The Yankee letters.
We glean some points of interest from the private letters found upon R B Francis, the correspondent of the New York
World, who was captured on Sunday at
Tunstall's Station.
These letters are dated the 23rd of May, and the writers all agree that
Grant's base of supplies is to be the
White House. One, writing from Hanover Town, says--"I do not anticipate any fighting for a day or two, although we may at any time find the enemy in our front.
Breckinridge, with a division of 12,000 men, is at Hanover C. H." Another--" We are now only eighteen miles from
Richmond, and I have no doubt but this time we shall go into
Richmond.
Our losses have been
terrible. We have received a great many new men." Another grows boastful, and indulges in the favorite
Yankee along about a speedy "crushing of the rebellion," which has been constantly harped upon by Northern newspapers and correspondents from the very beginning of the war. Yet
Richmond still stands, and his defiance to the threatening foe. Says this writer:‘"--We are gradually tacking up on the strong hold for a
final at the. Old Lee has been completely outdone; and this rebellion must soon come to an end.* * * The Army of the Potomac is accomplishing exactly what it is intended for, and if
Lee attempts to hold
Richmond and allow himself to be
bestowed, he will lose his whole army"’
The only important developments in this correspondence consist in the admission of the facts that
Grant is to make the
White House his base of supplies, that he contemplates a siege of
Richmond, and that their losses have been terrible.
These, however, indicate with sufficient clearness the future plan of the campaign on the part of the
Yankee army.
