Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-08-13

ant from Rfchmend-Troeps' Sent to Re.
inf0rce Early.
der, arrived this morning from City Point with
the mails and passengers. Affairs before Pc
tersburg remain much the same as at last re-
ports, with the exception that during Thurs
day night and yesterday morning heavy firing
was going on at Bnrnside's front. -''
The Brooks also brought up six refugees from
Richmond and twenty lone deserters from the
rebel army, among the latter an officer, Lieut.
Nix, of Ga, OF the LIST Confederate battalion, in
charge Of Lieut.. Thos. Dodge, LIST Pennsylva-
MIA veteran cavalry.
The refugees are Edward Powers, Charles
Giblan. John Morris, M. Roach, M. Conway.
and Peter Doyle, and they left Richmond on
Thursday night, at O'Clock, In charge Of q
guide, to whom ey paid from $500 to $500
each in Confederate scrip for ptloune them to
the river, and they walked twenty-five miles
through the woods to Haxalfs farm, on the
river, and came out to a gunboat, from whence
they were sent yesterday morning to City
Point in time to take the Brooks.
They represent that there are no males, men
or boys, in Richmond, except those in govern
ment employ. The men are nearly all in the
army, even to the old men over SIS, who form
the militia of the State.
On Saturday last, tour trains, of twenty cars
each, arrived In Richmond, bringing body of
troops from Petersburg, said to be q division,
and they left Immediately on the Central road
to reinforce Early in the Valley. A large body
OF cavalry arrived the 81, same DAY, coming by
One OF this party worked on Belle Island,
and states that when he left there were but I've
Federal prisoners there, the others having all
been sent South, to Georgia. There are but few
Federal prisoners In Libby, in fact, none but
the sick and wounded are kept there over q
few days after reception. At the time the
made to walk on foot some 20 miles before thew
took the railroad, and these men heard the
guards when they returned say that many
gave out and died on the road.
There are no troops In or about Richmond
exceptin the Notifications, those on the south
side being fully garrisoned, while those on the
north side ave barely enough men In them to
Keep things in order One of these refugees
drove bakers wagon, ard says he sold
loaves OF bread weighing six ounces at 81
and bacon had lately fallen in price, it being
stead of from 80 to S1l.
. They say that the government had been
putting every body into some kind Of service,
and they have been watching for a chance to
escape for some time past; and notwithstan
ing that the Confederate detectives have been
alter them, they kept themselves SO secluded
that they escaped. There are large number
of pers ons in Richmond, some In the service of
the government, who are anxious to get away,
and will do SO at the first opportunity, those
that remain being sick Of the war.
The deserters from the army have belonged
to different regiments and have left their lines
at d different times, some as late as Monday night
and Georgia, and have not generally served
over one year, but that year has been enough
Those from the States named above, say that
there Is a sort of half mutiny among the troops
OF those States who are sick of the war and
anxious togivein. The officers however, man.
age to keep them from deserving by making
them believe If they come over to our lines that
Grant Will put them in the front ranks They
state that for long time some Of them belle we'd
this nonsense and were deferred from coming
over, and they are satisfied If the men in the
Alabama, Georgia, and Flor da regiments knew
would be extensive.
They represent the works at Petersburg as
very strong, and do not believe that Grant or
any one else can take them by storm, bat say
That had our men acted promptly when we
bowed up their fort we could have entered
the town easily, but that the golden opportu-
nifty is passed and that we cannot possibly
gain another opportunity SO favorable.
3. The houses in the city have been pretty we'll
battered and many destroyed, some Of them by
fire. Nearly all the fire engines belonging To-
Richmond are in Petersburg, and they have a
regularly organized fire department, composed
of soldiers, who are ready at a moments no.
tice to go to work and extinguish the fires oc.
casioned by Grants shells. Business in the
city has been entirely suspended, none Of the
Inhabitants remaining except "hucksters
and harlots," the former Of whom, In the
language OF one OF the deserters, are willing
at any time ITO trade peck Of produce for
at the front, and cannot, they say, form any
correct estimate OF the strength of the Confed.
crate force at Petersburg but none Of them be.
lieve that their entire army exceeds $4,000 men,
and brigades and divisions are being sent
away once or twice every week to other points
ever, and their army may be, for some time,
kept up by these accessions.