Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-15
LATEsT FROm yTRGTNTA.
Prom the Richmond Enquirer, July 7th.l
TIg SITUATION or TIE ENEMY.

with the ChlckahomlDys where TeiniOrcements
are being landed. This position is a peculiarly
safe enc, beng protected on two sides By the
Federal gunbOats, under which they can at any
time withdraw, should they ever find themselves
venturing out too far. Correspondents to the
Northern papers Of the 4th instant, speak of the
arrival of large numbers Of transports, laden
principally with provisions. On the ID instant
three hundred transports had arrived at Fortress
Monroe for this destination, al, except q few,
which contained troops, being filled with sup
plies and working material.
APPROACH OF PRISONERS TO THE CTTY-yOL-
UHTARY SURRENDER
On yesterday there arrived at Gaines farm.
fifteen hundred prisoners, en- route for the city.
Scattered along the line, from opposite Drewry's
Bluff to Charles City Court House, are between
three and four thousand more, taking easy stages
for the same destination. They are all dishesrt-
ened end wearied cut, a condition the sincerity
of which, is attested by the fact that, with few
exceptions, every one of the whole number gave
themselves up Voluntarily. Their numbers are
being daily increased by fresh straggIers, who
are making their way out Of the swsmps into
the roads. For some days past, scarcely an hour
elapsed in which some one, two, half dozen or
more, did not emerge from the wilderness into
the Charles City road, and inquire of residents
the way to Richmond. Once in the right track
they kept it, and did not stop until hailed at our
inner posts, where they were collected into COM
panies and allowed to proceed up under guard.
They were 80 perfectly docile, that in some IL
stances they were permitted to come up without
any other attendance than a guide, feeling con-
scious, as they did, that any attempted escape
would only plunge them into new difficulties,
from which they might never be eXtricated.
They admit the virtual rout, Generalization and
ruin Of their army.
Most Of this corps Of ~captives are from New
York State and city, and seem much more intel
ligent and candid than the common run Of
Yankees. Nothing can exceed the admirable
resignation with which they contemplate their
crest-falen condition; in fact, they confess that
they have long been tired of the attempt to sub
jugate the South, and were only recently in
spired to renewed anticipatiOns Of success by
the strength of their army and Notifications
around Richmond, the apparent determination
of their generals, and the inflated boastings
and f~cticious representations of the "promis-
ing state Of affairs disseminated by the Nerth.
ern press.
VIEWS OF HI ESERT BATTLE FIELD.
The most interesting localities Of the late bat
ties before Richmond are probably the twice
fought field of the " Seven Pines and the
ground near Mechanicsville, upon which the
Federal army received a coup de graee from the
ClUaAlE CDMUlldAlUuB VI JhCENDug LUE IAllNa STU
Longstreet. The defeuces of the latter were
rendered almost ~imprsgnable by the advantages
of natural position, consisting Of hill, rsyine
and swamp, commanded by ponderOus bate
ries and b~reGstworks, from which an incessaut
fire was poured out upon our advancing and
victorious forces. At the " Seven Pines" after
the battle to which the mama is given, the Fed
eral army, having regained the field without a
fight, thew up a series Of Notifications within
the space of ten days, SO excellent and extern
siYe, that, If attacked in front, half 8 million of
men would have been Insufficient for the task
of reducing them. Ii was only by the move
ment made by Gen. Jackson in the rear, in con
cert with MagTuder in front that rendered them
~Yalueless to the enemy.
The position Of the enemy on this field was
wholly artificial. Their batteries extended from
the York river railroad, six and a half miles be-
low the city, in a southeastern direction, across
the plain, for a distance Of some two miles.
Upon visiting the locality, one will be struck
with the admirable character Of the f~Ortica-
tons. Their entire front is protected by N ats
twelve feet in width and five feet deep, along
the outer edges of which are placed continuous
abattis of felled trees, neatly trimmed, and
every bough and twig sharpened at the end, de-
flying the passage of any mortal force that might
be sent against them, before the fire from their
batteries and rife pits. Il was evident that
these Notifications were intended as a perma-
uent base line, from which the enemy never ex-
pected t. be driven, but moving slowly forward,
to throw up similar works before them, and thus
systematically and literally to ditch the Con-
tedeTate army out Of Richmond. The skill dis
played N their arrangement aud style surDas-
ses thcss of any Publications that the enemy
have yet thrown up during the successive cam
paigns ia Virginia.
In fha raer of thia wou1arf1i linz of narfh-
works stands the shattered remains of the Fed
eral encampment. Hundreds of fonts Of every
description, with every width of canvass ripped,
from two to three feet in length, stand tapping
in the breeze. Around upon the field aud with
in the works thousands of blankets, overcoats,
jackets and other clothing. (much of which be-
lug uninJured has been gathered up by ~pillsgeTs
from the city, lie strewed. Boxes of meat,
ground coffee, beans, dried fruit, cases oflenaons
and oranges, lemon syrup, Edinburg ale, porter,
champagne, pickles, chOWchOW, preserves, sar-
dimes, pTunes, and many other nicities, may be
seen lying about loose in every direction, all,
however, more or less knocked into snitheTeens
and rendered valueless
Every wagon left on the field by the fright
ened fugitiyes was either upset or broken.
Some new and splendidly made smbulauces
were relinquished, with a spoke or two knocked
out and the shafts hacked half of. Sundry
drum shells, in perfectly good order, aud Of ad,
mirabie style, are to be seen perched upon
stumps, or lying in the trenches. Here and
there may be observed broken musksts, some
driven into the earth up to the lock, bayonets,
broken swords, scabbsrds, epaUlettes, trsppings
and harness, v~ariously mutilsted. Heaps Of
cartridges, many Of which are made Of a
peculiar paper, requiring no biting" but
which upon being rsmmed down, bursts, and,
being itself combustible, obViatos any danger
from choking the tube, and saves many a valua-
Bile moment IN battle-these, and any quantity
of other deserted military plumber, contribute
to render the field picturesque with the relics Of
our invaders.
The burial grounds Of the Yankees which lie
on the outskirts of the encampments, in miseel-
laneous spots, tell a melancholy story Of the
mortality in their army. The shells and bullets
of our gallant troops, and the unWholesOme air
of the swamps, did a fearful work amongst
They lie buried in heaps of six and
eight, some hOnOred with shingle monuments
epitsphs in pencil. On the roadsides,
numbers fell before our troops, they lie
half buried in wagon Tuts, and swamp holes.
with heaps Of dirt piled upon their bodies, from
either end of which proIude their d~ecayiGg
heads and feet. These graves are all Yankee
made. =,
Some of the buildings in the vicinity are nd
He'd with ball, shell, and bullet. Beautiful
seats, located amidst the advanced lines
If the Federsls, are utterly ruined, the trees
BY artillery, the fences burned, flower gar :
lens trampled under foot, the houses themselves }
and the walls mutilated with vile serb ;
and sketches. One handsome edifce, To- y
,ated nnder the shadows of a grove Of magniti- =
oaks, was perforated six ar eight times by :
he Federal batteries, aud in one instance a ahel =
icing thrown into it, and bursting in the pas ;
age, ripped Of the ceiling in fifty places, played :
iaVock with the partitions, and scattered the !
sths and plastering of the adjoining paLor :
bout in a medley Of trash and confusion.
Among the many useful articles now lying
bout the field srs hundreds of unused sand s
ags, while the Notifications contain thoasands q
+ them, which, with some labor, could be emL. G
led Of their contents, and rendered equally ser d
There are quantities of other value
things which the pilsgers have not yet col 5