, 1862-07-03
AFFAIRS BEFORE RICH MoND,
GREAT BATTLE ON FRIDAY.
Important Strategic Movement.
Evacuation of Whiteh0use,
The Enemy Severely Repu1sed.

MY4Cu1slVR Vl w N1ttlfUllSts
The Enemy Severely Repu1sed.
Correspondence Of the Baltimore Ameriean.l So.
/; = - WH1TEnoUsE, Saturday, June 23
The events transpi1iug. at this point, and in
the army before Richmond during the past
tout days, haVe been Of such varied character
and thrilling interest, that scarcely know
where to commence or end the record in or
der to make it understandable to the general
reader. Many who were eye-Witnesges to
fully convinced that the whole army before
Richmond has been destroyed, and that Gen,
MeCleilan has been o11twittted, out-gener-.
aled, out-danked, andV' driven to the Wall,'
where he promised to place the enemy. The
evacuation Of W hitehou8e WAS to them IN In
e1plicable mystery under any other rcondition
OF facts; but had they kept their eyes open
early in the week, they would hare discovered
that the work Of evacuation was silently and.
surely progressing before any Of the fighting
On On the right 11ing,-as early Is Tuesday, aad
that large numbers Of vessels had left the
York and Pamunky Rivers, and were moving
rapidly around to new basis Of operations On
the James River. They might have also OBJ:
served that all Civilians we're forbidden to ap-
proach the front as early as Tuesday, under
At4J 4iSA*A+V #AAa6zfCIs H1lI l1tk Lille
stores ofsupplies at Dispatch Station, had been
steadily reduced for Reek, until the LAST boz,
Of Crackers, barrel ofbeef and bale Of hay had
disappeared, before the great contest on Fti-:
day, which left the way open for enemy to
approach that point, which have every rea-.
Gen Mcclellan to be the mouth of the empty
trap into Which they were being led, and, as T
hope and believe, to their entire ront and dis:
comfture. =;
WEDNESDAY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. -
At the Whltehouse on Wednesday matters
were progressing as usual with the exception
that there had been check In the Anding Of
Landing were being rapidly loaded I'd wagons
| and moved off towards the left aadk. Several
| steamers with large strings Of vessels laden
| with forage and subsistence had also been
| started @ down the river gith orders to proceed
| to City Point on the James River. This re-
| Fersal IN the course OF transportation occa-
| stoned considerable comment and speculation,
but was ascertained to be the fuifIlmcnt Of an
order direct from General Mcclellan.
Some supposed it to be intended for
Gen: Burnside's army which rumor said bad
reached the James River to cooperate with
| hin. An order was also received from head
| quarters early on Wednesday to prohibit any
one from coming forward to the line on any
consideration whatever unless the parties be-
| enptory that even those connected with the
| press, come Of whom had come down to for
ward their report By the mail boats were pre-
| vented from returning. aud Others who had
smuggled themselves through we're promptly
On the Eame day Gen. Casey came down and
| took command OF the small land force, not ex-
ceeding GOO men, and in the evening Eas noti-
tied to prepare at any moment for the entire
evacuation Of the post, and the preservation
| far ne ,r01 10 +t,r Y,t7H1} rtv
Similar orders were also sent to Col. Insalls.
| He iRu1e di2tely communicated with the fleet,
and a division Of men armed With axes pro.
ceeded during the night to cut down tbe trees
around White House, and subsequently all
the. way along, above and below the PAmunky
bridge, go as to give them free play with theiI
guns, On the same evening we had report
from headquarters that division Of the rebels
the forces Of Stonewau Jackson and Gen.
EWell, were approaching and threatening to
open the way By the right flank for raid on
the White House. In the meantime the
trains Oh the railroad were kept running night
and day, carrying forward nothing but amnu
nition and munitions Of war, with siege anG
rocket trains and field pieces. Thus ended the
events Of Wednesday.
1 Do1NGs On THURSDAY.
The fact that the gunboats had taken posi-
ton IN front Of the landing With their guns ou
and shotted, and the sweeping away Of tht
trees, which Was still progressing, gaya re
newed activity to the rush Of the camp fol
lowers for passes By the mail boat to Fortress
r,pidly depleted.
The down train from the front reported a}l
lniet with the exception Of certain mysteri.
Gus movements within our lines that were moi
understandable to civilians. The immense
stock Of stores and forage ut Dispatch Sta
ton, eleven miles from Whi:ehouse, wcr,
being carried off with great rapidity, and sub
sequent1y We learned tnat an immense train o
wagons had been running from that point al
day, with forage and stores, and that the great
ed. In the evening 1t VAS announced that no
q bale Of hay, bnshcl Of oats, 3 barrel Of bee
or boz Of crackers was left.
Throughout the day at Nhitshouse th
greatest vigilance was observed in and arount
the headquarters OF Gen. Casey, who hal
pitched bis tents on the beautiful lawn il
liront Of the Whitehouse, the building oecu
Charity.
An immense train Of wagons wa5 ais,
Moving forward from the Subsistence aut
commissary departments throughout the day
and the immense strocks on shore were beiu!
rapidly diminished. The trains on the rail
road were still steadily moving forward witt
ammunition, and continued throughout th
.. night. Cavalry scouts had also been sent ou
t in various directions during the day, AM
preparations were made for obstructing tn
roads.
Whilst all these preparations were going on
indicating the probable intention Of eVacua
steamers and tugs, probably fifty in number
! ! had been busy towing down the river to Wcd
> Point, distance Of fifty miles, throughon
: its toftnons windings, long lines Of brigs an
. bar6s laden with stores. The vessels thu
= were scattered about in the vicinity were ais
: collected together IN seperAte groups and ar
chored in the stream where, they could
, easily and rapidly taken in tow by the steaI
! ers when the time for their removal arrived
And in order that the reader may imagine th
) EceEe here presented, it may be proper for hit
r to understand that not less than seven hur
dred eail Of vessels were, two days preylou!
at anchor at the White House hnd 1aadiug an
} stream along Tor eight or ten miles down til
= river.
The reports from the front on Thursda
ing having taken place On the right, resul
ing In the repulse of the enemy, and fe
5 nore Of the wounded arrived, who Eeporte
e overy hing progressing most satiBfactoril,
4 whilst al the Indications we're that q gener:
Y battle along the line would take place ne.
: day {Friday.) The trains were kept in mi
= ton all night carrying forward munitions
{ war, whilst the wagon trains were still linin
E the roads With conmisEafy stores.
i THE GREAT ALARM.
On Friday morning the first item Of new
| from the front received BY telegraph was
| E41tAlA dHHOuAEc1uE1t GI&t tGlUHEH I'LL
:: son and EwelI, in attempting to turn the riyf
d Hank, were repu1sed by Gen. Mccall with b
n Pennsylvania Reserves, and driven back wi,
e great slaughter. THIS attempt Of Jackso
d was made 1T three O'Clock in the mornin!
), | and had closed at six O'Clock, with sign:
4 victory. This repulse is eaid to have Bee
II one Of the most decisive and destructive
q the var, the enemy being pnt to eomp1ei
. rout, with very light loss to our forces. 4
t, though at night, and intended for surpris
n the gallant Pennsylvanlans were found to
e vide awake. There Was, however, every il
J. dication Of general battle along the who
e line, aud Gen. Mcclellan, in order to be read
q tor all Emergencies. gave directions to Ge
- Casey and Colonel 1usalls to make every pr
s Taration for the instant removal OF destu
n ton OF all the supplies at VIII. .ehouse, shou
IS the result Of the impending battle rcpd.
il such . course necessary, his force beir
y too small to render the successful defense
q Dis position = certainty against such moY
j. mtnE OF the enemy Us might ensre-
of The mail steamer, which should have 1e
% Tor Fortress Monroe at seven o'clock ID tt
% morning, was ordered to be detained, and
T. nine O'Clock dispatch Was received that
n gsueral battls was progressing along the who
&c line, the enemy having renewed the attem
Is to flank Gen Porter's position on the rigl
al wing. at e-eyen O'Clock second dispatt
IT announced that Gen. Porter had driven I'll
7, | enemy before him and repulsed them thr'
times With .errif1c slaughter, and was ths
, ordered By Gen. Mcclellan to fall back.
a. SCENE ON TEE RIVER
j The scene presented on the river Vas no
{; | interesting ole. Ten miles below the Whit
:, house about two hundred briggs, harks, 81
~ I Etfnortra prere at anchor with any nuarfi