Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-04-16
W A r lf e W 5.
THE ADVANCE of GEN. MCCLELLAN
to YORKTOWN

The correspondent of the PHILADELPHIA
Inquirer gives the fyIlowing additional
items Of intelligence in regard to the adj.
vance CT Gen. Mcclellan from Fortress
Monroe
/ The -4dUuRce
The march was continued through the
dilapidated villages of the Half way House
and Resedown, at which latter PLACE the
command halted
INFORMATION being RECEIVED that Rebel
fort occupied the bank of Howard's creek
beyond the mill bearing the same name.
and to the right of the road leading out
from Rosedown, line OF battle was imme.
diately formed, and the shelling of the fort
commenced. The Rebels replied to our
firing at intervals, but after about half
hour had elapsed the firing on their side
ce~sed, when they Immediately abandoned
the fort. They effected their escape with
difficulty, with the loss Of one of their horses
who was killed by a fragment of she'll.
The fort, we have forgotten to state, was
occupied by cavalry.
In the confusion incident to the evacua-
ton of the fort many Of the soldiers made
their escape en- foot, they taking one direc-
ton and their horses another After the
abandonment OF the fort, two soldiers-one
of them a mere youth, native of Boston
both Of them belonging to Mississippi
regiment, came within our lines and vol
untarll y surrendered themselves. Fifteen
rounds of shell were thrown during the
bombardment Of the fort. Some of the
soldiers hoisted the Stars and Stripes upon
the fort as soon as the rebels abandoned it.
A portion of the advance was continued
on the same day as far as Cockletown, sew
en- miles distant from Yorktown, where
they rested for the night.
From Hampton to Big Bethel the roads
were in fair marching coudition, but be-
yond that point the troops and the batter
les experienced considerable difficulty in
moving over the roads, and the march was,
therefore, necessarily slow and tedious.
Operations on Saturday.
At nine o'clock this morning the troops
at Cockletown were joined BY these who
had remained in the rear during the night,
and the march continued towards York
town. Scarcely had the movement CON-
menced before a heavy fall of rain took
place, which lasted until nearly noon 10
day The route for considerable part of
the way lay through dense woods, abound
ing in the deepest and worst species of
ro4d--Qtg. Into these the wagons ard the /
carriages bearing the artillery plunged ev-
cry moment, but, with slow movements and
shilfpl friyers, Pc bre4kage Of any kind !
occurred
When within three miles Of Yorktown !
the command was again halted, heavy forts ;
having been discovered within a mile of /
the maiD road to the right The troops /
were Immediately ranged at the most com-
manding points, and the batteries wheeled .
into position in advance of the infantry,
by whom they were supported The fire
vas opened from the forts to the north (two
heavy guns, the first she'll burying itself
in the ground to the left Of the road, about
mile and half from the fort A Union
battery was posted little to the right of
the lower fort, and then replied to the reb-
el invitation with great precision and accu-
racy. Both batteries then being opened
upon each other, the firing on either side
for time was heavy and rapid. After an
hour had elapsed, the rebels forces at the
forts was considerably diminished by many
Of them Withdrawing to less exposed po-
sition, but the firing was still kept up at in
tervals of every three minutes
So soon as the forts alluded to had open
ed their fire another Union battery was
posted in the woods on the west, and COM
menced to thrown Elell into the forts at
that point, from which shell had been
thrown among our troops by the rebels
The firing on these forts, as also those on
the north, was continued all day long, and
after night she'll fell among
our troops. Skirmishers were also deploy-
ed in the woods to the right and lett, and
an incessant change of shots took place
between the contending foe.
All day long the skirmishing has been
Kept up. The shells from the rebel forts
have been whizzing over our heads We
have been operating in the dark Neither
the force or the position of the enemy have
ne been able to ascertain, further than
what We have see with the naked eye
We have heard their wild cheers, when
shell exploded in our midst, have seen
heir soldiers riding across the country, and
moving from fort to fort They have
heavy guns mounted there; 42,pound how
tiers the heaviest. There is no doubt of {
hat, however, for several of them are in
possession of our troops.
Shells have been thrown by the rebels
q all directions; most of them With a view
IF feeling our position. Our batteries
cave been changed from one position to
,he other, as the case may require, and our
men working like soldiers and patriots
Tonight the barracks of the rebels on
he west were fred by them. II ia sunpos