The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-05-29
RirRmnn6 4ispattb.
THURSDAY MORNINo. MAY 10. IA
The Lines.

Seeking needles ia bundles Of hay, would
comparatively b . far Len difncuit task than
any atssm pt TO obtain positive Information OF
aGAirs transpirins At the Lines. The difaoultiss
of dtstAnas. fatigue In rossing and rscrossins
tr0a pesns to point. ana = thousand and enc
Hpe A1oe Apon. ha11An snAur9ncs. v0Uid
~ 1oEgCttsn IN me fnbAsare 1setvsd from
paeaslng oar roadsrs: bot He military author.
ittss hase erected such an impossible barries
70 oar lAboss, that tits ply sicaily Impossible
to svade IT. effectiveness. or Withstand ne
many annoyancss incident to any attempts a.
free passaes 70 And fro-hsncs whatever aaI
labors may have been. tho results azs
ansstisia ctory and nsasIs.
On Tuesday aiSkt the enemy .saToss tie ."a11.S
nins- mile read. attempted & surprise. cut shs
Misstsstppi ptcksts stationed there received
them with military nonors, and they ACCORD
insly dsesmpsd sxrsditiousiy. leaving ssvs-
raj killed and wounded Daily sklrzntshss
occur at this point, bat the ansucesssiui uaai
Of Tuesday has rendered things quiet.
Yesterday the whole line waA remarkably
quiet. uur men stood. a. asuAt IN battle
array In the open fsld, bat Ne sAehay would
not accept the challenge. stihs t1sole'ns the
woods. anu conteptipS themselves With sig.
mailing from tops CT trees. 60, tsa' &c bodies
q troops are constantly MOVING to and fro On
the North bank OF the Cniesshominy. ana
Officers are ire 4usntiy observed raHtns obssI-
walton from prominent points
The heavy cAnnonsains VI Tuesday alter
Noon, and an uninterrupted musgstry IRE
which accompanied IL from the (suppossd) III.
rection Of MechAnicsvtils, remains as yst
mystery. The whole OF our tro0ps in that vi
cinity were Oh the aui oi0s. and although e.
vsrishly excited, none can explain the susir
Enthusiastically. Is IL asserted, however, that
the Fsderais. CALLED by brsnch's succsssfui
ambuscads, 10y which he captured nifty odd
men Of the 2o:h Kew York. } had returned "
the scene, near Hanover u. a. Tor Ashland. }
aad with Il N uch superior force, Lad reopen
cd the en- gagement. ard out up our forces ter"
rif1caliy. Per contra, II Is maintalned with
al equal display OF piausibility, that u
portion OF Longstreet division had pass
ed the swamp, and engaged the Zoe near
mechanicsville, capturing not less than
one whole section OF artillery This 70
Improbable. however, rs the Yankees are IN
full force upon the north bank OF the Ohica-
homfBy their white tents being pictures
qusiy scattered over the Landscape for
miles around. From the number and va
risty Of reports, however, We are forced
10 toe conclusion THAI Branch's force was
unit oai u the task Of repellinS the odds
against them, and though bravsly' con
tending for every incn OF Srou.d. were suo-
jsctsd to very rough treat mont al the hands
Of the $4,000 men under Mcdowell. and that
his small brigade Of 5 900 suffered severely -
The train last evening brought down thirty
OF our wounded, and some dozen Of disabled
Yankees. When tbs train left Ash land, Nc.
lowell was within mile OF that place 1t il
true that Branch was sminsntly successful
In the first attack Ia the morning, although
defeated III tbs action OF the afternoon.
From preparations going on around u 10 r
the paAt few days. We see that everything Is
being made ready for the great struggle now
hourly expected, aud from YANKEE prisoners
we learn that their attaf L IN fully arranged
for very early day. ard that. perhaps, before
tbs close Of the week. Our chiefs we're eE.
tremsiy busy Yesterday staff Officers were III
the saddle early ana iase--ths baggage is TAI
Ia the Tear--the principal hospitals are ted
for tns reception of hundreds. If not thou
sands-stTagsleTs Of ali grades are hurried 10
tneiI regiments. and all simply wait toI the
word vi commend