Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-16
to be dallying away their time on the banks Of

to be dallying away their time on the banks Of
the Rapidan.
Sixty five thousand men, therefore, were with
drawn from the line Of the Rappahanrock and
taken through Richmond 70 Yorktown. This
movement commenced on the 18th of March,
and continued for fifteen DAYS. By the 9th inst.
they had at yorktown fully 100000 troops. Gen.
Jos. +. Johnston himself proceeded there on the
9th. and assumed the chief command. he
in command therefore, at the time the assault
commenced on Saturday last. The artificial de-
fenses of the place the land tide extend for a
distance OF six miles, across the narrow part OF
the peninsula between Yorktown and the James
river. The erection of these intrenchments was
commenced before the battle Of Big Bethel, on
the 10Th OF June last, but at that time they were
merely Immediately around Yorktown. Subse-
quenily, during the months of July and August,
when il was thought that Gen. Butler and Gen.
Wool were preparing to advance on Yorktown.
they were considerably extended towards the west
and southwest But in September il was plainly
seen that no demonstration on the part of the
Union forces towards Yorktown would be made
during the fall or winter and nothing more was
done on the Notifications. Late in the fall, how
ever, and while the roads we're yet good, over a
hundred pieces of the heaviest artillery were sent
down from Richmond TO Yorktown, and were
mounted on the works nearest TO the town. Be-
mounted there, but they were mostly guns of
lighter callber. But all that part of the ntrench-
ment beyond point three miles southwest of
Yorktown is of quite recent construction, having
been thrown up during the last three weeks
These are the weakest part of the cnemy's de-
lenses therefore, and il is here, If anywhere that
an assault would be successful. These recently
made Entertainments are of the same height and
thickness the others, but they have been more
hastily thrown toUafhar and what i ~ far
greater consequence. the guns mounted here are
far inferior in every respect to those on the works
nearer Yorktown, and the artillerists in charge
OF them are not near so experienced. The pro
gress of the siege will show the correctness, or
otherwise, of this information.
The latest intelligence from the Union army
before Yorktown is up to wednesday evening,
April 9.
1t represents the troops in good spirits, and
as having mistaken confidence in their leader,
but as having suffered greatly during the dread
fGl storm of the preceding two days and Lights.
This suffering was unavoidable in consequence of
the want OF the means to keep warm or even
dry. but it shared equally by officers and
men Indeed, the heroism OF our troops under
such circumstances is sublime. 1t was expected
that active operations against the enemy's works
would be resumed yesterday. the 10Th. 1t
had been impossible, of course, to do anything
during the storm, which had been of unusual du-
ration and severity. This intelligence is not
marked Official but it is, nevertheless quite as
authentic as that which will be furnished by the
some days hence relating to the same events.
As a specimen of governmental accuracy and re-
liability, take the dispatch that sent all over
the country by telegraph after Gen. Mcclellan
had begun to move on Yorktown on Saturday,
April D. That dispatch bore. in many words,
the assurance that our troops would not meet
with MAJ nf tba ral,alS
resistance on the way to Yorktown. 1t was
marked official" and the information purported
to come from Gen. Wool. At this time every o.
fcer in the army before Yorktown knew that
Gen. Magruder had at least 40,000 troops, and
that heavy reinforcements were pouring in from
Richmond, and that his defensive works were
most formidable.