Washington telegraph., 1864-07-06

CORRESPoNDENCE.-An intelligent friend at
Camden, in whose Judgment and careful esti-
mate of the true value of reports we have quite
as full confidence in our own, writes as fol-
lows, under date of July lst:
Col. EAKIN--Dcd Sir: The reported battle
of the 10th turns out to have been, not on the
peninsula, but on the south side of James river
and in which the enemy were repulsed with
great slaughter: loss, according to an editorial
IN the Missouri Republican of the 25th, of l2,-
900 men. According to that paper (June 25th),
Just received here, ii would appear that the en-
tire or main body of the armies of Grant and
Lee are at Petersburg Grant failed in his at
tempt TO storm the place by sort of coup de
main, say on the 18th; and he has failed in all
his attempts since The defence of Richmond
seems to have been transferred "a Petersburg,
where our works are strong, AID the position
good, and General Lee has had ample time to
make all his dispositions to confront Grants last
"change of base" Every reasonable confidence
is felt that Petersburg will be successfully de-
Tended, though the loss of it would not serious
ly endanger Richmond, while communications
by the South Side II. X. and the James river
canal continue open.
There are reports here from Southern sources
that a recent battle mas taken place in front of
Marietta, in which Hooler's corps was almost
annihilatcd. and it is credited. The St. Louis
htpuDuCdn pI tut Zplu contains i confused ac-
count by way OF telegraphic dispatches, of what
is no doubt the same affair, spoken of a heavy
skirmsh with no decisive result. You know
how little credence is to be attached to Northern
dispatches emanating from Mr.. Stanton, or al
lowed TO go out by him. According to a late
letter / received from an officer in Johnston's
army, he holds a position. consisting of the
mountain passes in front of Marietta, which can
not be turned, aud he will fall back no further
Sherman has suffered severely in all the engage
ments and skrmishes on that line, and his COM
muncations in his rear are so much interrupted
by our cavalry that he must either retreat or
fight a general battle at a great disadvantage
The reported defeat of Hookcr's corps occurred
since the date of that letter.
Gen. Shelby reports, officially the capture of
gunboat U would take it, from the description,
to be hrst-class iron-clad, several of the guns
being 32-pounders) by surprise at Clarendon.
at mouth of Cache, about Is miles by land be-
low Duvars Bluff He got off the officers and
crew as prisoners, ammunition, stores, &c, and
two of the guns, and then had 10 destroy the
boat and retire, under cross fire of two other
gunboatS coming to the assistance of the one
first attacked. The Yankees, in revenge, land
ed and burned all the private houses in tlafcn-
don, except those protected by his sharpshooleGs.
He thinks he will Re able TO hold White river at
that point. and expected by the Ist of July to
have 1000 men. There is also report fnot
o1nrlalJ cTeulteui tnat Sol Ofetnt mas captured
another transport on the Mississippi, with 400
prisoners-being Federal soldiers who had been
.urloughed.
According to the Republican of the 25th gold
was 2l7 in New York and 220 in Cincinnati
Wilson, of Massachusetts, (who. if / mistake
not, has been chairman of the Senate Commit
tee on Military Atfairs), made a speech in the
Senate, in the course of which he said (and that
part of his speech was suppressed by the censor
of the press at WASHINGTON as improper for pub
lcation) that last year they had raised (he said
eRiisted) 100000 men, to whom an enormous
sum had been paid in bountics, and now the
call was for more troops. and the inquiry was,
what had became of all those menl The Re-
publican is out and out against Lincoln (at last)
and in favor of the democratic nominee, whoev-
er he may De.