Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-04-19
THE SIEGE DE yorktown.

friends at home -
NEAR YoRKTowN, April 6, 1862
Itis Sun lay, and Gen. Mcclellan means
that his army shall rest as much as possible
on that day, so l embrace the precious oppor-
tunity to write q letter, not knowing how it
will be S mt, but shall make preparations to
send it as soon as possible. Gen Nc Cleilan is
here, and We are portion of as fine an army
as ever stood before an enemy We
are about five miles from Yorktown, and there
is said to be large force OH different roads
leading thereto, and yesterday the advance
batteries drove the rebels back to their en-
trenrhments in front OF the town, and we hear
occasionally big gun that tells US of the con-
fiict so very near; to morrow obably will be
the time that l shall be engaged in my maid.
en- battle. We arrived here last night and
slept on our arms; Through the night We
heard occasional reports of Grtiiiery | say
zoe, not /; your humble servant slept as sound.
~ as if lie had been in his own bed at home, J
and to-day we have things packed ready 10
start in a minute if necessary. y
Night before last we encamped on the battle
field OF Big Bethel and behind entertainments
that seemed almost impregnable to an mex.
perienced eye, and it is wonder to me why
the rebels did not contest our approach TO
Yorktown at that point, but l suppose they
kne,c that there were ten miles of solid Yankees
in the different roads leading to Yorktown and
there was some danger that we might take
some of them in the rear. But few of
our men have been killed in the vGri-
GUS skirmishes yet-seven of one of the
batteries, / believe, yesterday but when
the two armies meet face to face there
will probably be fought the greatest battle
this country ever saw. l have perfect conf
dence in the result, for our troops are deter
mined not to be beaten, and believe that
Mcclellan is rs great tavorite with his men
as ever Gen. Bonaparte was. You ought to
have heard the men cheer, yesterday, when
he and his suite passed them on the route to
this place. He raised his hat, and he had a
pleasant smile on his countenance, which in
spired the men with unbounded enthusiasm,
and acknowledge a little weakness in that
line, for 1 could not help throwing up my hat
as little Mac passed me. You know l seldom
get up to q stamping enthusiasm, but l can't
help cheering Il man whom believe to be the
prime manager of this great restoration. 1
hear that the rebels have one battery here
that mounts forty guns. 1 don't know as to
truth of it; but don't care, they can't keep
them great while, for we don't like to have
them pointed in this direction. From where
l sit OH my knapsack l can see balloon
making a reconnaissance, we know all
about them, and can hear the big guns BOOM
ing, dealing their death missiles, and can sec
the smoke rise in clouds, showing where the
shells burst Gen. Sedgwick's division is in a
small field, where we are completely surround
ed by thick wood, so we cannot tell what
progress is being made, but / think The battle
will not be fought until tomorrow, unless the
rebels begin it. l suppose it is necessary that
our troops should be concentrated to-day, and
''''"'@ l. '@ ''''''~~' i,'ro-eiIi~ conduct mill
tary operations without infringing upon tn.
sacredness OF the Sabbath yet believe Gen
Mcclellan will manage il, as he fells compelled
to, for the interest of the country.
: am sure if anybody was here and as anx
ious as l am to get home, he would not scru
pie to have the thing hurried as fast as con
sstent with the right. Last evening we saw
a bright light in the sky toward Yorktown
but what was burning cannot be told by me
butwe conjectured that they were burning
preparatory for evacuation. ! suppose YOU
may be very anxious about ME Just now, but
keep up good spirits. l enlisted TO fight il
necessary, and believe it is the only way, 10
take energetic measures. Somebody must
suffer, and am not particular to be called a
white kid soldier. Let such wade in
the mud, as we do, and sleep OIL the wet
ground, and then they can have the conscious.
ness of doing something towards settling this
matter This is terrible hard service, and
don't like to complain, or ask for sympathy
as being martyr, but think there are those
who should have enlisted in this cause early
and seen for themselves whether it is holi
day paStime. Those who survive the war.
will be prematurely old, and when we return,
don't look for fancy drilled, white kid gentle.
men soldiers, but hard, weatherbe beaten disci-
plined men, who actually did something tor the
holy cause Nay the blessed day come speedily.
just now 600 men went past me- every one of
whom had either a shovel, axe, or pick, for
fatigue duty. So you see it takes back bone
TO be soldier in McClean's army but they
are the very mudsiHS he likes Tor his work
and we are just going to do it for him
1t occurs to my mind just now how
it used TO make US feel when we saw
our three months men going to the
war and thought how much courage they
must possess to leave everything and start out
to be shot, but is is all nonsense as far as
the dread OF battle is concerned | could sleep
as well tonight as ever, if l knew should have
a battery TO take tomorrow, and it is all dis
cpline that does it after all We learn to do
anything that we are ordered land it is all
bad enOugh) we get used to it, 1t looked
like more OF a hardship to go out 20 a brigade
review at Kalorama in the rain last summer.
th0n TO take place in the fight that is SO i'm
: minent. So cool am l about the matter that
agreed with Sgt-that would write let.
: ter and put it my knapsack, and if was
killed, he should send 1t home, and if he met
the same fate l would do it for him-but |
8 hope that shall not be obliged to write the
b. sad news to his family, and | hope myself TO
be able to say to you when l close this letter
that Yorktown is ours, and your husband is
safe and sound. April 9Th.
} have still an opportunity TO write and am
I told that the mail leaves in the morning Tor
fort Monroe, so will write line that you