The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-06-14
THE WAR In VIRGINIA.
Correspondence of the Richmond Hnquie
0 June 7th, 1864.

grcoNp Corps. ARMY NORTHERN VAs,-l
June 7th, 1864.
Tt was discovered Sunday night that the enemy
>were moving from the left to our right, and yes
terday was mostly consumed by this portion of our
army in accommodating and watching their move
nents. Gen Early, commanding this Corps, fol-
lowed them between four and five miles, when 1t
was perceived that they had swung around their
extreme right SO as to form line perpendicular
to the line originally occupied by them. The po-
sition now held by their RICH flank is fortified by
entertainments in the rear, and protected in front
by an extensive swamp, passable In two or three
places This looks if they intended to remain
there some time, or, what is more prooaole, that,
admonishe6 by the splendid movement of Gordon
and Rodes on the afternoon of the I'd, they are de-
termined to prevent its recurrence while the move
.ment to their left Is progressing. When our men
reached the vicinity of the Yankees during the
reconnaissance, they discovered advance line OF
dismounted cavalry, who fell back as they ap-
preached, apparently with the design of drawing
them into trap, but it was not successful.
Various squads of prisoners, to the number of
nearly hundred, mostly straggers, We're captured
during the day, including Yankee Major, who
was taken at a house. This officer represented
that their army was on very short rations, desii-
tute of shoes and clothing and greatly exhausted;
that Grant would probably move to the James,
open a -new base of supplies, and under cover OF
his gunboats, reorganize and recuperate his army
The statements of prisoners must be received with
due allowance, and give you this for what 1t may
ibe worth. We have satisfactory evidence, how
ever, that the enemy are on unusually snort IA
tions and the ragged appearance of prisoners taken
gives the color of truth to the story OF scanty
clothing All prisoners that have come in tor
several days seemed to be nearly half tamlshed,
and eat with avidty scraps of bread picked up
from the ground.
1t was reported yesterday that considerable
force of Yankees have gone back in the direction
of Hanover Court House.
It is believed by many that the flag of truce
sent in by Grant yesterday evening to bury his
dead was a ruse, to give the appearance OF being
in force in our front, whilo his main body was
moving to our right. Its transparency, if thus in
tended, was no doubt discerned. Had Grant en-
tertaned proper respect and humanity for his dead,
he might have easily found occasion for its exer-
else in the hundreds of swollen carcasses left I'M
buried at .Spottsy lvana.
Our men who returned last evening from the
reconnaissance, and citizens who have come out
from the line recently occupied by the enemy
right, report that the usual depredations on pro-
perty were committed everywhere in their vicinity.
Beds were ripped open and their contents gwen
to the winds, furniture broken up and otherwise
destroyed, and houses stripped Of weather-board
ing and the planks taken to the trenches for seats
and other uses They were no respectors OF per-
sons, and the victims mostly of the class least
able to sustain the loss inflicted.
The Richmond Dispatch of the 9Th inst, says:
HOn the evening of Monday Grant sent in flag
of truce for permission to bury his dead, thereby
acknowledging defeat, in spite of all his shutting
to avoid such an acknowledgment. Doubtless,
had it depended on him alone, he would have stuff
cred them to lie where they fell until the flesh had
rotted off their bones; but prisoners say his meu
had already been rendered mutnous by his nhu-
Indifference, and the pressure outside was too
great. The permission asked was granted, as a
matter of course. The removal Of so many decay
ing carcasses will prove great relief to SOL
diers, whose position was becoming almost intole-
rable from the STENCIL"