Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1864-05-18
RALEIGH: WEDNESDAY, NAY Is, 1864.
Latest News from the scene of Operations In
Virginia.

Latest News from the scene OIL opefa"ons III
Virginia.
We give below such news as we have received
I'D to the time of going to press Inc news Is oy
no means full. We have received no Richmond
naners for week, and the Geographic communica.
t;on with Petersburg and Richmond is uncertain and
IRREGULAR. We learn that the Richmond and Dam
vile Railroad has been cut in three places The
news is uncertain and unreliable We only know
that Gen. Lee is still firmly maintaining his con-
aict with Grant in the neighborhood of Spottsyl
yania Courthouse-that the enemy are in force
between Petersburg and Richmond, and that
great conflict may be expected soon in that quarter,
or may be now going on-that heavy fighting has
taken place near Richmond, and that the whole
nopulation of Richmond and Petersburg have been
under arms to repel the invaders. The daily papers
Of this City of Monday last have dispatch from
Weldon dated the 18th, which states that the enc
nv still hold the Railroad at Chester, between
Petersburg and Richmoude- that the bridge across
Stony Creek has been rebut-that Drewry's Bluff
has been reinforced, so that no apprehensions are
felt for its security-that Gen. Beauregard has a
fine army near Petersburg, and that general en-
eagement was expected on the 14th. We copy
from the Confederate of Monday the following ex-
tracts made by that paper from Richmond Er
a,ainer of Thursday last, sent to the Editors by
friend in Greensborough.
IFrem the Richmond Examiner of Thursday
Tile Enemy on the Outskirts Of Rnhmond-Ftght-
ina on the Brooke 7urnpike-LGtest from Gen.
eral Lees Army-lAouensents on the South-Side.
The news of the morning yesterday was the
report, started late on the night before, that the
Yankees, in heavy columns were in full speed for
Richmond, will Stuart and Fitzhugh Lee close on
their tracks. Rumour reported them in great force,
and the accounts, if one believed but half what he
heard, made it very serious matter. Report
Quickly followed report that the demonstration was
not merely raid, but that the enemy was in large
force with solid columns of cavalry and artillery;
that they we're marching on Richmond, obstructing
the roads behind them by telling trees, to impede
pursuit; that they we're but a few miles oil, and
that it was doubtless movement planned by
Grant TO "take Richmond" The matter grew
serious for the while. The military authorities
seemed to be impressed by the alarm, and active
measures were at taken for the defence of the
city. In short time the entire arms bearing popula-
ton of Richmond turned out and repaired to the
Capitol Square, where they awaited information
from the enemy before they should march to the
field Here anxiety was on the tiptoe. Nothing
had been heard from the enemy since the report on
the night before, when they were reported in rapid
march on Richmond. In a few hours came the news
from the Governors house, that General Bragg had
received dispatch from General Stuart at Ashland
a copy of which we obtained:
"HEApoRs, ASHLAND, May II, $50, A. NJ.
$40 General Bragg:
"General-the enemy reached this point just be-
fore US, but were promptly whipped out after
sharp fight by Fitz Lees advance, killing and
capturing quite number.
enemy. intersect the road the enemy is march
ing on, at Yellow Tavern, the head Of the turnpike,
six miles from Richmond.
'.My men and horses are tired, hungry and jaded,
but all right j. E. B. STUART"
Soon after this came another dispatch from Gen.
Stuart stating that he had arrived at Yellow Tav-
ern, six miles from Richmond, the point where he
expected to cut off the enemy; but that he had
found none of them there, that they had probably
turned off on the road leading to Dover's mills, in
Goochland and adding that his men were pressing
closely.
This decided the matter, and the excitement here
subsidized 1t was plain the Yankees had concluded
mot to take Richmond" and finding themselves
closely pursued, wisely switched of on another
road. 1t was supposed that they were making to
Dover mills with the iVtention to cut the canal and
then cross the river at that point and make their
way to their army on the South side.
The strength of this expedition of the enemy is
variously given. Accounts place it at five, seven,
ten, fifteen thousand. A scout who came in yester-
day and who is regarded by the military authori-
ties as very trustworthy man, states that the
enemy's forces we're seen by him, and that they
were four hours passing 9ioen point. This would
indicate that they in large force. BE further
states that they had large numbers Of wagons and
ambulances &c.
STILL LATER-THE FIGHT STILL GOING ON.
Accounts brought in last night at ten o'clock say
the fight was still going on. The enemy, (pnt by
these accounts at ten thousand,) attacked Stuart
near the Yellow Tavern, at the head of the Brooke
turnpike, with great obstinacy, making several
charges in one of which they took ore piece of
artillery and recaptured some two or three hundred
prisoners killing number of officers, Colonel H.
Clay Pate, of Petersburg, Fifth Virginia cavalry,
among others.
FROM THE soUTHsIDE.
From the Southside the news IS decided Little
danger is to be arprehended from that quarter.
Beauregard is at last in position, and the enemy
know it. The report is that our General determined
yesterday to clear the country between the two cit
les; but on going forth found that the enemy had
saved him the trouble. They have retired from the
railroad and the late scenes Of action. Where they
have gone is unascertained, but tits generally be-
lieved that they collected at the place of landing
under cover of their gunboats; and our own sss
mise is that they will next be heard of in the Pm
insula, stretching out helping hand to the beaten
cavalry, and perhaps to the beaten Grant also. Z,
1t was expected that reconnaissance in strong
force would have been made yesterday morning
from Petersburg to feel the enemy's position, and
open, if possible, communication from Petersburg
to Drewry's Bluff and Richmond But this, for
some reason, was not done. and those who were
looking for battle to be fought yesterday were dis
appointed by the tame news that came in during
the morning The first bulletin Of the morning
was the following official dispatch from General
Ransom, dated Drewrys Bluff:
"The enemy fell back last night from their posi-