Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-07-26
LATE FROM RICHMOND.
Escape OF MassachusettI Man-His State
ment Of the Condition Of Affairs.

From the Boston Traveller .
One Of our reporters had an interview YESTERDAY
with q gentleman, q ndttve OF old Essex county
who has reached this city from Richmond,
profession several years When the war broke
out he wss unable 10 return to his home In this
State aud rem aimed attending to the accustomed
business, unmolested by the Confederate authori-
After the recent battles on tie Peninsula. he
concluded to make an effort to escape, In CON-
pany with other Northern men. They left Rich
mond on the 10Th instant, and went by railroad to
Charlottesville without raising any suspicion of
their purpose From thence they walked to " ew-
market, in the Shenandoah Valley, no passes be-
Ing required. Here there was a Rebel force, and
no persons were allowed through the lines. They
swan the river at Newmarket, AZ night, ana after
series Of narrow escapes, finally succeeded In
Pass ng the last line of Rebel picket., and came
TO Wine hester, where they Rrst encountered Fed.
eral soldiers .sr, '- !
On the way they lived principally on berries
houses. They wa ked in all about one hundred
miles. Our informant reached his home on Mon-
dav. .
He says the people Of Richmond are confident
OF the final success OF the Confederate arms
That confidence Is increased by the result OF the
late battles, ard they have more confidence than
heretofore In their Confederate currency. Before
the battles IL Qulred 81 so Of their shin
to buy 81 in gold, but when be left he exchane ed
their nOtss at toe rae Of 81 FOR 81 In gold
None Of the peoPse, however, like to have a
body who owes any debts is ready TO pay them at
once Those who have money were anx ious TO
lend u, even Without interest, provided good Sc
curity can be had. Almost any kind OF property
hnds ready sale. Real estate In desirable To-
calities Is from fifty 70 one hundred per cent
higher than before the war.
AL kinds Of clothing, and all the necessaries
OF life are greedily sought for by those having
money. TIE wages Of labor have gone up with
the expansion Of the currency. The only kind
Of fProperty that does not rise /. slave property.
Negroes ssll nCminallV for about the same an be-
fore the war, but owing 10 the change In the cur
rency they are really worth not more than one
third or one half their former value
The whole Of the negro population look for
ward to the coming Of q Northern army with the
hope and expectation that 1t will prove a day Of
delverance 10 them. The slave girls have be
come more independent than usual and FREQ uent-
ly tell their mistresses that they will soon change
cOnd tlons with them, and play upon pianos and
be ladies, while their mattresses will be COM
pelled 10 cook and scrub
The people Of Richmond profess TO believe that
s'Cotton will be King yet.n They thInk Eno
land must soon interfere in their behalf In order
TO obtain cotton. France they believe to be more
friendly to tue Confedsracy than England.
JET Davis has become unpopular with all
classes. He Is regardsd d as too cautious, and as
headstTong and obstinate in the extreme Conn
plants is made that he puts his own favorites
into ONCE. he In apparently In poor health bat
attends to business While on visit to Ra eip
he was taken sick, but after two or three days
was enabled to return to Richmond. During the
e K
cite any enthusiasm among the soldiers. He saws
that McClellan's retreat to Harrison's Landing
was the most successful recorded in history, ex.
cept thar Of M0reau, in the Black Forrest
Very little is said about Vice President Ste
phens, but he Is distruEed because Of his having
come INTO the secession movement at a late hour
ose None OF the civilians Civilians enjoy high degree of
Of the army and the people His soldiers are
proud Of the name OF "Jackson's Foot Cavalry -
Gen. Lee enjoys the confidence OF the people ana
kha sol In feyh "A
on his Judgment and discretion. Magfuder Ia
liked by his own command, who admire hi.
courage aid would follow him anywhere, but
the public have little confidence In him IL In
believed that their army would have been more
successful II he had not got drunk during the last
days hZht. Gen. Hill Is regarded with high
favor by the citizens, and Gen. Longs,reet is con-
sidered one Of iheiI best men. Gen J. g. John
ston vas great fayorite previous to his being
wounded, but since then he Was but little thong al
OF. Gen BeauIegsId took no part Ia the recen,
battles. He Is disliked by Davis and 10 believed
by the citizens to have been stelved.
The gentleman knows nothing definitely Of the
number Of the Rebel army In Richmond when
the attack was made on McCiellan's Hnes but n
was his opinion, formed from conversation with
well Informed men, that the force consisted of
from one hundred and ffty thousand 10 two hum
dred thousand men. He thinks none OF Beaure
CARDS army, from Corinth, was there The army
had been Increased by conscripts, and reinforce.
ments continued TO come in during the sir davs
that the contest was going on.
he knew nothing Of the Rebel loss I'm ths
battles, except that IL was large. At the time of
the battle Of Fair Oaks, or Seven. Pines, an
the Rebels call IL, their numerous hospitals
were all filled with wounded, and MANY were
taken TO private houses. The mortality amono
the wounded was large. Those who were able
TO be removed w3s sent to their homes and MANY
OF tne hck naa aho been sent on New hospitals
were provided in anticipation Of the late battles.
and all were filed
Many well known aud influential citizen. Of
Richmond were killed. PurcelI's Battery, com
a mon n 10 APcf
man left unhart. Major w alksr, who was hiIled.
was Leading citizen. No Generals OF note were
killed or wounded. He heard Rebel General
saY that In TussdaY's battle there was a perfect
rout Of their army-the cavalry In their retreat
riding over the infantry, and killing and wound
ing many OF their own men.
The people OF Richmond were quite confd dent
that McCIe!lan's 9 army could not reach III at citv
Early In the spring, some OF the weaIthIest citi-
zens removed their families; but when the Fed
erai army moved toward the city, after the battle
OF Williamsburg, no alarm was manifested and
nobody ran away. There no vrry extensi ve
works near tie city for itB defense On the si6e
toward Fair Oaks there are some batteries, bnt
the nost powerful batteries are at Menchesfsr
on the south side Of the river, commandioo Ibs
apprOaeh to the city from that direction
Up TO the time when the Merrimac was de-
Stroyed there were no distinctions In James rive
aud had gun boats been sent up the river fmmI'
distely Richmond must have lal ea at once The
river 10 now nIled with obstruction for .ome d..
tance- large number Of vessels, canal boats,
stream. Great Quantities Of stone have been
thrown overheard and sunk Since tue obstruc-
tons were placed there freshet, the hfphest Tor
forty years, has washed down an immense auan.
nty OF sand and the whole mas Is now soiidly
embedded together.
Ii will be great task to clear the channel, and
twould not oe surprising IL the navigation of
the river snoGld prove 20 De permanently injured
very heavy guns are mounted at Fort Darling
ana IN other fortincations, and The banks Of the
river are lined with rne pi1 The works al
D:ury's Point are understood 70 be Completed 10
the satisfaction Of the authorities and labor DON
Them has ceased. '
de has not seen the new IRON clad weasel being
built Al Richmond, but, judging from the state,
mens OF those VINO have worked upon her, the
steamer must be formidable affair she ts !.
new vessel, and 10 was said that she wonIa r.
completed within a few weeks se
He mad never heard any talk of a sca re,tv n,
Ammunition for The rebel armies -Phrv wrTe
constantly receiving powder from Europe. and
they had several powder mills In operuti5p He
had heard that the powder made at these iniIIs
was OF an Inferior qualify. -S-IEi -
He knows nothing about the amount OF con
misary stores at atRichmond, but thinks il Il not
large. In the spring consideraele quantities Of
pOTk removed 10 Danvtlle. M m <v.s