The New York herald., 1864-09-14
INTERESTING FROM ElCHMC no.

Tho Number ana Condition of the Me-
bel Army-Ecnect of ths Luss of tho Well
don Rafiroad-Tne gbssruc,aoas tM
tho James River, &c., SO.
We had visit yesterday from gentleman who states
he left the rebel capital tho 5sh st having been nc
Ing as war correspondent OF the Richmond papers
during the last three years, ana Is very well posted
the condition and number OF the rebel army and the
sentiment OF the Southern people, in the vicinity Of Rich
nd especially. His statements, therefore, possess
nmount OF interest at tho present time. He says that
Lees whole army the lines about Richmond present
numbers from seventy thousand TO seventy FIVE honssnd
men Of all branches OF ths service.
The rebels have got every male capable OF bearing
arms between the ages Of and sixty in the rsnks
that ihs forces Richmond and Petersburg ia
largely snado up Of boys and old rne lines OF Lees
army which includes the seventy seventy Ave thou
sand men, extend from Coal Harbor to the Appomatox
and the Weldon Railroad beyond The point inersec
tion by Grants troops Tho whols rebel force
,i the Gs'd amounts TO one hundred and
sixty thousand men, certainly not over one
hundred and seventy five thousand. This includes
boys, old men, guerillas and all. Originally Early
took with him TO the valley from twenty thousand 20
twenty Ave thousand but Of these about fifteen
thousand have returned TO Richmoud and participated
the battle With Hancocl's corps nea- Rean's station.
The forces OF the oney the valley canao, possibly
be ten thousand leen Thousand men. E0ell is
said TO DO in command Of what is called the Depar tment
o Richmond and LonSstTee has returned TO bis old com
mand in Lees army,hc centre, The loss OF the Weldon
Railroad sereraIlow 20 the enemy. II WIS the
chief line OF supply TO Richmond The Danyille road
amounts 10 nothing N comparison. Very few supplies
reach RchaoBd oesr Tho awhile road or the ynch
burg road. The rolling stoog on the Ianvlo road
amounts to nothing, and hnrc nothing to he brought
s osr e y a l.r road IN IN @ ssn, ns
After the occupation OF the Weldon Railroad BY
Grant an immediate redncsion u rAioIs took
place IN Lees army Before iss occupancy the reboi
army receiving half pound OF bacon and pound
snd quarter Of meal per man daily This allowance WIS
al reduced TO quarter ~ pound OF bacon and
three quarters Of pound Of meal These are now tho
lions Of the rebel army under Lee around Richmond and
PETERSBURG Early 4 men who have returned from the
valley and Tough, in ihc bs,1e of Reams station,
form the extreme right or the rebel army They arc
posed on the Weldon Railroad SO AZ hold what they
have Of IL Ne considers tho rebels were so badly
cut up in tue battles for the rerossasson OF the WELDON
less they have moth ug whatever 10 est in gichona
The ctizscs OF Richmond are in very wrelched cond
tion for susstsnca dinner at tie Spoi,swcc ferss
costs twenty dollars and consists OF few beans lte
pork and few tomatoes, The condition OF the citizens
senoraiy may 6s Imagined from ths circumstances sud
from the o that OF the lrges, provision doaors IN
Richmond refuse 70 sell any'hns They aese that thsy
leyc ony eaoagh .er tie support Of Their oun anles
The very auict, trd Ground lts orisSTs
most melancholy aspect aud remnds one of iarge duh
buryng sroana Ibe sanut ss are perfect wilderness,
without Inhabitants, and little o the s.pea anGe or
former days sale OF hay ia Richmond costs FROM
four i've Thousand doilsrs mis- appear nersdi.
c the rebel army n NEST miserable condition.
f1ere is nothing ttern.p They bave peuy OF hard
aGc little About the aesr actio OF toe
rebel sect in Mobile hEy the dos stcton OF Fort Powell
aud the csre OF Forts Gaines and Morgan, the rebels
had ittie say did they to es that they had
sustained much ioss But thers general feeling
of dcspoudency the fall Of Atlanta. and there
rumors og ''underhaud work. and "treschery' goiag
the rounds.
The Iriea OF four IN Richunoud no. s 1900 or 500 a
barrel Bacon s2 to SIS pound and you canno, Get
them readily Tor even these prices.
Abou, tho rebel iron caus ard Instructions IN the James
river cur Informant gives very important inofmsiha
From what be, as citizen, could loarn, he s OF the
up as Drurys Bgt, aud none above the bluff. There
appears 10 be only line OF obsfcious IN tho James
river, aai that 10 opposite Drurys BluI and consists OF
one line of torpedoes stretching obquely from Fort
Darling towards .he bank the northwest. This limo
only reaches where the channel along the north
bark and by this route The rebels have had
any obsircc,ions nom fortress Monroe Richmond
have they ihe rebel squadron the James consists
az two iron c3ds and one wooden eulh0at. Tie iroa
cads butt of wood With three plates Of iron tor
coating each plate bcn. laid traEsyersey 10 tho
Cnderying II, and haylpg a thickness OF rom !
threo eilhs to i've oiSis u nah. Ihis covered by
coating railroad roB which slantiug surface 10
cyerywlere Presented 80 that The shots Viii glance on
the sides the vessel any other part OF Der exterior
There Of those ron.clads carrying
four heavy guBs aud the other two There is Absolutely
ECth3g but these. III The Ghanpo already described 10
taken by the Union iron cas 10 huder them from going
up 20 the city Cf Rchmond.
The ran Abonarle, which the two hundred polu-
der al plymouth " g. took effect, built In the
ssmc manner as those rams ct Richmond
The clothing OF the rebel army III ali worn out and II
loyor before 30 badly on q ths respect
The strain rroB tho rebels great that iufor
rnant focs them either to bold much longer
tradc, his sisiements.