The New York herald., 1862-04-25

days rain has haA quiesng effect the ensmy's art
isry and our own gunboats and cannon have been
ciproealIy rssicens. The ball may open any day-apy
hour Each day ne sassrnsss Of our troops Increases 70
be called 70 the work. with renewed confidence Of victory
On our side the GROWING result.
Three contrabands came in this mornipg Taking I'd
vantage the heavy rain storm evening they stole
yawl boat and march the enemy, landing securely
near Us In Back sivsr They delivered themselves up,
and the boat and two three bushels Of oysters whch
had been previously gathered BY some rebels and In
tended doubt for thsr stomachIcal deiectaton and
refreshing On being tahsn 10 headquarters they stated
that they belonged 70 . man named Davis-not he Of
the Je6. prsnomsn-who lives near Yorktown and
belongs 10 the Southern army. They had been told
that every negro coming within our lines would
be hung TO the nearest Ieo; but. notwithstanding
this announcement they we're willing to take the yawl
boat and the chances. According TO their statement
there not fer from 600 rebel troops In and about
Yorktown Jef. Davis, they say, has not been there
General Magruders headquarters are six miles from
Yorktown. The expectation is that will attack them
and they are momsntarly expecting II, and are pre-
ties At work day and night streng ghsnng their In
trenchments against the expected siege. They do not
know the number Of guns they have but there are hosts
rebels have suffered severely, from the length Of
time it took take Of the dead and wounded. The
Some soldiers to day found souvenir OF the Rsvolu
tionary ssige-a ten-pounder cannon ball. II was dug
from underneath the Of stump, twelve feet below
the surface Of the ground The crust Of rust forming ts
present casing, ana ts position when found, give unms
taxable evidence Of its authenticity as Revolutionary
relic. This, which was the maximum size Of the can
balls used by the antagonistc armies during those
nineteen memorable days in October, 1881 looks dimnu
tive enough alongside the ponderous proecses Of our
Speaking Of relies Of the past visited today the house
Of Se :" he IN ISL the
quarters Of General Lafayette. Time has GER
tainly left enough Of its finger marks on the
built years before the scarlet coated Brons undertook
TO hold Yorktown. II is low, long, narrow zone story
ticoes in the usual profuson rst
class dwellings. The huge fireplace in the reception
room is s there with, perhaps, the same old crane
and dogs, who knows but the old singing
ktte from which lafayette was served this herbaceous
fond Everything shows the decay OF age the walls
crumbled and black original outlines Of the wainscot
ing the portcoes their bannisters and beauty de-
parted the chmneys otterng and the roof covered with
moss. For years 1t has been occupied by slaves as q
dwelling house. Several OF sicK soldiers occupy it
temporary hospital
The pickets OF the opposing armies In close proxi
nifty 10 each other. They often within speaking
been many instances within the last few days where our
pckets could have killed several Of those of the enemy
but the Of operations well as the dictates
of humanity requires that the shooting Of outposs be
strictly prohibited 1t has always been established
principle in the Potomac Army, since General
Mcclellan assumed comraand in front Of Washington that
picket shooting little less than murder and hence
has been discontinued The enemy, however, has here
tofors uniformly disregarded this principle. The rebels
have endeavored to shoot pickets Whenever they
could them. Il is TO be hoped however, that the
enemy last becoming practically convinced Of the JUS
tice and humanity OF our examples for Yesterday an off,
Ger Of the rebel outposts while statoning his ~
their respective posts heard nsructng them not 70
shoot our pickets.
Lieutenant o. D. Wagner OF the Typographical Engineer
corps who wounded in the left the other day oy
fragment OF rebel shell while he making draw
ing Of of the ortfcatons in front, died early
this morning IL will be remembered that after She
injury his arm amputated. His speedy recovery
anticipated until yesterday when unfavorahle symp
toms were manifest The physicians exercised all their
skill to him. but despite their efforts he died early
this morning from the effects Of his wound. Lieutenant
WAGNER young man Of great ability and promise.
He graduated from West Point in 1850, and member
Of General McCellans staff highly esteemed by all
who knew him. His remains will probably be sent 70
Philadelphia, whOe his parents reside.