The armies below Richmond.
Very little is known of the relative positions of the
Confederate and Federal forces below
Richmond.
There has been no operations of a startling character, and the impression generally obtains that there is no immediate probability of an encounter between the two armies.
There was a rumor yesterday to the effect that the enemy's main force had evacuated the position recently held by them at
Berkeley, and moved on down the river.
This is probably true, and although the War Department has no authentic intelligence of the fact, it is generally conceded that probabilities tend to confirm the report.
Before another advance on
Richmond — if another is ever attempted —
McClellan must reorganize his army, and it is scarcely to be supposed that he would select a point so remote from the seacoast as
Berkeley for this purpose.
It is much more likely that he will, permitted to do so, withdraw his army from the swamps and marshes of
Charles City, where unhealthy malaria and climatic influences would rather tend to decimate than to reorganize his shattered regiments, to some point nearer the coast where the health of his troops and the convenience of the service would be consulted.
From any stand point there does no seem to be any ground to apprehend that the
Southern Capital will again be menaced for some time to come.
In the mean time no one doubts that our army will be placed upon the most effective footing, ready not only to repel the invader, but to carry the war to their own homes.
The enemy's Movements.
Lafayette has been received that the enemy's Stray in the
Valley of Virginia has moved forward on Flout Hill, in
Rappahannock, county, and there found a junction with a portion of
McDowell's The number of men now at that point is imated at eighteen thousand.
By adopting
Rappahannock county as a base of operation, the enemy may throw a force into Page.
Shenandoah, and
Rockingham, and at the same time keep an eye upon any movement that might have for its object the clearing out of the
Valley.
The rout of
Banks,
Shields, and
Fremont, by
Jackson's army, has proved a bitter dose to Yankeeism, and every possible resource will be exhausted with a view to wipe out the painful recollection of that event.
We have received some further particulars of the attack upon a marauding party of Yankees at
Walkerton,
King and Queen county, on Tuesday last.
It appears that the party was sent up to capture a wagon load of bacon and burn a lighter; but on arriving at the landing the vessel could not be found, and her owner remarked that he had sent her down the river.
The
Lieutenant in command of the marauders then went into a store to procure some tobacco, and while there discovered a gun, which he attempted to seize.
The owner resisted and shot the officer, who was not probably injured as to prevent him from mounting his horse and leaving the premises.
Meanwhile some citizens outside got into a fight with the
Yankee soldiers, one of whom was killed, and the others field.
The lieutenant was subsequently fired upon by a citizen of
King and
Queen, who encountered him in the road, and seriously wounded.
The whole party of eight finally surrendered, and were brought to
Richmond.
A Federal gunboat was in the
Mattaponi river, seven miles from its mouth, on the same day, and it is apprehended that the enemy, by way of revenge, will shell the houses at
Walkerton and other points in the neighborhood.
The gallant dead.
Perhaps no regiment in the
Confederate service has sustained a greater loss in officers since its entrance into service than the 2d regiment of Virginia volunteers.
Since its organization in April, 1861, it has lost no less than three field officers.
The
first Lieutenant-Colonel, Luckland, who distinguished himself at the
battle of Manassas, died a short time after that engagement from disease augmented by exposure; the second
Colonel, J. W. Allen, who fought gallantly under
Jackson in the
Valley, was killed on the field in the fight at
Gaines's Mill, on Fridays the 27th; and the third,
Major Francis B. Jones, received a mortal wound in the same engagement.
Major Jones was brought to this city on the day succeeding the fight, where he has since lingered until Wednesday last, when his sufferings were terminated in death.
Major J. was a native of
Frederick county, and a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, and though of a delicate constitution, was among the first to offer his services to the
Confederacy after the war broke out. The 2d is one of the regiments comprising the ‘ "Stonewall Brigade."’
Recovered letters.
After one of the severe fights in the vicinity of
Richmond last week, a member of one of the companies from the
Valley found on the field a number of letters, addressed to different members of the very company to which he was attached.
They were discovered to be letters from their friends in the
Valley, written previous to
Gen. Banks's retreat and while the enemy's lines had communication cut off. Among these were two or three letters from
Maryland.
The presumption is, that these letters were taken from some one who had attempted to run the blockade, but had fallen into the enemy's hands.
What is most remarkable, is the fact that one of these letters had never been opened, which is rather creditable to the
Yankees who had them in possession.
Miscellaneous.
The transportation of the mail on the line of the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroad will be resumed on Saturday.
Communication will thus be established between
Richmond and the counties on the
Rappahannock river; but so long as
Fredericksburg remains in the hands of the
Yankees, no mail can be sent to that point.
A rumor was very industriously circulated yesterday, that the
Yankees had possession of the Petersburg Railroad at the
Port Walthall Junction.
This
canard probably originated in the fact that the departure of the morning train from this city was delayed by heavy Government transportation over the
Southern route.
Since the great battles below
Richmond, the railway and wagon trains have been kept busily employed in bringing in the property abandoned or thrown away by the
Yankee troops while executing their ‘"grand strategic-movement."’ Upwards of twenty-five thousand muskets have been received at the
Government Arsenal, many of them in a damaged condition; besides a number of superior field pieces, and a vast quantity of ammunition, equipments, and clothing.
A prisoner, conversing with one of our officers at a field hospital, a few days ago, remarked that he was thoroughly tired of this war; that he wished it over, and he didn't care which side whipped.
A Yankee surgeon overhearing the conversation, immediately approached and ordered the indiscreet soldier to resume his vocation of fanning the wounded men, and not talk so much.
Persons who left
Baltimore as late as the 5th of July, represent that the news of
McClellan's reverse before
Richmond occasioned greet rejoicing among the ‘ "rebel sympathizers"’ in the city.
It was with difficulty that an open demonstration of joy was repressed by the
Federal rulers.
