The New York herald., 1862-05-08
MOVEMENTS BEFORE THE BATTLE.
Our Special Army Correspondence.
CAMP WINFIELD Scerr I

Our Special Army Correspondence.
CAMP WINFIELD Scerrl
BEFORE YORKTOWN, May 4, 1862. !
The Army Of the Potomac Is jublant tonight. Some
of the divisions have moved beyond Yorktown. Others
remain here but will move Immediately. In all the
camps tho bands Of music are pouring forth delicious
melody This il the first time three weeks that the
bands have been allowed to play During all that time,
while the preparations for tho siege going the
plans Of General Mcclellan required that Of any
kind should be heard in camps, and that no fires
should be lighted at night.
cAusR THE EvACrATioN.
The events OF this day have been various and i'm
portant You have already been apprissd Of the main
facts Of the evacuation Of Yorktown Tho Of the
evacuation were the fall OF New Orleans tho reported
retreat OF Beauregard from Corinth but than all
tho magnitude and completeness OF the plans OF
General Mcclellan for the siege itself. From Dc.
serters and other sources Of Information the rebel
readers Yorktown knew precisely the extent and pro-
grsss Of the works of General Mcclellan Thsy remained
in their works until they became satisfied that II
impossible to defend them, and then abandoned them.
Our works were almost completed, our last guns and
ortars placed in position Saturday night before
daylight on Sunday morning. the intention Of the
Commander Chief to have devoted this day to resa
est which the soldiers have well deserved for they have
worked both night and day fer twenty days pasand
have opened our batteries on Monday morning. The
terrific nre which would have bees rainsd upon York
town bs inferred from the fact that from single
battery we could have thrown forty thrtssnnch shois
every hour or six hundred shells per day The order
for the evacuation reached General Johnston wedncs
day Of last week. and he Immediately prepared to exc
cute IL The troops began TO move or on Wednesday
night taking with them what guns and ammunition they
could. Tho work Of evacuation continued from that
Ga. L. s~.-A 49,.
kept up an ncsssant but harmless cannonade In order
TO divert our attention from their real design.
GREAT STRENGTH RKBKL WORKS.
The strength and extent Of the rebel works Ia even
greater than has been represented. II the rebels had
had courage enough to have fought u.s. should have
beaten them and taken Yorktown in forty eight hours
But the cannonadng both sides would have been
rife and attended with frightful loss Of life.
Their line OF FORTS extending entirely the pcnn-
sua from the York the James river Is pronounced by
our officers TO be even elaborate and quite strong
a. the works for defence OF Csntrsvo, and even
almost 10 rival cf those In front Of Washington The
walls Of the forts thirty feet high and the bitches
around them are so wide preclude all possibility
our part OF crossing them without tremendous loss.
QUA PREPARATIONS yoR sEcE.
IN this connection justice ought 10 be done TO the VOL
uutesr Engineer brigade under General Daniel Wood
bury and to all soldiers for the work they performed
in preparing for the siege Their abors have been truly
hcuean and will remain for the wonder and admiration
Of postsry Besides our batteries roads cut for miles
through forests built for miles swamps marshes
and merasses, and round ravnes, and built well that
all tho artillery, heavy siege guns, morars ammunition
and storsn of all kinds have been transported them
with oass trenches dug and parallels constructed
the whole peninsula, one line after another thess.
which constitute part OF their isbors, have gone far to
win The great victory at Yorktown. For victory Il IT,
orhc gh Utmost biooiess one. The aruy which has
.s. tie aup Yorktowr Wills ihoy have heen fortlfy.