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Georgia Journal aith AXzmzmtx. JJY S. liOSK & CO. f Journal k Messenger every vVe-lnesJay morning at $2 50 per ann ato l* ' e.. i < at lire n gaiar charge ivili he use Dollar tl , ,( oi.iv iICSDRUO WOKIH OK I EIVJ, tor the first i tia.: i iiie r« Ct o - for e tch subsequent insertion. Aij not specified as to time, will be published . t 4iil charged necordindy. a liberal discount * .| to those who advertise by the year. iSI of over tkn links, will be charged at ./Oiual rate*. .ir.o i of candidates for olfiee, to he paid for at •a! rates, when inserted. ,i .irangetncnU made with county olbcers, Drug , , ii.,neers, Merchants, and others, who may wish to ' ti- limited contracts. r i.csa and Negroes, by Executors, Administrators tail l'Sfis, are required by law to be advertised in a I rl d*y» previous to the day of sti« sales must be held on the first Tuesday in tiie month, • " a the hours of ten in the forenoon and three in the »tthe Court bouse in the county in which the ~ ,-rty is situated. , r r Prp iNAi Property must be advertised in like! ii ,uner, forty day*. ' ; , Debt'in- and Oreditokb of an Estate must be Lubtlibed forty day*. K . ~ tiiat application will be made to the Ordinary for ! , sell LmJ and Negroes, must be published weekly for t<vo month*- , ; , /if Letters of Administrations, thirty days ; for / ■ .raiHion from Administ>atlon, monthly, six months ; for ■ v , ~; Jo n froiii (guardianship, weekly, forty days. run FoßSC'.oawio of Mortgaoe, monthly, four ~J th s far establishing lost papers, for the full 3pace of f,i\ ii,..miis; for compelling titles from executors or ad a.tratoiwhere a bond has been given by the deceased, me full space of three in >nths. jiT Letters addressed to 3. RO9F. & CO. amt Men. Pk.'iFiiHioNAL and IlcsiNKds oard3 will be inserted under [Ms heal, at the following rates, viz : Fir Three lines, per annum, $ 5 60 11 Seven lines, do 10 00 “ Ten lines, do 12 00 “ Twelve lines, do 15 00 No ad vertlsements of this class will be admitted, unles* aid for in advance, nor for a less term than twelve months- Iverllsements of over twelve lines will be charged pro rata- Advertisements not paid for in advance will be charged at I ie regular rates. Kfci< .li 7a h m eeti nos OF MASON'S, KNIGHT TEMPLARS, ODD FEL LOWS AND SONS OF TEMPERANCE, HKI.fl IN TflK CITY OF MACON. MASONS. Orand Lodge of Georgia for 1860, October 81st. M ,iq Lodge, No. 5, first and third Monday nights in each month. Cimsuntine Chapter, No. 4, second Monday night in each month. Washington Council, No. 6, fourth Monday night in each uinuth. St Omer'.-. Knc.irnpment. Knights Templar, No. 2, Meetings every first Tuesday night in each month. ODD FELLOWS. Grand Lodge, first Wednesday in June. Grand Encampment, Tuesday previous. Y.auklln Lodge, No. 2, every Thursday evening. United brothers, No. 5, every Tuesday evening, jja on Union Encampment, No. 2, second and fourth Mon day evenings in each month. SONS OF TEMPERANCE. (ir.tnd Division, fourth Wednesday in October, annually. PROFESSIONAL l ARDS, LAMIER A AADEKSOX, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, MACON, (M. IJRACTIO® in the Counties of the Macon Circuit, and in the Counties of Sumter, Monroe and Jones; also in the federal Courts at Savannah. [apr 21 ’SB-ly] i « LVERHOCJSB A ANSLKV, ATTORNEYS AT LAW, KNOXVILLE AND FORT VALLEY, GA. 6. P. CULVEKHOU3E, . F. A. AN3LEY, Knoxville, Ga. Fort Valley, Ga. 9 t ,-'GO-ly Ki. IV. WHITTLE, ATTORNEY AT LAW, MACON, GEORGIA. :FFIUF: next to CONCERT HALL,over Payne’s Drug Store i&c.6, [4l-ly.] , THOMAS B. CABAKIBB, ATTORNEY AT LAW, dP’orfeiytli, Gra. \VTll.fi attend promptly to all business entrusted to his » care in the Countiesof Monroe,Bibb, Butts, Crawtord, nes, Pike, Spalding and Upson. l_uiay 12 ’sß] ■tLUOVA 1.. BUI 1.1. Ins removed his Law Otlleeto Cherry street . up stairs of building next below B. A. Wise’s furnish lag store. He will attend the Courts as heretofore. Macon, Oct. 1, 1861. oct ts-ts OPPOSITE LANIER HOUSE, MACON. SILK DRESS IIATS $2.75 TO $3.00. The Commercial Straw is ea3y, SI.OO “ Senate is not bad, “ Planter’s Hat i3 very “ English is Finest. WOOL HATS, CWLDKEiW STRAWS. june 20 C. 13. STONE it BKO. M UON SEEI) STORE. LVNDRETII’S fresh garden seeds.—w. s. ELLIS lias just received a large supply of GARDEN SEEDS, From Landreth’s, warranted genuine, for sale at the lowest prices, wholesale and retail. Also, a general assortment of DRUGS AND MEDICINES. Macon, Ga., Jan. IC, ts W. 8. ELLIS. ' ! Will: mat A. WILSON’S Sewing Machines at standard prices ; anew and fine lot just opened and for sale by E. J. JOHNSTON & CO . r»url4 Second Floor. Corn and Rectified Whiskey 7(lfl R BLS. Whiskey, consisting of “ Ward & Carey’ * Extra Rectified, Kentucky ifure White,*’Ten •'saeeCom,”Georgia Planters,” “Pike’s Magnolia,’’and her Brands, all received direct from the Distillers, and 9 B,ll « bj MOOALLIE * JQfli’B. ttttr 1 3 TRY ONE OF OUR New Black I’ocket Hats. Buy one NEW STYLE BROAD BRIM. The X ZOUAVE E LACK TRIMMED Will BROOME you! So will the MAROO INI And the Ex. Nat. Nutria. So will the LIGHT BLACK BROAD ROUND SOFT IIATS. BUSINESS CARM. RoS. Ha RIMMAK r Sg. o. 0. 3PARIH HARt}Kv bh A N A SPARKS, WARE-HOUSE and Commission Merchants. Adtfd MAOON, GA , WILL give prompt attention to the selling and stoili.g of Cotton, and to the filling of orders for plantation and family supplies. With many years experience and with their best efforts to serve their friends, they hope to have a continuance of the liberal patronage heretofore extended to them Liberal advances mad-- when required. August 15th 1860. (ly.) COATES & WOOLFOUC, m COTTON FACTORS. §y£ Ware House on Third street. WILL continue to give prompt attention to business entrusted to their care. Advances made on Cotton In Store. Sept. 25, 1861—ts JOHN SCHOFIELD, JOSHCA SCHOFiEED fecTiofield. & Bro., FOUNDERS AND MACHINISTS MACON, GEORGIA. WE are prepared to Manufacture Steam Engines, CIRCULAR SAW MILLS, MILL and GIN GEAR ING, SUGAR MILLS, BRASS AND IRON CASTINGS Os eviry description IKON RAILING und VEli- A N UAHS. Having the most complete assortment of Iron Railing in the State, which for elegance, neatness, du rability and design, cannot be surpassed, and are suitable ior the fronts of Dwellings, Cemetery L- ta, Public Squares, Church Fences and Balconies. Persons desirous of purchasing Railings will do well to give a call, as we are determined to offer as good bargains as any Northern Establishment. JSJ*” Specimens of our Work can be seen at Rose Hill Cemetery, and at various private residences in this city, jan 1-18G1 LI {O N "WOIUvS, WACOM, 01.0R4j.1A. T. C. TV I 8 1J ET, HAVNIG removed his FOUNDRY AND MACHINE WORKS to the line of the Rail Road near the Macon & Western Shops, he is now prepared to manufacture alt kinds of MACHINERY AND CASTINGS, ALSO Steam Engines & Boilers, On terms as favorable as any Establishment either North or South. (mar 18) T. C. NISBET. D. C. HODGKINS &. SON, DEALERS IS AND MANIJFACTERERS OF Gar XT 3NT & , RIFLES, PISTOLB, FISHING^ And Sporting Apparatus*/? or EVERY DESCRIPTION, AFKW DOORS BKLOWTHk'^I Lanier House, Jan. 1, 1860. tf_ F. H. BURG HARD, WATCHMAKER, JEWELLER, AND DEALER IN PANCY WARES, DIAMONDS AND PRECIOUS STONES, IN GENERAL, ARTICLES OF VERTU, AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, CUTLERY, FINEST IMPORT ED ANI) AMERICAN WATCHES, TIME PIECES, CLOCKS, CHRONOMETERS, CHIROURAPHIC IMPLEMENTS, Ac., Ac., Cherry St., Macon, Second door be low the Telegraph Printing House. f|III AN KFI L for past favors .reminds faiSL J. the public that all the most fashionable, elegant and desirable goods in this line will *t|BK continue to be found at this elegant stand . "»3*\ in the greatest variety. No trouble to show Goods. feb 29-’6oy NEW FIRM 7 L. P. STRONG & SONS. J‘ EWIS P. STRONG ten- J ders his grateful thanks or the liberal patronage /x tended to him for thel&st wenty seven years, and re- - .Aw he EDGAR" P 9 STRONG 9 and FORRESTER W. STRONG, under the name, firm and style of L. P. STRONG A SONS, and will continue to keep on hand and offer, a large and select assortment of Boots Shoes and Leather of all kinds, and Findings for Country manufacturers. He respectfully asks for the new firm, a continuance o: the lib eral favor extended to the old. Macon, January 2,1860. 41-y GRANITE HALL. IWOFLD respectfully Inform my OLD FRIEXDS.and PATRONS, that since the fire, I have obtained the Rooms in the building NEXT ABOVE the “Granite Hall,” and over the store of R. P. McEvoy and Messrs. Bostick A Lamar, where I have opened, and will be pleased to see my friends and customers, and will do my best for their comfort and pleasure. Very Respectfully, may 1 BENJ. P. DENSE. IJROViTNT'S HOTEL, Opposite the Passenger House, Macon, Ga. By E. E. BRO WN &SO N. MEAI.S ready ou the arrival of every Train. The Proprietors will spare no pains to make their guests comfortable. feb 22 4S-’6O-y THE STUBBLEFIELD HOUSE “ Like the Phoenix from its Ashes.” That large, new and elegant House, recently erected on the ruins of my old establishment, Mulberry street, Macon, Ga., is now open for the reception and accommda tl‘~l of Boarders and transient guests. he House has been newly furnished throughout, in the est manner, and the Proprietor will endeavor to make it a first class hotel. ™ I .!LI! tU .V iO £ is 'N&IMe, a little below the Methodist and Pres 6.vteria.n Church, and near the Banks and places of business. Connected with the House is a large Livery and Sale Stable, where Drovers and others can find accommodations for their stock. The patronage of his old friends and of the traveling public generally, is respectfully solicited, nov 5-ts M. STUBBLEFIELD. Washington Hall IS STILL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. SASSEENE, Proprietor. MACON, GEORGIA, WEDNESDAY, JULY IC, 1862. From the Richmond Examiner. The Position of HfcClellau. It is believed that that portion of the eoe Uij s torces which are desenbed as iu colu muoicatioii with the river, aud as taken their way towards Shirley and West over, with long trains of wagoDS, Jtc., by Do means composes the bulk of McClellan's forces, and that a portion of his anry is still detained within our line on the roads lead ing down through Charles City county. The original plau of cutting off the enemy’s com munications with the river, which " was to have been executed by a movement of Holmes’ division between him and the nver, was frustrated by the severe tire of the ene my’s gunboats, and since then the situation appears to he that of a division or dispersion of McClellan’s forces, one portion resting on the river, and the other unable to extricate itself from our lines—such a situation in which we would be likely to hear of new dispositions being made of our forces every day, and many confused stories of the nature of operations. The difficulty in obtaining precise and re liable news from the seat of active opera tions, besides those which ordinarily exist, is due to the essential nature of the situation itself, in which an immense army of the en emy shifted his position and scattered his forces to such an extent that even our gene rals have been able to get hut dissolving views iu the change of scene and uncertain ty* of movement which have marked the wonderful retreat of McClellan. The skill and spirit with which McClellan has managed to retreat are remarkable, and afford no mean proofs of his generalship.— At every stage of his retreat he has confront ed our forces with a strong guard, aud has encountered us with well organized lines of battle, and regular dispositions of infantry, cavalry and artillery. His heavy rifled cau uou have been used against us constantly ou his retreat. THE BATTLE ON TUESDAY. The battle of Tuesday was perhaps the fiercest aud most sanguinary of the series of bloody contests that have sigualized each of the last seven days. Early ou Tuesday morning the enemy, from the position to which he had been driv eu the night before, continued his retreat iu a southeasterly direction towards his gun boats on the James river. At eight o’clock, a. in., Magruder recommenced the pursuit, advancing slowly, but steadily, aud shelling the woods and forests in front as he progress ed. This method of advance was kept up throughout the morning, aud until 4 o’clock, p. m., without coming up with the enemy. But between 4 and 5 o’clock our troops reached a large open field a mile loDg and threo quarters iu width, on the farm of Dr. Carter. The enemy were discovered strong ly entrenched iu a dense forest on the oth er side of this field. Their artillery, num bering fifty pieces, could be plainly seen bristling over their freshly constructed earth works. At 10 minutes before sp. m., Gen. Magruder ordered bis men to charge across the field, and drive the enemy from their position. Gallantly they sprang to the en counter, rushing into the field at full run.— Instantly from the line of the enemy’s breast works a muiderous storm of grape and can ister was hurled into their ranks, with the most terrible effect. Officers aud men went down by hundreds ; but yet, uudaunted and unwavering, our lines dashed on until two thirds of the distance was accomplished.— Here the carnage from the withering fire of the enemy’s combined musketry and artil lery was dreadful. Our line wavered a mo ment, and fell back to the cover of the woods. Twice again the effort to carry the position was renewed, but each time with the same result. Night at length, rendered a further attempt injudicious, and the fight, until ten o’clock, was kept up by the artil lery of both sides. To add to the horrors, if not to the dangers, of this battle, the ene my’s gunboats from their position at Curl’s Neck, two and a half miles distant, poured on the field continuous broadsides from their immense rilled guns. Though it is question able, as we have suggested, whether any se rious loss was inflicted on us by the gun boats, the horrors of the fight were aggrava ted by the monster shells, which tore shriek ing through the forests, and exploded with a concussion which seemed to shake the solid earth itself. It must not be inferred from the above account that the slaughter was all on our side. We have the best reasons to know that the well directed fire of our cannou and musketry, both before and subsequent to our efforts to storm the enemy’s position, fell with fatal effect upon his heavily massed forces. At 10 o’clock, p. m., the last gun was fired from our side. Each side held the po sition occupied when the fight began, and during the remainder of the night each was busily engaged removing their wounded.— The rumble of the enemy’s ambulances and wagons, ia rapid and hurried motion, did not cease even with the dawn. At ten o’clock Wednesday morning they were still busy, and discontinued not tieir labors be cause their wounded had been removed, but for fear of our advance. Our wounded were carried from the battle field directly to the farm houses in the neighborhood, whence, after their injuries had been examined and dressed, they were brought to the hospitals in this city. During the morning the enemy evacuated his position and retreated, still bearing in a southeasterly direction, and apparently not attempting tq lessen the distance between lm Wid bis gvmboatei The battle field, surveyed through the ;old rain of Wednesday morning, presented ■scents too t-hocking to be dwelt on without tuguish. Ihe Wuods and field before men tioned, were, ou the western • ide, covered with our dead, iu ail tLc degrees of violent mutilation ; while iu the woods on the west dde ot the field lay, iu about equal num bers, the blue-uniformed bodies of the Van kee soldiers. Many of the latter were still ahve, having been left by their friends in tLeii iudecent haste to escape from the re bels. Great numbers of horses were killed on both sides, and the sight of their disfigured carcases, and the stench proceeding °fronj them, added much to the loathsome Horrors of the bloody field. The corn-fields, but re cently turned by the ploughshare, were fur rowed and torn by the iron missiles.— Thousands of round shot and unexploded shell lay on the surface of the earth.— Among the* latter were many of the enor mous shell thrown trom the gunboats.— 1 hey were eight inches iu width by tweuty three inches in length. The ravages of these monsters were every where discernible through the forests. In some places long avanues were cut through the tree tops, and here aud there great trees three and lour feet in thickness, were burst open and split to very shreds. In one re markable respect this battle field differed in appearance from any of the proceeding days. In the track of the enemy’s flight there were no cast-away blue great coats no blankets, tents nor clothing j uo letters and no was ted commissary stores. He had. evidently, before reaching this point, thrown away everything that could retard his hasty re treat. Nothing was to be found on this portion of the field but killed and wounded Yankees and their guns and knapsacks* A mute and to Yiaginia a most interesting sto ry, was told by these knapsacks. Upwards qf three hundred of them blunged to the fa mous New York Seventh llegiment, who were once so feasted and fondled iu Rich mond. If a remnant of them return to the Empire City they may say with truth that, ou Virginia soil they were appropriately wel comed ou the occasion of both of their visits as friends, aud as foes. 11EF0UTED REINFORCEMENT OF M’CLELLAN ON HIS RETREAT. There are various rumors afloat on Thurs day and Friday that McClellan bad received large reinforcements on his retreat, which might assist in accounting for the spirit he had displayed in the furious battle of Mon day and Tuesday. We are unable to ascer tain what truth there may be in these ru mors; but are inclined to believe from such information as we have that McClellan was heavily reinforced, before the engagements on the Chickahomiuy commenced, from the Federal forces in other parts of Virginia, and that the reinforcements reported to be in the river are from the same resources.— The Northern journals are unreserved in the statement that the commands of Fremont, Banks and McDowell have been consolidated into one army, under Major-General Pope, with a view to bring all the Federal forces in Virginia to co-operate with McClellan on the Richmond lines. A portion of this ar my must have reached McClellan, probably at an early stage of the engagements in the vicinity of Richmond, as Geu. McCall, who was taken prisoner by us, is known to have commanded a division of McDowell’s troops. There is little doubt but that we have en gaged an army whose superiority in num bers to us was largely increased by timely reinforcements, and with regard to the op erations of which the Northern Government had omitted no conditions of success. THE LATEST FROM THE SCENE OF OPERA TIONS. Thursday night we received reliable infor mation from the neighborhood of the river that Gen. Lee yesterday morning had sent couriers over the whole extent of his lines to ascertain if the enemy had made any egress, and had carefully reconuoitered his position, and was satisfied that his lines still enclosed a considerable portion of McClel lan’s forces in the densely wooded and swam py ground in which we described him as hav iug refuge. It is supposed that considerable numbers of the enemy who have reached the river have crossed it, retreating towards Norfolk. The enemy enclosed on this side of the river had been stripped of a great deal of his artillery. It was reported yesterday (Friday) that Jackson has cut off a portion of the enemy’s rear guard and taken several thousand pris oners; but we can get no particulars, and find the rumor confirmed only in the cir cumstance that Gen. Lee sent an order to the city for prison accommodations for ten thousand men. The reports from the lines yesterday are meagre ; but we are informed of an important movement of our troops, the publication of which is not advisable. — There are other military topics, which were the subject of a good deal of personal gossip yesterday, to which we think any reference at this time improper and injurious. It is not probable that General Lee will fight the enemy or make any peremptory demaud for his capitulation until he completed the cir cuit of movements aheady in progress.- Yesterday the Yankee gunboats in the river fired a national salute in honor of the day (Fourth of July). OUR LOSS IN KILLED AND WOUNDED.. It would be an injustice as well to our brave soldiers whose efforts have distinguish ed the last seveu days with such great achievements, as to our readers, who expect from Ua just aud iutdligeut bta&wcuu qf the tacts, to attempt to uiuterate the ini incite loy.s of our army in killed and wound ed. Os course «uch au estimate as wcimiM in:ike is founded upon uncertain calculations, but we are we shall not exceed the limits of facts in making it since Thursday, June 20th, at least fifteen thousand. Al though these figures arc terrible, we have good reason for Mieving the loss of flu* en emy twice as large; for it must be reuieiu bered that, although the Confederates have made the attack, the enemy has exposed himselt every time in retiring, and wlieoev tr his real lias been turned to his adversary he has been pursued with terrible fury, and | ,as tracked the route of his retreat with ev idences ot the most appalling slaughter. THK YANKEE AVOUNDED. Since the battle of Seven Pines, when, though throughout the day of the 31st of May, we drove the euemy before us, occu pying his positions one after another, but one hundred and sixty-four of his wounded tell into our hands, we have been convinced that the organization of his ambulance had been brought to a point nearly approach ing perfection. In the bloody 'battles re cently tought we observe the same extraor dinary vigor aud success in the removal of their wounded. From every field which they have abandoned, no matter in what haste and confusion, they have borne them off, at least to their rear* and out of our sight Marking the absence of 1 heir wound ed and distinguished dead from every field, many u! us began to entertain serious tears that their losses were tniling compared with our own. It remained for his repeated de feats, which necessitated his entire abandon ment of his positions of the past month, to draw* aside the veil from what was becoming a painful mystery, aud disclose to our gaze the secret ot what became of the enemy’s wounded. Tt was his custom to hurry them to the hospitals iu the rear, from vyhich they were leisurely, as their condition would permit, sent by rail to the White House.— But since his sigual defeat at Gaines’ farm on yesterday week and his consequent loss of railway communication, our columns have pressed him so hotly as to necessitate his abandoning many of these hospitals be fore the inmates could be removed. In this way large numbers have fallen into our hands. It is, doubtless, true that the ma jority of his men wounded since Sunday nrc either now along with bis army, or have been sent ahead down the north bank of James river, in the wagons which observant persons at City Point thought were ‘‘empty, because they made sucli rumbling noise;” but yet, at least between six and eight thous and have been left in tin* track of the re treating army. The hospitals of which we speak, dot the country at intervals of a mile or two from Dr. Gabies’, iu Hanover, to Curl Neck, on James river, a distance of sixteen miles. Besides, every farm-house, aud every barn aud stable have ln> n sought as places of refuge by such of their wound ed as were able to walk or crawl ’ THE YANKEE DEAD. From facts which came to light on ‘die morning succeeding the terrific battle of last Tuesday, we feci convinced that in every fight previously the Yankees managed to carry off not only all of their wounded but a large number of their dead. It will be recollected that the severest of the battle of Tuesday was fuught upon the adjoining farms of Dr. Carter and Mr. Cornelius Crew. Ou Wednesday morning, when our troops occupied the position just vacated by the enemy, they found in Mr. Crew’s garden a thousand dead, as if in preparation to be* carried off. Fear of our advance evidently alone led to their abandonment. This re moval of the dead, under his present desper ate circumstances, can have but oue object: to dishearten our men by imposing upon them the belief that they are the greatest sufferers in every renewal of the contest. THE COUNTRY NEAR AND AROUND THE LATE BATTLE-FIELD. The section of country lying between the Charles City road ajid James river, for a dis tance of twenty miles below Richmond ha«, until last Monday, been visited by the ttfoops of neither army. Consequently, when Mc- Clellan made his retreat, the fences and do mestic economy of the farmers in this region had been uninterrupted. The land is gen erally highly fertile, and famous for its wheat and corn crops. On Monday morning last the flviug Yankee hordes burst into this hitherto secluded Eden, followed by the vic torious legions of the Confederacy. On that morning the young corn was springing j luxuriantly iu its lowlands, the bounteous shocks of recently harvested wheat dotted thickly the fields and hillsides; and large orchards bent UDder loads of ripening fruit; but before two suds bad set, a sad change was put upon the face of all that country. 1 A flood of lava from some great Vesuvius could scarcely have proved more disastrous than the irruption of the hostile armies.— Every fence is now ewept away; the wheat has disappeared as if before a consuming fire, leaving scarcely a straw; the corn is trodden into the ground and great roads now traverse the fields where it flourished. '1 he gardens have been uprooted and utterly de stroyed. The pleasant and comfortable farm houses, so recently happy homes, are now tilled with bleeding and suffering wounded soldiers; and under tbeir roofs many a once brutal invader, now broken in spirit and body, receives Christian charity from the hands of those he came to crush and subju gate. WHAT THE ENEMY IS DOING ON THE JAMES RIVER. [ The Petersburg Express us Saturday cou* VOLUME XL—NO 17. tarns the following in regard to dmi; % * v on the J.inics river : A pinticiuaii who viewer! Berkelv fi in nn elevated point i u PHnoe George, <u I hursdav, for two hours, informs ns th .t i, . was enabled, by the use of a strong * > so in the scene with as much accuracy * though he had been in the enemy’s m; Ii He estimates the number of tents and w . ons there at several hundred—probable i thousand—and thinks there must be a:• » concentrated thereof fr0m25,000 to 30,0u0 At the landings the federal* w* re unu u V busy, and seemed to be landing and euibir mg troops. The impression of th se who have inspected the plain? from this side of the river is, th it McClellan hopes to make i stand there until he can receive reinforce ments in sufficient numbers to enable him to make another forward movement. Pris ti ers state that on .Monday evening, MeCh 1- lati addressed his troops in an animats and strain, conjuring them “for Cod’s *ake, u. i tin- >uke of tli. it- cotioti y and • around which so many fund reflections elu tered, to join in oue more last struggle to reach out gunboats ou James river. 1 h:n > been frustrated in all my plans against K;oh moiul. We must cut our way to the river, and then I shall await reinforcement' l do not give up the hope of yet eapturii *• Richmond.’’ Their fighting subsequenth showed that his words were not with.wit . ’ foot, though eventually to little purpo • A gentleman of known veracity, who came out of Alexandria ou Tue; lay, repot; . that large bodies of troops, estimated l»v him to be about 20,000 men, and supposed to have been of Shields’ command, were moved on Saturday to Alexandria and | Washington, from Manassas. The Potu | mac between these two cities was filled with transports and steamers, upon which the troops were embarked, for the purpi e, :i was said, of roinforcing McClellan. On Tuesday, however, when Mr. hit Alexandria, the Yankee reinforcements were still before that place, which would justify the inference that it was deemed too late to effect any good by removing them to the army of McClellan. A gentleman w ho came up from a locality opposite Berkeley last night, informs us that the train of wagons, the tents, and the larg* body of troops, before referred to, wcr. at Berkeley all day yesterday (Friday). !i.* counted nearly eighty craft, including sail vessels, steam transports, and gunboats in the vicinity. All was quiet ou the shore yesterday, but about twenty minutes past 1 o’clock heavy cannonading commmenee.i in the rear of Berkeley, and was continue and about a half hour. It then ceased, and sub sequently dense lolumns o’ smoke were seen rising above the forests behind. Wheth er from musketry or the destruction of stores, our informant is unable to say. The Monitor and another gunboat came up the river yesterday afternoon and pro cecded above City Point, both shelling th* wuods furiously as they proceeded. The Richmond Enquirer, of Monday, says: The fragment of the “Grand Army of the Potomac” is now, with ’McClellan at 14 head, entrenching itself on James river, at its confluence with the Chiekihominy, whor reinforcements are being landed. This po sition is a peculiarly one, being pint* - ted on two sides'by the Federal gunboats, under which they caq at any time withdraw, should they ever find themselves venturing out too far. Correspondents to the North ern papers of the 4th instant speak of the arrival of large numbers of transport lad- u principally with provisions. Ou the 2d in stant three hundred transports had arriv 1 at Fortress Monroe for this destination, ail, except a few, which contained troop ;, lo ir. ; tilled with supplies and working material. CJOIIOII i« *lill fillip. We are permitted to make public th<* fol lowing important letter, says the Mob* • AV jinter, addressed by the lion. J P. Ben jamiu, Secretary of State, to C. O. Baylor, Esq. ; Confederate States of America, j Department of State, Richmond, Va , May IG, 1862. ) Sir—ln answer to your communication of this morning, I have the honor to tat** that this government has no desire to des troy any cotton belonging to neutrals, bur, on the contrary, is willing to extend to it full protection while in its power; provided, the like protection can be made effective, when the cotton may fall into the possession of the enemy. The past conduct of the gov ernment of the United States, and the pas sive attitude of neutral nations, whose rights have been violated by the United States, have satisfied us that if cottou belonging to neu trals be allowed to fail into the hands of the enemy, it will be seized and appropriated by them regardless of neutral right.*?, and that neutral powers will fail to aff>rd any protec tion to the rights of their subjects wheu thus violated. If, however, as you suggest, any official assurance shall be formally communicated by the government of any ueutral nation, to this nation, of a nature to satisfy us that cotton belonging to the subjects of such neutral nation shall be effectually protected against seizure and appropriation by the enemy, if allowed to fall into his possession, this government will have no hesitation in issuing instructions to refrain from the des truction of such cotton, even when exposed to seizure by the enemy. I am your obedient servant, J. P. Benjamin, See. of State. [Cvnduded qi\> Seound