The New York herald., 1864-03-15

mo largest army ~ tblt was VI tue
which was under the command OF tho ds.in,
gushed General Mcclellan, and which was then
ssy seas ss' sase Which, WON BY '' The sera troops
would result III the capture OF the Southern capital
seryalion the stamina Of those courageous armies went
there 90 DO awitness Of campaign that might decide the
fate OF that country stopped Fortress Monroe STU
at tho mouth Of tho Potomac, which Gas all other
forts OF tho Americ Unlon) everything that y should
means Of hundreds of guns Of calbre; ana
IA such works, with their immense stores cannot oe IN
proyised is the esdent proof that the great re-
public been careless Of her defence as some per-
sons have imagined.
Army OF the Poomac and that the place Tor col
loctng troops and nater Of war, the activity there
greater than the ordinary movements OF the most
commercial ports Europe The Chief officer Of the post
he learned that Spanish general had arrived
offered me bis services remarkng that he was thus
fulfilling duty OF military brotherhood and obeylng the
orders Of his government and o tie Comma nder nCnee.
Oh the following day visited The encsmpment or the
division charge OF that depot aud proceeded
lie headquarters which, as have sad we're situated
few miles from Richmond.
About midway met body Of cavalry, horse in hand
Two young and distinguished officers presented them
selves to no addressed French in the of
the General CHIEF, of whom they were the aids de-
coun, e Paris and the Duke dc chartres Certainly
the General in Chief could not give me greater proof OF
received and escorted BY his noble guests VIVA. seaeo
tiops caused by the coincidence OF finding in
those regions, simple captain and ad.de camp OF an
General the Count do Paris, born the steps
Of hrore, and destined ono day TO wear the crown OF
LlS grandfather, LOUIS Pllpne, Dau not LOST
it by forgetting that in tho nneieonth century the
strength kings is in the love OF their people
than ~ ihe tradition Of family and In the cradle IN which
10 arrive at ha headquarters had to the left
wing and the centre Of the army numbering then one
buded and ten thousand men, four thousand horses and
Ave handred leld pieces The generals everywhere
ceyed me comradc, and all Insisted on accomrany
Ing me- explaining their respective positions and those OF
Ire eremy WHICH in their front and whose advanced
positions could be distinguished by the naked eye.
How many Of those brave and enthusiastic soldiers
have since died for the cause OF their corntry they
dd like socd beneah the folds o their banner and
the stains which thor blood has left and their bones
seattle Cd their hundred fields Of battle many
.astimoncs 70 the vaor and patriotism Of those
General Mcclellan man OF some thirty Ave or forty
years Of ase Of distinguished appearance and speaking
French perfectly also received with he Gost
pete ccraialiiy, that IN few moments after had
entered his ton. we were conversns together as we
bad been old comrades. On the following day had
The honor 10 review thirty thousand men and four hun
drcd pieces OF artliery, which received mo in open
parade seiang WITH thor oanners-an extraor dnary
honor, which received in tic name of my Queen and
my country ard this proclaim with a loud voice, be.
cause could not and would not accept as tribute Of
The federal army, as have said was stationed some
len or twelve miles from Richmond the river ChIcka.
homipy, with bridge Of boats in the centre and i'm
mense trunks of trees forming road to the opposite
banks which we're nearly entirely submerged within
space Of four hundred yards and the parrowest
POINTS. The movement therefore, Of advance rpoa
tho capital could not be effected until several
other bridges had been built, facilitate the ad
of several columns at the tms the day
the attack One part Of the army therefore
pied with this work.
There BRIDGES in course OF construction
them upon the channel OF the river IL would been
easy 70 have done 50 with the and o. the materials that
there but as have already ind Gated the greatest
trouble contested in building causeways roads Of
trunks q trees the swamps Oh Tho river baaks all of
Notwithstanding, The General in. Chief tod me tha,
Il ihe weather should continue for eight dsysr
% assr ss ssSs % :' a '' sh sha sss a 70 ss.,S,s Ssss
necessary covering Richmond, the secessionists
would vigorously defend, and that consequently there
u.1rA bc ca urrnt HAITI
sucn prospect gratifcd ali my expectations in a
military point o. view, aud joyiulIy resolved to Sait
ling npanions readily rartcitGed "what bsrbar
sy VIII tie them. mcmns OF the Peace Congress- not ex;
come mto conflict, struggle with each other aad
RON red and frothy,, With the olool Of s.
when, setting ASIDE the habilinents OF war, begin
TO phiosopnso. Poor humanity fat as humani
has heen dong the same thing since the days of
father Adam, without any hope Of Improvement il may
be that man is condemned to destroy his fellow man;
and such is our fate, and that there must be de
stroyed as well destroyess, have to concur in
his that the soldier, whose mssion IS TO defend the
dearest interests OF his country will do well to learn
destroy so that he be not himself destroyed.
However, did not accomplish ny design FOR on ths
night VI the third day after arrived amongst The fede
rails IL began TO ram Il rained IN torrents FOR forty
eight hours, and IN manner usual IA that
latitude thus the operation which i was hoped
could calculated be accomplished in eight
mouths, as u happened The federal army being there
fore utterly unable 10 advance dufiog the months OF
June and Juiy shortly afterwards Obliged
don tue enterprise to hasten Washington, which was
threatened by the bold aud rapid movement or heavy
body OF Confederate soldiers. continued days
al Headquarters during which witnessed the daring
work OF constructing plank roads Of the trunks or
which as have sad were placed 10 position by
one, each trunk being borne by twenty thirty
mer-a work which borders upon the Impossible when
performed 10 the lace ol po@crIu enemy who had had
more than enough Of time an 70 prepare for
tho defence Of the threatened pos tln--uow erecting
Iarapets IN which they placed 5odles Of skul sharp
sh o,crs; building batteries, which onfiaded tho
PINK road, every now ana t.el Gated OBJ
struclns which delayed tho works but although
protected by tho fe OF numerous batteries they
not saicient TO prevent irclaent and numerous
casualties among the men employed 90 the wok. As
have said, this was W rk worthy OF the Romans.
| went through the encampmenis, formed Of large
tents, containing ten or fifteen men each--a system,
by Us from tho lrenchfor although soldiers carry
three rounas more weight, they have the immense ad
Of that necessary sheter-thus diminishing the
weight OF baggage which much embarrasses armies,
and which is graphically described by the Romans by
VISITED the parks Of artillery and the rorgcs l OK
the system of Harvesting the artillery horses,
and touud every thing 10 the best possible condition
considering that the men, material stock had been
The seventy q Southern SUM- which elts men Or else
suffering from torrenta rains which carry everything
| examined the extended guard and advanced posts,
and every wbto found that military propriety for the
governance q troops in the field was srupuloisly oh.
mus ;bis servce like The mannuvres executed by the
30 ,0C0 men whom had had the honor 20 review,
carried on acc riding to general principles common TO
the armies or all nations J have seen the drill on
parade or the French The English, the Italian the
Austrian, the Russian, Turkish and prussau troops.
have scen the manau Of some Of these troops in
the day Il battle and all Of them move by the same
principle, with less promptness recording the
biood OF he different Northern tor instance,
are more berma,c than those of the South and there
fore the latter with vvacity than the for.
mer but sil repeat start from the elemental priuci
pies established ~ the King and great captain Frederick
OF Prussia, dcyeo.ed and smpiued to the utmost ex-
tent by tho great captain oil the century, Napoleon the
First
Tne precepts OF these two celebrated warriors Inspired
by their genius and applied hundred battles tho
ony ana true lest of tho universal military school, and
% 10 vain that ustri0us generals take great pains
write DOW tactcs varying the words OF command which
have come 70 &c traditional, giving donom 10
sertInne already deiermIned invenlinn ,nn..arnan.a