Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-04-25
LATER FROM YORKTOWN,

CAMP WINFIELD Scorr, NEAR YORKTOWN
April 20 The furious storm that has ragged during
for contrabands to escape the vigilsnce of the
pickets and come into our camp. The darkness
Of the night, and amid the bowling of the winds
seems the favoFite time for slaves to start Pasi
ground until daylight, and then approach OUT
pickets with a feeling Of safety that shows they
are not entirely deluded by the stories told them
from day to day that we were going to sell them
70 Cuba, to pay the expenses Of the war.
A stream OF them 10 now fairly started, and
unless we are deceived, 1t will not stop soon,
they are now kindly treated, well fed given
work at good wages, or sent to Fortress Monroe
From one OF them, who was with the Rebels
until after the battle Of Lees Mills we learn that
they had near two hundred killed and wounded:
most Of them were shot In the head and arms A
gang OF some three thousand negroes, from
dam, being the dam which belongs to Lee % M ills
and which was used to back the water I'D where
our troops were trying to cross IT, The shells of
our artillery were occasionally thrown In that di.
rection, and some ten or twelve were killed which
caused a stampede, and they had to be driven
back at the point Of the bayonet =
il was their work which raised the wafer some
two feet while the four companies of the Vermont
I'd Were over on Wednesday, and caused us the
loss OF twenty.nine men, who, wounded, fell In
the mud, and were drowned or strangled In this
bog. Their bodies were mostly taken out under
the flag Of truce last Saturday
Gen. Magruder 10 at Yorktown, and has lost the
braggadocia with which he was wont to march
all the troops upon the peninsula, on the double
quick, down 10 Newport News, last fall and
winter, 70 give the Yankees BY the time he
reached Bethel, however, he generally consid Tered
discretion the better part Of yalor and announced
to his men that we had received reiniorcemeats.
and he would have to wait till they went away.
He is represented a. much depressed In spirit.
and, In conversation with other efdcers SAW IT'S
no use In fighting II they cannot stand at York.
town; that we have an Immense force here. and
will just overrun them, and ruin everything and
everybody In our march.
The commissary stores, ammunition, baggage.
wagons, and everything movable, have been
moved 10 the rear, and are now lying about two.
and half TO three miles to the rear Of York
and the whole line Of their defences
The Rebels had engaged at Lees mills only
two regiments, and seven pieces OF artillery; they
had more artillery and infantry about mile back,
but did not bring them into action. $3.50
The infantry were the ''Louisiana Cut thfoats,,
and the " 5th North Cafolinan When our hat.
terry opened upon them In the morning thew did
not know where the shot came from for some
time, but finally concluded IL was from the edge
Of the woods, and returned the FIRE. Our shells
made fearful havoc, exploding right over their
guns, and 20 or 80 men were soon carried out dead
and wounded ,when the order was given to cease
firing, as they could not zee where their shots
were going, and did not know what they were
doing. Some Of the artillery were 10th TO Quit,
and were firing parting salute when she'll ex.
several feet. The rife balls were snging an
around, and whenever . head was shown, pop
went ball, and added another 10 the list 81
killed and wounded. &"
"Down on your knees, You -. and
crawl out" cried the Colonel. "The - Van.
KEGS win blow Us all 70 - II we don't le;
them aione.n They then rFawied ont Of The fort