General may sec fit
to give it.
We hear from pretty good sources that
the same feeling peryades the Rebel army.
The troops from the Gulf States have been
North long time, on hard fare, with poor
clothing and without having accomplished
anything of the least importance. They are
getting tired of it, and are anxious to have
the contest ended, one way or the other
Very many of them are losing their interest
in the war, and are far more anxious to get
home than to reap any laurels they are
likely to win in this war. Gen. Stoneman
says that he asked squad of prisoners who
| l. -. Il hat
| they were fighting for They replied, ITO
support The geHtttmon who got us into it,
An hours speech could not better have eX-
planned the general motive of the mass of
the Southern army. How long they will
think it worth their while to support 'tho
gentlemen" who have pushed them into the
war, at such cost of life to themselves,
remains to be seen. If we beat this army,
| do not believe they can ever raise another.
There can be no doubt whatever that not
only the army, but the people of Richmond
suffer greatly from lack of provisions and
clothing. The Richmond papers are full of
discussions on the subject, urging various
modes of relief, and seeking to calm the
apprchensions of the people.
The following letter from Richmond, of a
recent date, gives important testimony on
the same subject. 1t is from gentleman
whose name is well known, and who, i
trust, will excuse this diversion of his letter
from its original destination =
RICHMOND, Friday, June Is, 1S62.-Dear
Mary: l am more than grateful fol your
long letter received by Mr.. Aylett last night
\ single line from you is more consoling
than all the news and messages that may be
otherwise brought me. SO many persons
had come over and brought me no letter
that had begun to think very hard of it
but am glad to find you still hold me in
remembrance.
do not blame you for breaking up, foi
if you had asked my advice at the time
should not have known how to give it OF
what to say, and was all the time willing tc
leave it to your decision. But it gals me-
sorcly to have what we have been for years
gathering together, hauled away and scat
tered, and perhaps never gathered together
again. am attached to everything at ol
belonging to Pisgah, and so fondly looked
to it as place of rest.
am opposed to selling our furniture ol
anything else, except such things as yor
think we can do without, should we ever &c
to housekeeping again, because they canno
be replaced for five times what they woult
sell for for years to come. You have NJ
idea of the destruction of property and tn,
scarcity Of everything 1t is with grca
difficulty clothing can be obtained for on
soldiers now, and it is getting worse ever,
day, and | expect We shall need even on
bed clothing to clothc ourselves and ou
negroes. do not wish to sell the hogs o
anything else unless you think We shall los
, them. Corbin and Lot will, hope, wit
encouragement, keep off the negroes. Civ
Corbin, Lot, William, Henry and Nancy
dollar apiece for me, and tell them l sent
and desired to be remembered to them
Tell Henry to let Jimmy and Peter Hoome
, have corn whenever they want it, and &C
: them to assist in trying to make crop. III
= had better take care of what wheat is o
hand, for it is doubtful whether the CROWN
} crop will be saved.
You speak of wishing to get to Richmond
! Let me advise you not to come. Friend
+ that were glad to see you before would nc
r be now. 1t is near upon starvation hei
c with every one Board $3.50 per day an
: nothing TO cat at that Mr. Dudley W.
y kind enough to give me a room at I'll
I depot, and he and |, and four or five other
= are messing and doing our own marketin
+ and cooking. | will give YOU a sample
: what we pay for what we have to eat :
c Bacon, 80 cents per pound beef and laml
d 80 cents per pound; coffee, 80 per pound
i sugar, 80 cents; greens, so cents per head
y bread, 10 cents per loaf; molasscs, 81 pC
gallon.
saw Eugene day before yesterday. I
is stationed five miles below here, immcd
y ately on the railroad. send him brca
IS every morning by the cars. Claiborne W;
q in to see me last Saturday. He stands
,r manfully. Ben is well and hearty, and
about three miles from here. have prov
dcd them all with clothes, and will after
II to their wants as long as am here. Beve
'e ly left here yesterday for Brunswick, b
D. will be back again in few days to tai
&c the captaincy of a company in Col. Char
u bliss Regiment. The Colonel is an intima
ar friend of his.
n Both armies are cntrcnching themselv
"a around this place. and do not think fig
81 will take place for some time. The advan
ic of the enemy in the direction of Hanov
he Court House, in the last two or three Ga,
re will prevent my getting to King Willial
:; as ! expected. As soon as the way is Gle
s. ! expect to go to the upper parts ofHanov
v King William and King and Queen, to pr
chase provisions for the army. Give 1
cs love to Henry, and tell him to take care