The Portland daily press., 1865-06-05
Letter from Richmond, by POrtlander.
RrcHNoND, May, 1865.


nessee and Georgia, we started from Washing
ton in the eleven O'Clock train for Baltimore,
and there took the steamer Brady for Fortress
Monroe. at six P. NJ. Two lines Of steamers
RIM between these points, and as the travel Is
large, other lines will be speedily established,
which will greatly help the public.
After pleasant sail down Chesapeake bay
we arrived about seven the next morning at
the Fortress, which is now famous as the pri-
son of the leader OF the defunct ConFederacv
He. confined in the outward, casemate Of
the second tier, some two stories above
ground, and inside of the great moat that sur
rounds the Fort, which Is com family filed
with salt water from the bay. Outside OF the
moat another line Of Qualifications is raised,
and In this, as well as upon the sodded earth
covering the tier of casemats first named,
sentinels are constantly pacing to and fro day
and night. Within the walls and to the dis
tance of forty rods from JEFF. Davis quarters,
mother line of guards are stationed, who a.
ow no one to pass them unless duly author
zsd. Inside of his cell are stationed two
acre guards, and in the room adjoining four
aore with an officer. Hence his escape or
uicde is impossible. During the past week,
nd for reason, handouts were put upon him
ut on Monday, May 20, they were removed
{ y order Of Gen. Miles. ~ 2 saa 'iafs ssa
The sail from the Fortress across Hampton
loads and up the James river, is replete with
lterest. We first passed Newport News on
ae right bank, at the mouth Of the river,
'hich Butler seized upon and fortified in the
arly part of the summer of 1861, and near
le batteries of which, and within musket
lnge, the famous naval engagement between
he rebel iron-clad Merrimac and our frigates
Congress and Cumberland took place in the
prlng Of 1862. The masts Of the Cumber-
md are now visible above the water. The
Gene impressed us with the heroic daring and
DOL bravery Of our gallant tars who stood to
ieir guns while their ships were sinking, and
referred to 90 down with them rather than
arrender. Their deeds will live 10 history as
| ing as the world stands. s7&
Some thirty miles above we passed james
land, where the first settlers Of Virginia
nder John Smith, settled in 1907, and called
leir rude huts jamestown, ia honor of the
I dling monarch of England. Here the re-
| lains of brick chapel, consisting of the YES
; bule or section thereof, which was ma'e of
rick and lime Imported from England. more
slan 240 years ago, serve to mark the site of
lat earliest settlement Of America. In all
Their particulars, saving the graves and fields,
le island appears very much. without doubt,
= 1t did when the foot of the white man frat
! Juched it. Wr ffs @g@s
& Very few houses remain anywhere within
{ ght of the river all the way to Richmond-a
istance OF over hundred miles. Most Of
( le way the banks are covered with wood and
/ nderbrush, with here and there openings
There clearings have been made and fields
/ ppear. The contrast between the banks Of
ur Kennebec or Penobscot and the James
II their cleared lands and Gelds aud houses
I'd nourishing villages, isivery marked. and
ford tangible evidence Of the different types
ss'enserprisea and civiz alton that has obtain
/ in the two sections. .sss aso
We passed by Harrison's Landing, where
IcClellan fell back with his once powerful
cmy, after having exhausted its strength and
uried thousands upon thousands Of its best
ad bravest man amid the swamps of the
l'hichahominy. A rebel officer assured me
rat nothing could have prevented any good
ltsneral from carrying that army from York
own to Richmond; and that the Confederate
Ulcers, civil and military, regretted very
.luch to have Mcclellan removed. Had b /,
continued, he said, their independence would
ave been secured. So
Fort PoThatan looms up conspicuously up
n the left bank, just above where Grant
Irossed last june when he executed one OF
ne most hazardous and sHils'.a ---'-.'0S 1sies OF
I &C wnoie war, leaving Lee with his army In
ont Of Cold Harbor, and marching around
Is left flank, crossing swamps and forests and
ridging rivers for more than sixty miles, and
lmost gobbling up Petersburg before Lee
sscertained he had moved at all. sMFAs
When we consider that Grants troops and
cains extended more than forty miles, and
/ lat powerful army, commanded by one Of
I ne first military chieftains on this continent,
yere within a few hundred yards OF his start
lg point and directly in front Of him, with
pies and cavalry everywhere to give early
formation of every important movement,
nd ready to launch his columns at any mo-
tent upon every weak point, the conclusion
irresistible that Grant completely hood
linked and out-maDeuvred Lee, and accom-
f..lt.~
( nd effective operations Of the war. =
We passed swiftly by the lower mouth of
Dutch Gap" aud looked through it as we
vent by. II appears like an uncomfortable
fair from the river, scarcely 800 feet long
nd some 20 wide; but we were told thst 1t is
80 feet long and 30 deep. All along the
anks and bluffs near it, We could see The
oles and caves where Buffers soldiers bur.
owed and sheltered themselves from the
bells of the rebel batteries. 1t is seven miles
he upper end OF the Gap" which would
ave been cut down to $50 feet If the canal
lad proved successful. EasM
-Oaw went through forts and Qualifications
which crowned every hill and bank on both
'des OF the river, and by the Hewlett House
batteries, DFury's Bluff and Fort Darling,
yer which the stars and stripes proudly wav-
and around which the blue coats appeared
a great numbers, cheering our brave boys
nd receiving hearty cheers in return, until
he spires Of Richmond appeared in sight
ONE four or i've miles off, To this city all
yes were Immediately directed. With our
,ield glass we could distinguish the Capitol,
which stands upon the summit of the highest
levation in the middle OF the city, and the
buildings stretching out upon and over the
.illsand slopes adjoining, for several. miles up
nd down the river. alr
Here the navigation became somewhat diff
ult on account OF the Instructions and tor
,edoes, requiring care and skin to carry us
afely through. But through we went, leav-
! 1 -