New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-04
pRom GEN. mcCLELLAN,s ARMY.

Sbc York and Fsmuniscy Rivcrs-An"'ts NJ
Yorktown-A Wealthy Rebel, Possess
ions-Thc Insucuce OF Large Fisn'a-
lion Owncrs-The Domestic Affairs Of
white-Housc.
f,ou Our Special Correspondent.
LEE MAsuoS. WnirK.HousK Va, May 81, 1869.
vRcrNrA's WATER COMMUNICATION ADvAN-
TAGES
To Northern man. unfamiliar with the topogra-
DIV Of Eastern Virginia, trip up inc YORK and
ramunkey rivers is suggestive OF many curious
affections. With IDEAS of enterprise eDgendered
rnder the Influences of free society and free labor it
=, with difficulty lie can realize the existence OF
liver, reaching hundreds of miles into the heart of
,oe Stale branching out into numberless tributary
,.rc,,ns all psvgable to schooners of large size
and small steamers; yet hitherto without commerce
or anything that can even in courtesy be dignited
with the name Of trade.
Vessels drawing 6 or II feet Of water can at most
times go with facility up the Pamunkey River
through the York. can tie up at thousands of points
20 near to shore that the overhanging branches of
trees brush their sides; yet from Fortress Monroe to
Wbite-HOuse Point, and much further there is not
or near tie river single town village Of sufficient
,re 10 eutte it to q Office under the rule rs
,orktown is the only possible exception Yet these
were cover with their waters nearly onehslf of the
,rfaee of South Eastern Virginia, aud drain the
whole. One County, lying on the head waters of
FORK River, contains population that gives about
80 voters, which my informant, who is one Of them
considers quite large numbers and the residence of
ach one Of those 500 is within a distance Of two
miles from navigable stream.
AFFAIRS AT YORKTOWN
Brig. Gen. Van Allen, commandsnt at Yorktown
has no snecure position. His spare time, after dir
posing Of matters legitmatey belonging to his
official duties, is fully taxed i'll dlsposing of the
claims of any number of the Secesh planters and
farmers OF the vicinity, who are mostly from
Gloucester County, opposite. Some have lost SER
wants, as they delicatey designate them. Some have
lost horses aud mules and other some are III search
Of all OF missing chattels. To all the opportu-
atty il afforded OF discovering the missing articles;
and if good loyal citizen. of the United States
hich fact they can verify by taking the oatn OF al
glance, their property is returned to them upon
rowing title As touching their human chattels,
hose claiming them have never yet succeeded IN
,bowiIg proper ttlehe original bill OF sale from
he lirs rightful owner in all cases being wanting
General Van Allen tells them that if they
an find any OF their servants who wish to go
ack they will be permitted TO go, but neither force
or threats shall in any case be allowed Persua-
sion having al failed, fugitives have yet
been returned from Yorktown. One who looked
rather civilized than the average OF +. +. VS.
f this region, and whom three likely boys had left
nth an aching void in his heart bis pocket,
rought over with him the mother of the sbscond-
ants fonGly hoping that her eoquence would enable
him TO recover the two younger iade whom he char
itably allowed" had been over-persuaded, as nc
sermed it, by the bad influence of the older brother
who, in his opinion, was fellow OF deep depravty
This chap was also the unfortunate loser OF fine
horse but as he was unable TO get q view OF him
among the esrays kindly exhibited 10 him as all the
unclaimed horses in tho camp, he returned home,
wiser perhaps, but richer, than he came. II was
terhaps a singular coincidence that an officer Of the
Quartermas,er's Department. mounted OIL inc
booded bay, rode into town just the other depart
cd having ridden out ON business about the time the
ferry-boat laaded.
NO MORE DEAD TO BE REMOVED.
Since the battle Of Williamsburg many persons
have arrived here and claimed the assistance OF Gov
erDment officers in recovering the bodies OF friends
killed in that engagement, and which have been
carried TO Fortress Monroe on the Government mail
boats. This practice has at length grown into such
positive nuisance as 70 require the interference OF
the commanding officer, ana is now totally prohib-
tied. The bodies have become 80 putrid and ohen-
yive that it not only rendered 1t unwbolesome for
those whose business connections with the Govern
ment required them 10 travel Oh these boats but was
also DANGEROUS for the officers III charge OF tbem AS
they can as well be removed al few months no In
dul9ence for the present will be granted and II Is
well for those at distance TO spare themselves Tue
trouble and expense OF q fruitless journey.
Il
yorktovn ia now a great depot for fugitives, and
more are constantly arriving. Night DelOie last
was the time and occasion Of the coolest rain Storm
Of the season in this locaty-cod ss November Va
attitude a. and clustering harder than March any
where Yet the ferry-boat from Gloucester FONT 10
Yorktown brought over somewhere between sixty
md one hundred fugitiyes, ALL or nearly ALL women
aud children, of all ages from Elk weeks 10 siAty
gears For various distances, some hive, some eight,
and some twelve miles through cold stormy night
And drenching torrents of rein had those women
and children struggled through ell to reach our INES
TIE hnsbands aud fathers of some OF them were
already here others with heir masters IN the Rebel
AMY Twenty Of them were held by one Fraser
Taft resident in Gloucester III miles dis,ant--now
b. arms against bis country; but as learned from
pne of the more intelligent, one OF the same lndi-
siduaIs who, meek and lowly, had come into our
ines few days before in search OF missing prop
.rty" He had been home and made arrangements
through which bis wife 10 gather up all the
.egroes smart enough 10 escape, and convey them
INTO the interior beyond Richmond In the course OF
he afternoon this arrangement leaked out, and these
women aud children kindly relieved him OF the ex-
oense of their removal any further care on then
account.
-Four or five other families WHO have been evacu-
,ed by this last arrival, all represented IN the
Rebel army and their los is from five to seven EACH
Nine belonged to the Catesby Jones estate, whose
providing representative in these diggngs is an over
ieer who is the uieanest have yet seen Ii is
matter Of doubt whether he 10 renegade Yankee
Or an lrsbman of the John Mitchell school He looks
axe compound Of the meanest specimens o. EACH
and would be regulated by both. Although he
could NOT tell me which service, Government or
Rebel had the honor Of lis masters abors, he knew
that be was In one Of them; and so had enough
% foresee tina, his dream Of "a plantation we'd
tocked With niggers,' was fading rapidly away.
de talks OF emiyrating South