Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-12
FROM GEN. slecLELLAN,s ARMY.

u VI 4
The army before RiCLmOnd still HgbEng-but
With the elements More uHfavorable wealth
er for speedy and successful operations cannot well
be conceived IL was by the greatest good for
tune imaginable that Sumner, on the last bIt mem
Crd6le saturday, TCCeeded in getting over the
river. " X aston she'd the enemy then To learn
that he hid crossed, IL 10 equally surprising to MS
now to learn how he did II Has TsdrlanSt bat
terry trTg6H hG8 scarce been hIElsd off fhs fontlng
GS% psTtl5ES CHESstcay Of legs bsfoTs the rnshiHS
tcdtsTS SIcsFt Tts ttD5srS array making huge gaps
in the work, and rende-ing that avenue Of ap-
P'oach entir ly useless Thrice WIS Il repaired
during the Tires following days and as often was
4. swept away Oaicers and men suffered for
s1osistencei wagons were not able TO move an
inch; Bottoms Bridge temporarily gave way,
and the first sEbs'antial crossing was by railroad
bridge, which was S"repairfd by Tuesday morn
ing as to admit Of tie passage of infantry and
cavalry.
Each dav this week uutil Yesterday we have
had pouring rains; muddy, impossible roads;
short commons for men aud animals rising riy-
ers, broken bridges, and destruction on ali hands
But we suTvivei work yet progresses something
Is daily done; future delays will b. very brief:
the of blood shed on the hard foug ht field OF
Fair Oaks viii! g avenged, and the fate Of rebel
lion soon permanently settled The army burns
To administer tO he rebel host before us tie ipno-
minious fate to which EailecA aud Pope have
cOnSigncd Reauregard and his minions
The railroad bridge over the Chickahominy
hiss been double piankeC over the tier, 90 as to
admit the passage of in'aairy and cavalry TIE
service Cf tNe lad CaHr q" BE- too highly appre-
ciaied- ga - -, SHORTY after the
hJidge Was s-tr IC- s--,1. ~. -. Averell's Sd
PeEnsyivaa.a ct7ei.. ae.,y: I'D In single
file, with men .Es. 9 g.: ts,sI 3 crossino'
the elevated tee lie We .T-., Gle, one-fourth
Cf a mile IN length. ?. Se - r. -:.e west e..
the road curves slightly, ..:tIG--'- rood We
To- me rear fhc 81, nS of tAs go li.e af ioIrsE.
cd men, IN single Rte, exIC ndiag a, l., bach ~
the eve could reach, was ore Of tho most move,
asd original we have ever witnessed. and the
universal desire u have The scene preserved on
paper ought 10 have 7reR ZTatiiei, aud we trust
sour special srt!St' even II not ''On the saUt D
may still present It ia some recognizable fo,t1
THE POSITION
Especial Correspondence Of PhiI4HelDhla Press
HEArQUARTERs ARMT OF THE POTaMAc, Jrue
&, lc62 Within the past two weeks the relative
slrat1ons OF the two opposing az - nd We been
materially changed La the lat " eek Of Nav the
ChiCkahOmlny river was !E@ boundary over which
neither party stepped, but since thcn things have
materially changed fhe bsttls at HsnoveT Court
House, and It's rCUIi;s IA running the Virginia
Central Railfosd TO Ashland, and putting that
place In our possession, - ally strengthened the
natural dei'nSeS on our right wing, which,
although sin behind TIC chic kahominy. Is there
In such force lhas Il virualy pYCvcots the rebels
from oCcuPyl..- the fields iIGuedid idteIy bordering
the siTeaH1 oa toelT side, ssRding Ina aud ing
Parties across the numerous tOFdS and bridges
oar Right rests IN force on Meadows bridge five
miles nOrtbnotibwest cf Richmond near the
crossing Cf The Central road: thence for four miles
down lt.holds lie northeastern bank of the river,
with three BRIDES At point west Of r .ch-
mond, six miles d'stSnt from il. our forces are
across the river ano the font bears to the sout
ward until 1t strikes the James river The entlfe
front OF the army ~ q segment. Of a circle, with
the ConCavity toward the Cuemy, the left being
south OF Richmond, and supported by gunbosis
ou lanes River, eight miIe' frUm toe city. the
T@ht being northwest "i the "a 1.tsl at kIec han
iEsylIle and its vicinity, dfsiani four and half
miles.
The Richmond and York River RaIlroad Ia Ia
running Older TO SaVago's station, short die
tsRce across tue Chick shOminy, aud supplies our
left wing with provisions nd forage. The rig ht
wing l. supplied fTOn Dispatch and Forage STA
tons, polutS near the w hlte HOUSE from witch
stations there Is wagon transportation varying
from ono 70 ten miles, according to the distance
OF the troops. .
Under cover Of he7vV Ere Of artillery, which
ehsCtually silenced the RsbSl batteries Geu
Smith Yesterday crossed the ChIckahominy at a
pOintwere our troops had previously erected a
bridge, on the left centre Of cur line. He had a
large l force, and met with no great opposition.
The policy Of the campaign seems to be 70 gradu-
ally cross at favorable opportunities from the left
wing around 10 the right Every division cross
ing is nearer ard nearer the right wing. About
one -haH OF the army have crossed, and SATURDAY.
ald Sund iY's conflict on tie left wing whilst
gained Us bat slightly advanced position, so
crippled the Rebels as 10 efsctuaIly insure the
safety OF all the Federal troops across the stream
Continuous artillery Agh:s are fixing place be-
tweenthe batteries OF the tgo armies sl0ng the FIVE
miles Tor which he river is the boundary. The
guns are generally a mile and half distant from
each other, and as the stream and swamp are in
rather depressed valley each party can see across
TO the oiaeF, observing the effects of the shots
and the movements Of the troops, iThe rebels
show most miserable a,unnery, aad In tassa con
nlcts tney are generally ehe losers. A dozen or
TIVE Federai SHELLS generally silence their bat
terfesl ara we can distinctly see them running
back Under cover OF the woods Something's draw
luR lneif cannon after them Save enc rebel
sped which fell in General Slocomb,s camp two
ueys nnce, not one Of any thrown causes US the
shg otest damage. They do not fall short butthe
rebels have poor naTksmen or inacc urate euns.
not one have ever seen TIRE appeared 20 be fnac-
curdtely aimed. Our gamers show their superb
oIly az once ~ making the enemy desert their
guns, but in no case have the fehslx I'm anv -
tAeae dueIs across the river, every forced us
20 run away from our pieces We afways have
me Iast shot, aud usually send them c1rveting
EIef f dsiuad cf living rebels, whose powers OF
lecomotiOn ere iniuIitsbie. 81 .rG- - 7
We are slowly 6utsurely progressing, and eyery
any drawing closer around Richmond