The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1864-12-12

singing and wbi.,iins for the prospect Of . dsbi
afcr suoh . long inactivity. was more cheering 10
their hehs than the news that another feast of tr-
keys was en- route for them could possibly have
htcn- The idea Of deseriine their comfortable
Winter quarters 81 this variable season Of The
year was hot 90 palatsble 20 some Of the
officers who had become ondearrd N hstr
COSY little log cabins and blazing hrcs IN the
snug chimney pisces but the order had 70 he
obeycd, and one and all began 70 pack up, with
Jest or lugibriols smile. TUESDAY afternoon
came The order TO move, and in ten minutes sf.
ter its reception the regiments Of the 6ih Corps
were IN motion to the rear. Tie order directed
the Two corre 10 mas between the Haitian and
Jerusalem plank roads. Tho two roads rin In The
same general direction The weldon Railroad
The former beng to the lc, and the latter 10 the
right OF u Here The troops were encsmpod for
tne night Of course without any other protection
from The weather than their blankets and over
coats Afforded In little while, however the
camn grounds wore liz up with hundreds of Ares
which crsckling and sparkling amid the cedar
noughN made q brilliant and picturesque scene.
As N their destn ston, the most contrsdictory
op nions were held among officers and men.
Inc iavoHte idea seemed " he, that they were
10 70 march down 10 s,vsnnsh and reinforce
seern.n. others held 70 the optnon
that Wilmington. N. C, wss 70 be the lob
lecuvo point" and others talked Of Weldon.
tni an were wrong. Fairly yesterday morning
the men wero wakened by drenchiug show~ Of
rain, which. eatinguishlng their camp fires made
them utterly miserable for q little while, until
they stirred shout and warmed themselves with
exercise. Long before dsyhreak they took up their
'ine S march, and not toward the southsde rosd.
whcre all would have chosen W GO, hui south
ward toward Stony Creek Station The roads
Ncre IN shocking condition, but they made eI.
eellent progress and although tho rain fell pitt
,essly, the srdor Of the men secrnel TO he bu,
little cooled The Apprehensiops n the rebels 81
smother advance sgains, Stony Creek, now vital
point 10 tho enemy, have thus hcen confirmed,
and doubtless they have dispatched troops 70 the
threatened point, even before our movement vas
commenced. The arrival uf Early from tho Valley
has enabled them 10 do this without weak enins
their lines IN our front. Meanwhile our lin-e
have uoi beeu weakened, for the army has been
materially reinforced Of late, and is to-day per.
hsps, rs strong as Il ever was
Reports from Rebel Papers.
Tho following is taken from the Richmond DIS.
rAIoa Dec. ST
There Ia 10 longer any doubt thai the feet OF
transports desce endng tho Potomac bore troops
TO brAnt 'or they camo up the James and deliver
ed their freight The numbers thus added 10
6ranra army arc not known to us. They are sup.
posed W be somewhere between siS and tan thous-
| and. Mem ers Of the legislature from the lower
counties say that Sheridan, with large portion Il
| his troops, has certainly Joined Grant. This re.
| niorcemrn, signifies battle, almost immediate. The
condition Of the canal Is unknown to US except by
the statement OF dcscrters who declare that II Is
roely finished, and that IL Can be made resiy for
y
all that an assault viii soon bc delivered, aud hop,
that no preparation, either in tho channel Of th,
/ river or on land. IL yet unfinished.
| Cpto Tuesday night Gran. hsd hccn reinforced
\ by two corps from the Valley, believed 10 be th'
| l'fih aud sixth and II was confidently eIpccteC
tnat he would make an attsck on yesterday morn
In. II report brought 70 tho city last evening b
true, tho expectation was realized. II ia told by
gentleman from the front last evening that the enc
my had thrown force across from the north to th'
south sidc Of the Jamesr riyeD aud effected landing
| botweeu Fort Hewlett and Drowry's Bluf. In tn
absence Of oihcihl intelligence are flow 20 he
Hcyc this report but II there Ia any truth In II,
| is \ most important movement, and one which
must, We think, lead TO al immediate battle. som'
| explanation IL necessary 10 email the reader e
| conn rebcnd the ~ported movement The lei
| 81 our line south Of james RIVER rests on th'
| river at HowettA which Is opposite and soutl
| Of Dutch GAP. Drewry's Buh on the sam'
s'do of he uver, Is over two miles highe
| ny the stream. Tho left Of the YANKEE
| line, the north side, rests on the rive
near Cox's landing, which is considerably wost o
! ana higher up the stream than Howleu's fore
thrown across to the soutn bank from Cox'k woul'
| land between H0w'eits and Drcwry's Bluf, Lat
lsst evening no oficial information bad been re
| osNcd Of the above reported moyomCnt. Durin.
the most Of yesterday thr sound Of cannon reaches
| US from below hut the firing may have beci
nothing more than tic tcll.ng OF Dutch GAP by ou
| batteries on the south tank Of the river At lat
| hour last night no official intelligence hal boel
| r0ce,yoi at t6 WA Odbce u aEy movement q
| Tue tnruy on james II Ntr, ID 'ht DelghpoIl otr
| OF Howlett's but persous who came over frur
| Chester In last nights train report that the
| heard there that the enemy, taking advantage c
the dense hg OF yesterIay morning. crossed iron
CoX's landing in barges and then set about con
snucting a Tontoon bridge across the river
The BSSINEL Of the sth states;
| The indications are that before this week close
| Grsut will make another advance against Rich
m0nd Reinforcements in large numbers have a,
riveu, principally from Sheridan. A gentlema
who has cen the Potomsc for several day.
reports thsl on Saturday last ten sports load
Ell with troops passed down the river. Sunda
| twenty -onc and on Monday they were pass!n
! all day, Three transports were Alled with troop
from thr valley. The Sixth Corps has undou I
| ediy arrived IN the James. and before the wee
expires, all that can DO spared by sheridan wi
baye Joined Grant.