Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-06-20
THE POSITION BEFORE RICH
NOND.

The correspondent Of the Philadelphia
Pres. with General McCIellan's army writes
as follows, under date Of Saturday evening
last
y cliii's play Is before US, 10 our 9usilu gbt
/ upon Richmond The Federal left and centre are
already across the Chiekahominy, but the right
| still hss % make the passage. swamp, hundreds
Of yards wide, passsb!e in but two three places,
/ aud those right under the enemy's guns, is the
/ first obstacle to be sumouuted. The ieit and
centre have already done this Then there is a
range Of hills, the tops os which fsinged with
woods, in which are c1ncesled the enemy's bat
| teries.
I In i.ont Of these woods a series o. open fields
upon the hillsides, fully mile across every inch
/ OF which can be rakcd BY rebel rides anu rebel
cannon. and the roads and paths through which
guarded by all sOsts i pitfalls, tcrpedoes and
other unmanly Gefeuees, form the second difficult
ty, If possible, greater than the first. Then, /.
the hills be mounted and the rebel position iu Ogr
possession, We look down upon kichmoni, % be
sure, but between that goal and our standpoint
we see-What "a series Of eutreucamcuts and
forts, ba by skillful engineers, planned by
traitors whose wits are sharpened by long course
Of intrigue and treason, and manned by a Zoe
g9sded On by desperation.
This is The prospect b,t0rc us. such dIAicuitio-
ls these vii have 90 be overcome before we shall
enter Richmond victors. / cannot believe altc5
viewing the entertainments AID batteries exposed
in froat of the rebel position, that Richmond viii
be inglori0usly evacuated. A sanguinary battle,
to which last sunday ;ht Is nothing, will yet
s.rew the banks Of the Chickshominy with dead
and wounded and will seal our entrance Co the
capital forever after day Of mourning.
IS ith such dangers before him Gen. Mcclellan Z
can scarcely be blamed Tor proceeding cautiously
His advance up the peninsula was exceedingly |
k. -. D. Gel. o 9Th
fore the snemys works, and they are fairy be- I.
sieged. lie cannot unoppossd advance foot 1
further. The enemy have retrcatcd % the eni Ci I
their teihe--now they stand az bay. Livery In I
dcati0n o. a movement on our part is a signal for 4
rebel shells 10 come Whis-lins about our ears II
passing regiment is ospiod crossing a hin or
moving through the trees, thick and Jas, al their
leati-dealing messengers all around 20. They
are on the alert. There arc 20 be no more in-
glorious retreats or c0WdId'y evacuatiouE. Livery
foot %. the road 20 Richmond is 20 be most Let.y
contested.
sunday Morning, June 5, I,62.
Since dlyiiglt quite brisk c4nnouadiug has
been going a short distance 20 the leit an the
shells, however, seeming % be thrown at the re-
bells. Col. Gosii1e's Zouaves went out about
ei -ht O'clock, % protect party who are building
a bridge abcut mile below Us, and these shells,
DO doubt, were aimed a, rebel batteries which
threatened the working parties. Il requires an
inmense amount Of labor q build bridge across
the Chickahominy. The swamp Eve hundred
yards vide, has 10 Re filed NJ, and the bridge
builders are exposed 20 most CALLING fires lEou
tie enemy. There is a poutoon bridge across the
steam and swamp a couple Of miles below here,
and IL has been OF great 90 the crossing troops.
The line Of defence chosen i0r the right wing,
In case it should be attacked, is a small stream,
about nile distant from the Chickahominy, on
the Mechauicsville road, and gradually approach
ng IL until they join, about mile 60 the left OF
Mechauicsville. Our forces are advanced fully
mile in front Of this, ,bu; the and reialJr,s-
uents are posted there. In Csc Of general
battle, therefore, our front will extent some sight
lr ten miles, in a ssuicircls, the chord Of which /
bears northwest and southeast. In a few days,
however, the centre viii be advanced so az Co make
le front straight line.