The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-05-06

with reliable precision. Having ceased eh0otfng for
while, about the hour FOR the evening meal, the
rebels commenced again and kept up constant IRE
I'll the latest moment Of their evacuation Of the town.
Their conduct during this cannonade appeared nexpca
be They threw almost every imaginable description Of
projectle Their shooting particularly remarkable
for its rreguarity Sometimes shell would clear
over parallel into the camps beyond and then another
shot from the direction would strike tho ground
half mile from their Notifications and rcochet over
the heads OF our troops in the trenches. The burning
fuses in the shells they went through tho cir looked
like shooting stars
DIGGING RIFLE PITS BEFORE THE REBEL WORKS.
AZ time, when those shots along tho ground
we supposed thatth enemy had discovered small force
which was sent under Of the darkness far be-
yond our lines to dig two rife pits close proximity
10 their largest fort, almost beneath tho mnxxes Of
their guns and firing 1t those men. The batteries
which we had erected for tho reduction Of tho town are
known By numbers. and the regular rcdoubs by iotsrs
In front OF rsdoubt c. towards the right Of position
there rugged ravne sido Of which there runs
one Of the Revolutionary rife pits, perhaps more pro-
pery, one OF the ancient parallels made by the american
forces when they lrst invested Yorktown. Near by 10
strip Of woods, and in front the open space Of gently
rolling and gradually ascending ground, which IL sweps
by the heavy ordnance mounted tho parapets con-
structcd By the enemy. 1t considered matter Of
much importance for to have fow rife pits for
sharpshootsrs on this ground From them Bsrdsns
could pop or every rebel who dared 70 sigh
gun. Several officers had examined the ground with
ference 70 the digging Of rifle pits and had pronounced II
vol nigh impossible to dig them without bringing on
general engagement, the position much exposed
and dangerous In the afternoon went with General
jameson that place reconnaissance when, I'm.
that the point which had been previously
Indicated he suggested tho director OF the siege the
importance Of having rife pits put there and indicated
his willingness 10 dig them. The proposition was unme.
datey approved and after nightfa he took small de-
tachmsnt from one Of his own regiments the Sxtyhrd
Pennsylvania. and proceeded to perform the work We
advanced cautiously, hoping that would not be per-
ceiyed by the enemy SO long as the clouds auspi-
cousy continued To obscure the rising Arriving
near the yorktown road skirmishers thrown out
and advanced to tho indicated points. little knoll 10
the right and another TO tho left were chosen for the
rife pits Tho men with their shovsls were then brought
forward, and whilo thoy were digging the skrmishers
were lying down few feet in front Of them. All this
time the rebels firing of their in the widest
manner. We could hear the rebel artillery officers 40
distinctly ms though they wero not moro than dozen
yards from u.s. giving the command zone, two, three,
Arer' It was then, when the shos close that
wc thought for . moment wo had haen discovered,
and that they firing at us; but the sequel shows
that the rebels too busy themselves TO be any
careful about taking aim. However, we did not know
but that the entire rebel force Of hundred thousand
were still conf onting And after they had fred
their last gun could still their lingering lights
upon the parapets, though they themselves had gone
Oar rife pits finished shortly after tho time the
enemy had completed the evacuation.
FIRST INTELLIGENCE OF THE EVACUATION.
In The meantime desertcr came within iincs
further left, and said that tho enemy evacu
atna Yorktown. Just at the first faint light Of early
dawn, three observed approaching
GATOR pckeis with nag Of truce. They received
by Colonel Black. At first u was supposed that they
were sent frcn Yorktown neutrality-suspicious. with pro-
position for surrender--but ascertaucd that
they had come their own account They
men VINO formerly resided in Hampton, the beautifuI
little village which situated the nnrrowsst
point Of the peninsula, and which the rebels wantonly
burned down. Those had been forced into the rebel
service and they expressed their great delight At the
event which enabled them to escape from such dsastc
full and exacting service.
This event was the complete evacuation Of Yorktown
which they then announced TO They belonged 70 The
Thrtysscond Virginia regiment, which Of Tho
last lc.eave They said that whom army arrived
IN front Of Yorktown the rebel force under General
Naqruder was not more than eight thousand men.
Their statements confirm the opinion which tho
movements Of the rebels since arrival have in
ducca some OF US 10 form--that Is, that they
actually frightened at approach. Whom the br
| esde which had the honor Of our advance marched
along the turnpike road and halted in the open Geld in
| fun view, and not more than mile and q half from
thc,r most formidable works, and when few batteries
or our lht artillery wheeled into positions perfectly
protected fr The fro Of their heavy guns, and threw
| few shells ct them, the rebels were terrified At our
| holiness Tho precise language Of one Of these de-
| serters and ono Ok the nrst observations which
| he made was his -sif you had gone there
I ,b,, nigh, YOU could have carried everything"
! Ue confirmed the fact " tho bursting Of ono
Of their guns on Friday, which VIC saw oarst orr
selves and added tia, they had burst about half dozen
altogether Some Il them have since lying 10 tho
works.
THE OCCUPATION ny THE UNION rRoors.
| few hours previous to this time telegraph had
been carried so far tho front the old grismii
hch has been tho headquarters Of the gancr ala
Of The trenches General jameson Immediately tcle.
r,a.hcd 10 General Fitz John Porter director ~ the
s,.ee tho nteigcn which these desertcrs brought
concerning tho evacuation. 10 soon received reply
| ips,,ucting him to push forward small force
"a procurc authoritative information 70 The
| ,reth OF their assertion. lilo took dcachmenls from
! Tho sixty. second Pennsylvania regiment, under
| caorcl Black; the Twenty second Massachusetts,
pndcr Colonel Cove, with support Of two com
panics Of the First Massachusots, unucr icutcnnhs
caisne, weIs and advanced along the border OF tho
goods, on the commanding blur which ovoriocks the
r,vor In the morning outpcsts and scntnss the
works we were constructing werc astonished whom they
missed tho rebel watchmcn from tho walls.
Oar men in tho trenches evincsd, II possible a. much
curiosity as those who wore advancing towards the
enemv,s fortincatons. Thousands Of heads appeared
hovs the top Of our parallel. and every manifested
The deepest interest the which sranspirDg
n was only by command thst the General kept ths
men from rushing headiong, Needless Of al lurking dan
gcr into the inrenchments Very soon the detachment
reached the ditch In front and began 70 mount tho para
.v vere closely followed BY Colonel Cove, Lsussaaz
cra,ord and Captain Hasslsr q the Generals STAR end
~ r.xnAlp correspondent The General jumped inside
49, ort which was sosn 70 be deserted, and presently