Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-05-23
Communicated.
For the Pomeroy Weekly Telegraph.
Letter From the Camp.


NEWPORT NEWS, Va, May 9th, '62.
Editor Tslegraph:-Yesterday, with
two comrades, I had the fortune to visit
the last "Gibraltar" of the rebels, Cat
least the last in this vicinity to wit:
the outer lines of their fortifcations on
the Peninsula.
The roads from this camp, to the main
works, on the right flank of the rebels,
were none of the best; several miles be-
ing newly made corduroy" and not a
superior article Of that -.----.---.--r----s..
The rebels evacuated their works
about z o'clock in the morning, and by
half past twelve we we're inside of the
Notifications on their right, "sssing
what we could see." The line of de-
fenses which we entered, are situated on
high point of land, and are shaped
like the letter V. The position is a
good one, and the guns of its batteries
commanded the country for miles
around. At tho angles of these forti
fcations were neat and strongly-built
forts mounting two guns each. The
works on either side of the lines of the
V are near half a mile long-making
monster eEletter-considerably larger than
any in the "primmers and the interior
of which is literally "cut up" with rife
pits. think myself soithin bounds, in
saying that these pits would hold ten
thousand men. The barracks in these
works would probably quarter three
regiments. The streets were filthy and
dirty. Bottles, old clothes, and nasti
ness Of nearly every kind, were scattered
over the pathways. Indeed, the gen.
eral appearance within the works was
indicative of a most deplorable absence
of cleanliness. Immediately on the out
side, where an assaulting party would
most probably attack, was dam, filled
with water, and designed, no doubt, to be
opened on an enemy, who was attempt
ing to force the works.
Newspapers seem to have been plenti-
full here, judging by the number | saw
lying through the camps.
As we neared Yorktown, deserted
camps, with tents standing as the rebels
left them, were to be seen all along the
road. Before zoe reached them, how
ever. they were completely robbed Of
every available article, which might an
swer as trophy Of success, our efforts,
therefore, to obtain something of his
toric value, to send to the slowed ones
at home" was in an "eminent degree
unsuccessful. The deserted tents were
of sufficient capacity to quarter about
eight regiments; but they are of little
value to us, being mostly old and
ragged. They had but few Sibley or
wall tents among them; the old style
'army tents being the general rule
Rye, without the o, is the only coffee
the rebels seem to have had. t&ss 8
On the left of the rebels, at Y orktown,
are two works. The main Notifications
surround the town Cor village, as it
really is) The outer line of defense,
for this place, is nearl y half mile from
the town. 1t mounted eight guns, three
of which were left in our possession =
The remains of a bursted sixty-four
FOUNDER columbiad, lay about the center
of the fort. The rebels seem peculiarly
unfortunate with their "big guns
less than four, in all, having burst in
side of their main works. 7ln the re-
doubt were several tents, and some am
munition. The gunners were protected
by bales of cotton, placed upon the
walls. Ezzl a.s. 3sa 5sosz zassis94I IL
The strongest works are on the south
side, next to Shipping Point, The po-
sition is naturally strong one, The
town is on bluff 200 feet above the
river, which gives wide view Of the
surrounding country. - - -',s' - -, -.
But the classic town Of York, is
scarcely any town at all.a.Not more
than two dozen houses Ct think are
/ left Fl in it, aud these seem TO be coeem-
porary with the siege here in the Rev
olution. They look as if they might
have withstood the storms of a century.
We were not permitted to go inside
the main works, as they were under
mined. s- -'.
From the top of the breastworks, we have
a splendid view of York River, from its
mouth to many miles above Gloucester
Point, which, with its frowning batter
les, is opposite this place. The "old
flag" was waving over it when we ar
rived, for the first time for many mouts.
Our gunboats occupy the river, and are
steaming from point to point.
We had just passed outside the works
and we're riding along, when the order
came to halt! The reason was soon ex-
planned. "T4
The rebels, before leaving, had placed
torpedoes under ground, SO that by
touching a stick, that to all appearance
was carlessly stuck in the ground, these
"infernal machines" would explode
One of them had already bursted and