Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-08-02
THE RArTLEs BEFORE RICHMOND.

CANDID .cKStwLrDsMEsr OF x'cLiLLAs's DTFTAr.
The corresp,rdzn: ct tie Coicago Times m kcs a
clndd acknowledgment OF hcClelAns defeat in the bat
ties before Rchmend. BE triesnehsr to disguise nor
gloss it over We make some extracts from that portion
OF his letter:
Tne amy of the Potomac has met the enemy and been
defeated There is 10 in attempting to eVads u
gloss over this sad and humliating fac. ~ll venturI
10 asserl that the newspapers will cootan official hIle
tins from tho War Department. AZ Washington, salng
that Mcclellan has gained brilliant victory The
Ooufederaes; has aanhilsed their army. am tired OF
thcse off isl Washington lice. | kntw how aud why
they are manufactured. Stanton sacrificed Mcclellan
au5 his gallant army tn altar OF his &c fl h arb
tor. tell you are deteated-dgtdted NTH terrible
loss.
The War d ,partmen. at Washington, "a learn from
papers received to-day, has suppressed all the material
facts and has had the bzSn Chontery 10 trumpet TO
the world the ass rlion that have gained great vic
tory before Redmond. The fact ia 1oty the reverse
W. have net with defeat which will prove the utter
inhalation OF he army of the Pot5mlc uulssI are
reinforced by 100 600 disciplined troops in the course OF
the present month. We have lost sixty pieces OF art
lery which have been captured by the enemy, bu all
the other gus have been brought Of safely The LOIS
which will be severely felt Is that of the baggage
and personp effects OF officers OF many OF the Teg
ments packed away in trunks and cIrpe. bags, which
necessarily left behind for want Of transportation
We left beuind st Savage Station, also, 800 wcuGdsd
AID sick soldiers % surgeons, WHO volunteered 10 stay
and take oil hem and DO nurses selected from the
ranks.
We were Obliged to release all the prisoners we had
taken aud, humiatitg still, we had TO leave up
on tue battle i'd 10 the tendIr mercies OF the enemy
thousands OF our dead and dying soldiers. 10 riding
Il rorgl the woods Oh each side OF the road have
the gcound sresed Tor miles with blake ovsIcOats
kns rslck c4rtrijge boxes filed with ammunitioD aud
even with nusksts sad bayones in capital Crjer. or
maskets alone their must be thousands thus 'h7o~n
a=sy. The woods too, sGd by-rJads and lanes, wers
led with s;rsgglers aud skukCT., who always had the
sane tale t. tell They hal Ton It with their regiment
until ordered fall back aud had then become sepSra
ted rom il and bad beef unable TO hld II srce. The
number OF ese skglkeIs all of than "houL arms wac
estimated to Cay 10y army officer VI high TAnA al 20
uuO
The retreat proper nerced on Friday night, Jaue
21th l. was continued without intsIinisson until the
army reached this position. Our losses drrIg these fear
ul days have been enomOu7 aud must reach, 10
ked wounded aud placed hrs De cO115dt i've tbotsId
per day. thiry thousand ai least, 10 all We ATE
new twenty-five miles Southeast Of Chmcnd, N d..
isc; .nc fifty miles 10y he col's, OF .mes river
A. sc were only four miles trcm Richmond when tie
movement commenced, il readily be peIC slyet how
N Ich cCsr,r we are TO our Obi CT now
stated in my LIST letter, aiso haI DIE taking OF Rch.
mCni by this amy was logger probable; that the
question now Was whether Mcclellan and bis army shall
saved whether Sey shall be cut 4 by The enemy
Two weeks have espsed silce that letter was written
AID nownsik the resul:-every word has been verified
The time, then, not Only 10 have saved Nc III
ap'4 army bot also, 10 have reinforced il 10 such
ten, that could have taken K cl mold. Bot it was
not SAnon's iueGIion 10 do either He had determined
20 s,cI ice AcClellLu, aud he has done it,
II is With heavy hesr. that write Ihese lines.
write bosrt, the ground. amid sceu,s that !
never expected 10 witne,s The yard in which am cit
ing Is crowded WITH the wounded, the dying aud the
lead ~hO have been brought here for the benz Of
that tile shade is Eo dsi by few stuuted trees The
AZ /, K hsa ei furnace. The Gun, sboush It ?
H. sull p5u .ug down its gl-rng, fcorsbiUg hea -
There is 70, breath OF w.pd sIruug. TIE geOue
a e hing their horrible woik IN satd clOse by.
Of mui!latcd and legs which hes been stead
Increasing sitce morning, bears testimony to the fear
fl extent OF their lbor4. 4 young c,ltiu, fuC,
htnj-ome fellow, WAC oiaed with me yesterday, anc
Sso vas then full Of LIE and spirits kas Is; been
red olg OF It's she'd dcat hAvog expired nom eIaEut
on If er suffering the ampn alton o. both gs above
she knee. Ga al sides the grosns Of tbs wounded fiji
Ite air. The scenes bsy, pissed through since then
a'e su,A as prv may uever b. my LOT 10 sse again