•IS THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. Virginia. The federals, whose number was constantly lessening, saw before them the perspective of a campaign which threatened to become more and more laborious, diminishing daily as ils perils increased the chances of an amicable ad- jnstment. Here was matter enough for serious and even for melancholy rellection: but in war moments are precious, and it is weakness to lo=e them in lamentations. It was probable that the enemy was at no great distance. He could not yet have gained any considerable start, and by throwing ourselves rapidly upon his track we might at least come up with his rear guard, iling it into disorder, and make sonic prisoners. A few hours after the news -was received of the evacuation, the whole army was in motion. Stoneman's cavalry first crossed the intrenchments. As they passed on, several infernal machines, cowardly instruments of destruction, burst under the horses’ feet and killed several men. We had only time to cast a single glance upon the formidable works thrown up by the enemy, upon which he had abandoned 72 pieces of artillery ; then passing swiftly through his deserted camps and burning magazines, amid which the sound of sudden explosions was heard from time to time, we took the road to Williamsburg, a small city situated upon a point at which the Virginian peninsula, shut closely in between two arms of the sea, oilers a strong and defensible position. It was upon this isthmus that we expected to come up with the rear guard of the enemy. Stoneman marched rapidly upon Williamsburg with all the cavalry and four batteries of horse artillery. The infantry followed as fast as the few and narrow roads would permit, here were really only two of these roads—one direct from Yorktown, the other coming from the left of the federal positions. The latter traversed Warwick river at Lee's Mill, on a bridge which it took three hours to rebuild. When Smith’s division, which was the first to cross, had advanced a short
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