, 1862-04-12
BY TELEGRAPH.
THE SIEGE OF YoaKToWln!.. !. !.
The Rebels 100000 Strong, under
Gen, Joseph E. ,Io|nsfon,
THEIR LINE ACROSS TIE
PENINSULA.
Constant Information of Federal
movements,

WASHINGTON, April LITTLE steamer Kinp
?h.lip came up to the Navy Yard to-day from
stated to be hourly gaining GROUND. Nothi1n
neW has transpired on the river.
bALTiAoRE, april 1.-The Old Point boat
has arrived. The following arc the main
points Of letter from the A3.etIcan's special
correspondent:
: F417nEss sf ;5sa M MoxRRoE, April 1o:-rhe storm
heard Of tue AcHimac to-day, and IN view Of
the recent reverses to the rebels, It ia doubted
whether they will attempt offensive opera
tons, even with their fron-plated monster,
Their desperate straits may induce something
~ ms way. Il she ever does come, she will
probably come tomorrow.
Parties who come in from the arzny renort
NO special change in afIairs. Continual skir-
m1shf1g Is going On, and q brilliant affair oc-
CURED on Monday, In which GrlfI1u's battery
participated with marked effect, killing and
wonnding q rebels.
The rebel position extends across the penIn-
snla, from Yorktown to warwick. near James
r1Ver. short distance above Mulberry Point,
the conformation Of the land and TIE maEfn1
II OF the creek from james river shortens
their line OF defense and enables them to com
mand With their fortffications all the roads up
the peninsula.
Gems. Lee and Johnston are both reported
to be With the rebel force hese-onc commnnd-
ing 1T Yorktown and the other at Warwick,
Magruder, holding subordinate commands IS
with the reserve at Williamsburg.
According to the reports Of deserters the
rebel force numbers about fifty thousand, Of
whom thirty thousand are reinforcements re-
Gently drawn from The line Of the RappAhan-
mock aud about Norfolk.
Despite the weather and bad roads, our
Generals are pushing forward preparations for
the assault vi ION the enemy's works, and not
many days viii e1apse before Yorktown viii
be ours, and Richmond Threatened,
The glorious news from the West is aching
as an excellent stimulant for our army, and
greatly encourages our troops,
befdan's Sharp shooters give good accounts
Of themselves. They hold an advanced posi-
ton under the rebel batteries, from which
Lhey constantly harass the enemy. A head
above the pazapet becomes an instant mark
Tor dozen rifles, which, at one thousand
yards distance, scarcely fail to hit their marx.
4ne OF the sharp-shooters belonging to the
cal1o!n1a regiment, has almost wholly pre-
vented the rebels from using a large gun il an
important position. From well selected n
ne5PIt ne Keeps constant aim upon the gun,
ana haIdiy an attempt has been made for two
days to fire it without the rebels losing one
or two men from his deadly aim.
1t Is stated that one Of our divisions has Sc
cured an importont position, the holding Of
which VII lead to tue eventually forcing Of
the rebel line Of defense.
-..r1 N - ~ t*AAt preliminary VOTE nl5 pcca
performed by Our troops, aud with the return
OF good weather, active operations will not be
postponed 1iAny days. The task before Nc
Clelian, in reducing the fortified entreuch-
ments, is one for which be is held specially
qualified. The result is not doubted.
TEE REBELS KNOW ALL OUR MOVEMENTS.
NEW YORK, april ia letter from B:lti-
more to the New York Herald says the &C.
counts Of the progress Of affairs at York
T1h if3h NA%v0
channels believed to be reliable. diffsr
materially from the accounts furnished
by the Government. It WIS known Of
Rlchnond when portion of the Union
army OF the Potomac moved from Manassas to
washington. 1t was known there when the
Go1lps de a57,lse landed and were assembled at
Fortress Monroe It was known there when
Gen. Mcclellan and staff arrived at The
fortress, and it WIS known there when the
march on Yorktown commenced, and the
number Of troops Gen. Mcclellan had where
With to make the attack. These facts con
Vmced the Confederate Government at Rich
mond that their hour was come unless they
Lpoh instant measures to resist the march Of
Gen Mcclellan.
The rtifcations Of Yorktown were all that
could be desired, hothas to strength and arma-
ment, but General Magrudcr had as yet only
thirty.fye thousand troops. The withdrawal
Of such large number Of Union troops
tAoAA1 a'AaAaaslb IClQcfeQ IL unnecessary to
Keep the main body Of the army Of the Rap
pahannock along that stream, and from that
army accordingly, General Magruder
has been largely reinforced. Troops layc
been arriving at Yorktown, from Rfchmend
and Gordonsyille, every day for the last week.
Il Is bc4cved that Gen. Johnston and JEFF
Davis arc both at Yorktown, and that Gen.
Johnston is in command. The number of
rebel troops there cannot be less than ono
hundred thousand.