The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-05-01
9crrpshutN 8ouvnal.
The siege OF Yorktown.


writing from in front of Yorktown on the
18th. says that all our reeonnoiSsanccs, az
well as the activity Of the rebels, show that
they have concentrated all their strength
at that point, and intend making desperate
resistance. Spies who have been captured
state that from the opposite side OF War
wick river, up to a distance OF over milc,
tho ground is covered with forts and rifle
pits, and the lowland side has been pTposly
inundated, SO that the sides Of tho oucmy
not under the protection of pits and forts,
arc guarded by millponds and marshes. 1t
will. rs you soc, need great deal of engineer
ing to smooth our way under thc walls OF
the town. aud nothing short OF the greatest
activity and most complete and vigorous
preparations will secure the place.
Failing in fair fighting, tho rebels intend,
il is said, to effect the submcrson of Gen.
McClellan's army by damming York river,
and that they are actually engaged in driv-
ing logs in the river, This accounts for
the quantity of lowland already submerged.
The rebels expect to raise the waters to
sufficient highth, by.moans of series OF
dams which are to reach the most elevated
points of York river. 20 as to sweep at n
given time the whole Federal army. Whcth-
or the project is feasible or not, it is no
doubt contemplated by the rebels, who
have been detected byrcconmoiicri parties
in the work of driving their pilos in tho
river, and of fastening them one aganat the
other SO as to prevent water going through.
An engagement, far moro liercely contest
ed, took place on the 10th, of which we
find full report in the correspondence OF
the New York Herald The result Of
reconnaissance on the night OF the 10Th,
determined the Commanding General to
attack the enemy's position on our extreme
..,.rI,1 i, lao Il d
shell out large scouting parties of the rebels,
and il possible, TO push the attack and
obtain fDothold within their lines At
eight o'clock A. NJ, u party OF skirmshcrS
from the Fourth Vermont and New ork
battery were advanced on thc enonys one
gun battery near Lees Mills The Vernon
tcrs made their way TO point near tho
battery, their advance being covered 10y a
thick Clump of trees aud bushes, bong sop
grated from the foe by Warwick creek, they
poured IL such a shower of rifle shot that
in few minutes not a rebel was to be seen.
Four pieces Of the New York battery, two
ten-poundcr Parrot, and two twelyc-poun-
der Napoleon guns were next brought up
and opened fire. The enemy now brayeIy
came up to the business, and responded
with the solitary large gun OF their battery,
and With tWO others IN battery bchlnd 1t.
The fire became ScIy heavy, that ot Our
Suus being very accurate. ten. Mot lcilan
was witness of the affair. Ny ten \. NJ,
after two hours firing, the rebel guns Ccas-
ed TO tagpond, not because they wcrc dis
abled, but because the fire of our rilIcmen
rendered it impossible FOR gmncrs to load
Ihem. Occasionally, however few shell
were thrown upon our forces. but without
effect Two or three men had been wound
ed among our skirmishers, and our battery
had lost seven men in killed and wounded.
when om guns tool, their first position the
enemy had the exact range, md IN three
shots cleared our first gun of all but Ser
gcant and Corporal. Three men were kill
ed and four wounded at this piece.
Though the two rebel batteries had been
'silenced. ." il was believed That the game Of
the rebels was TO draw our men on. Still
ii was deemed necessary to find somewhat
more of the enemy's force OF this point
Upon consultation between General NulIci-
Ian and two division commanders il was.
therefore, determined to make decided
demonstration OF attack, and accordingly,
between throe and tour +. NJ, three batter
tries were ordered forward into the open
field, and opened ire at about five hundred
yards. This again woke the Cnomy mp, and
he responded warmly for twenty minutes,
aud then opoo more lapsed into silence
Not deceived by this, our threo batteries
continued to play upon his position for
some minutes longer, when word was
brought TO the General of the Vermont brig
Rde that the creek was easily tordable at
some distance TO the right of our batteries
and Col. Hyde, in command Of four COM
pauies of the Vermont Third, who had
skrmished in advance Of the others, was
ordered to send two of his companies across
the creek at the point where it was said t,
be only kneo-deep, 10 advance them To tn,
enemy's left and charge tho work in rear
He accordingly sent across companies u
and F. and supported them very closely
with companies L aud X Meanwhile ON
batteries became silent. Companies y and
+ were led by Lieut. Whtemore NC
sooucr were they in the stream than the
water was found to be much deeper than
had been stated; the men went 10 then
nrnpits, aud uNeIy Charge of thuir amu,I,ui
zion was, of course thoroughly soaked.
This attempt was made below the dam, and
it was possible that the enemy, when hC
saw the intention to cross, let jumorc water
by lloodgate than had been in the stream
While the mon were in the stream a
large body OF the oncmy, estimated at thrco
regiments, opened upon them from u rifle
pit on the very bank, and the terrible fire
cut down nearly halfthernumber. Mover
however, was a fire received with crater
rteadlncss or more glorious irtrepldity.-
Except those hit not q man of the mmgni-
tcent Nermonters wavcred, hut all finely
pushed on, and with one shout arose upon
the bank, and rushed upon the enemy with
the hayOnet, and entirely drove them ont in
utter confusion; but the contest was
too unequal. No supports were within
proper distance and though the enemy was
driven away from the first lines of pits, aud
the other two companies of the Third We're
IN the water to cross those on the other
side were ordered 10 retreat and did 50
very reluctantly however, and fighting
tenacIously at every step.
Once more our batteries reopencl, and
kept up their fire with great vigor unit
dark, Meantime the blood of the Greer
Mountain Boys was up, aud at dusk the
the Vermont Fourth Col. Stoughton, am,
the Vermont Sixth, Colonel Lord, made
brave but Intellectual attempt To pass IN,
stream on the dam but the enemy had IN,
gun ia his one gun battery trained pNrticu
larly upon this point, aud they were sN,ep
back by the combination Hle of That gul
and the enemy.s rifles. There was consider
able loss in the Sixth, which was nadyaucc
Our loss cannot yet be positively known
but it is not far short OF one hundred in kill
ed, wounded and missing.
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