The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-05-10
war News of the Week

"06 NEWS VI SAS W
This principle excitement in the war
news for tho past week has been at York
towA, and thence on the road to Virginia
Gen. Mcclellan had completed his arrang-
A.ents perfectly to make the assault on
Thy enemy's works on Saturday morning;
and At 4 o'clock that morning the advance
was actually ordered but our troops ar
rived only to gee the tail end of the enc
mys rear guard file out ofthe place The
enemy had taken.a big scare, and COM
menced evacuating on Friday night
They went in somewhat of hurry. They
left behind large amount OF camp equip
age and guns which they could not destroy
for fear of being seem By morning our
army was within..the rebel works Every
thing" saws a despatch, was found in ut
tar confusion. About so pieces of heavy
artillery were spiked We found large
amount of medical stores, ammunition,
camp eouipa.e, tents, and private prop
erty of officers Negroes found there say
that the rebels threw a large amount OF
ordinance stores into the river.
"Several deserters have come into our
lines. One states that the rebels evacua-
ted owing to the near approach OF our
paraIlels: that they feared the success OF
onr eupboats in the York and James
Rivers, which would cut off their commu-
nications. Gen johnson gave the order
to ayacuate on Thursday, to commence on
the following morning, which was done.
Magsuder is said to have strennously OPP
posed the evacuation. saying that. IT they
couldn't whip the Fsderals here, they
couldn't any where in Virginia.
s4Gen. Lee, the rebel COMMANDMENTS
Chief. arrived at Yorktown on Wednes'
day. He examined McClellan's works
infinitely, after which it is supposed he
recommended the evacuation, deemlng
his works untenable.
"Deserters agree that their troops were
much demoralized and dishartened when
the order to evacuate was given, as all an
ticipated fight.
1.-THE rebels had 100000 men on the
Peninsula, also 400 pieces of field artillery.
1t is believed that the rebels have fallen
back to Chickahominy Creek, beyond
Williamsburg, where it is expected they
will make a stand.
This denouement of the siege Of York
town. was not wholly unanticipated by
Mcclellan for on Friday he had placed
Gen. FrankIin-s division on board trans
ports to noyd up York river, to West
Point, and intercept the rebels in thei'
retreat in that direction. The division
moved at once on Saturday morning
headed by four gundoats The main road
for retreat up the penensula being NJ
York river, the movement is easely under
stood But the rebels finding themselves
thus pursued, turned twords Villa msburg
Gen Mcclellan lost no time in despatch
ing Gen. Stoneman with all the cavalry
and horse artillery in pursuit, followed by
the infantry. Sunday evening Mcclellan
telegraphs:
sour cavalry and artillery came up with
the enemy's rear gard in their intrench
ments, about two nffes this side OF Viii
liamsburg. A brisk fire ensued just as
, nv aid left, Smiths division of infantry
arrived on tie ground, and it is presumed
carried the works, though ! have not YET
heard. The enemy's scar is strong, but
have force enough up there to answer all
purposes. .f-..
All along the lines their works prove to
. have been most formidable. and am now
fully satisfied of the correctness of the
course l have pursued. The success is
brilliant, and you may rest assured that its
effects will be of the greatest importance
There shall be no delay in following VI
the rebels.
The rebels have been guilty Of the mos
murderous and barbarous conduct, il
fh1a o1, do or
works, near wells and springs, and neal
flag stats, magazines and telegraph offices
in carpet bags, barrels Of flour, &c. For
tunately we have not lost many men il
this manner-some four or FIVE killed, anC
perhaps a dozen wounded.
shall make the prisoners remove then
at their own peril
In this skirmish before williamsburg
our loss was seventeen killed and at GU
e forty wounded Eighty rebels were l,f
dead on the field and forty wounded
We took nearly two hundred prisoners
their dead were buried by us on the field
Gen. Mcclellan gives this account of
in dispatch to the Secretary of Wa,
dated Sunday evening;
"As we approached the enemy,s work
(before Williamsburg a regiment of cay
airy was seen. coming in line of battl
about mile off Captain Gibbons batter
opened on the rebels a very effective Gr'
= 5ut didn't change their course. The rel
els opened on as from behind an eartl
work. i portion Of the lst and 9th ca
airy then charged On the advancing TO-
and hand to hand fight ensued- Nor
OF our men We're cap used, but we took
number of prisoners
The action appears not to have bee
decisive, for it is not until Tuesday tha
We find Mcclellan entering Williamson;
which he announces thus to Secretar
Stanton, dated May 9th:
CT have the pleasure to announce til
occupation OF this place, as the result OF
Z. hard fought action yesterday. Hancock
Brigade engagement had the effect totus
the left of the enemy's line of works
= 1.-The enemy abandoned their emil
line during the night, leaving all his sic
: and wounded in our hands His 10
Yesterday was very severe We have son
three hundred men wounded. and mo
than one thousand wounded and prisoner
I. Their loss is heavy. Our victory is COZ
/ Slete hare ssnthaye sent cavalry ca
ally in PsssuiA
aThe conductof ous men vas exceller
With scarcely an exception Che cpemy
worxs were extensive and, exceeding
strong.
- 4Dur loss in Hooker's division is heay
u but yeyy little in other parts of the field
isf Hane0ck's success was gained with
~sioss Of not ovsr 20 killed and wounded
a ~ We have other battles to fight bsfo
I.seeachipg Ricbmona.
-. J. The rebels are flung from William