Indiana State Sentinel

Statement of a Gentleman direct from Richmond.

We have been able to obtain from a person who left Richmond on Friday last, some interesting information. He has been in the rebel capital for some time past, and appears to be conversant with the general state of affairs in and around the city. He estimates the force of the rebels at Richmond at the commencement of the seven days' fighting to have been between two hundred thousand and two hundred and fifty thousand men. It is conceded on all sides that their loss during that time amounted to at least thirty thousand men. Since that time conscripts have been pouring in at the rate of at least one thousand per day; so that now the force is nearly equal, in point of numbers to what it was prior to the fights. Their loss was among the best troops of the rebel army, and it will take a long time to bring the raw conscripts up to the standard of the troops that have been killed and wounded in the late battles before Richmond and on the peninsula. He reports that McClellan's movements have been known in Richmond as soon as commenced, and as soon as his evacuation of Harrison's Landing was well in progress, they at once moved large bodies of their best troops towards Gordonsville, in support of General Stonewall Jackson.

The rebels in Richmond, he says, are confident of being able to crush Pope by an overwhelming force, and then anticipate no difficulty in the occupation of Washington, and the rescue, as they term it, of Maryland. All the force that can be used will be brought to bear for this purpose, and they hope, by rapid movements and crushing blows, to overwhelm the Union forces before they can be reinforced to a sufficient extent to oppose them man to man.

He reports Richmond to be encircled by fortifications of the most extensive character. Those north of the city are fully armed and manned by experienced artillerists. Those on the south side are comparatively neglected, for the reason that they anticipate no danger in that direction. Fort Darling, at Drury's Bluff, is now completed and mounts twenty two guns of the heaviest calibre, principally rifles, and the face of the work is constructed in such a manner as to resist the passage of any projectile. It is constructed, first, of eighteen inch square timber, over which is a plating of four-inch iron, the whole placed at such an angle that any shot striking it must glance and fly off, without the possibility of doing damage.

Obstructions of the most substantial character have been placed in the river opposite and above Fort Darling, and the most rabid of the rebels of Richmond advocate the entire filling up of the river between Drury's Bluff and Rocket's, and the construction of a railroad for army purposes between the two points, leaving the river to find a new channel.

In regard to the iron-clad ram, Merrimac No. 2, he says that she is about 150 feet long, and constructed very much on the same principle as Merrimac the first. She cannot be completed for at least four weeks yet. The information he gives regarding the ram was derived from men who had worked upon her. No information was obtained regarding her armament. The Tredegar works are running night and day on ordnance, shot, shell, &c.

The health of the citizens of Richmond is reported as good, not worse than the average in time of peace. The mortality among the sick and wounded soldiers is, however, very great. None of the hotels have, at any time, been used for hospitals, but many private residences and public buildings have been taken for that purpose. A large number of the women and children left Richmond when they considered the city in danger, and they have not returned, believing a residence in the rebel capital as very uncertain, no matter how distant the Union army may be.

The rebels are confident of ultimate success, but do not hesitate to say, should Richmond be wrested from them, it would virtually end the war; for the rebel army, although determined to fight, are heartily sick of the war, and, if defeated at Richmond, would disband, and could not again be brought together. The number of Unionists in Richmond is estimated at not over three thousand, and they consist principally of naturalized foreigners.

The condition of the poorer classes in Richmond is very bad. Mechanics can obtain work, but it takes all their wages to clothe them. He gives the following as the price of groceries, &c.: Flour, thirteen dollars a barrel; butter, one dollar per pound; eggs, one dollar per dozen; common country soap, one dollar per pound; tomatoes, one dollar per dozen; cabbage, one dollar per head; green tea, from sixteen to twenty dollars per pound.

The rebels expect to receive from Maryland from ten to twenty thousand men, on account of President Lincoln's order for drafting. Many are reaching Richmond, and large numbers are expected to arrive. They cross constantly from all parts of lower Maryland, below lower Cedar Point, on the Potomac; but principally by way of Leonardstown and Britton's Bay.

The rebels have the highest opinion of McClellan's generalship. They consider his movements on the Peninsula as masterly, and now breathe freely to think he is removed from their doors. They fear McClellan, and gloat over the work of the abolitionists and political schemers of the North, who have been hampering his movements, for they know all operations to defeat the plans of McClellan is but placing victory within their grasp.

Our informant crossed the Potomac river from a point directly opposite Blackstone Island, and he reports that shortly after leaving the Virginia shore they picked up the body of a female, evidently a lady, which they buried on the Virginia shore, close to the spot from which they started. They found on her person a gold watch and cross, and a small amount of money in change. These articles were left in charge of a farmer who lived close at hand. The body was so disfigured that it would be impossible to recognize it. The only marks by which it may be known are by the articles found, and that she had brown hair and an ordinary summer flat, which had fallen to the back of her head, the ribbons being still tied under the chin. [This was no doubt one of the ladies lost in the late collision on the Potomac river, and could be recovered without difficulty].

Our informant concludes his remarks about Richmond by saying that Beauregard has fallen from his high estate, his name being seldom mentioned except in derision. He has retired from active duty, nominally on account of sickness, but in reality for the reason that his services are no longer wanted. Lee and Jackson are now the men, and will remain so until defeated, when they will in turn be laid on the shelf, and be compelled to make room for the next favorite.-N. Y. Herald.