The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-06-28
FKOM GIN. ucCLELLANsS ARMY.
Correspondence Of the N. Y. Times. -.

E correspondence OF the N. Y. Times. assl
CAMP BEFORE RICHMOND, June II.
A battle may, at any moment, be precipitated
oy the rebels They have probably learned to
be more wary in making an attack, since the
disastrous result of their we'll planned and most
formidable attempt to destroy the small force
which had crossed the Chickahominy previous
to the battle of the 1st. But there are sundry
Indications of disposition on their part to
make an attempt upon one of our fanks-most
probably this time, if at all, upon our right, in
the hope Of destroying our stores at the White
house, and cutting of our communications, by
the Pamunky and York rivers. which is now
our only line. The bold dash of Stewards Cav
airy, last Friday, looks very much like recon.
noissance preparatory to a movement of that
Kind; and the fact that large masses of the ene-
my were observed to be moving toward their
lett on Friday and Saturday gave still further
coior 70 this conjecture. | send you two or
tnree letters which were seized by our cavalry
IN an excursion toward Hanover Court House,
maze on Sunday night-written by rebel ladies
TO their husbands on Saturday and Sunday, and
having reference mainly to the passage of Stew
arts Cavalry. You will observe that in one Of
these lie tiers. written evidently by lady Of
great intelligence and cultivation, the hint is
given that the dash was preliminary tc a move
ment IN farce upon our flank. She may have
made this conjecture herself; but she is much
more likely to have heard it from some military
authority.
TWAS certainly one of the boldest movements
OF the war, and is scarcely to be explained e1.
cept IN connection with something of more i'm
poftance than its own immediate results. 1t has
been stated by prisoners taken by our cavalry
tnat otewart's purpose was to burn the stores
at the White House, and that be was deferred
from going there by seeing train pass along
the road laden with troops, from which be in.
ferred that we had too strong q force for him
there, and that we had sent troops moreover to
MS rear. he, therefore, as q matter of neces.
sty dashed across the railway at Tunstall's Sta.
lion, passed completely in the rear of our army,
lfor we have no forces in our rear to hold the
country between here and Williamsburgh,) swan
the Chickahominy below Jones' Bridge, ten or
twelve miles below Bottoms Bridge, and passed
into Richmond between our forces on the White
Oak Swamp and the James River. On Sunday
he Is known to have returned to Hanover Court
House.
1t may be that Stewards object was to burn
our stores at the White House; but it seems to
me more likely that be wished to see whether
stronger force than his own could not do it,
and at the same time cut Us off permanently
from our base of operations. What his conclu.
sions may have been, do not know. But the
enemy, thus far, have not grati6ed US by an at
tack in that quarter.
A flag of truce was sent over to the rebel
camp on Sunday, to hold conference with Gen.
Howell Cobb, on the subject of exchanging pris-
oners Col. Key, of Gen. McClellan's staff, was
the officer intrusted with this mission It is
said that he found Gen. Cobb in fine health and
spirits, SYSTEMATICALLY confident of victory before
Richmond, but still more emphatic in maintain
ing that, even if we should take Richmond, we
should have many other battles to fight be fore
we should succeed in ''conquering the South"
he was quite disposed to argue the whole ques-
ton of secession, and found in Col Key an CD.
ponent quite as ready to discuss the political as
the military aspects of the controversy. Gen.
Cobb stated that the Confederate government
was ready to exchange prisoners upon any fair
and equitable terms, and seemed quite DESTROYS
of coming to some mutual understanding upon
this subject. Nothing was decided, however,
beyond this mutual agreement on the genera
issue. Whether any explanation was asked or
offered of the extraordinary course Of the Con-
tederate government toward Col. Corcoran,
have not learned.
From firing upon each other constantly the
pickets Of the two armies have passed to the
opposite extreme, and are now frequently found
IN close companionship, having laid aside their
arms for the time, and exchanging newspapers,
or talking over the events of the day This has
been carried so far as to render necessary the
Interpolation of the general officers, and orders
have been issued forbidding it in future.
All along the front the two armies are sepa-
rated by q thin belt of woods which serve to
conceal their mutual preparations. Beyond this
line of trees, which runs for most of the way
through ravine, the ground is higher and more
open. The first struggle will be for the posses
sion of this ground, unless the rebels make
different issue at different point.
MCLELLAN's HEADQUARTERS MOVED ACROSS THE
CHICKAHoMINY.
The special correspondence of the Philadel
phia Press from Richmond contains information
of great interest:
write tonight with better spirit than have
done for weeks. There is an indication that
Richmond is being surrounded closer and closer,
and though its fall need not be anticipated for
some time, yet living there is fast becoming a
dangerous thing for its citizens Tuesday after.
noon the centre of this army pushed forward,
and General Mcclellan moved his headquarters
across the Chickahominy, and now lies within
five miles of Richmond, his advance posts at
that point being much closer. Tonight, when I |
the river, and had not an unexpected event
the order, daylight tomorrow
would have found the remaining fifth safely
crossing.
RIDGE-BUILDING.
Yesterday and to-day bridge building was car.
ried on on the most extensive scale. Thousands
of wood choppers piled their axes in the forests
near the river, and hundreds of teams conveyed !
the logs to the edge Of the swamp. Werkmen
laid them, ard sharpshooters stood ready to pick
off rebels wandering with villainous intent upon
the opposite shore. Cannon were mounted on
every commanding hill, and any one not know
ing the plans of our crafty Commander-in Chief
would have imagined that, through thick and
thin, we we're to cross the river a: these points
and fight our way, past battery and breastwork,
to the top of the rebel hill.
The extensive bridge-building is all feint,
The crossing-places OF the right wing being now
Is they have been for two weeks, in perfectly
good condition and out of reach from Rebel
guns
MORE OF CROSSING.
The details shall not give, but the idea is