5G THE ARMY OF THE I>W)MWC. watched the bine lines of the federal ■antry as they inarched with banners tlyiug into the town of \\ illiamsbttrg to tlie sound of sxpl >ding magazines and caissons. Shortly after the General's stab came in by a broad fine street, bordered with acacias. All the sjjips were shut, lint the inhabitants for the most part were to be seen in their doorways and windows, looking on ns with a sombre, anxious air. The negroes alone were smiling. Many of them put on the most grotesquely victorious airs, or decamped in the direction of Fortress Monroe, that is to say, of freedom, carrying their wives and children with them in small carts. From all the public buildings, elmrches, colleges and the like waved the yellow flag. They were crowded with the wounded left there by the enemy. At the end of a broad street, we debouched upon a handsome square, ornamented with a marble statue of Lord Botetourt, once governor of Virginia, and surrounded by the buildings of a celebrated college founded by the English Government when \ irginia was a pet colony. The wounded were lying upon the very steps of the college porticoes. General Mcdellan’s first thought was tor the relief of all this suffering. He dispatched a flag of truce to the confederate rear guard, to request, them to send in surge'ns to look after their wounded, promising them perfect freedom of action. A number of these medical oilicers soon arrived, dressed in the dull-gray confederate uniform-with the green collar, which gave them the appearance of Austrian Chasseurs. This duty done, the next thing was to station sentinels foi the maintenance of exact discipline. This precaution was superfluous. for if I he obedience of the federal soldiers to their oilicers is not what it should be, for the good of the service, I ent’we io believe that no armv has ever shown more respect tjr non-combatants and private property. During tlio whole lime of my [ resence with the Army of the Potomac,
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