St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-05-08
Their. rear desert.

sion About fifty; pieces 81, heavy artille-
~ were left splksd.E We found large
amount Of medical stores, smmunition,,
.:np eaaip.se, ~ and pfi'a:' property
Negroes Who we.s fouud shsrss NY that
the rebels throw 4, large amount ofordnsnes
stores into the river.
Several deserters have come Into our
lines. One y,atcs that the rebels evxeua
ted owing t. the near spproaeh If our
parullels.e III they learned the suoerss
II our xunbosts III thu York and James
rivers, which would cut Of their commu.
nlcatlUn. .'~~-'
Gen Johnston gave orders to svacuats
on Thursday Mud u commences on the tol-
lowing morning which was done. Niagara.
der Is said " have strenuously opposed
the evacuation, saying II they could not
whip the tsderals here they; could not
any where in Virginia. . l.. -: cav,
zen. Lee, the rebel Co,nmsnder-in.
Chief, arrived Ut Yorktvwn on "Wednesday
aud examined McUIell4n's works infinitely
utter VIII CHI it is supposed he recommend
ed the evacuation, deeminx Lis works un-
tenuDls.
The d.serte,s agree that their troops
were much den o Lied ind disheartened
wien the vr1er tO evacuate was given, ~
all anticipated fight there. 1he rebels
had 100 700 men o. the Peninsula, and
400 pieces Of field artillery. .s..~
1t /. believed he rebels nave fallen b..ck
to thickahomluy Creek, beyond Williams.
burg, w;c,e iii. expected they will make
stand. ,..,.,,
Gen. Stoaeman commands large force
If cavalry aud artillery, aua is pursuing
the enemy. lie lrooabi, viii colue up
with their rear before uiSnt i: they remain
near " iI.lamsburg. ~ 81.
Our gunboats have passed Yorktown,
and arr now Smelling the shores GU the way
up the river. Following them are num-
Der Of vessels loaded with troops to effect =
landing.
The enemy left II guns in their works.
At Gloucester Point guns and ordnance
stores were also left. Another dessrter
just come iu, reports JEFF. Davis with Lee
Oh Wednesday, and utter consultation With
prominent officers, all agreed to the eyae.
ua,ion except Mugruder .' = .
1t ia &c, taiu that the rebels received re-.
Inducements On Thursday by steamers
from k,chmoud, but they did not disem-
bark. "
Gen. Johnston's baggage has just been
captured. = -
WILLIAMSBURG, May I.
The advance under Zen. Stoueman
reached this place two and half miles
from Williamsburg, at two clock tins r n.
AS We approached the cnemy's works, .
regiment was see,' coming N hue III battle
ab.u. nile oH: Capt. Gibbons battery
opened a very effective FIR: on the rebels,
but did not change their course. The
rebels opened on US from behind al earth
work; ! portion OF LIST aud 9th cavalry
charged On the advancing foe, aud hand
to taud fight ensucd None Of our men
were captured, but We took 4 number Ct
prisoners.
Gibbons battery had IA horses killed
Lieut.. I'eWolf was nortaly wounded -
Osc gun WIS .ost ty sticking fast in the
mud. Lieut.. Benton Of the LIST cavalry,
and ten men were wounded. Lieut.. Nc.
Cl"llan, and twelve others Of the lot cayal
~ were slightly wcunded. The rebel
cavalry were forced to abandon t1eir posi-
ton but our want in infantry prevented
Us from advancing On their works.
We then fell back to await tho coming
Of our Infantry, Hanc"ck's brigade soon
arrived, but it was concluded to deter Op-
peratisns until tomorrow. ....,.. :.
The enemy are still retreating beyond
Williamsburg, but their rear guard is very
strong
LATtR-Mon,iay, May 1T is rain
ing heavily. We occupy Villa u,sburg
early this morning.
BALTIMORE, Mayo
One of the gunb"ats which went UP
Ymk river on Sunday morning has re-
turned. She reports that she found the
,l>er unobstructed; that our guuboats had
re :ched West Point, and that force had
been landed aud bridge on the road to
Richmond destroyed.
WASHINGTON. Mry I.
The following dispatches from General
Met lallan were received at the War De-
psrnient to-day: 49,. KY, + - T..
- >.,s.' 60 W1LL,AMsDuRa,, Mayo.
have the pleasure to announce the &C.
cupation Of this place as the result Of =
hard fought action yesterday. 1:...' -.
Hancock's brigade engagement had the
effect to turn the lef; of the: enemy's line OF
works. The enem, abandoned their entire
line during the night, leaving all his sick
aud !: ounded in our hands.
HE loss Yesterday was very severe.
We have some 800 men wounded, and
more than 900 wounded and prisooess.-