The New York herald., 1862-11-19

the fsliAEs behind which could NOT be immedis'ev
ad usted.
All this labor WAS performed with an sdmraoie enssy
and intelligence. In this rcspeo, .1s he !. Sull of
resources an excellent roadmaker, an exceen. ,,
man. good carpenter ana even ,hS cnusss Of the
campagn that We encountered nour or corn m moved
by hydraulic wheel or by steam macn,nery Tnra Thsra
xSere Immediately found tho first regiment that came
up men capable Of repairing and putting them IN mo
ton ,nr the uses the army But what was above all
rSos remarkable to gang OF laborers at work
n the ores, making what in military parlance are called
which this labor is accomplished. | remember forty
hectares of high woods oaks and other hard timber
labor NEVERTHELESS was not performed without great
dead Of moral material fatigue, but was tho result
and restless activity, and was accomplished
under q never ceasing nre.
DUTY.
In these immense forests deprived Of roads, where at
every moment exposed to unexpected attacks,
we could the risk OF having advance posts at
distance this would be to expose them to the con-
tinual danger of being surprised and captured There
was therefore formed what they call in America the
line pckets uninterrupted limo of sentinelss SUP
ported by ortcations from which many OF the
troops belonging 70 them were never withdrawn. Bc
sdos the armies quite near and quite DECIDED
Ackets within the OF each others voices They
generally behaved worry well to each other conunihs
themselves recprocay to the observance Of this rule
Sometimes friendly communications were established
among them they frequently trafcked 10 small Objects
exchanging the Richmond journals for the new YORK
ID. II
were invited by their Confederate comrades to 60 70
ball at Richmond, condition OF having their eyes
bound going and coming but shot, fired by hazard
soon interrupted this good understanding They fred for
quarter OF hour, Killing aud wounding some hundred
men before quiet restored
SICKNESS AMONG TIE IRoors.
On other occasions the troops were surprised In their
camps By shower Of shells coming, no one knew
whence. the picSets, sufficiently disagreeaoe
mode awakening one, when this occurred at nght. II
it in the day the men would mount % ts TOP @ o.
smoke would indicate the place, and they would also see
some Confederate solder at the top OF some towering
tree IL forest who from that position directed he hre
ur the a.tcrymon These isolated little occurrences,
whether they picket hring or long range sneus,
scarcely disturbed any except the toos immediately
cxposei because they occurred every moment, a"d
there who was not accustomed 10 them put
whenere, the sound cannon and mnsketry were
njnple6 together with viyacity which rome couns
ake the whole army under arms and the stan
odccrs mounted their horses The enemy making
demonstration in force, and were going TO reply
Would II result iE baltic? This continual uncertainty
wes singnlarIv tiresomc However tho battle did not
take place The Southern generals not mre than those
OF the North not so careless as 70 engage pemaIey
in a general accn They had their pi ms which tley
left 10 time 70 ripcn Every day they received new rem
rorcencnts, and yet they waited for more IN snort
time all the available forces Of the rebellion would be
MAXI great ravagcs among the weaed soldiers OF the
federal The extreme heat Joined to the exnala
| medstely took the typhoid character A division,
already greatly reduced by the onemys are wouu nave
less than two thousand sick at time system :"
temporary and irregular PERMITS which was established
in the army, also contributed to reduce the enecye
strength. Many colonel took upon himself the right
| of giving few days leave to soldiers who never
returned any 1t is, however, just TO say that IN
this difficult position General Mcclellan received some re-
;norccments. One Of his old divisionsthat OF Mctal
had been sent to him. Besides Fortress Monroe having,
at last been placed under his commaad he Withdrew fye
or six thousand thence. This something's but II
was very ntte great deal too little to fill up the void
made his ranks, and which was increasing every day
THE RAID OF LEEs CAVALRY
These days passed In inacton had also the inconve
encouraging the enenys parsans to make some
bold strokes That which was attempted by the Conede.
Colonel lee OF the mos. singular of the war
| Al the head Of 800 horscnen he attacked squa
drons which were scout near Hanover Court House
and. having dispersed them he made successful incur
the communications OF the army His project was
under the Of night TO destroy the York River Rail-
road bIt he did no, succeed We had only the curioas
spectacle cavalry attack on railroad train the tram
dashing at full speed through the enemys horsemen
and the obstacles placed in i way csca7ed without fur
ing Bat although Colonel Lee had net succeeded in de-
sroying the railroad he lad made brilliant razzia on
| III, magazines Of the army and having executed the
blew, had succeeded in escaping without accident The
misfortune was that attempts OF this kind could be re-
and there were not troops enough to oppose them
on all sides al once However, in the midst OF 30 many
There was no Disgusting the fact that Inc army
by than on.;hrd since its entrance into the cam
pagn deeimated by disease menaced in their rearthsy
em ooss three more han
their cwn, they could not dream Of remaining
ne. r.. the Ssy
| and more recently at Corinth. General Mcclellan
knew this Therefore soon his bridges ready
he decided to move. project was from the beginning
present TO his mind This 70 transport the entire
army seventeen miles from the point occupied aban
doning his line Of communication Of the York river 70
seek with the assistance Of the navy base OF
ratons the james river II the movement could sue
ceed II he could succeed In conceaing his march, the
chances OF great battle which might take place the
banks OF the river aud in which the guuboats would
bni This movement had its dangers also. II not
easy thing 70 accomplish the presence Of all hs cnemys
lcrces without counting the moral results Of seeming to
be beaten in retreat.
scESEs rEcoySorssAScys.
Il was therefore renounced, or at least poet ipened.
With American tenacity, quality which among this
pie 10 ON par with the sowness. and which compensates
for it toa certain extent they were determined not to
treat unless they were compelled by force II de-
sired 70 p:sh the operations already commenced TO
conclusion but the wise rrecaution had not been
taken under any circumstances &c send 70 City Point
the James river vessels loaded with provisions, muni
tions and stores Of all kinds That DONE General McCe
Ian would endeavor &. bring on general action
mond--a ground which he bad PROFOUNDLY studied
during numerous reconnossances These reconnosanccs
had given rise number Of incidents once the Gene.
raj mounted with many OF his officers the sum-
nit o large tree, and there each established on his
branch they held, glasses in hand sind 0 council of
war. The occurrence within hundred steps OF the
enewy's pcke's wbem none " the movements OF The
observers could havs escaped We trembled expecting
~ bear the repo OF the carbe ~ those famous sharp
shooters OF the South tut they behaved magnanimousy
and the reconnaissance terminated withou, any unoru-
| my's stan Of officers appeared on the bor-
ders OF the Chickahom.ny at the same moment
with FEDERAL stan These gentlemen Immediately
made of their musicians advance calamity and play
popular air; but scarcely had the tune been played
when the musician was replaced by battery which,
arriving si galop opened terrible hre, to which the
cierals MT org replying These explorations
revealed general ihs. the ersmy not ide and that
he had thrown cp works armed with heavy cannon pre-
csey 10 those places where we would least Gesre them
TIE ADVANCE MOVEMENT.
~ as' after good deal Of delay, action tsguu.
On the 25th a June Hooker received the order 10 adj
q mile 70 the front, 10 q vast glade the
direct to Richmond. II expected that this
movement wonid draw or the general resistance Of
the Csrfederatcs, by which the battle Of Fair
Oaks would he refsught the same ground but with
olcy established bridgss, and consequently with the
assistance vi the whole II the challenge not
accepted, step In advance wono have been made
other wsud be sde day and thus the army would
gradually arrive al the gates 90 Richmond He trusted
Il IA Hnaker rpo,ut white