, 1862-05-24
FROM GEN. 6EeCkEI,LAN,S ARMY,
His Headquarters now Within Five
Niles Of Rtch1nond--IKis Second Dk-
vision Across the Ch1csa1aonainy.

BA17nzoaz, Msy eess.-The hnat from Old
Point has arrived
The Baltimore An,erica,s' especial lcpErespon-
dent states that the steamer from White
House this afternoon brings number OF pas
sepgers from the headquarters Of Gen. HcC1el-
1an's army, which was In proximity to Bottom
Bridge, over which portion Of the army
has already passed, the second dtvisioRhsE1ng
crossed the Chickahominy at New Bridge,
about seven miles further up, and within
eight miles Of Richmond
It was Tumored that proposition for N az
mIstice Ter ten days had been made by the
rebels, Int Of course no such ldea could be en-
tertafned.
The advance Of cur army was understood to
be within five miles Of the city, to which
point the enemy has fallen back with but q
slight effort to check our onward movement.
The advance BY the way Of New Bridge en-
tt r the city on the north side.
The tug Dragon, from the James River this
morning, brings down two very Intelligent
citizens from Petersburg, who fed from That
city yesterday to avoid the press gang uuder
the conscEiptlon act In view Of the Import
ant Information which they bring, it would
not be proper to make their names public,
having been brought to Commodore Colds
borough They were Immediately sent to
Wool, and will leave this morning for McClel-
lan's headquarters, for whom they have some
Information which they hare not made public.
They represent the condition Of affairs
q Petersburg and the surrounding coun-
try as of deplorabls character. The
soferings Of the people seem almost be-
yond endurance. The scarcity Of provisions
Tas SO great that everything was seized for
I the army, aud e1en the soldiers have been On
Of even this supplJ continuing for great
length ot time The rebel army, or at least q
great portion OF it, they represent as demo-
rallied, and dispirited to such an extent that
it is only held together By the most vigorous
appliances OF military 1a#. Still the work Of
| to Richmond we're thronged with unarmed
men, old and young being driven along under
strong, armed guards They 1eprestnt that
no people in modern times have suffered
| more than the people Of Virginia arc now
suffering. every household being il mourning
famine. They also state that Gen. Bvaure-
| gard arrived at Richmond on Tuesday.
| On being questioned IS to their authority for
this statement, they say that It Was SO an
| Douneed and understood at Petersburg on
| Wednesday morning, no one doubling the fact.
! JEFF. Davis and the military authorities have
| declared their intention to tight to the death
| defore Richmond, but strong suspicious were
! entertained that it was really their purpose
to abandon the city after q short defense at
| LIE "uIh6 sAlAOAGu1DE H. AA6E AAuHSla
OF women and children from Richmond had
arrived at Petersburg, who represented the
distress prevailing IN the city as beyond
description Threats were made by the
soldiers from the Gulf States that II they had
to leave Richmond they would lay it in
ashes before doing go. Great fears were felt
that their threats would be carried into effect
1t would require the greatest efforts on ths
part Of the citizens to prevent such catastro
phe: The number Of troops st Richmond an6
in the vicinity was generally believed to bt
fully 200 COO, including the unarned and poor
ly armed Of tie recent lcyics, who were having
! pixies put into their bands for aetiye service
Deeerters from Fort Darling report that tht
infantry force in the vicinity Of the work i
nearly *, ,0o0 men.
W4sn1saroS, May e3.-No later official dis
| patches have been received from Gen Nc
Cle1lan's headquarters than those made publi
on yesterday. The latest reported that hi
general engagement had taken place, the enc
ny cbosinS to retire as our troops advanced
WAsn1SGroS, May 223.-The latest advice
from the army Of the Potomac, state that Nc
| C1s1lan had crossed Chickal.o1niny at Bolton
B1idgc, bis Headquarters now being near NcH
| bridge pfcparntipus for attack being made