Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-04-18
From Fortress Monroe.

FoRTREss MONROE, April l6.-Calm weather
prevails here 1t has been most proptious for
the temperance of the Merrmac; but she
does not come, 1t is concluded she was most like
ly injured by getting aground when last out.
A nag OF truce was sent this morning to de-
liver letters and dispatches, but no news trans
PRED. lie was impossible TO obtain even a
glimpse of the papers received at headquarters.
Copies of the Richmond Dispatch and Norfolk
Day Book were received here last evening. The
Dispatch contains a telegram from Beauregard
dated Corinth. 9Th, stating he was strongly en-
trenched and prepared to defy the Federals in
whatever numbers they might attack him. He
claims the battle of Pttsburg Landing as most
important victory. He says: 1--WE captured
5000 Federal prisoners and 80 cannon"
The Dispatch, commenting on the above,
thinks that the total rout OF Buell. and Grant is
certain. No mention is made of Beauregard
being wounded.
The Dispatch says in reference to affairs in the
Peninsula that no anxiety need be felt as to the
result OF the forthcoming battle. The Yankees
to be driven back to the Fortress and thor
oughly vanquished by the forces under Gems
Lee, johnson, and Magruder
The Richmond Dispatch has some comments
on the Merrimac, which it says spent two DAYS
in Hampton Roads banterng the Monitor and
Yankee fleet to come up from the shelter OF the
batteries.
master OF Hampton Roads.
The exploit of the jamestown in Selling three
Federal vessels is regarded showing the ter
with which the Yankees view the Merrimac.
The dispatch says considering it not worth while
to waste any more coal TO entice the Monitor into
conflict, the Merrimac has returned to her an
chorage. The belief is very general here that
the Merrimac received some injury during her
cent raid, which compelled her to go back to
Norfolk
She was undoubtedly aground all the second
day, and may, from the heavy weight of her ar
mament, have sprung aleak She is, however,
back to the Norfolk navy yard for repairs of
some kind. When moving about the upper
Roads OH Friday last exchanging shots with the
Naugatuck, she was very close to the English
steamer Rolla. At one time she was close along
side.
Ia conversation with one of the English
sailors yesterday, an experienced gunner, he as
sured me that the last gun the Merrimac fred,
the she'll exploded before it left the muzzle. He
was close enough to see great commGtlOn on
board and the escape of smoke from her port
holes.
The rebels have for several DAYS been building
large Notifications on the Gloucester side of the
York river, about two miles from Yorktown aud
within sight OF our gunboats, but their guns were
OF too long a range to allow of the approach of
the gunboats TO shell the works.
About one thousand men were at work on the
Notifications, and the mortars were not of suffi
cent range to check the operations. Yesterday
morning, however, the gunbOat Sebago arrived
having heavy 100 FOUNDER rihed Parrott gun.
and at once opened fire upon them with shell,
which we'll aimed that they could be
seen falling in their midst, and exploding with
fatal effect The rebels could be distinctly seen
carrying off their killed and wounded.
In the course of two hours the work was en-
tirely suspended, the men retiring out of range.
AT every attempt to renew the work they were
driven back. The guns mounted by the enemy
the Yorktown side of the river number not
less than fifty lO0-pounders, six of them rined.
bearing directly on the bar. The gunboats are
at present about two miles below the town.
There is said to be skirmshing along the whole
line before Yorktown. and the Berdan sharp
shooters are spreading terror among the gunners
OF the enemy by their unerrng aim The enemy
have made several sorties with infantry to dis
lodge or capture our rihemen, but have been
driven back with heavy loss As to the arrange
ments for the final siege we need only say, the
work goes bravely on.