The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-04-11
Yorktown Beseiged.
REBELS 10000 STRONG.
MAGRUDER IN COMMAND.
Bloody Work Expected.

Worlds despatch. "A correspondent
of the Philadelphia Inquirer arrived to day
from the Rappahannock. BE reports all
quiet along the lines, our advance guard
having reached there. The rebels have des.
troyed the magnificent bridge over the river
and all the smaller bridges along the route.
No signs OF the enemy are observed on the
opposite side of the river, although they are
supposed to be lurking behind the hills.
Scouting parties of rebel cavalry are said to
be roaming over the country, plundering
and destroying all property within their
reach. 1t is thought they consist of orga.
nized bodies of the farmers of the vicinity.
MILWAUKEE, April 8.-The following
was received in Buffalo after one O'Clock
last night, and owing to the line working
badly they did no. get it off till this fore.
noon.
The following Is summary of the intel
ligence received by the War Department up
to ten o'clock, Monday night, OF the opera
lions at Yorktown and Fortress Monroe
yesterday.
The enemy's works were carefully exam
ined by General McC ellan and found to be
strong, and the approaches difficult. The
enemy was in force and the water batteries
at Yorktown and Gloucester are said to be
much increased.
There was sharp firing on our right, but
no harm done.
Our forces were receiving supplies from
Ship Point, repairing roads and getting up
large trains.
1t seemed plain that mortars and seige
guns must be used for assaulting.
Another despatch received at 1920 this
morning, states that Yorktown will fall,
but not without a seige of two or three days.
Some of the outer works were taken.
A despatch from General Wool states
that Magruder had thirty thousand men at
yorktown on the afternoon of Sunday.
Ship Point had been taken, and our gum
boats. had shelled out the batteries.
There was considerable delay caused in
crossing deep creek at Warwick Court
House, and resistance was made by the reb.
es, during which time several casualties
occurred on our side.
All the fortified places OF importance be.
fore Yorktown had been taken at eyery
point.
A full account is contained in the follow
ing despatch:
BEFORE YORKTOWN,
Saturday Evening.
HON. E. M. STANTON, SECRETARY OF WAR
That portion of the army of the Poto~
mac recently concentrated at Old Point, ad.
vanced yesterday morning in the direction
Of Yorktown, IA miles distant. The RICH.
was assigned to General Morrill's brigade,
of General Porter's division. Seven COM
panies of the Sd Pennsylvania cavalry, and
portion of Berdans sharpshooters acting
as skirmishers
Nothing of interest took place until
their arrival at Big Bethel, twelve miIef
distant, where they met the outer pickets
the rebels.
The rebels retreated before the advance
of our skirmishers to Towards Greek,
where they had some abandoned earthworks.
Shots were fred here, by the rebels, from
two field pieces, which were soon silenced
by the 4th Rhode Island battery, when the
rebels beat hasty retreat, taking their
field pieces with them
The main body of the army rested here
for the night, while Morril's brigade adj
vanced three miles, to CuckIeville, six miles
from Yorktown.
BY seven O'Clock this Saturday moru>
ing, the column was again in motion, and
by ten o'clock was in front of the enemy s
works at Yorktown.
The first shot fred was by the rebels, the
she'll passing ever the heads of .eneral POr-
ter and staff without exploding. The bat
teries Of Grif1in's 81 and 4th Rhode Island,
and OH Massachusetts were placed in posi-.
ton, replying at every shot sent by the reb
els.
TIE cannonading continued with but
slight intermission until dark.
About four hundred shots were fred by
both parties during the day.
The less on our side was three killed and
FIVE wounded,
The position Of the rebels is very strong
one.
From present indications their forti6ca-
tons extend some two miles in length, and
mount heavy guns. The ground ia front OF
their guns Is low and sWampy.
FoSTREss Monroe, April 7.-Nothing
has been done today 10 front of Yorktown,
| Xcept reconnaissance in that direction, and
| some cannonading.
The spauldiDg came in this morning
from Snip Point. The rebel works aban
doned there are quite formidable. The
rebels took off their guns Ship Point is
about eight miles from Yorktown, afford
log fine base of operat ons.
A great crowd of Norfolk people assem-
bled on the shore near Sewall's Point, on
Sunday, including men, women and chill
dren, all eagerly engaged in watching the
| Yankees
A Norfolk paper OF this morning, con
tains dispatch from Mobile, dated the 9th
instant, announcing the reception of news
from Corinth that morning, of great bat
tie, and that the Oonfederates had taken
Federal batteries, and large number Of
prisoners. 1t was expected that the whole