The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-05-09
FROM THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
CAMP NEAR YORKTOWN, Va, J
Anvil O7lh 1890

ApTH Sth, loo%'
Mr.. EDIToR As time wears away,
many changes take place. SO with our
residence when last wrote you at
Camp Michigan. little did any Of US think
thai few days would bring us 10 a camp
in sight Of Yorktown This is a place
which, TO look at, does not seem TO be OF
any importance 10 any one, yet our en-
emies have got stronghold here, and,
were they allowed to remain in peaceable
possession, might make it a place OF con.
siderable importance to them. A pris-
oner that was taken few nights ago, in
skirmisb, said that they could whip us
out easy enough when we commenced
,he attack, for they were 10000 strong
and we only had about 10000 here
Suoh seems TO be the stories that their
leaders have told them TO keep their
courage up, but ii will need something
besides talk, when our guns open upon
them some fine morning, just before they
are awake. Saltpetre will not save them
then, neither can jeff. Davis, for, if he is
here then, he will wish that he was fur
ther South.
Our camp is in the advance, near the
center, within sight of their works, in a
piece of woods but l suppose the enemy
do not know our exact position here, or
we should not be allowed to remain so
long. We are in good shelling distance
OF them, and in range Of their heavy guns.
A few days ago, they sent us their com
pliments in the shape OF hundred pound
shell. 1t came crashing along through
the trees, and burst but a few rods from
our camp. but. fortunately, nobody was
hurt.
Our guns keep up our irregular firing
through the day, and the pickets gener-
ally have n chance to try their guns
through the night. The enemy have
made several Intellectual attempts to drive
in our pickets, but have always been
driven back with heavy loss. A few
nights ago, quite large body Of them
came out, and tried to take battery that
was on picket. Our men olloped them to
come up within about l2 rods, without
firing gun and then opened deadly
fire upon them with such effect that they
fled in disorder back 10 the fort, leaving
800 OF their killed and wounded upon the
ground. Our loss was about 90 killed
and wounded.
We are working day and night upor
D breastworks. right under the mouths o
their guns, and at about good ritle.sho
yet wholly unobserved by them. Their
' is cleared field in front Of their forts
: and then dense thicket, so that MAJ
would be wholly unobserved at distanc
8 OF 90 PAGES. At first one man proceeded
= and, with his Ratchet, commenced cuttin
away the brush and thro wing them to tn
G front, making it still thicker and higher
6 until several found room to work. Pres
o emily the picks and shovels commence
S throwing up an earthwork. About
o'clock. another Regiment come film
$ along, and take the place of the one {
l work, and continue the work until morn
= ing, without speaking above whisper
when another takes their place, and s
g the work goes on from day to day. unit
n it is completed,
Could you but be with us, Mr.. Edito
and watch the movements Of our Genera
George B., but for a week and see Wit
g what alacrity all branches OF business M
a. carried on, never would you allow ano!ht
r article TO be printed in your valuabI
o. paper. eondemning him for his incapacit
. TO have command Of the vast army whic
. is now under him. He is a true type I
. General Scott II a fort can be taken b,
n loosing 90 men, and 100 are lost, the one
d hundredlh man. he beiievss.is murdered
II he is incapable OF filling his place, e,
is amirs General Halleck's report 10 Il
70 Secretary of War. .alter the battle OF Pitt
: burg Landing,i in which hs says thai eVel
al battle that has been fought successfu U
re has been carried out TO the letter, eccor,
Is, ing to McClellsn's orders. He furth
says that Mcclellan possesses one Of Il