, 1862-07-10
FROM mmcCLELLANsS ARMY,
Interesting Teta1la of the Situation.


six or seren miles 1elo8 City Point,
aud about fo1ty:stven miles below Richmond
BY water, and half as far bya direct line. The
camp Is established on the farm or estate Of
Dr. Powhatan B. Sta1ke, whose mansion aud
tuthulidings arc being used Us hospitals. TIE
estate is very fine one, and once belonged to
Bc1j Harrison, signer Of the American De-
fasatlon Ga! 1ae 9f dnderendenee and the athe1 Of
OF the United States, Who was born in this
mansion. The present proprietor inherited
the estate By marriage With Miss OrgaiQ. who
is dcscenee-t Of the Harrison family. Starke
bsipg rank traitor, deserted his place sew
eIal weeks ago, taking most Of his human
ehatt=ls, Of whom there were large number
On tie plantation and leaving directions With
Lis oTer6eer to burn and destroy everything
rather than permit anything to ELL into The
Eands 50 OF the "d-d Yankees which he didn't
aud refinement On the part OF its late occu-
pants; also Of q hurried departure, the furni-
tpre-which Is substantial and elegant-beine
mostly left behind, while the family pictures
we're cnt from their frames that still hung on
the walls.
THE SCENE At TEE LANDING
Presented as I landed {JuIy 2d) de1es all
description. Under some trees which laV
around IN clusters, our men were c1ouched.
They looked as if they were more dead than
alive; they we're covered to the crown Of
we're literally coated, while Their shoes md
boots had several pounds Of the nasty yellow
EtnH stuck into and and all round them.
Whole regiments were immersed to their
knees, many up to their waists in the yellow
riyer, with branches Of trees and pieces Of
sticks washing and sczaplog of the dirt, Car
airy men we're ont 50 far, trying to ret q
"clean wash" that the water reached their
HaCd1es, While they vigorously scraped them
selves and their weary steeds, many of the
men had rot had q dry, biscuit for
who vas wounded in the eye, his face covered
with blood and mud. He was valnly Offering
five dollars for something to eat. !
moved up the bill through awful pools Of
mud, sinking down to the knees at every step
I passed . house which had the Appearance Of
having been deserted by the owner, as there
were 10 doors or Windows visible. This
house wa6 SO crowded with sick and wounded,
poor miserable men, that doctor who came
up while was there coufdnot possibly get in.
4 great crowd was assembled around the doors
who, seemed to envy the more fortunate ones
Il fine house, with plenty Of out-houses. This
Eas our general hospital, and it Was crammed
full TO its utmost capacity I conyersed With
many brave men who had fought their Way
were not dismaycd or frightened. Quite the
{ contrary. In calm and cool mauner-not
ro' icing the torrents of rain filling on their
| hCads-tbere they stood telling Of the vast
| hoEdes Of rebels by which they were outnum-
| bcred. I stood in the ceuter Of many great
group Of privates who gathered around me to
| learn the news from the rest of the Torld-for
they saW by my clean linen that got among
t lhtnl BY some otEer route than Savage Stl-
| ton. I did not hear from these men one siu-
gle word Of murmur OF complaint. They said,
1--WE are ready when rcinforcements arrive to
50 at them again. At this time there was a
schoorer At the end Of the wharf, and gang
Ut at least three hundred eontrabands were ID
line, each having box Of biscuit on his
shoulder, carrying them ASHORE The riyel
along the wharf is very SHALLOW, and only one
vessel Of Light draught eau come alongside
the eEd Of the wharf.
THE MORALE OF THE RECENT MOVEMENT,
t Those persons who are untamili17 With mill
tory movements will perhaps be little puz
z;ed to reconcile the fact Of our repu1sing the
rebels 50 frequently, SO universally, With tbs
idct that our army continued to retreat after
every contest, and that in such haste as t.
leave behind, On the field, our dead and sucl
Of the wounded IS were unable to walk, thus
abandoning them to the enemy. The explain
alton is this:
The commanding e general, finding his brave
and heroic army on the field before Richmond
oyerborne by the pure force Of numbers, thu
rebels constantly pouring in horjcs of rein
ind being satisfied that would be dii]i:ult, II
not impossible, to hold his position, he yer,
naturally determined TO change it to ont
which could be more easily defended. IL de
cidcd upon the point nov occupied by Iii:
army {~ here he can have the co-opcra:1on O.
tie guIboats) and having SO decided, the neg
ihirg to be done WAS to march his army to th.
point desired, in good order.
The rebrls followed and attacked him as
matter of course. But as often as they at
| without considerable loss, however. In ordc
to gain his point, viz, to take up the position
hc desired on the james River, in order ant
wittcut stampedfng or panic in his ranks
after each rcpu1se oI the rebels, he was obliged
to hurry on to his destination with tue great
PEELED the severely wounded on the field
: | The march or retreat OR whatever else 20
choose TO call if, is regarded here as re
Earkab1y successful one. and the present pc
s!tioH Of the army as entirely safe from rcbe
attack.
, THE FEDERAL FLOTILLA.
, While the attention OF the country is Ger
, | tered ppcn the Important operations Of th
amy oi the Potouiac during the nlomen!ou
= Strategic movements OF the past six days, th
! no less important operations Of the gallan
t ard effective naval fleet, under Comulanle
John Rodgers, Of the GlIcna, should not b
d ovtrlcoked or forgotten.
o in the fleet arc the iron clad Galena, th
+ hag ship; the Monitor, Capt: JeifreYs; tl
= gunboa1s Ataratarza,e Capt. 7. Z. steTens
KIT nD}AAy Adpl. OEU4-V Ii. -t40IIlS 1ls
II haska, Capt. Harrsion; Aroostook, Captai
It Beaumont; Satellite, Capt. Gibson; Jaco
J. Bell, Captain McRa.; Sonthfvld, Capt. Bur
n The Stepping Stone, Island Belle and other
4 the nanes OF which do not now recur to MI
- hare been exceedingly active in STACKING ha
. quarters, and In keeping open the river |
= ac1ipg IS patrolmcn or tie liver police. 4
0 | this service has not unaccompanicd By daug
IS std less Ct life, Iu the dense woods th
= cre wn the summit Of tie high bluffs on eth
: hand, under Which the gunboats are obiye
off the men with rifle shots, and again
c ~he TN there can be little or no protectio
c We move along rapidly, and however sha7
: the lockout, tile white puff Of smoke, t
= sharp crack Of rifles from silent woods, IL
the falling Of men, are the only Indications
= the presence Of ! trtaeherou5 foe; and Il
she'll, bursting in tile rebel covert, finds I
victims for its dcath-dcaling fragments. Th
C frc one yo>1ey, and, like CO wards, sink aw
!, and escape their just punishment. The loo
- outs a1oit ere purtlculaIly exposed to the al
Is Of these scoundrels, and so many hare be-
y liled OF wounded that it became neeess lry
Il construct bullet proof lookouts ia the tor
- Which afford comparative protection.
WHAT rs BEING DONE.
Our troops were busilr occupied in e
tTcnching tEeir position and wese well on tt
" slate that would enable them to defy i vast
> euFtr!0r f0e
l. The enemy in large force are on tue ea
n side Of the CbickaE ominy, and threaten u
e, only Gen. A1cClellan's right Eiug, but t
v navigation Of the james River. These tn
:. PURPOSES will give employment to the tlotil
= a1d.on the activity and efficiency OF the gu
TO boats q very great deal depends. The co
S. etruction Of batteries SO as to interrupt t
- navigation Of tie river would be laying dir
% siege to Gen McClellan's position, and wou
IS place bis army in an extremely critical stir
= tiun. 1t may well be expected batteries "
I'd be planted on the left bauk OF the river, ma:
ii | ed until prepared to open on our transpor
- In view Of the probabilities in this Tegal
. quite number Of VESSELS aud other tran 5po
n on their way up have been turned back to 8a
Of Newport News.
To keep the river open, and the channel
= supplies and communication free, will requ
u; all the activity Of which the navy are capab
~ 1t for upon the guuhosts will dcyolve that
n portant duty. The Peninsula is virtually
Il The hands Of the rebels again; and thou
IL they Til not be likely to divide their strenE
is, by sending any considerable force any gr
q, distance below the Chickahominy, they nev
=, theltss could find no serious opposition
-. their progress nearly the whole length Of
-, route SO late travelled By the army Of the
= tomac, if they feel disposed to revisit
:e, | Peninsula.
te, TIE GALLANT BAT STATE.
), 4 little incident will show the spirit Of
ns, Massachusetts, 18th. When the Massachust
Is, | 10th, addressing the colonel Of the LIST, 81
IL ,o&1 111N<.r .17,SA1-