New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-09-21
THE WAR FOR The UNION.
rRom FORTRESS MONROE.

Ebe Cleaner Yorktown and her Movements
m0re Accessions of Negroes, whns they say
scarcity OF Provisions among tho Rebels
--FIags Of Truce and Mail Matiers-tsreHt
Gums for Ncw-York EEarbor - Wholesale
Deserfiou from the Rebels.
tron Our Special Correspondent
FoKTREss Monroe, Old Point Comfort Sept 10, lS6l'
The movements of the steamer Yorktown ana her
recent firing the feet at Newport News is not noi'
cative If contemplated attack on that place. Inc
real fact is the Yorktown is in leaking condinon au
she will be lost unless she set to NoroiA "heie
alone she can be repaired 1t is desperate Necessity,
and no doubt when the Yorktown came down tne o''i
day, her intention was to past and go mo NOT
folk A deserter from her on the day previous
saws that such is the case and further that m'oy
of the Yorktown's crew are NorheIners, VINO VIII oe-
cert the first opportunity. Her armament consists OF
two l0ineh columbiads, two ll-nch DahlSrens, anu
ak 6S.pounders Her machinery is iron plated, ana
NJ. has been considerably cut down and trimmed Last
svepinp two more deseIters from the Yorktown made
their escape to our feet at Newport News. They
s.e that in the recent affair two shots from the LOuisi.
ana struck the Yorktown one went clear through herr
The other struck her cylinder. she'll from the Saw
yer gun struck on her deck but did not explode.
They confirm the reported eaky condition of the YES
sell and the dissatisfaction snong the crew, who are
generally Coored one-hsf Of whom, il is claimed, are
the Loaf crew Of the q. S. frigate St. Lawrence.
party of twelve negroes came across the river
yesterday from Princess Ann County, Virginia, in open
boats They complained of not having enough TO eat,
and Entertainment They have been hired to the frgae
Savannah as seamen Last night party of FIVE
negroes came down the Chesapeake in an open boat,
having started from the mouth Of Ware River at mid
night They also say that they did net have enough TO
Sat and that violence was threatened them by their
masters.
@ How did you know that you would be any better
OF at Old Point"
'We heard master say that the Notherners held the
place, and wants eOlOred men to work"
"Did your master tell You what would become Of
you if you came beiei"
eyes; master said the Yankees would work us till
the war was over and then send back, or 10 Cuba
70 he sold or would shoot us, but understand thar
hind Of logic"
"Wbat do you think is going to become of yOu'
Are you certain you will be any better of here than
you were with your msster'"
"Dont know 'xaety, but are willing to take the
chances Guess twill be all right, though"
This morning another hsf-dozen came in from War
They have about tie same story to tell and represent
that the Rebels are building batteries James River
above our eucaupment, and have large force in the
peighborhood The negroes idea Of numbers is hardly
ever 10 be relied on In addition to his native dspo.
sision to magnify, especially when he conceves that
something large or startling is expected from him. be
has no definite idea of what figures mean, or how
many one thousand men for instance really are. OF
course now and then exception this general rule
surns up.
flag Of truce took some half dozen persons to Nor
folk to-day, accompanied by Major Converse of Gen.
WooPs staff By the last flag from Norfolk there
received nearly seven hundred letters from the COu-
tederate States to persons in the Union States These
letters impose great deal Of labor Gen. Wool and
bis staff the order in regard to them being that before
they can be forwarded they must be read and receive
the approval Of either Of the General Of
his eta of the rank of Major. Now since these flags
have become to be almost an every day occurrence
and as this is the only avenue from the Mississippi TO
the ocean through which letters SENT il is plain 10
be seen that if the is TO be kept open there will
be hardly any end to the labor, and q Majors
will scsrces suffice to do it.
In addition 10 this large number Of letters are sent
the other way. These, of course, must all be read
and contents noted" Another batch Of clerks Ma
ors or Other will soon be necessary TO attend 10 the
ebb-tde of mail mat er flowing through the roads.
A requisidOn has been made for nearly 800 heavy
guns of different cbne, for the forts in EewYork and
Boston harbor and vessel is loading at the ord
nance wharf for the latter city.
Major Grain Of the TOpogrsphicals arrived from
Washington TO report Gen. Wool for duty this morn
Ing. He states that yesterday three hundred Rebel
soldiers deserted 10 lines in the neigbbOrbood of
Chain Bridge, and that they represented that Beaure.
gsards army suffering for food, and in bad con.
dton generally, Their own condition bore evidence
Of the truth of their statement. Prisoners deserers
and fugitives from whatever quarter of the revo,ed
States agree in representing that provisions scarce
prices for most articles high and money scarce I'm.
quesonably there plenty Of -four in Virginia but Of
mos; of other articles there is scarcity not only for
the supply of the army, but for the community
generally. The negroes appear to be fleeing on &C
count Of this scarcity, and one.haf of what they say
Be true, they fugtves from starvation as much as
tom anything else.
FROM MEsa0uRg