Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-05-24
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AFTERNOON DISPATCHES.
The Advance on Richmond.

49, @ANA SS44SC OA Gb4CnAuUANs
I BALTIMORE, May 23.-The special cor,
respondent of the 1merie1R ut Fortress
! Monroe, says under date of yesterday The
steamer from White House this afternoon
# brings number of passengers from tho
{ headquarters of Gen, Mcclellan, which
were in proximity to Bottoms Bridge over
winch u portion of the army has already
passed, second division nNving passed.
tue Chickahominy at New Bridge, about
seven miles further up aud within eight
miles OF Richmond.
II IS rumOred that proposition f1r,an
armistice of 10 days had been made by the
rebels, but of course no such idea could
, he entertained. The advance was under.
stood to be within . TALES OF the city. to
which point tue enemy has fallen back with
but slight effort to check our onward move /.
mHnt. The advance by way of New Bridge
enters the city on 'he north side. The
tug Dragon, from the james river this
morning, brings down very Intelligent cit
liens OF Petersburg, who lied from that cts
Yesterday I" avoid the press gang under
the prescription act.
In view Of the important information
they bring it would not be proper to make
their names pablic. Having been brought
to Commodore GOldsbOrongh they were I'M
medtately sent 10 General Wool aud will
leave this morning for General McClellan's
headquarters, for whom they have some
information which they have not yet made
public.
They represent the condition. of affairs
at Petersburg and the surrounding country
AS OF most deplorNble character aud the
suferings of the people almost beyond
endurance. The scarcity of provisions
was so great that everything was seized
for the army and even the soldiers have
been on half rGtiOns for II week past, with
no prospect even of this supply continuing
for any great length of time The rebel
army or at least Il great portion OF it, thev
represent as hcing demoValiXed and dispir-
tied to such an extent that it IL only held
together by the most vigorous appliance of
military law.
Still the work of conscripticm was pro-
crossing, and the roads to Richmond we're
thrOnged with nuArmed men, old and
young, being driven along under strong
guard OF armed men. They represent tlIut
no people of modern times have suffered
more than the people of Virginia are now
suffering, every household being in mourn
ing, with the prospect OF mn approaching
famine.
They also state that Beanregard arrived
at Rtchmond on Tuesday. On being qucs-
uOued as 10 thelr authority Tor this state
ment, they said it was SO announced aud
understood at Petersburg OIL Wednesday
morning, aud no Que doubted the fact.
JEDI. Davis aud the military authorities
had declared their Intention to fight to the
death before Richmond; hut strong sus-
PIGEONS were entertained that it was really
their purpose TO abandon the city after u
short defeuee AT the works surrounding it. !
Large numbers of women aud children
from Richmond had arrived at Petersburg,
and they represented the distress in that
city as beyond description.
Threats were made by the soldiers from
the Gulf States TINT they will only leave
Richmond in ashes, and great fears were
that the threat would be car
rried into effect. 1t would produce The
greatest efforts on the part of the citizens
to prevent such catastrophe.
The number of rebel forces At Richmond
and vicinity was generally believed TO h"
fully 100000, including the nnnrmed and
poorly armed troops, of recent lcvies, who
were having pixies pnt in their hands for
active service. Dcserters repnr, thar the
infantry force in the vicinity OF that work
is nearly 10000.