From Washington

WASHINGTON, May 7.

The Secretary of War, in response to a resolution of the House calling for regimental and Brigadier reports of the battle of Shiloh, shays that Gen. Grant’s is the only one received up to the 2nd inst.

The Speaker has appointed Representatives [Bingham] and Pendleton to present to the Senate the Humphrey’s impeachment question alluded to yesterday in the House proceedings.

The Fortress Monroe boat, which left at 8 o’clock this morning, has arrived at Cheeny Stone, bringing the following:

WILLIAMSBURG, Va., May 6.

To Hon. E. M. Stanton: – Every hour proves our victory more complete.  The enemy’s loss is great, especially in officers.  I have just heard of five more of their guns being captured.  Prisoners are constantly arriving.

(Signed)

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,

Major General Commanding.

The enemy have evacuated Williamsburg and fled towards Richmond.  Our army is following them up vigorously.  The battle on Monday was very severe, and the loss of the rebels proves to have been large.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, May 8, 1862, p. 1

Have We A General?

MR. EDITOR:  The present rebellion has now been persisted in for more than a year.  It has developed in an unexpected and almost marvelous degree, the before unknown resources of the country.  It has called a larger number of men into the field than any other single nation can muster, and all of them are volunteers.  It has created a navy able to compete with any in the world.  It has appropriated to active military use, novel, scientific and mechanical agencies, unknown to all previous wars.  It has developed financial resources, available and plenteous wealth, and rendered it easily applicable to the needs of the country, as much to our own surprise as it has been to the astonishment of other nations.  Above all, it has proven that the soldiers of the Union, are as gallant and courageous as the most ardent patriot could wish.

One thing, in my opinion, the war has not yet done.  It has found among us an abundance of the very best soldiers that ever fought and died upon the battlefield, but thus far it seems to have failed in giving prominence to any man competent to command a great army.  I cannot doubt that among the numerous officers in the national ranks, there must be some who would prove admirable leaders.  But they remain unknown, being over shadowed by those occupying higher positions – positions unworthily filled.

Our two great armies are commanded by McClellan and Halleck.  The former has been in command of his department for nearly a year, superseding McDowell, who had just fought and lost a great battle which he ought to have won.  He has under his command probably the best army, and the most completely appointed, ever yet led to the field.  His friends that he is a wonderful strategist, how justly events have plainly indicated.  He lay idle all winter before Manassas, with force and means enough to have captured all the rebels there at any time, by a single week’s use of but ordinary military skill.  Yet he allowed them to escape leaving behind them, scarcely enough of war materials to make trophies of.  He has been nearly, or quite, three months on the Yorktown [peninsula], and is now within sight of Richmond.  During the period, we have had the evacuation of Yorktown, without any material loss to the rebels, and several subsequent heavy [skirmishes].  In the most important of these, the rebels have made the attack, and in every instance, have found our forces unprepared and in a great measure uncommanded, and, consequently, in each instance have caused us heavy and intolerable loss of men.  It was so at Williamsburg, and so it was in the affair of last Saturday and Sunday.  In a word, this great strategist displays a remarkable capacity for placing portions of his army in positions which invite attack, without furnishing support, or with support so [distant] as to be able to give it only in time to just avoid absolute defeat and destruction.

At noon, Jun [1st], this strategist, Gen. McClellan, himself telegraphed these words, “We have had a desperate battle, in which the corps of Generals Sumner, Heintzelman and Keyes have been engaged against greatly superior numbers!”  What kind of strategy is that which allows a portion of any army to be assailed by “greatly superior numbers”?  Is it any consolation to tell us that, “Our loss is heavy,” but that of the enemy must have been enormous?”  If the fight was a necessary one, it would be endurable.  If he had captured the enemy, we might perceive that something had been gained.  But the fight was “desperate” he says, and the enemy was merely repulsed.  That repulse cost us 1000 killed and 2000 or more wounded.  This is Gen. McClellan’s strategy.  This is a specimen of the battles he fights, and the glory he gives to our army.  A thousand bereaved mothers and widows, nothing gained, and all to display his “strategy.”

Gen. McClellan has had the power to take Richmond any time during the past six weeks. – It is plain that he has not the capacity to move a large army, that he does not know how to plan it; and that he will not be able to fight with it so as to secure all the advantages of victory.  I do not doubt that he will take Richmond.  But I think it safe to predict that but a small portion of the rebel forces will fall into his hands.  The best part of the campaign will be wasted before that city, and a barren possession of it, will be the sum of our gain.  If this is strategy, I do not see it.  I consider McClellan an egregious failure; by the time a few more thousand lives are sacrificed, to satisfy his strategy, I presume it will be thought expedient to try another.

I will not ascribe the folly of the battle of Shiloh to General Halleck.  I think General Grant is responsible for that, and it is a responsibility no one will wish to share with him.  The evacuation of Corinth, by the rebels taking with them all their munitions of war evidences either a marvelous degree of successful strategy on their party, or an equally marvelous want of Generalship on the part of Halleck.  General Grant set down about Pittsburgh Landing with some 40,000 men, and felt so secure that he never tho’t  of the ordinary precaution of entrenching his camp.  Halleck, having the addition of Buell’s, Mitchell’s, Pope’s and Curtis’ Divisions, making his army three of four times as effective as Grant’s, builds entrenchments all the way from Shiloh to Corinth, and when he gets there, obtains the place for his pains!  There is no doubt that Grant ought to have entrenched himself. – It is equally evident that Halleck has been wasting his time.  He could have taken Corinth, and the larger part of the rebel army, had he but moved on it with rapidity and energy, instead of wasting his time in his entrenchments.  The battle of Shiloh appears to have given him a “big scare.”  To avoid Grant’s absurd negligence and recklessness, he adopted the other extreme, and instead of proving a competent General, he has proven merely to be a good ditcher.

These two Generals are the only ones who have had command of large armies.  The ditchers around Corinth and Yorktown are the best evidence they have given of their capacity.  I do not know how well they were dug.  But I submit, that, although ditch digging is good in its place, a General ought to have the ability to do “something else.”  I do not know who should supersede these so-called Generals.  But I am sure some one, possessed of higher qualifications, ought to be found, with ease, by those whose business it is to know the character, and ability of our numerous military officers.  We have had too many evacuations without results.  If this mode of warfare should be persisted in, you and I need not hope to live long enough to see the end of the rebellion.  I repeat it, then, let us have a GENERAL if it be possible to find one.  We have had enough of ditch-digging; let us next have men who will “go in for a fight.”

H.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, June 7, 1862, p. 2

Coolness On The Field

A lad of fifteen years of age belonging to the 5th Wisconsin, whose name is Douglas, and resides at Beaver Dam, was in the battle of Williamsburg, and got his gun wet so that he could not fire.  During the hottest of the fight, and whilst the regiment was falling back, he deliberately sat down, took out his screw driver, unscrewed the tube from his gun, dried it out, put it back, capped it, got up and put into the field as if nothing unusual was going on.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, June 7, 1862, p. 1

Contrasts & etc.

Contrasts --- Gen. McClellan --- Somebody Blundered at Williamsburg – Our Advance – Military Jealousies – The Commander, The President, and the Secretary of War – Battle of York River – Obstruction of the Pamunkey – Maps.

CAMP AT ELTHAM, NEW KENT CO., VA,

SUNDAY, May 11^th, 1862.

Last Sunday the army was convulsed with excitement. Thousands of armed men were plunging onward in pursuit of a flying enemy.  Away off in the distance there was a sound of angry tumult, arising from the swamps and forests.  To-day, how serene and placid the scene!  Beautiful fields arrayed in living green, a calm, blue May sky, fragrant breezes from the Sunny South cooling the heated atmosphere, and the voice of praise and of prayer rising from the midst of embattled hosts.  But all this is the calm which presages the dreadful storm. * * *  The word comes that Gen. McClellan is coming into camp, and there is a grand rush to see him.

GEN. M’CLELLAN HERE.

The General paid this army a flying visit, halting temporarily at Gen. Sedgwick’s headquarters.  The troops greeted him with the heartiest enthusiasm.  I believe I commit no impropriety in stating that I am satisfied that the great battle is almost at hand.  It may take place before this is printed.  The enemy have evacuated every point connecting with Richmond, for the purpose of giving battle on the Chickahominy.  Their central point is at Bottom Bridge and the Chickahominy, on the perimeter of a semicircle formed by the meandering of the stream.  They are supposed to be protected from blank attacks by the creeks and deep swamps.  General McClellan did not express an opinion respecting the numbers of the enemy, but remarked “they are on the Chickahominy in force.”  The lowest estimate of their numbers, by careful commanders, is one hundred and twenty five thousand, but there are sound reasons for placing the number at one hundred and fifty thousand – of whom, perhaps, fifty thousand are new conscripts.  Our videttes are already in close juxtaposition with their outposts.

Yesterday afternoon two of our gunboats ascended the Pamunkey to White House, some seventeen miles above this camp, and about seven above and to the right of New Kent Court House, at the point, I am informed, where the Richmond and York River Railway crosses the Pamunkey.

OUR ADVANCE.

Gen. Stoneman also advanced to that point last night, meeting and driving before him a considerable force of rebels, killing five, wounding a number, and taking some prisoners, two of his men being killed and three wounded. – Our troops have gone forward to-day, and the whole army is disposed within supporting distance of the front.  This general fact would be presupposed.  I state it to calm any apprehensive inquiry that might be made.  I may say, likewise, that the General seems cheerful and confident, and since the battle of Williamsburg, he relies upon his volunteers to obey orders and emulate their leaders.

CABALS.

In infer from certain mysterious expressions among military men, that somebody blundered at Williamsburg, but the utterances are so cabalistic that I doubt the propriety of venturing an opinion.  Decision of character and consistency of purpose seem to have been the deficiencies of which compliant is made.  I am not competent to decide whether such insinuations are justifiable or whether they are the utterances of military cabals.  I sometimes fear that Old West Point and Young West Point do not agree.  As Young West Point has done so well, generally, in this war, my predictions are rather favorable to them.  Yet, I would rather not know so much about military collisions among our own officers.  While I dwell upon this point the reader will pardon me for submitting that the Secretary of War does not appear to be sustaining Gen. McClellan as he ought, otherwise he would not send exhausted or incompetent Brigadiers to the Commander, when he deserves a more vigorous and better qualified class of officers.  Just here, I would also remark that the special friends of Gen. McClellan are striving to widen the breach between the Secretary of War and himself, by representing that it was the former who subdivided the army into corps, for the purpose of crippling the latter.  Now, I think that my authority for saying that this was President Lincoln’s work is indisputable.  You will have observed, probably, that the N. Y. Herald is prone to couple the President and General McClellan as fides achate, and to mention the latter and the War Secretary as bitterly antagonistic.  Here are wheels within wheels.  I shall not be accused of an attempt to widen any breach or of puffing anybody who does not merit praise, but I shall be as just as I can to all concerned, no matter who is hurt.

BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG.

I do not know whether the casualty list at Williamsburg will be published or not, but I know that our loss was about 2,500.  The rebel loss was greater.  They captured some of our pieces, and we recaptured all but four of them, and some of theirs, leaving a handsome balance in our favor.  This bloody victory ought to satisfy the public that the evacuation of Yorktown was a fortunate event for us, and that the rebels are not irretrievably demoralized.  The truth is not always agreeable but in the long run it is the best principle.

THE BATTLE OF YORK RIVER.

There are further developments about the affair of Wednesday last.  It appears that Gen. Gustavus Smith was in command of the rebels and that Gen. Whiting led his own brigade. – Gen. Joe Johnston was also on the field and had a powerful force in reserve.  We were not fast enough to accomplish all we desired and intended, and our troops made a lucky escape.  Had the rebels pushed us, they might have destroyed an entire division.  The risk was too great, however, and they could not know how far to venture.  Readers who have followed my sketch of the siege of Yorktown will have observed that it has cost our army at least 3,000 brave men to clear the peninsula.  It has cost the rebels more, if that is any satisfaction, besides stores and a hundred pieces of artillery, large and small.

OBSTRUCTION OF THE PAMUNKEY.

Officers of the gunboats report that thirty five schooners were sunk in Pamunkey by the rebels to obstruct the transit of our flotilla, but they proved inefficient, our boats passing them as easily as if no obstructions had been planted.  If James river is blockaded in a similar manner the city of Richmond may be approached in a similar manner, the city of Richmond may be approached by boats drawing eight feet of water.

MAPS.

The popular war maps, including Lloyd’s railway map, mislead all who refer to them for geographical information.  In the latter the Richmond and York River Railroad is laid south of the Pamunkey, running through the town of New Kent Court House.  The road really runs north of the river from West Point to White House, seven miles beyond Kent C. H., where it crosses the river.  The turnpike runs almost due west from West Point to Richmond, but whether the army will march on that line is a question which I cannot determine.   W. D. B.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 2

The Southern “gentlemen,” at the battle of Williamsburg . . .

. . . took a wounded New Jersey Captain prisoner, and cut off his ears.  If taken, our chivalrous friends who gave this little attention to a Jerseyman should be treated with the utmost leniency and distinguished consideration.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 2

The newspaper accounts of . . .

. . . the battles, skirmishes, sieges and marches are most unjust and unfair in three cases out of five.  We have had it well illustrated in the West, in the accounts of the various battles given to the public through the medium of Chicago papers.  The real heroes were never heard of through these mendacious historians.  The praise was uniformly bestowed upon some favorite Regiment or Division and upon [officers] who had bought and paid for their favors.  At the recent battle of Williamsburgh the same thing occurred.  The public were led to believe that Gen. Hancock did all the fighting, which consisted simply in one gallant bayonet charge.  This is very unjust and unfair, and the correspondents who wrote these lying accounts ought to be kicked out of the army, – drummed out of camp.  The truth is Hancock had only between twenty and thirty killed and wounded, and only four regiments engaged.  His affair was but a skirmish.  On the left, Heintzelman was compelled to fight a great battle, of vastly more consequence than Bull Run, and he won it, too.  He had seventeen regiments engaged from first to last – twelve of Hooker’s and five of Kearney’s; and his loss in killed, wounded and missing, was two thousand and forty-six!  The facts are that the courage of our men enabled Heintzelman to fight for six hours against the odds of three to one, and against other and greater odds than disciplined troops ever before encountered. – And wider and wider spreads the opinion through the army every hour that it only needed that Sumner should have spared Heintzelman a third or half his force standing idle in the woods, only have a mile off, to have enabled him to crush the enemy right at Williamsburgh, and have taken or dispersed the great force which we may now have to fight again in the Chickahominy swamp.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 24, 1862, p. 1

Specials to the New York Papers

(Times Dispatch)

WASHINGTON, May 14. – Gov. Sprague says our losses at Williamsburgh in killed, wounded and missing, will amount to about 2,000, and that the rebel loss was not less.

He also says the battle at West Point, under Franklin, was much more severe than reported; that at least 500 of our men were taken prisoners, the enemy taking advantage of the landing of our troops.  The gunboats came up in good time and saved Franklin from suffering a severe disaster.

Gen. Burnside has very quietly put an extinguisher on C. H. Foster, the gentleman who has so long been trying to get recognized as a member of Congress from North Carolina.  He advertized the citizens of Newberne a few evenings since of a thing which, as Gen. Burnside put it, he thought would be very foolish for him to do or the General to permit.  The military Governor appointed by the President was to shape the policy of the Government in the State and he could not permit anything to be done which might hereafter prove to be a source of embarrassment.

(Special to Herald)

The steamer Kennebec arrived here this afternoon, with 213 wounded rebels and 25 wounded Union soldiers from Williamsburg.  Among the latter is Col. Dwight.  His wounds are less dangerous than at first supposed.  The rebels receive precisely the same treatment as our wounded and are sent to the same hospitals.

The rumor that Gen. McCall had resigned the command of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps is unfounded.  He has no intention to resign until the army of the Union has accomplished its mission to suppress the rebellion.

(Tribune’s Dispatch)

WASHINGTON, May 14. – The French Minister has received intelligence  from his Consul at Richmond to the effect that the rebel Government had notified him that should it be necessary to evacuate the city, the French tobacco must be destroyed with the rest.  At the same time the rebels offer to pay for it, a proposition not much relished by the French men.

The French Minister discredits the rumors of European intervention in our affairs and it is generally thought here that whatever purposes may have been entertained by England and France the news from New Orleans will cause their definite postponement.

The 885 prisoners recently released from Richmond will arrive here by way of the Potomac to-morrow.  A few who came through Baltimore arrived to-day.  They say the rebels are as determined as ever and believe that after the great impending battles they will, if whipped, band together in small guerrilla parties and fight to the very last.  They represent the treatment of our prisoners as barbarous in the extreme; that our officers who alone remain in the prisons, all the privates being set free, will not be released at all.  Colonel Corcoran’s health is good.  He is anxious to be released and contradicts the statements made some time since.  He said he would prefer remaining where he is, believing that he could be of more service there and adds that the only way in which he wishes to serve his country is on the battle field.  Col. Bowman’s health is failing rapidly and his eye sight is nearly lost.  He can survive his present treatment but a few weeks longer.  His long confinement has affected his mind so much that at times he is looked upon as insane.  The rebels offered every inducement to the prisoners to join their army, but only two have done so, viz., Jno. A. Wicks, late of the Congress and a private of the 7^th Ohio named Wilson.  As soon as it became known to the prisoners that Wilson intended to desert them, they proceeded to hang him.  The guard however entered in time to cut him down before life was extinct.  In punishment of this act the prisoners were put upon bread and water for ten days.

The House Committee on Foreign affairs having authorized Mr. Gooch to report the Senate Bill establishing diplomatic relations with Hayti and Siberia, it will doubtless be pressed to a vote at an early day.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 17, 1862, p. 3

The Bayonet Charge of Hancock’s Brigade

This brilliant affair, at the Battle of Williamsburg, is thus described by a corresponded of the New York World:

There burst from the woods on our right flank a battalion of rebel, cavalry!  There, to the right and left of the horse, three regiments of infantry supporting it!

A terrible moment!  Four thousand infantry marching in at the same period of the battle turned and routed our eighteen thousand and Bull Run.  But a year has passed since then.  Yankees have learned how and when to fight.

Gen. Hancock was equal to the crisis.  Forming his infantry in a minute against this sudden attack, he held them in magnificent order, while the rebel foot and horse came on, cheering, firing, and charging in gallant and imposing style.  Our artillery wheeled and poured hot volleys into them as they came, and over five thousand muskets riddled them through and through.  But they kept on – nearer – nearer – closing up, and cheering, and sure of their power to sweep us before them.

Thus swifter than I can write it, until their line, now broken and irregular, was panting within two hundred yards of our own unwavering column.  Then Hancock showed himself the coolest and bravest of the brave.  Taking off his hat, and using the courtly prefix of olden time, he said “Ready, now!  Gentlemen, CHARGE!”  Our whole line swept forward, as the reaper’s sickle goes through the corn.  Its keen edge had not yet touched the enemy when the latter broke simultaneously, fled in confusion to the rear of its stronghold, and the field of Williamsburg was won.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 17, 1862, p. 2

The Battle of Williamsburg

BALTIMORE, May 8. – The following is from the American’s account of the battle at Williamsburg: The battle before Williamsburg on Monday was a most warmly contested engagement. Owing to the roughness of the country and bad condition of the roads but a small portion of our troops could be brought into action. Gen. Sickles’s Excelsior Brigade and Gen. Hooker’s Division bore the brunt of the battle, and fought most valiantly throughout, though greatly over powered by numbers and the superior position and earthworks of the enemy.

Approaches to their earthworks were a series of ravines and swamps, while rain fell in torrents throughout the day the men had also been lying on their arms all the previous night in a wood and were soaked with rain and chilled with cold; the battle raged from early in the morning until 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when Gen. McClellan arrived with fresh troops and relieved the division of Gen. Hooker who were nearly prostrate with fatigue and exposure; the 3d–Excelsior–regiment of Sickle’s Brigade, had it’s ranks terribly thinned by the batteries of the enemy. They are represented as having fought with such bravery that not less than 200 of them are killed and wounded.

After the arrival of Gen. McClellan, the enemy were fiercely charged by Hancock’s Brigade and were driven within their works before night fall, with heavy loss.

Nearly 700 of their dead were left on the field, with many wounded, though most of the latter were carried into Williamsburg.

Our loss was less than 300 killed and about 700 wounded.

Night having come on we occupied the battlefield, the enemy having been driven within his works, and our forces laid on their arms, prepared to storm the works in the morning.

On Tuesday morning Gen. McClellan sent out scouts whilst preparing to move on the enemy’s works, who soon reported that he had again taken flight during the night.

The works of the enemy and the city of Williamsburgh were then taken.

Fort Magruder was a most extensive work, capable of prolonged defense, but the enemy had abandoned it early in the night, retreating in the greatest confusion, as described by a few negro women who were found in the town.

A large number of wagons, munitions and an considerable store of provisions were found in the town, and the road was strewn for many miles, with arms and accoutrements.

A number of deserters also made their escape and came within our lines, who stated that they had received intelligence that large numbers of Federal troops were landing on York river above Williamsburg, flanking them.

The Third New Hampshire regiment has 16 killed and 66 wounded.

Second Michigan Regiment, Col. Poe commanding – Killed, company C, Corporal Orin Nichby; wounded, James Acken, Charles Brenham, Charles Frazer, Sergeant John Shanahan. Company F – H. H. Gallup, J. Weon, Geo. Carvenon. [Company] H – Corporal Williard Eddy. Company I – Jos Dizeka, Henry Hearluk, Hugh Mills, Corporal W. A. Wallace. Company K – Thos. Lenon. Total 14 wounded. Second Lieut. R. D. Johnson, Company A, slightly wounded; Corporal W Kearle slightly wounded; private John Rash, severely; 1st [Sergeant] H H Daniels, Sergeant H H Evans, severely. Company B, Private Mather, Severely; private Lyman Heath, slightly; Thos. Oakley, slightly; James Dadnin, slightly; 1st Sergeant Benj F Lee, mortally; private Joel Carven, severely; S. B. Glidden, slightly; H Covert, ditto; Wm H Custo, ditto; Jefferson B Famhen, do; Wm Jay, severely; J K H McClary, slightly.


WASHINGTON, May 8. – The following are the names of some of the killed in Sickles’ Brigade:

Killed – Capt. Barrett, Capt. Willard and Lt. Bailey. Wounded – Capt. Greenleaf, severely, Lieut. Hortney, severely, Lieut. Marcus, seriously, Serg’t Maj. Clark, seriously, Ass’t Surgeon General Hart, struck by four balls.

Col. Dwight was wounded and taken prisoner.

Maj. Holt was seriously wounded while leading on his men.

The body of Capt. Willard was rifled of his watch and money, by the enemy, as were many of our dead.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 3

The Rebel Rout at Williamsburgh

WASHINGTON, May 7. – The enemy have evacuated Williamsburgh and fled towards Richmond, our army is following them up vigorously. The battle of Monday was very severe – the loss of the rebels proves to have been large.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 3

Battle at Williamsbugh

THE ENEMY ROUTED WITH GREAT LOSS.

The following is a despatch [sic] from Gen. McClellan to Secretary Stanton:

WILLIAMSBURGH, May 6.

I have the pleasure to announce the occupation of this place as the result of a hard fought action. Yesterday Hancock’s Brigade engagement had the effect to turn the left of the enemy’s line of works. The enemy abandoned their entire line during the night, leaving all his sick and wounded in our hands. Their loss yesterday was very severe. We have some three hundred men killed and more than one thousand wounded and prisoners. Their loss is heavy. Our victory complete. I have sent cavalry in pursuit. The conduct of our men was excellent, with scarcely an exception. The enemy’s works were extensive and exceedingly strong. Our loss in Hooker’s Division is heavy, but very little in other portions of the field. Hancock’s success, was gained with the loss of not over twenty killed and wounded. We have other battles to fight before reaching Richmond. The rebels are flying from Williamsburgh to Richmond.


McClellan telegraphs from Johnston’s headquarters as follows:

The weather is good to-day but there is great difficulty in getting up food on account of the roads. Very few wagons have yet come up. – Am I authorized to follow the examples of other Generals and direct the names of battles to be placed on the colors of regiments?

( Signed: )

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major General Comd’g.


{To Associated Press.}

WILLIAMSBURGH, May 6. – The enemy evacuated this place and their works in front last night. Their rear guard passed through about 6 o’clock, and at 9 o’clock Gen. McClellan and escort entered the town and took possession.

About 150 of the enemy’s wounded were left behind without any rations, medicines or surgeons. They also left a number of their dead unburied.

All of our wounded in yesterday’s engagement, who fell into their hands, were left behind. Col. Dwight of the Excelsior Brigade, who was severely wounded and taken prisoner, was also left.

In the engagement yesterday, the enemy suffered terribly. Gen. Rickets was killed.

The enemy had a force here yesterday of 50,000 men, and only decided to evacuate after the brilliant bayonet charge of Gen. Hancock.

A majority of the white inhabitants remain. The number of the enemy now in our hands will reach about 1,000, including the wounded.


WASHINGTON, May 7 – The Fortress Monroe boat, which left at 8 o’clock this morning, has arrived at Cherry Stone, bringing the following:

WILLIAMSBURG, May 7.

To Hon. E. M. Stanton,

Every hour proves our victory more complete. The enemy’s loss is great, especially in officers. I have just heard of five more of their guns being captured. Prisoners are constantly arriving.

( Signed: )

GEO. B. McCLELLAN,
Major General Commanding.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, May 10, 1862, p. 3