The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-05-21


CAMP WINFIELD Scor1, Near Yorktown
Nay I'd, 1862.
GEO. /. PARsONs-Dear Sir: The army Of the
Potomac is busily engaged surrounding the rebel
army of the Peninsula With chain of fortiica.
tons, and each dawn surprises secesh with some
new evidence Of the daring and skill Of the Yam
kees-that is, to day an exposed and open plain,
commanded BY the enemys guns, and possibly
by their pickets before to.mOrrow's sun rise, may
be covered with Yankee earthworks, mounted
with Yankee cannon, or bristliug with Yankee
bayonets. An engineer to-day views his ground
at distance, or under cover Of q cannonade at
some other point, makes his plans upon paper,
stakes out his work as soon o. night sets in, and
in an hour afterward, without speaking . word,
thousand men are at work With pick aud show
el their accoutrements buckled on, and with their
guns lying in reach, they work steadily through
out the night, and before ''Old Sol" again makes
his appearance, the work is complete, and ano-
Their foothold is gained upon the sacred soil, by
the invincible go-ahsaditiveness Of the Yankee.
That the enemy too is busy, We have daily evil
dence in the strengthened a. well as the new
Notifications that appear in our front.
We have more or less cannonading every day.
Shells daily explode in the vicinity Of eur camps
and picke,s, but there is seldom any person hurt,
a. We have learned to be NEST artful dsdgers
Strange a. it may appear to the uninitiated, it is
almost impossible to hit us with shell or shot,
unless there are a large number together 20 that
We cannot get out of harms way. When the
general battle commences, however, it will be
different, as hundred shots, from almost every
direction, will 90 confound US as to render dodg.
ing out Of the question.
This is indeed sacred soil. Here Washington
conquered the enemies Of Republican freedom
here was decided the tate Of the infant Repub.
lie, and here will be decided. either in grea,
feat Of strategy or in the most terrible battle d
modern ages. the fate of the young Republic new
nearing manhood. Some Of the old work,
thrown up BY Washington arc still visible, and
number of shot, buttons, and other relics O
Revolutionary times. have been dug up BY ou
men while throwing up intrenchments.
Works Of the greatest magnitude are beinl
projected for the reduction Of yorktown, viii
its several lines Of defences II il in this kind
work that Mcclellan evinces extraordinary gen
iua If he only does not cap and nine, bail,
roada and bridges. throw up forti6casioes IN,
plant heavy artillery, until the enemy evacua.e
and precipitates HE whole force upon some on
Of the other expedit;onary corps. it will be We
with US but desolatiop to aecessia. We trust
however, that nothing Of the kind will be Del
mitted to occur. but that We viii press the eneu
% closely that he viii ret have an opportunit
to give us another Manassas victory" On
J pickets are in close proximity to those of sh
rebels, and frequent are the wordy passes b<
tween them. These often end in sharpshoo,
ere duel, and some pay for their iupudenc
with their life.
Some Of the Foreign attaches of McClella
are surprised beyond all measure, at the elicier
cy Of the volunteers in the Unien army.
why" says Prince de JeinviIls, while mott,
} ing the Michigan boys On the works, ..it d n
: wonder ysur army is victorious. Ysu have i
every regiment al the parts Of great arm
Your sappers. miners. engineers and mechanic
ars found in the ranks Of each company. Wha
svs ysu want done, yss en- End nsa il 4