New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-07-15
Letters from Virginia.
sps.ial 70 the New Orleans cteseent.l

settlement The Nelson residence, built of Eng
lish brick, and at the siege of Yorktown the head
quarters of Lord Cornwa!lis, is still in good pre-
servation, and is converted into hospital for
our sick volunteers, who suffering with measles.
The post surgeon informed me that the sick list
numbered 40, and had varied but little from that
| humber during the Last thirty days. but had been
marked with fatality Up. to this time. The Sc
q1itur Of that disease is generally fatal than
the original attack, for imprudence in convale5-
cence may translate it from the skin to the lungs,
bowels other vital organs and if the patient
survives the retrocession it is certain to entail
weary and tedious convalescence. There are the
marks Of two cannon-bats on the gable end of the
house, which were directed by the artillery under
T command OF General Washington, and beneath the
building there is the remains of large and strong
vaut, with secret passage leading to it, calculated
to protect the inmates during the siege from shells
The Qualifications thrown up by the English are in
perfect preservation, and Corvallis defenses are
again brought into requisition by the rebelous
/ 3outherners. The plan has not been devated from
by our engineers in extension and the addition
| of a river battery. The position is very strong
one, and CORVALLIS held it against Washington and
| Lafayette until he was starved out Count Rocham-
| beau blockaded the mouth of York river with
| portion of his fleet and landed his troops below
| Groves Landing, the James river, within eight
miles of yorktown, reinforcing Washington and
thereby obtaining the control OF both rivers. The
remains Of the magazine are still visible and the
| spade and pick daily turning up relics of
| revolutionary struggle. Entire shells, which had
buried themselves in the damp SOIL and portions Of
exploded shells are frequently met with by those
| engaged in digging trenches. The spot is marked
| by marble shaft where the naughty English Lord
delivered up his sword, through of his aids, to
| the American General. Yorktown in all proba-
! hilty, will again be the scene of another bloody
struggle. 1t is the key to Richmond, and once in
the possession of the FedeTasts, their largest war
steamers could land troops, armaments, munitions
of and stores at West Point, thirty eight miles
| from Richmond. where fine open country with
| large roads would render their advent to Richmond
rapid and easy. The Federal Government is as
] well apprsed of the importance of Yorktown as
our own, and they are concentrating large force
| on the peninsula preparatory to an attack, and
Yorktown is receiving daily addition to the forces
| already there from President Davis. On taking
leave of Col Hunts regiment nn Friday last, the
President said, amongst other thiags '' Fellow
soldiers, I send you where the first battle on the
soil of Virginia, in opinion will be fought and,
if God spares me, when you raise your arms in de-
fense of the Old Dominion, mine will be raised at
the same time, and we will strike together
| Baauregards defences of Manassas Gap and
Junction are considered perfect and inpregnable,
and public attention is partially withdrawn from
him and directed to Yorktown. If by any cOntin-
gency, Gen. Beauregard should be overwhelmed
and driven from his position at the Junction, the
nature Of the country and the condition of the
roads would render the advance upon Richmond
tedious, if not unprac cticable, and defeat at ork-
town would be announced simultaneously with the
arrival of the Federal troops in the suburbs Of the
city.
: Yorktown was erected in l722 as learn from the
following card which I copied from one of the
chamber doors:
| SWAN TAVERN, YoRKTowS.-This building was
opened as house of entertainment on the 18th OF
March, 1922. Being the senior establishment in
the United States, it BOW receives and accommodates
travellers on the following terms visitors are to
state their names and residences, and be prepared
to pay their fare in specie change, without regard
to age at the following rates breakfast, dinner
. | and supper So. each lodging Is 3D., servants
meals Is. 3D. each, horses As. I'd per night, single
feed Is. 3D., plain drinks at the bar 45d., punch
mint juleps, ETC., 3D., rooms for public meetings
court martals, taking dispositions, and such like
) assemblages will be charged for by the day. As
the house is not intended to be place of lazy, un
profitable resort, mere loungers are requested to
keep away and all who come to idle their time a
the fire in winter, gulp down cold water in the
: summer will be charged daily Is. Cd. each. Rude
| noisy or intoxicated persons will not be tolerated
\ | on any terms. ROBERT ANDERsor.'' q
: The said Robert appeared to be down on loafers
e but at the same time establishes the antiquity 0
1 that abused class of citizens beyond cav:
Y The Fourth of July was quiet day in Richmond
The closing of stores, offices and shops, and
G salute of eleven guns in honor of the Confedera
l. ton, morning, noon and evening were the OIL.
evidences that it was kept in remembrance
. About sundown yesterday, Col, Motifs Regimen
: legion from South Carolina, with their baggag
:, wagons and troops in marching ORDER left the city
destination not known but supposed to be forb
= made great preparations for the celebration of tn
~ n Fourth. The programme is dress parade in tn
+ morning. to be followed by sumptuous dinner
v Gen. Magruder has ntmated lis intention OF wind
: up the festivities ofthe day by giving them gran'
:, bdN at night. If he does, so it will be only j
n keeping with his proverbial courtesy and hospital
. ty,'of which they were recipients on the 10th Q
y | June last, at Great Bethel.
y y, Mai. Walton and Lieut.. Socomb arrived frol
Manassas last evening they report everything
statu quo The Major came up for the purpose {
ascertaining the causes which =, have prevente
e his Sd company from joining the command c
Manassas. When the Major was ordered off, tn
horses belonging to this section could not be drille
's for want of harness, and were detained on thi
~ | account.
Il The detention of this section in Richmond fftee
days for the want of harness is inexcusabe, al
exhibits gross negligence and inattention in SON
% of the beurcaus. On the personal application
10 the Major this morning, the harness was 1nrns
~ over to him, perfect and complete. 1t is deplo
If If able to observe, in our new government, Il
+ strides which circumlocuton and red tape al
-, making towards the control of the various depar
~ ~ ments particularly the War office. The absence
d. .. Major Walton and Lieut. Socomb at this time fro
a a. Manassas is conclusive to my mind that no tg
will take place there for some days at least, nj
- has there been any real apprehension of an attac
~ ~ The Washington Artillery is not attached to an
~ ~ brigade in Beauregards command but belongs
- his personal staff. It will be under his indvidu
command and direction in batte-alt know tn
tn artillery is his pet of the service and II
want Of harnass should have destroyed the usefr
ness of the eleven guns belonging to the batter
~ in hard fought engagement, he would have st
70 red up the War Department awtnlly.
Dir The aDpointmentof the Rev. Leoniaas Polk to
IT. Generals command in the Confederate army h
3u surprised the members of the Episcopal Church
"; this section considerably. If the f1oCks in his PIT
u ttcuar diocese are willing to lend him to the Go
u federation, no one has right to gaiasay it. Th
er the Bishop was intended by nature for soldier,
l. one can doubt that ever saw him. Gait, carria
ao aud manners marks the orina1s unmistakgA
~ He graduated with high honor at West Poin., .
I'd when the bishop, under whose teachings, CT
l., Polk was induced to abandon the camp foI'
ne ne cross, notified Col. Thayer, who commaaded
M post of the cadets intention Of leaving Fhsj ara
an an the latter replied " Bishop have no diGpost
eS' to intermedde with your Office, but fee4 compel
to make this single remark: You tavG ruin', =,
ne very promising soldier"
still believe that there will be no, tight u oti
,o deliberations of Congress are knCHn, il hen.
,a is guess work. discover, with every BE con h
,yo and | claim my right to guess alRo. do not
,er tend visiting Manassas before the l5 IN, and in
20 meantime YOU shall hear FROM me oa,s;nnaIl,,
tn CHICO
1t Special 10 the New Orleans Cfesesatt
\, RICHMOND, July 8, Is
fol- Ed. CreScent-The ruFae' go from, tba seat of
are more absurd in thar character at this pl
est than if they had pass "A the ordeal of the