From Washington

Times’ Dispatch.

WASHINGTON, May 8.

The following dispatch is from the commander of a corps in our army at Yorktown Peninsula, to his wife in this city:

WILLIAMSBURG, May 6.

“We had a hard fight yesterday in front of the rebel works covering this town. – Gen. Hooker Kept Gen. Longstreet in check till about 3 p. m., when Gen. Kearny’s division came into action, and the engagement continued till after dark.  A moment before our reinforcements came we gave way, being out of ammunition, and we lost some guns.  We afterwards recovered our ground, and held it during the night.  The rebels retreated, and at 7 a. m. we occupied their works.  Gen. A. P. Hill Commanded a rebel brigade, and Longstreet the whole.  We lost between 500 and 1,000 in killed and wounded.  We found 600 wounded in this town besides other prisoners.”

Our to-day’s dispatches from Fredericksburg contain little news of importance.  The merchants of Fredericksburg, who are largely indebted at the North, are selling out their estates and personal property, with the avowed intention of defrauding their Northern creditors.

An anonymous letter has been sent to nearly all the Union men of Fredericksburg, threatening their lives and property after our army leaves.

Letcher’s guerilla bands are infesting the hills, with the intention of capturing pickets and Union men.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Saturday Morning, May 10, 1862, p. 1