Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-04-30

We find the following in letters published
in the Providence journal. The first dated
at the Camp Near Yorktown, April 2lst;-
The rebels have lately taken quite dis.
like to a large Parrot gun mounted in our
lines and with whose conversation they have
been considerably annoyed. Last week, un.
der cover of night, they resolved to obtain
possession of ii, and put stop 20 its inso-
lence They plotted brave schemes, but
were doomed to disappointment. War sharp
ems wits, and anticipating some such move
ment, an entire brigade of ours was ordered
to receive them. Lying fiat upon the ground
in the form of harrow, thus = with the
coveted gun in the centre, they waited the
arrival of their expected visitors On APP
preaching within speaking distance of the fed
eral guns, they rose and gave them leaden
welcome, for which they were not grateful,
and from which they retired with curses not
loud, but deep" The loss on the rebel side is
reported considerable On ours, If any, L
have not yet ascertained.
"rhe rebel entertainments extend a2rOss
the peninsula from York to James river.
Some of them are heavily mounted. and
strongly manned with infantry. Many others
are not completed, and are defended only by
infantry and sharpshOoters, who cover the
workmen while throwing up embankments.
What is doing i'll the rear OF these visible de-
fences we shall learn when they have been
stormed. AT present all knowledge OF rebel
doings in that direction is confined to those
who best know what use to make of it. How
these preparations for resistance are to be
met time will reveal but whatever the meth
DDS may be, they are believed TO be well de
vised and ample. The infantry boys deserve
great praise, not only for the spirit with which
ebo in nj Slkir DIN
ties, but Tor the hearty will with which they
handle the pick and spade"
The following is an extract from private
letter from an officer i'll battery B, dated April
3d.
"For the last five days and nights l have
...~-~--.'s sc rt~t.vtS, 81
treme outposts, with my howitzeFs, within
800 yards of the enemy's works Three
nights running they have tried to stampede
us, and once three rebel regiments cam5 up
about II o'clock at night and for ten minutes
the woods were one living blaze OF musketry
fire. had the first Minnesota on my left and
the fifteenth Massachusetts on my right, every
man with their musket loaded and ready.
Our orders were not 10 fire until the enemy
came within 100 yards, and like old soldiers
our men took it without firing Il gun, showing
a steadness on their part not to be beaten.
The bullets fairly stripped the woods. None
of our men were hit Some of the infantry
were killed and wounded
From the New York Tribune
CAMP NEAR YORKTOWN, April "a
al have a correction to make relative to my
account of our first day S action here, in which
Col. Berdans sharpshooters did such excel
lent service. 1t seems that, inadvertently, l
represented their gallant commander as seek
ing cover upon the discharge of the first and
aud l,.l T,,rt g.l,; =.
deliberately in front OF the woods, amid the
hail of rebel bullets aimed at him, scrutiniz.
ing the position in order to place his men
where they could be of the utmost service.
Simple justice to a gentleman and officer re
spected by all who know him, and regarded
with enthusiasm by his corps, demands the
amendment.
"Thete Sharpshooters, by the way, received
compliment last Sunday, when Generals
Keys and Smith applied to Gen. Heintzelman
to borrow $50 Of them, just to pick off the
gunners of the rebel batteries on the extreme
lett BY IL O'Clock they had killed nine men,
counting the grOans." The men are now
relieved from night duty, returning to camp
at sunset. hear that Col Berdan has applied
for the forwarding OF his regiment, at present
with Gen. Mcdowell, and for the Minnesota
company with Halleck. When general ell
| gagement OCCURS, we cannot have too many
sharpshooters.
"rhey say the rebels fire pretty well, using
generally Mississippi rifles, but some have
target ones and reporters. One person of the
second has become prominent lie is a fine.
looking bearded man, not in uniform, and he
walks leisnrely from point to point within the
rebel entertainments, or along the woods
skrtng them, accompanied by a negro, who
dutitully carries his rifle, a weapon of at least
forty pounds weight. lie is never in a hurry
and capital shot. AT least one of our men
has fallen by his hand. They suppose him to
be civilian, secesh version of the newspa.
| per story OF "Garibaldi's Englishman," and
have banded together to make sure OF him.
Still, up to the present date, he is alive and
shooting"