New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-27
SPECIAL DISPATCHES OF THE NETWORK TRIBUNE.
GEN. BUTLER.
A Storm in Campfire Action at Wilson's
Wharf.-The Hugh Lees Demand for
Standardization. wild Rcfuses-The
Case Of the Powell-Items and Incl
dents.
From Our Special Correspondent.
HEADQUARTERS GEN. BUTLER, May "a, 1864.


HEADQUARTERS GEN. BUTLER, May "a. 1864.
We, jewellers in tents, have had our patience
sorey tried tonght-frst by the non.appearance ofhe
mail at the accustomed hour and second, by violent
gale which came up from Rebelward and shook and
shook and swayed and swayed our canvas homes like
aspen leaves. Some Of the gentlemen. being fresh in
camp experience lost their homes and for time were
without local habitation and a name" We veterans
in the field the portending cloud watched the ap
preaching storm, and babe our Jerry" tighten the
guys, peg down the tent and otherwise anchor 1t gen
orally. 1t was DONE and we laughed at the storm
which broke in fury Tapping flies of canvas and pros
trating al the Doses whose ecnpenfs had not taken
similar precautions. But storm in camp cannot fur
nish item" TO the most rapacous correspond
ent who prnteth all he heareth be it true or oherwse
and therefore seize upon the mailearTier as he ar
ryos and TO my delight Professionally he has mine
Of news Indeed he layeth the foundation for letter.
which for all the news at the front, would have pre-
scented but beggarly account Of commonplace items
Passengers by the maiboat in or rather up and
more than corroborae the simple tale Of who got II
secondhand but told it truly.
1t seems the Rebels having had their cavalry soundly
thrashed BY Sheridan, having buried Stuart with all the
honors that Richmond could afford, determined that
Fitz Hugh Lee should watch the movements OF our
horsemen down the Peninsula and try and do something
with the legacy left him by the departed In pursuance
Of this idea Lee turned the cavalry into corps Of OBJ
servation and at eminently safe distance watched
Sheridans braves. In the course OF his wanderings
the idea that he could render unhappy by soaring the
masters of our transports IN the river and temporarily
Interrupt the navigation Of the james occurred to him.
and he proceeded put the idea into shape and exeeu
ton.
Seventeen miles below here and below Fort
Il
brigade holds Wilson's Wharf on the north bank Of
the river and near Charles City Court House AS the
Thomas Powell, boat still bearing advertisements Of
the "Catskil House" commanded by Capt. Lyon,
was coming I'D from Fortress Monroe the regular
mail trip the cars OF the passengers were greeted by
heavy firing as they neared Wilson's Wharf The firing
as was soon ascertained from the Navy gunboat
Dayon which was occupied in Smelling the woods on
both sides Of the river firing Also grape and
canister along the banks TO disodge sharpshooters
The Tom Powell was ordered into the wharf, and all
the soldiers board commanded 10 land 1t was there
ascertancd that Fz Hugh Lee had demanded the sur
render Of the place. guaranteeing that its garrison all
eoored soldier should be treated prisoners OF war
in Richmond General Wild in response said he would
rather try the issue Of war and attack was com
nenced Our forces had lost sixteen at the time the
Powell was there but reenforcements had been sent
there was no doubt that Gen. Wild would be able 10
hold his position against the superior force OF
Lee One Of the Christian Commission there stated
that two contrabands had reached Gen. Wild's lines,
and stated that force Of white and coored troops had
landed at White House. The c. C. gentleman also said
that Gen Wild had sent the two cOntrabands back to
communicate with what he supposed to be Burnside's
forces asking them to cut off Lee. Nobody but c. c.
could have attributed to Gen. Wild such wild
proceeding. The force crossing at White House
was undoubtedly Gen. Sheridan's cavalry and If word
reached him. whether by contraband otherwise there
is little doubt that phil Sheridan" would accommo.
date Lee with fight The Powell took on board a
number Of women and children Of the colorcd pcrsua
sion and came on up the river Alas they met pro-
peIer the Mayfower. who hailed them and said they
had been fred into from the bank and their captain
wounded. This was enough to bring out all the
'scare" In the captain Of the Tom Powell and he put
his boat about and ran back two or three miles
below Wilson's wharf There is an Army order that
the senior officer board Government boat shall take
charge Of that boat Major Ackerly Of the nth Penn
sylyania Cavalry fortunately bethought himself OF this
order and directed the captain to put about.
This was refused, and then the captain was put in
arrest The Chief Engineer refused TO do his duty lie
was arrested The I'd Engineer was brought to terms
by Lieut. Mahan also Of she nth Pa. Cavalry VINO
with cooked revolver at lis head forced him to do his