Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-08-29
The war in virginia.
From tue Richmond Examiner, July el.I .
1fcrPfTAN'S sfovpNrv.--rs

N CLELLhA , NOV EAENIo.
The movements of Mcclellan since Sunday
night last when be evacuated his position on
James river, are to us shrouded in much uncer
| tAinty. On that night his transports, said 10
have been one hundred and eight in number,
and all supposed to have been loaded with
troops, are known to have dropped down the
riyer. Facts have, however, come to our kn0Wl-
edge which favor the idea that these vessels car
ried only the baggage and stores Of the army,
whilst the army Itself proceeded overland to the
| York or Pamunkey rivers.
| AT a late hour Sunday night, our pickets at
Turkey Island and Malvern HILL observed the
light Of numerous extensive fires, apparently
within the enemy's encampment. At daylight
| the next morning General Cobb, with his legion,
| approached the enemy's lines and found them
deserted Immense piles Of eommissary and
quArtermssteT stores were burning hundreds Of
horses and mules browsed at will, aad countless
tents whitened the woods and fields Miles Of
intrenchments furrowed the face of the ceuntry /;
but no cannon were there to make them terrible
and the only thing visible in the shape of
Yankee was a number Of ' log figure " senti-
nels, who had been perched or the intrenchments
to deceive distant observers. Bat great cloud
of dust, risiag in the direction OF Charles City
Court House, indicated the path of portion at
least of the ." Army of the Potomac" Pushing
on in the direction of the Court House, our cav
airy came in sight of the rear Of the euemy's
conmns, and became awa-e that his force was
very heavy. Not being Of sufficient strength to
make an attack, our cavalry hung upon the enc
my's rear for the purpose OF watching his move
mehts. From personal observations, and the
reports OF the country people, our officers were
induced to believe that Mcclellan, with the
whole or the greater part Of his army, bstreen
yyty and ssrsRty ire thousand men, were in front
Of them.
During Monday ev ening the enemy crossed
the Chickshoniny ct Providence Forge, burnt
the bridges in his rear, and, it was thought took
the route for New Kent Court House.
Being stopped from further pursuit by the
destruction of the bridges over the Chcka-
hominy, our cavalry e0untermarched and re-
turned From some of these men who, on their
return, visited McClellan's late encamDment, " 9
have received very interesting accounts, which
we regret, our wsDt Of space prevents us from
laying before our readers. But we must dispose
of them in few words B hind redoubts and
intrenchments with which the Yankee works in
front of Richmond are as mole hills, lies the
deserted camp. The same waste and destruc-
ton of property that occurred at Fair Oaks and
Savage's is here observable. While most Of the
stores, wagons, etc, have been fred, many
thousand dollars worth, among which were va
uable medicines and chemicals, and a great
number of muskets, lie scattered about unin-
iured At last accounts, there being no govern
msnt officers on the ground to take care of the
property, numbers of free negroes from the
country were busy with carts hauling of cloth
ing and other valuable plunder
LATER.
Since the above was in type, we have come
into possession of some entirely reliable and
highly interesting information regarding Nc
Clellan's movements At 8 o'clock yesterday
morning, the superintendent of the York River
railroad left Richmond with an engine, intend
ing, owing to the uncertainty Of the enemy's
movements, to go only as far as Dispatch sta
ton But on arriving az this point he received
a message from Colonel Roper commanding our
cavalry in New Kent, that he might safely pro-
ceed to the White House, the enemy not being
or likely to be in the neighbOrhood OF the road.
Proceeding down the road, at Tunstall's he hal
an interview with Major Roper, from whom he
received satisfactory information of the enemy
movements. It seems that on Monday, Nc
Clellsn crossed the Chickabominy into New
Kent, with between tau aud fifteen (nOt fifty)
thousand men, and wheeling 30 the right, march
ed toward Williamsburg. Information Teeeiy cd
direct from Williamsburg yesterday morning is
to the effect that he was then passing through
that town en- route for Yorktown or Fortress
Monroe
From this information, upon the authenticity
of which we have every reliance, we conclude
that Mcclellan, having on last Sunday night
sent of by water all of his forces thai the trans
ports would accommodate, determined to march
the remainder to Fortress Monroe, or soms
other convenient point, to meet the transports
on their return from Fredericksburg. This
march ne was on yesterday performing. He has
by this time been rejoined by his transports, and
is embarking on them for his final destination
Fredericksburg or Aqua Creek
To give quietus to the rumor prevailing
here yesterday that Mcclellan was debarking
all his forces at the White House, we will men
ton that the gentleman to whom we are indebt-
ed for the above information, yesterday morning
visited that locality, remained several hours and
returned without seeing ankee, except thr ee
deserters, who were brought in by our cavalry,
and whom he brought with him to this city
PROM THE RAPIDAN.
For two days past skirmishiug has been con
tnued along the line of the Rspidau. The enc
my, no doubt with the design of distracting our
attention from movements elsewhere, has been
trying to create the impression that hemeditated
an immediate attack upon General Jackson at
Orange Court House.
NARROW ESCAPE.
From 8 gentleman who arrived here from
Orange Court House yesterday morning, we
learn that Gen. Stuart on Monday night made
narrow escape from capture by body Of the
enemy's cavalry. Gen Stuart, with his staff,
was at farm house, five miles east Of Orange
Court House, and short distance from the
Rapidan, when the Yankee cavalry, who had
crossed tho stream and driven in our picksts |
surrounded the house Gan. Stuart, by a speedy
back door exit, aped with the loss Of his hat
and two of his aids.