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

patton by the army Of General Mcclellan, with
the capture Of ell the defences and heavy guns
Of the enemy, is the great news Of the day
From all the accounts in our possession, 1t ID
evident that since Tuesday morning our siege
batteries have been 90 far finished as to open
fire upon the enemy in reply to occasional
firing from their defences, and that their guns
were silenced by the superior weight and pro
badly the number of our artillery. Sorties
have, since last Tuesday, been made by the
enemy on our troops, and on Thursday they
again opened their batteries upon our lines.
The bombardment Of Yorktown and all the
enemy's defenceS by our forces, on land and
water, must have taken place ON Friday and
continued through Saturday, by which time
the destruction and devastation caused by our
concentrated fire upon the rebels must have
rendered their defenoes untenable. Their rear
being open, they had but one course to pursue
which was to retreat as rapidly as possible un.
der cover of the night, leaving all their heavy
artillery as trophies of this important and glo'
rious victory. The magnitude and Importance
of this blow, and McClellan's success, may be
better understood by recalling to mind the fall
Of New Orleans and General Lovell's retreat
therefron, and more especially the precisely
similar results which occurred after year 9
siege by the Allies before Sebastopol.
The Russians were bonbarded until their
defences were no longer tenable. At night
they retreated, crossing to the north shore Of
the harbor unobserved by their enemy, al
though commanded by the most skilful gene
rails and engineers of Europe. Neither the
allied fleets nor armies could prevent this re-
treat yet the victory was gained, and Pelissier
and his generals were the conquerors of be-
sieged line of temporary earthworks precisely
similar to those that Mcclellan and his generals
have now SO gloriously captured at Yorktown.
We may hope that the results will prove as
disastrous to our enemies as in the parallel
case in the Crimea; but, like the latter, there
is no room for disseminating our best exertions
until unconditional submission is obtained.
Nor does it appear likely that General
Mcclellan will pause in his onward movement;
for, at latest accounts, he was following up the
rebels on the route towards Williamsburg,
where, ii will be remembered, they had set o
vast number Of negroes to work on the in
trenchments some weeks ago. A force of pro-
badly twenty thousand cavalry and artillery
are in rapid pursuit Of the enemy, while. as
General Mcclellan states in his official de-
spatch, he has sent Franklin's division, which
was already on shfpboard ready for some other
portion of his operations, to West Point, whero
they probably arrived yesterday afternoon, and
are now cutting of the rebels in the rear.
That the evacuation of Yorktown and the
Of new position on the Chickaho-
miny was foregone conclusion with the rebels
we think 10 manifest from an article in the
Richmond Examiner of the Esd ult, published
in these columns on the 1st inst, and re-
to-day. There IT. announced ttat
the rebel army must withdraw to some rent
where our gunboats cannot operate N con-
junction with our land forces, and the line of
creek is pointed cut as our
Corinth;' and thus, when General Lee and JEFF.
Davis made an observation of General McClel-
lan's works on Wednesday they decided that
Yorktown was absolutely unteuablc and the
evacuation was at once ordered
The same policy was pursued by General
at Corinth. He, too, has taken up
some position out of reach Of our gunboats;
and, although he has wide area to operate in,
he ma. !. fact, no outlet for his army, because
he is completely surrounded. With General
Mitchell between him and the Atlantic sea
board, and New Orleans held by General But
Ter and Commodore Farragut he cannot move.
Neither 10 there any line Of escape for Davis
forces near Yorktown. save one; and the pro-
liability is that, before they can accomplish a
by that long route, the army
will be broken up and demoralized. That all
hopes of availing Themselves Of the Merrimac
have been abandoned by the rebels is pretty
certain. The resignation Of Commodore Tat
nall, when ordered to proceed with her round
10 the York river, Is proof positive Of that fact
Thus we open to-day most eventful week
With the glorious news Of the fall of Yorktown
and the prsliminaries Of disaster to the rebel
arms which, ere long must bring this odious
rebellion to close,