, 1864-05-14


Tta movement seems to have becn perfect sur
prise to the enemy, Iii 'hs indications about rs
leading to te infetsncc that he bad no anticipation
o, any auch tllnr, and In fact did not 20 much as
dram OF IL. Consequently hs was totally uupre-
pared 10 offer us any manner Of restataucc. Mean
While the nrnay has lad tune to put tself In thor
msabuEe Of strength fer resistance. TAe troops
ali In capital spirits, full Of heart and energy nad
every branch OF the ss1s1cs IL worstns in perfect
determined to 10 thclr rcr5 best.
1.wIl add. for it is no ireenidc Item. that the
horses and n,nles oi Which thes> H. ample psovls;
ase at hand In great Abundance. Thr1ssithal tho
.sn p n
Monroe; and the Virginia soil when dr1 makes
good firm road which we u the 10th Army Corps
llsat sands Of Palmestodom, through which we
kave had to wade TOR the last two years. Tho
ws1er, too, Ia excellent, though rather lard, the
6eee1nge II lot gai;e eaual to tEt Croton. W. ara
now having the fourth day OF very warm weather.
which appears to me no email item in our favor,
lratmEci rs We have no marching to do, while the
enemy will Lave to 20 through hot and hard
marches before reacAin. us.
BuTLEu's sCccEss.
In this quarter. then. the campaign has begun
most ausplctously. Hitherto our success hss
hecr complete and slmost unaleyed. Up to Sat-
urday mtrnIng there had been no fighting to speak
of and or stGsps we're hardly dl*tusoed At 81 II
ten O'Clock, rebel battery opsued dr. ~ our
Eunboats from tic opposite Of Jams river, come
i've ulilea shove this place. Fora wlne the 1gtag
wae pretty brisk and heaqy, and then ceased en-
tireby, the b2siery being eflenced or driven of.
learn that In the action one OF euE Knnhoats, the
name unknown t. me, bad her magazine exploded
BY rebel ehell, and Was, Of course, lost. hayc
not been able to learn anything a. TO TIC number
OF p.en lost vita her.
CUTTING TIE EEBEL CONGRATULATIONS. !.
Yesterday afternoon, also, there WIS somo p1etty
sharp skirutshn.. not 10 eny fighting, on our lets
10 anl beyond the railro1d, dts1n. the enemy be-
fore them then want to work tearing up the track,
dewtruyine. brilges, and doing Whatever need
ful In order to thoroughly disable the road To-
wsrds evening the enemy rallied, aud our troops
fcll hack within the lines thou=h NOT ~ several
trim for present running Of cars. The purpose OF
the noyemsnt VIVA fully accomplished, under
etaEd, though, of course, not without come loss.
You arc doubtless awxro by this ttzae how very
occEsient. hear thar Ia ths affair Of 1esterd1y
our whole loss in killed and wounded was not tar
from two hundred. A considerable number OF
rekel prisoners were tAken, and are now laid up
here to lcrt for the prcseut~
As far as can learn all in the army ars delegated
pecisl1J now tbs, be has At bis right hsna such
war counsellor ~ General Smith. And KNOW that
eomc officers Of the tenth army corps, ust on from
the Department OF tho South, are quito charmed
with the ciyi,iry and couttesy thaY have met with
ut the hands Of General Buffers staf. 1saH the
General to-day, riding about with 20 attendance
whatever, except General Brooks at his side and
sne orderly NJ his bacE. Ue looks as sharp and
earcy IS ever, and that yon may be sure, fa ea1rD
and tsucy enough. We all know full well thst the
reEels are badly smitten with love Of tho an, bat
ne Ike him none the less for that.