Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-04-13
= ON the St. Louis Republican
Operations Hefore Yorttown

Whilst the whole country knows that very
important events are now taking place in
tha Peninsula between the James and
York rivers, in Virginia, few not uDen the
ground. unless it be- the people of re1eldom,
are permitted TO know precisely what they
are. Had any serious reverse been met with
we know that We would have had the news.
for we have noticed that such lidings travel
fast in this war, the old sdsge TO the coz
trary notwithstanding. The confidence that
Mcclellan will not fail, moreover. recon-
Giles us TO the embargo that fJy the time
provokingly keeps us in ignorance. except
as to The merest generalites.
What is known of Gen. MCCLELEAND's
movements since the concentration Of his
army at Old Point Comfort is this that tie
forward movement was made on Friday last
toward yorktown that Shipping Point, War
wick Courthouse, aud other fortified points
have been taken against strong resistance by
the rebels and that all the enemy's defenses
between Yorktown and Fortress Monroe have
been reduced. The Confederate works have
been found to be exceedingly formidable,
and force under Gen. MAGRUDER, estimated
at 10000, opposes MCCLELLAN's advaLcs
with all The appliances known 20 skiliul
Wuiare This was to have been expected.
Tie best engineers OF the South have be. n
employed to construct tortiiiealiJus in 70. K
ald Warwick counties, covering the mo.
available approaches 20 Richmond and lie
best arjillcrisls ia the Con- aderat4 service
have cen detailed to this figai Ter 10 =. fiight
tue guns, which are OF Ilc heaviest aud
most approved pattern, For il was cOnsid-
ertd ia the beglGnug OF the war tha, no.
where could Richmond be tier, more eff
GENTLY defended, than upon the very ground
which GCCLELLAND's army is now facing.
The route which the Commander Of the
Potomac Department has chosen being she
mos; direct. has, for that reason, been made
the mos, difficult. For more than lveny
miles IRON Old POiG ID: peninsula is on y
t.u ,r twelve miles ia bread b, whilst 80 oue
point, between OrktOH u on The York river
aud james liver, The distance across is but
little mOle than FIVE. ] his neck, thea, +
folds ample facilities for formidable military
woTks, and obey have by 20 means been
oyerlOoke by the rebels. yorktown Itself
is an immensely strong pc iiou, aud we are
no surprised at the statement that mortar
aud siege trains must BE- used or ASSEMBLING
o. that 10 cannot ue reduced under TWO or
three days.
Bat OrkiOWn once taken. no general en-
gagemeut we apprehend, will be riskcd by
ne enemy short Of a considerable distance
ia the interior, towards Tie ebl capital
Yorktown, the county town OF 0rk coun-
ty, ls.tu lhe south side OF IoIk river, eleven
mfly5 from The mouth. 10 is seventy milts
east southeast o. Richmond aud one hundced
aud eighty five miles south OF Washington.
Az enc time il was ia p fOurishiug c, udi.
ZION, but at present consists Of about sixty
houses its population wope, being i'm ne
uiguLOIAood Of i've huudred souls. Al
ready famous "a, the place where Lord Corn
"4l!!s sag,eaa rea be ss!,!sh sears 70 G-a.
Washington, in l7Sl--where the first war for
the Union was CnGed---it lu,y d3ure on the
historic page, Tor It's conncc ion with the
events in ih. present conflict, crowning the
American arm, with The 1les-ir Is OF pea
ana Uuiun ludi-sOlghin