Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-07-16

verso the fields where it Hourshed The gardens have
been uprooted and utterly destroyed. The pleas
ant and comfortable farm houses, SO recently happy
homes, are now filled with blcedng ana suller'"s
wounded soldiers; and under their roofs many
once brutal INVADER now broken in spirit ana hody
receives Christian charity from the hands Of those
he came to crush and subugate.
THE SITUATION NEAR THE RIVER.
An explanation may be furnished OF the various
and extraordinary accounts circulated III tne Guy
the position and movements of the enemy BY the
fact that his forces have been dispersed over such
wide extent of country, and thrown into such con-
fusion. that it has been impossible to follow his
movements or reconnoitre his position with pre-
cisi6n. '-' 49,
1t is believed that that portion Of the enemys
forces which are described in communication with
the river, and as having taken their way towards
Shirley and Westover with long trains of wagons,
&C., by no means composes the bulk Of McClean's
forces ami that considerable portion Of his army
IS still detained within our lines on the roads lead
ing down through Charles City county. .t.r
The ginal plan Of cutting Oft the enemy's com
munication with the river, which was to have been
executed by movement of Holmes division be-
tween him and the river was frustrated by the severe
fire of the encny's gunboats and since then the
situation appears be that Of division or dis2er
sion of McClellan's forces, one portion resting on
the river and the other unable to extrcae itself from
our lnes-such situation in which we would be
likely hear Of new dispositions of our forces being
made every day, and many confused stories OF the
nature of operations.
The difficulty in obtaining precise and reliable
from the seat of active operations besides those
which ordinarily exist is due to the essential nature
of the situation ITSELF in which an immense army OF
the enemy has shifted his position and scattered his
forces to such extent that even our generals have
tINo nhnr
Of scene and uncertainty Of movement which have
marked the wonderful retreat Of Mcclellan.
SKILL OF THE ENENY's RETREAT
The skill and spirit with which Mcclellan has
managed to retreat are remarkable, and afford no
mean proofs of his generalship. At every stage OF
his retreat he has confronted forces with strong
rear guard and has encountered US with we'll organ
lied lines of battle and regular dispositions Of inan
try, cavalry and artillery His heavy rtied cannon
have been used against US constantly on his retreat
WHAT Is KNOWN OF THE SITUATION OF TIE ENEMY.
We believe all that was known in this city yester-
| day, outside of the circles of bureaucracy,
was that the enemy had taken a strong position,
| vita one of his TANKS resting the river about
Berkeley completely under the cover of his gun
| boats, and his extreme right reaching to Herring
creek, where his position is defended by an almost
impossible moraSS 1t Was supposed that the enc
| my would have been attacked yesterday; bu. there
had been no lighting up to the last accounts we had
from the lines There were three Of the enemy s
gunboats at Berkeley. 1t was reported yesterday,
with great rs,stcnce, that the enemy was debark-
Ing his forces, but inclined to suppose that
he was doing nothing more than transporting his
sick and wounded.
| THE COUNTRY AROUND BERKELEY AND MISSIONER
Berkeley and Westover have, within the past
three days. become points OF absorbing interest,"
The remnant Of the grand army OF the North having
eluded the Confederate generals, and escaped from
the awkward situation in which they sought to hold
it in the swampS near Carriers mpond in the rear
of Shirley has taken position and, it is thoug ht,
will make last desperate stand on these plantations.
In this situation Of af,irs description of the local.
ty and Typographical features of the enemy selected
ThermopyS, will be matters of interest.
In enuneratlug the advantages secured to the enc
my by his present position, his superior facilities OF
transportation must not be omitted Whilst our
ammunition and stores must be wagoned distance
Of nearly thirty miles, his steamers and transports
are running up to the very doors of his tents
If we have gwen the reader an idea of the topo-
graphical features of the enemys position We have
fully accomplished our object. 1t is not for us to
suggest how generals are to overcome the Oh
saces now presented to their advance nor to discuss
McCleians ability to resist siege indefinitely, now
that his water communication is free and uniter.
rupted.
For the benefit of the distant reader We may here
properly say something Of the character of the
try to which, suddenly and Unexpectedly, the seat
of war had been shifted. Ten days ago, when Nc
Clcl!an beleaguered Richmond, with the exception
Of about five miles Of Chckahoriny low, ground, he
occupied the most barren and of the time the
worst watered and most unhealthy region Of Eastern
Virginia Agues, hoop poles and whOrtlebcrries
have been always the only sure crops Of the coun
try within radius Of ten miles about the Seven
Pines, taking that point as centre; and but two
living streams cross the Nine Mile or Williamsburg
roads between Richmond and Bottoms Bridge. On
these two roads, with the Seven Pines their head
quarters, the very pick and flower of the Northern
army was concentrated; and here for weeks theil
n vigour and numbers melted away under the indu
ences of .niaslna, bad water and southern sun
but, by his hasty trip through White Oak swamp
Mcclellan has emerged with thinned ranks, into
more genial land. broad fresh river flows before
him, while his tired and hungry hordes will fine
boundless supplies in fair and rich valley as the
sun shines on. The country of the lower James
river is the very garden spot OF Virginia. NO where
does the soil better repay the toll and Skill OF tns
husbandman 1t is laid off in immense estates, thu
property of wealthy owners who have spared neither
skill nor means in their improvement. The dwell
inyhouses are of almost prncely size, and surround
ed Inv teeming gardens capable of supplying thu
markets of the great city of New York.
Il is sincerely to be hoped that the ability of ou'
Generals and the dauntess courage Of the Southern
armies will soon relieve this portion OF our Stat
| from the presence of the invader. In them unde
! Heaven. is our only hope. SO long the enemy
holds undisputed possession of the lower James,
long is the capital of the Confederacy menaced.
Casualties in the N. C. Regiments at Richmond