The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-07-04
THE GREAT STRUGGLE
RETREAT OF THE FEDERAL FORCES
lncid ents. ~ c.

o,r rs,oyts from tie scene of operations yts'ef
,,sy were exceedingly meagre, and 10 obtain realty
,isre information was decidedly difficult. OF ri
mrs there WAS 10 scarcity from eariy in the morn
lac until late in the evening. In the forenoon The
flic,,;ax l,spaieh was received at ibis Office and
posted upon the huliesn'
..CEEsTrR July ,, lse2.
Mr. +. w Orr, iast from the Hundreds, reports
no g,nbu,ss above City Point al! having gone 10
Wer,oveg The Yankee troops have aii passed
down the same direction. They lett great many
wounded, s,,,d sick ai Shirley, hesies large et oi
stores Sc Al great many II the Fetcrsls We're
driven from Shirley by the Confederate troops, and
escaped ever into Eppess Island. Heavy firing
was heard down the river 'his morning..
Eppes's I.lani Is opposite City Point. and sepa
rated from tile main ia,d {siisiey) by marsh.
which il oyeffiowed at high tide. II must have
boeu n difficult task tor The resreating YANKEES /"
reach the Island under the circumstances ana we
s,.ll no, be surprised to hear that many Of them
~ ,shed in ;he attempt
Among the prevalent rumors yesterday evening
was one that 7eoo of the enemy bad been captured
below Chris Neck, but We were unable to trace II
To- amy authentic source. Persons coming rom
the last ttle-icd We're utterly unable 10 give any
definite account of the situation of affairs, though
many were quite confident that the bulk oi The
Federal army had either escaped hy the river, or
yot uudey cover OF thoir gunhoais. One gentleman
who LEFT the scene Of the recent struggle about
midday informed that he heard canno, .adina ap
pareuily Il few miles below but iha; !. wa. Rot Of
long duration 4 tonsidcrab number of prisoners
were brought in yesterday.
II appears from all accounts that McClcllans
array, after the battle Of Tuesday, continued TO
Int wit vel, r.
mains Vet to be- developed repor: from
Petersburg last evening that the Fsderais
landing the South side .of James river,
below City Point, with the supposed III
,tn;iou Of making diversion in the drec-
ton Of Prince George county. Whether this
report be au.Aentic otherwise, the enemy will
make no n,osa NJ that is not closely watched by
Generals, and should he attempt to retrieve bis
heavy dis;ist<F of The past week bold and gallant
army viii he ready 10 confront him.
4 large number of wagons, abandoned by the
Yankees their rereat from the line Of the Chick
:.hominy, viii be speedily transferred to Richmond,
filled with c"minissary ani other stores. The York
River train hast evening brought mp Il large amount
q, valuable articles suitable for army use found on
the line of the road within nine miles of the city
Ahou, nifty pieces OF field artillery abandoned by
lht 'ItlfSl Ntif tdhtu " our troops ytattrttay
All weTe spiked.
ftom THF 5ouIHst0E.
The Petersburg Express OF yesterday has the i,,i
lowing Information
Parties who came over yesterday afternoon, give
II their opinion that the enemy have been sur
fOnIa.si, or nearly and that hut few comp.r.l-
lively viii be ruai,ed 10 escape by i-an, g, tlrr
.unbuass On the other hand yideti-g from Bei-
lnnda Hundreds, ahi parties from Prime" Heorge,
who reached Petersburg yesterday afternoon,
port that the enemy s. Transports Were passing up
and down james river all day yesterday. W. hear
IIo that these boats invariably display iLe yellow
tag, thereby indicating vast nuinber "i Wounded
q else resoIiing to bit oi deception enlineutiY
characteristic OF The Yankee. they have Oh Re-
p-stsd occasions refused to respect the yellow dag
which has been heiStr' npon our hospitals, and have
actually hred upon il. This was done a; iiG Rum
the irth oi July, again AZ Pensacola and also AZ
other places which We cannot no'g recall
We hear that the fonr prisoners who were taken
OF the Chesterfield shore Tuesday evening they
having been diilted over by the current, state that
the amount Of dissatisfaction pre-, ailing in CAN
-Ccilln- army WAS vast but that wien corner
I'll and under th: Eye of their L!i:errs they lI,;il
hight These men did not hesitate In aT.li.- it as
their upaion that there We're thousands who W ould
.lIgiy leave. if il were i'll their power.
= I.ate Tuesday night, pickles in Chester
i.eid oyrriaule'i ii fugitive from Mcclellan army
who had SWAIN the river, and sought safety in the
loua- free negro The poor creature was fam.
iSlr,i, had nothing i'll the shape Of wearing alp
par,l II shirt, and declared his utter aversion
To again taking mp against the Southern
Coni-deracy. This fugitive stated that thousands
would have cheerfnly joined him in his voyage, but
;or the lear Of Injecting a "atrry grave, ana do
not doubt that hr spoke the truth.
We learn from a gentleman uho resides in Prince
tteorge, that the wagon train to which We referred
yesterday as being at Berkeley, in Charles CITY
county the bank OF the river was greatly ans,
nrnt"i Tuesday afternoon and yesterday. These
wagon. now line the banks Of the river for miles
and number several hundred 1t is supposed tba,
they haye been driven there TO secure the IN from
capture but We are oi the opinion that body ot
Confederate cavalry conld dash down and secure
the horses, If not the wagons. There are no gun
boats lying near; or thero were yesterday iil
beirg occupied higher up the river, in the more .
mediate vicinity of Mcclellan forces.