Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-06-02
spirit OF the Rebel Press.
From the Richmond Examiner, Nay -.


THE EtrULsE OF PITzHUGH LEE.
We have some further particulars of the at-
fair In Charles City county, In which Gen.
FitzhuRh Lee ventured q partial attack on a
force Of the enemy entrenched near the James
river. The statements OF tho great strength
Of the enemy's forti1catlons are fully corrObo.
rated.
They WerO strongly entrenched behind line
Of fOrtincations stretching out from the river
In the form OF horseshoe; before this ran a
ditch some ten or twelve feet deep and some
hfteen to eighteen feet wide, and an Abattis,
made intricate and impepetrable by the inter
twlning OF wire with the Limbs and branches
| Of the felled trees. SO formidable and complete
were the forlitlcAtions that We arc told by an
officer, who participated in the affair, that It
would have taken our men two hours to get
into their works, had there even been not a
man inside OF them.
The force OF the enemy, too, was considerably
| larger than was fret supposed. Besides their
| number entrenched there were six gunboats In
the river playing upon our men all the time
with grape aud canister. Under the circum-
stances Gen. Fitzhugh Lee thought II unwise
to make the sacrifice II would have coat to
carry the position, and retired after an unsuc-
reSsful assault upon portion Of the works, in
which we had some sixty men killed and
wounded.
tFrOn the Rshm" I'D Examiner, May ssl
| CONFIDENCE IN GBN. LEE.
Grant is reported to have crossed the Pa.
munkey at HanovertowD, and to be moving
down probably for the point known as Piping
Tree, In New Kent county, some fifteen or six
teen miles from Richmond.
Ofthe movements OF Lee II would not be pru-
dent 10 speak, but the reader may be we'll as
sured that he has his eye upon his adversary,
and will be prepared for him whenever and
wherever he may show himself. Lee hds never
yet been surprised or outgeneraled and II is
not likely that he will be In this instance. 80
far the armies have only been maneuyreing,
but the battle will likely come of In a few days.
Deserters from Grsnt's army cay that he does
not intend TO fght, but is going 10 lay siege to
the city, and try the spade and shovel, as he
did At Vickshurg.
FROM THE TRASs.MIssIssIPPt.
CLINTON, La, May "a, VIA SUMMIT, May 90
, Banks has escaped from Alexandria by way o.
Slmsport. A. J. Smiths corps has gone up tc
hatcher and Vlcksburg. The balance OF hlI
army is in full retreat towards New Orleans
being now at Morganza, on the west bank O
the river. Maj. Gen. L. Canhy has arrived ant
assumed command, Banks having gone TO New
Orleans. 1t 10 reported and believed to be 70
r liable that Lieut.. Gen. Dick Taylor Ia CROSSING
AtchafaS lAya river, twelve miles below wher
Banks crossed. Banks troops are reported
on good authority, to be very much dcmoral
lied.
a Within the las. six days the batteries belong
Ing TO scotts command have fired into fv
8 Yankee transports, crlppling three seriously
:. knocking out the steam.pi pipe Of one, aud dry
i ing of the RunbOat that came TO her relief
The loss OF life 10 not known. Three stopped
;, At Cat Island for repairs. The forces In III
district are rapidly Increasing, and Col. Scot
: Is ready for any advance the enemy may make
CoHDITI or GEN. LoNGsTKEET.
= The Richmond Wig Of the 2Sth SAYS,
"We arc glad to be able 10 state, upon tn
= authority OF his medical director, that Gen
Y LOngstreet has so far recovered from the woun
he received In the battle OF the Wilderness tha
o he expects to take the Geld In about thre
a weeks"
FROM THE PRoST.
a ASHLAND, May 2T.-Advices from the from
are that the enemy have reCrossed the Mort
l. Anna, and are again on the move, In tho dl
4 rection, 1t is supposed, Of our right. Tn
Q enemy arc said TO have made an effort thI
+. morning 10 burn the bridge over the Mort
o Anna, on the Telegraph road, but were follet
q There was some diminishing this morning
and also some between ten and twelve o'cloc
last nigh.