The Sun.
London, England, 1862-07-01 00:00:00

7 ever, offered to bring me to a kind of sutler of the
THE CIVIL WAR IN AMERICA•
re (enfants perdus). giment of the " lost children"
-my guide was a German, from Mannheim, in
Baden, whence he emigrated after the revolution.
These poor refugees from Baden I find scattered all
over the North of America. The bluffs round York-
town are all intersected by rather deep ravines,
through many of which you have a fine view of the
river, sad into which the Secessionists have built
some of their log huts, which are all occupied now
by negroes--or " darkies," as they are called here
more generally—and numerous colonies of very big
rats. One of the largest of these huts, built on a
slope, was, however, occupied by a sutler. At one
of the windows, serving as a bar, was standing a
fine and intelligent-looking young man, acting as
barkeeper, and before it were some soldiers in a
Zouave dress. The sutler, his barkeeper, and these
soldiers were all Germans, belonging to the " lost
children." Poor lost children they were indeed, most
of them. I might have called them by their names,
so well did I know the tongue of the class they be-
longed to—lost sons of noble Prussian families, who
had been officers once in the army, or in some other

(iron the Times Correspondent.)

OFF YORKTOWN, VIRGINIA, JUNE 13.
The news of the battle at Harrisonburg tempted
me to postpone my trip to White-house and l‘l,Clel-
lan's head-quarters, and to go up to Blenker's divi-
sion to hear all about the recent fight ; but wounded
officers coming to Washington from there told me
that it would be very uncertain where to find B, en-
ker, because Fremont, although sleeping on the
battlefield, had thought it more prudent to retire
in
the morning. I had been told that General Fre-
mont's army corps had been reinforced, and num-
bered 42,000 men ; but such was not the case. Be- 1
sides Blenker's very much reduced division, he had
but two regiments.
Except from General Fremont's report, I heard
but little about the battle near Harrisonburg, the
officers Rot knowing much. Colonel Wutschell's
regiment lost half of its men, and the colonel was
himself wounded. He had formerly taken part in
the revolution in Vienna in 1849, and became
colonel of the Sth New York Regiment on the pro-
motion of General Blenker. With him came to
Washington the Colonel of the De Kalb Regiment,
Colonel von Tilsa, who also was wounded by a
Minie ball entering his left breast above the heart.
He had been an officer in the Prussian army. What
brought him over some years ago to New York I do
not know, but I know him to be the best of all the
colonels in Blenker's division, where he was very
much respected and beloved by his officers and
men. Should he die of his wound, it would be a
serious loss. The death of Colonel Ashby has been
confirmed. His death is worth a won battle, for he
was a very able man and a cavalry officer of great
renown among the Confederates. On Wednesday,
June 11, I went to Baltimore, and by the steamer
Adelaide to Fortress Monroe, where I found a few
more vessels aground than when I left, and many
more sick and wounded, who came from the battle-
field of Fair Oak.
The steamer going up York River left a little
after 10 a.m. I met there a gentleman from Phila-
delphia, who had received a telegraphic despatch
from the captain of the company in which his son
served, informing him that his son was mortally
wounded. Another son the poor father had lost
already on the Potomac.
The York River is a very large, beautiful stream,
so wide that you can just see the low, wooded
shores, and deep enough, as I was told, for the
Great Eastern to go up some 70 miles. Towards
Yorktown the river narrows a little, but it is yet at
least one mile and a half wide. There was a whole
fleet at anchor between Yorktown and Gloucester,
on the other side, and I made up my mind to go on
shore at Yorktown to have a look at the fortifica-
tions, and to proceed up stream next morning.
Near Yorktown there are some wooded sand
bluffs of inconsiderable height, and of the town you
see only two or three houses, over one of which is
waving a very large Union flag. The water bat-
tery, not far from the landing, and the other forti-
fications to be seen from the water, looked very poor
and dilapidated, but I hoped to find them better on
the other side of the town.
On landing I gave my things to a nigger, and
ordered him to take me to the best hotel, where I
intended to stay the night. The black fellow looked
astonished ; in fact, every soldier meeting me looked
astonished at the sight of a civilian. "Is it far to
the town ?" I asked my :intelligent contraband.
"No," he answered, "we are there." "Where?"
"At Yorktown." I opened my eyes almost as wide
as the nigger, but with all that I could not see the
slightest sign of a town—nothing but four or five
miserable-looking houses, four or five ruins, and a
great many wooden barracks, over each of which
was written " Hospital," and before which were
sitting or crawling wounded soldiers. At some of
the corner barracks were newly written, " Lincoln-
avenue," " M'Clellan-avenue," " Porter-street,"
"Rambler-street," Sze. ; but there was nothing be-
sides the names and some log huts, out of which
were peeping black faces, and before which were
rolling about heaps of black children.
There was no hotel in that place. but, asking at
the tent over which was written " Provost Mar-
shal," I heard that one of the four or five houses
was a boarding-house, where I might perhaps find
accommodation. There I accordingly went, but
the gruff owner of that house told me that I could
have no bed, nor, in fact, anything; that he did not
want me. He repeated this in a rather rude man-
ner to a clergyman who interfered in my behalf,
and only with great difficulty I got the permission
to place my things inside the inhospitable house, to
look out for some shelter and food.
One of the brickhouses, and the second best among
the few, although of a mean and miserly appearance,
had belonged to an old fellow named Anderson, who
died some time ago, about 80 years of age. He owned
almost all Yorktown, and seems to have been a very
queer old fellow. The ruins not far from his house
dated from the first siege under Washington, and
Anderson would not permit them to be rebuilt. In
fact, he was very much averse to any alterations
and improvements, and chiefly to him it is owing
that Yorktown, instead of becoming a thriving city,
is nothing but a village of the meanest description.
One of the wooden buildings is a church, but it looks
rather like a barn. Some pious people once pro-
posed to build a church if Anderson would only give
the ground. The old fellow stroked his long white
beard and said he was willing, if the petitioners
wou!d only allow him one condition in the agree-
ment, which was to be signed by the churchwardens.
The pious people readily complied with this request,
but were very much shocked on hearing this condi-
tion to be, that every clergyman, of whatever per-
suasion, and even the devil himself, should be per-
mitted to preach in that church. When that strange
fellow died he left his property to his niggers, many
of whom were mulattoes, and nearly related to him.
Long before his death he had his coffin in his room,
saying to his niggers that he was going only for a
time, and that he certainly would return if they did
not behave well.
The most stately building of Yorktown belonged
to the Nelson family. It is a substantial good old
brick house, which looks yet comfortable, old as it
is. On one aide you still see many traces of gun-
shots from the first siege. One of the shots passed
through the wall, and went through several rooms
full of people without hurting one of them.
Strolling around the wooden church, some grave-
stones indicated that there was a churchyard. It
looked desclate and wretched. Some of the crosses
were torn down, the graves levelled, and waggons
and carts going over them. If you can find nothing
else to tell you the history of a place the churchyard
wilt give you at least some glimpses of the past, and
I began to read the inscriptions on the few graves
which had not been demolished. The oldest I saw
was that of Thomas Nelson :
" Generosi filius Hugonis et Sarias Nelson de Penrith_'
in comitatu Cumbriso, natus 20mo die Feb. A.D. 1677,',
He died in 1745. His tombstone is headed by his
arms, bearing a bar and three lilies. A few paces
from this grave is the tomb of another Nelson :
"Hon. William Nelson, Esq.,
late President of his
Majesty's Council in this dominion, in whom the lore of
man and the love of God so restrained and enforced each
other, and so invigorated the mental power in general, as
not only to defend him from the vices and follies of his age
and country, but also to render it a matter of difficult deci-
sion in what part of laudable conduct he most excelled,
whether in tender or endearing accomplishments of domestic
life, or in the more arduous duties of a wider circuit;
whether as a neighbour, a gentleman, or a magistrate ;
whether in the graces of hospitality or piety. Reader, if
you feel the spirit of that exalted ardour which, aspiring to
the felicity of conscious virtue, animated that ,
relating . . . ins admonitions, perform the task and
respect the distinction of the righteous man. Ob. 19th
Nov„ An. Dom. 1772, )Etatis 61."
On another gravestone I found,—
"Here lieth interred the body of Mary Sansura, who
departed life the 23d of Oct., 1785, aged 23 years."
And on another,----
Here lieth the body of Jane Frank, the daughter of
Mr. W. Routh, of Kirklington in Yorkshire. She died on
her passage at sea April 26 and was interred May 2,8
1753, aged 28 year,,.,, ,
The sun was fiercely hot, and I was both thirsty
and hungry. Asking a man
woo passed by for a
place where I might
get something to eat, he said,
in a strong German accent, that there
was not
much to eat in that place, and that Gen. M'Clellan
had forbidden sutlers to follow the army, or any
private supplies to be brought up the river. He, how-

branch of the State service.
I was struck by the face of the young barkeeper,
who could not deny that he was a Berliner, al-
though his accent did not betray him much. He
did not attempt to conceal his name, and I heard a
strange story, which was, however, confirmed by all
the others. He was a Count B—, the son of a
high officer of Berlin. He had studied theology,
and had been induced by some missionaries to go
over to America. I suppose his expectations were
not fulfilled, for when Colonel Comfort, who com •
manded these comfortless "lost children," made up
his regiment in New York, he accepted a place as
chaplain, and was sworn in as such. However, he
said that he had been cheated in some way, andin-
stead of becoming a clergyman he had to shoulder
the musket, as a private. This not suiting his taste,
the young clergyman became a barkeeper to the
sutler. However, when anybody died he had to
put on a decent coat and preach a sermon.
'They
had poor fellows complained very much. hey
had not received one penny of pay for seven
months, and were almost starved to death, for the
supplies they got—mostly salt meat and biscuits—
were so exceedingly bad that they generally threw
them away, and lived on beans, and very often
musty biscuits. I have seen myself this salt meat
lying about and smouldering in the hot sun, filling
the air with a disgusting smell. They have nothing
to drink but bad water, and dysentery and fever
are the consequences.
Having no money, the sutlers give credit as long
as they can bear it, furnishing them, for a bond,
with tickets for 5, 10, or more cents, up to a dollar.
You may imagine the prices charged by these sut-
lers. For a loaf costing them sc. they take 25c.,
and in this proportion for every article.
The sale of spirits being strictly prohibited, the
f sutler of the "lost children" dared the less to keep
such articles, as he was only tolerated. The sol-
diers, standing outside his wicket, were anxiously
waiting for a barrel-full of water, which was to be
converted into lemonade, and sold at sc. a very
small glass. This lemonade, a small piece of very
bad chocolate, and half a dozen of yet worse honey
cakes, were all I could get, and with which I must
be satisfied for dinner.
Now, I do not know whether I was more disap-
pointed with the town or with the fortifications of
Yorktown, neither being worth the name of town
or of fortifications. There are yet some traces of
earthworks made by Lord Cornwallis, but they are
not used now, and look very insignificant.
To give you a description of the works constructed
by the Confederates would be both ridiculous and
almost impossible. The works at Centerville were
yet far better than anything I saw here at York-
town, for there the material used was clay and
sand, but here it is nothing but sand, and the heavy
rains have already half destroyed the works with the
exception of some apparently of older date, which
have been strengthened by turf. The sand ditches
are dry and shallow, and of no consequence ; a good
horse would go through them and up the ramparts.
Some of the batteries are tolerably well built, and
strengthened by sandbags, which also are used in-
side where the declivity is too steep and the sand
would crumble down without being supported. But
all this is child's work, and a military man can do
nothing but shrug his shoulders at such works, and
wonder how it is possible that a general, command.
ing brave troops, could lie before such paltry forti-
fications so many weeks. European generals would
have stormed them without any of the preparation
usual in such cases, and not required more than a
day or two. The whole thing I saw in Yorktown I
cannot designate others ise than by saying that it
is a horrible muddle, a disgrace to every art of mili-
tary engineering.
The guns, however, were tolerably well placed,
and for the greater part good. The new ones, re-
cently cast in Secessia, looked very rough and un-
finished ; the shot of all kinds, however, are very
well manufactured. Everywhere are balls and shells
lying about ; many of the latter are yet charged, and
if not soon collected and removed much harm may
ensue. Many of the better guns have been burst,
and others have only been injured, in order to con-
ceal the fact of evacuation, which would have been
betrayed if all the guns had been removed. One
large 100 lb. gun burst in a very singular manner.
The Yankees fired a conical shell, which struck very
close to this gun without exploding. The Southern
gunners thought it a very good trick to send this
shell back to where it came from, and loaded it into
their big gun. Before firing, however, it exploded,
bursting the gun and killing several people.
The works for the defence of Yorktown are all,
at least those to the west, dominated by wooded
hills. Between these and the works are other lower
eminences, which are also very useful to the attack.
There the Southerners have, however, a work called
Fort Beauregard. I was not inside it, but from the
outside it looks quite as wretched as all the other
works. This fort was taken by M•Clellan, and
from there he could do what heliked with the enemy's
works.

' which might show in France or Austria without
being found much fault with by the inspecting en-
gineer. All the edges and salients were sharp, and
everywhere it was required the sand was covered
with turf. The guns—rifled guns of heavy calibre,
and howitzers—were all placed very well, and the
magazines were convenient and suitable. Most of
the guns were pivot guns, and I have no idea how
a ship, if not iron-plated, could pass such batteries,
The guns towards the river were the heaviest, and
some conical shot placed at their side were of an
enormous weight. These guns were protected by
traverses against shot coming from the sides. In
the middle of the fort, which was provided with
a well and other necessary things, was a redoubt
in preparation. The whole fort was not finished,
although in a serviceable state.
Lower down, on a place called Glocester Point,
quite close to the landing of the ferry-boat, was a
fortification which they call here a water-battery,
although I do not see any reason why it might not
stand and do good service in the middle of the land.
, This water-battery was quite as good as the fort
above. It consisted of a polygon armed with 12
heavy rifled guns, commanding the surface of the
river to the right and left. In the rear towards the
fort was a little appendix to the redoubt, but in
connexion with it, and containing a very heavy
rifled pivot gun, whieh could fire to every point of
the compass; the land magazines here were very
ingeniously arranged, serving, at the same time,
as traverses, covering the low standing guns,
which in this water-battery did not fire over the
bank, as in the fort, but through rather wide
embrasures. Only the solitary pivot gun fires over
over the bank. In the centre of this water-battery
stands a shell-proof loghonse, which is covered all
over with earth and turf, and which was to have
been built long ago, and
previous to the fort; it
served as chief magazine. At two sides of this re-
doubt were built more recently two other smaller
ones, to shelter some part of the garrison in case of I
bombardment. This whole water-battery is com-
manded by the fort, and in case of it being taken it
would be of no use to its captors.
I cannot understand why the Confederates evacu-
ated these fortifications without even an attempt to
defend them. The commander must have been
either a coward or a fool. I was told that the Con-
federates got frightened at a very big gun of the
Federals which had a longer range than their hea-
viest guns. The guns have all been spiked. None of
them have burst or been otherwise destroyed. There
are everywhere shot and shell lying about, and no
sentinels to guard these things, for there are no
people to steal them. The whole country seems to
have been visited by pestilence. Without the
"dr, rkies" the evacuated districts would be as silent
as churchyards.
This morning at nine o'clock I went up the river
in a Government steamer. It was intensely hot,
and it was almost impossible to write. The river
is very fine, and its wooded shores produce much
fine scenery.

WHITE-HOUSE, JUNE 14.

We arrived here yesterday about 3 o'clock p.m.
The river presents a very animated scene, for it
is filled with hundreds of vessels of every descrip-
tion, among them some 20 of the largest steamers I
have seen, and resembling rather floating hotels
than sea-going ships. One of the largest, generally
plying between Baltimore and New York, is used
as a hospital. The Pamunky river, which with the
Alatapony forms at West Point the York river, is
at this point as wide as the Thames at London--
bridge, and the shores are adorned with beautiful
trees.

The railroad, going to the Chickahominy, comes
up close to the river, and just now they are at work
to carry it over it.

Near White-house extends a camp along the river,
to protect the immense quantity of supplies arriving
here daily for M'Clellan's army. I have not seen
yet much of this camp, but intend going up this
morning to Despatch Station, some 17 miles from
here, whence I may best reach M'Clellan's head-
quarters. For this purpose I must call on the cap-
tain who has the command over the railroad, and
procure a pass.

This night there was a panic among the fleet here,
in consequence of a report that a party of Confe-
derates were close at band. They had, indeed, de-
stroyed higher up some schooners and killed several
people. All the ships here got up steam and fled as
quickly as possible, but that on board which I slept
remained, the eaptain not being so easily frightened.
It is now 8 o'clock, and most of the steamers are
returning.

A party of Confederates are reported to be a mile
and a-half from here. Troops are sent to reconnoitre
and to drive them back.

HONORABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY.

An official inspection of the Honourable Artillery
Company took place yesterday, at its headquarters,
Finsbury, by Col. Pipon, inspector general of militia.
There were about 300 of the infantry battalion, pre-
sent, and adding to these the horse artillery, the
foot artillery, and the light cavalry, made up a total
muster of about 400.
The foot battalion was under the command of
Lieut.-Colonel Lord Colville, Captain Brinewood C.
Potts (adjutant), Majors Robinson and Snell, Cap-
tains Field, Fox, Bindin, Volkenham, Riviere, and
Welsh, Lieutenants Eglise, Bourn, and Robson.
The foot artillery were under Captain Blockley,
and the horse artillery was commanded by Captain
Jay, and the light cavalry by Lieutenant Kearns.
Captains Baden and Matthews officiated as quar-
termasters.
Colonel Pipon having arrived on the ground, and
the necessary preliminaries having been gone
through, the foot battalion marched past the re-
viewing officer, first in slow and then in quick
time ; they subsequently formed in line, in column,
in reverse line, advanced in subdivision from the
centre, and formed line on two centre subdivisions.
File firing then commenced, which was followed by
firing in volleys by wings, which was admirably
When I went along a tolerably good rifle ditch, done. The left wing first opened fire, and
running along the Lincoln -avenue, I met a soldier, retired, the same movement was performed by the
walking with difficulty, and supporting himself on a
stick. Asking him whether he had been wounded right, and repeated by both wings ; the battalion
at Fair Oak, he told me that he had been in that
then advanced in direct echelon companies from the
battle, and was fortunate enough to escape unhurt ; right, formed companies squares, and prepared to
but that in crossing the Chickahominy he was resist cavalry ; the order was then given to reform
companies, quick march, and the line was reformed.
poisoned by some poisonous kind of water ivy which The battalion next marched by fours and formed
grew there in great quantity. He showed me his quarter-distant® column on No. 3, opened out to
leg, which was swollen, and covered with a very bad
looking eruption, which must have been very pain- wheeling distance, and formed square on No. 1,
ful. The man told me that not less than 1,500 sick sections outward, the mounted officers in the centre.
The square having prepared to receive cavalry, the
Yorktown, which was to me almost incredible, and wounded were in the different hospitals at
kneeling ranks fired a splendid volley, and the
I longed very much for some chance steamer to battalion then retired in square, the officers still in
come up and take me to 'White House, but the people the centre. Columns were reformed, a line wasformed on flank company, a volley fired, when t;le
at the landing told me there would be none before
order to advance in parade order was given. The
sunset. I therefore strolled along the river, where
reviewing officer having been saluted, a hollow
I met everywhere lazy soldiers stretched out in the
shadow of the bluffs ; a few reading or writing . • square was formed.
Colonel Pipon then said—Lord Colville and gen-
others fishing or bathing. The latter occupation
tlemen, I really feel much obliged to you for having
seemed to me the most reasonable, and after having
selected a good spot given me this opportunity of seeing the Hon. Ar-
I was very soon in the middle
of the beautiful
salt river. tillery Company of London. I have heard of the
Not being able to Rnd in the supposed great town corps from the first day that I entered the army.
of Yorktown a place where to
rest-- for the night, I I know that it dates its origin from a very early
tried to get admittance to one of the two ferryboats period of our history, and I know that as a corps it
plying between Yorktown and Glocester. After has had great and unusual privileges conferred on
having seen my credentials, Sze., the captain per- it for its steady and faithful attachment to our con-
mittedme to stay on board, where I found his stitution and institutions. It is very easy for me to
law, the brother see that the same spirit that animated your fathers
brother-in- of a general who had
distinguished himself in the battle of Fair Oak.. He and grandfathers still exists unimpared in the pre-
had just returned from seeing his brother, and was sent generation ; but I have also looked at you to-
waiting for the mail steamer going to Old Pain+, day as a regiment of soldiers with the eye of a sol-
After tea the brother of the general, who Was crier, and I have every reason to express myself
from Philadelphia, but very well known here, from Perfectly satisfied with what I have seen. It is
coming down frequently for shooting, propespa to really surprising to see what willingness and intel-
show me the fortifications at Glocester, which, he ligenco will do in spite of few opportunities.
said, were much better than those around Yorktown, Lord Colville said—We are very much obliged
On our way we entered many of the loglaunses built t_i
o" Y for the character which you have given us.
by the CoLfederates ; I found them very spacious, lordship then called for three cheers for the
lofty, and clean as almost all which I bad seen else-
ilandreviewing Officer, a call which was instantly obeyed,
where. On an eminence gently falling off to the shore ' was followed by a similar manifestation in re-
was built a fort consisting of six bastions. It must gard to the noble lord himself.
have been built by an European officer, for overt'- The horse and foot artillery then went through
un g practice with
thing was well placed and well executed. All the their
great efficiency, and a light
and charge anathor c
proportions and angles were as they ought to be, cavalry
ongratulatory address
these three forces from and it was built in a scientific business-like way, to the reviewing officer
It was the first earthwork I have seen in America closed the proceedings.