Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-04-25
Affairs a. yorktown.
Correspondents N. Y. tribune

/
Mar YoRKTOWE, April IL, 1862.
The siege advances steadily. The enemy's
works may now be considered regularly in
vested. The attack is daily renewed at some
point along the line Military roads are cut
through the woods, and laid with logs.-
Trees crash 10 their fall, and fires mark the
soldiers biVouac in all directions through the
forest.
On the river, the eunboats are firing upon
the southern shore, to put stop to the erec-
ton of batteries by the enemy which might
obstruct navigation.
At Gloucester Point, opposite Yorktown,
the rebels work necessarily to increase their
defenses. Near the Little Wharf another
earthwork is going up, and ct points along
the shore others are in progress. Not so
/ formidable in character as those at York
town, they are yet powerful, presenting an
extensive front From all appearances
however, they are not efficiently mounted.
In the water battery, which presents seven
embrasures, there is apparently not one gun
mounted. On the little earthWork above il,
adjoining, two guns are seen en- bsrbette-
Beyond this sgain long curtain connects
with the works on the bluff, an intrenchment
crowns the bank for nearly g mile-it may
be more-inclosing the hutS and buildings
occupied by the soldiers. In the center of
these the rebel standard floats from a tall
pole. Underneath the works lines of rife.
pits extend along the face of this bank, with
an occasional redoubt for hsnking fire.
Below the defenses, the shore, broken by
bays and marshy creeks, extends as far as
the mouth of the river. Here and there an
Il h-aalr, 1,n ~
ony of the low shores, and in the surround
ing clesrings the peach orchards blush
against the dark green pines that form the
back ground, the occasional appearance OF q
schooner's topmsst indicating the position
of creeks winding back from the river Op-
posite Farmholts house is q quaint old wind
mill, which, with the surrounding frame
houses, seems to date from the first Settle
ment Of the country, since when, it is safe
to say, they have been entirely innocent Of
paint. Leaning against q door post, lazy
negress has been talking, during our obser-
vstions, To some equally indolent colored
brother. The blacks, through all their as
sumed apathy, betrsy an intense interest in
the struggle going forward, and anxiously
inquire about the truth of the report that
they are to be sold by the Yankees to the
West India planters, as they have been led
10 Relieve BY their owners.
This morning, one of the gunboats ran in
quite close to Yorktown, forming a good
mark for rebel gunneTs, one or two shots
coming quite close. Comparatively few Ves-
sells make their appearance at the Yorktown
landings perhaps a dozen schooners lie
there at one time unloading, and as many
at Gloucester. Further up the river, cou-
pie of small steamers may be discerned at
anchor, ready to do tow boat duty, not re-
quired day, fine essterly breeze driving
the craft along merilly, as they come and 20
upon the river. At the Yorktown wharf |
much activity is visible, landing stores and
ammunition. Their men they apparently |
land at some other PoiRt out of view
Near the wharf they have a well-built |
water battery, mounting some heavy guns, |
and inclOsing log barracks for the gunRerp, |
In this work the magazines are much ex-
posed. On the left is sand bag battery, !
with one embrssure; no gun visible, how |
ever. Above, along the edge of the bluffs. |
is chain Of heavily mounted works, inclos- |
ing the town and camps of the army, over |
which float rebel flags of all sizes. There is |
the usual accompaniment of rihe-pits, long |
bitches in which the men are covered from
our FIRE.
April Is.
The enemy betrsys great anxiety to con-
tinue his works, but our light batteries an
noy and harrsss him continually. This morn |
ing their guns, which the 9th Rhode Island |
battery silenced yesterday, were invisible be-
hind the sand-bags accumulated during the /
night, which the Rhode Islanders systemat-
ically knocked away as soon as daylight ap.
peared.
In the course of the night considerable
firing took place at the point where the skir-
mish of the 18th occurred. The rebel pick
cts tried to approach our lines, and were fred
upon; they answered it, and a rapid but
harmless FIRE was kept up between them for
some time.
Men, white and black, are shoYeling in the
works all the time, the negroes especially
being forced into exposed places. Litters are
in service this morning within thsi. lines,
carrying of the wounded or killed by our
case shots.
April I9.
As result of the affair of the 18th, we
have emphaticalIy the enemy's works in a
slight place" They can neither man what
guns they have, nor mount more. There is
a shsrp-shooter for every head. Our artillery,
men are continually on the watch, night and
day; and now and then shell is planted at
viii, as a reminder that any movement, eth
er offensive or defensive, will be followed by
g deadly shower. What might and proba-
bly, would, have cost days and weeks to &C.
cOmplish by less energetic and bold meas
ure has been accomplished in a few hours,
and, what is more important still, at the cost
Of fewer lives, by far. We hug the enemy,
and it is impossible for them to deal the
blows for which they were prepsring-giv-
ing Us an advantage Of the greatest value.
The rebel Col. Levy came down with a
flag Of truce to arrange about burying some
dead. Our officers proposed to declare the
whole trUth with reference to our loss, but
Col. Levy declined to exchange fig ures At
6rst be said they suffered severely" and
remarked that their loss was ]
''very great To our artillery firing hepaid
the warmest tribute of praise, remarking
that 1t could not be exoelled-th4t, indeed, !
It was perfect in every respect Independ-
mt of this testimony, we have good reason !
ior the belief that the enemy's loss was be-
tween Eve hundred and thousand, or four q
lines as great our own. I
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