The New York herald., 1863-04-28

stk was something over 10000, but cannot eivo
In that estimate were included the iro'ps under
Generas Fremont Banks and Dix A. think rot General
DIX One division Of Frcmnnt, General BIenker's. was
ordered 10 remain the valley Of the Shenandoah under
Banks command Whenever he wanted t until the state
M D slirs was perfectly well known--ackson dsposodvf.
The authority existed from the Secretary Of Wartto retain
tna division there until the things entirely
cleared up Banks Command was included The original
order 10 him y take up Iiae at Manassas ard long
tns railway 20 Chester Gap and Srasburg htvc stlte
road bridge over the Isappahsnnock ''''
THE NUMBER or ncLELLAs's TROOPS ON rng rEsIN-
sULA. ,sf 3
v Wnh was the number OF your command when YOU
landed On the peninGulaS Before the arrival Of Frank
Inns and McDowells corps had about IS, 800 men
, now o many a. as1 n Franklins a lie had suppose
for duty a. any time gu the peninsula l07 o0a
That think was in the latter part of june a,or Mo-
THE OPERATIONS BEFoRx yoRErOws
O. DO You know tho force at Yorktown when Heiutxsl-
know positively but my belief that there was no. ~
that time much than Magruder's original command
which nc ! think we had always estimated from 1000
across the James river TO tho peninsula for days
fore my arrival iremember that immediately upoa my
arrival al Fort Monroe told that quito a aro
ber Of troops had boen crossed TO Yorktown
the south bank Of the lanes therefore hurried my
movements and started from Fort Monroe than
would have DONE From the best information that have
been able 10 think that the largo OF the
forcemens arrived 10 Yorktown from one TO two days be
lore reached ~ vicinity. Johnston himself arrives
there the day before did
Q. Al ,oaat pesod had tse ,oorSs Of the enemy at Yok
fescn besn ccnavcted' A. Probably secal wohs 6ors
arrived there We found at other points the peninsula
at Big Bethel. 81 Howards Bridge, at Youngs Mill-sE
ensive ntrenchmens that evidently had been erected
months boore T0erc was no sign OF fresh work about
them ~ ALL
O. Dd you know OF those works before Won landed a.
tho peninsula A. No; We did not know OF lho lao o
works along the Warwick We know that Yorktown issef
was surrounded BY continuous line OF earthworks, but
we did not know OF the line or the Warwick.
Q. In your opinion could HeutzelInan have captured
Yorktown by . rapid movement Immediately upon biz
landing upon the peninsulas A. No. do not think he
could have done II. when did advance we found the
enemy intrcnchcd and In strong force wherever a
approached The nature aud extent OF his position along
the Warwick river was not known to US when We left
Fort Monroe.
Q. Was The topography OF the peninsula we'll undsr-
you know by connected with your
command when you comnlenced that campaigns A. Dur
maps proved entirely inaccurate, and did harm
than good, for we were constantly misicd by them.
O. Could not this line of works have been assaulted,
when you arrived before them IN full force, with fair
prospect Of A. think not. resorted 70 the
Operations OF siege after more careful personal or
animation than commanding general usually gives b
such things and was fully satisfied that the coursst
q You did not opcn your batteries as they weee
finished, one BY one but waited till all werc ready did
you not A. We did, and expected to open IRE them
al OH Monday morning. few shots fred for O Spe-
ca purpose from battery No. against vessels landing u
O. Would not have been better to have o,cncd your
batteries as they were completed without waiting Tor the
complexion Of all Of them, A. think decidedly not DO
the concentrated fire OF the enemy. The object
wait until had such overwhelming force ds-
posal as would crush everything before
.. What time occupied from the commencement oe
your operations before Yorktown until evacuation
A. Just about month, as near may be. ! think The
evacuation on the 4th Of May, and left Fortress
Monroe ON tho 4th Of April
THE OPERATIONS BEFORE WILLIAMSBURG.
Q. The enemy rctrcaed ir,m Yorktown TO Williams
burg did they not. A. Thcy ovcrakcn In their
treat at Williamsburg. The most Of their army think,
did not intend hatng al Williamsburg. We overlook
them there They had passed il aud then came back.
think cavalry had been few hours later probably
10 asnt at all would lave occurred M there That ao..cs
caught their rear guard and forced them to bring back
their troops.
O. There was q limo Of carthworks at Williamsburg
A. Yes; strong limo OF detached earthworks.
q. Will you give description OF the battle e
was xs soon y Knew 49, -
enemy had evacuated yorktown ordered the cavalry
under General Stoneman with the horse artillery 10 pur
suit. directed the dvhons Sf Kearuy and Hooker
BY the direct rosa ron Yorktown 70 Williamsburg
while tho divisions Of SmlA s,ouch and Casey wero q
burg Frankn's division which was on tho transports,
ordered up TO Yorktown, with tho intention Of ov
u 70 the vicinity q wes: Point n order e s.sscs
sedgwick and Porter were moved 70 the nnedats "
emily OF Yorktown ready either 20 support ths troops
stances EST might render advisable Ths general nsrucii
given 70 the troops ordered pursuit " ovsftsD
Sunday. That night heard that chs cavalry -
up with the eacry In the vicinity q WiiamsbuFU.
that they had been obliged fan back fron the wov
and that the infantry wore within half hours maro1,
rapidly approaching aud would undoubtedly carry "
posHiou. oeneiAi sumner was "a commAno " soe u00
orueeu 70 me iront ttemAnco - foSktown %
and on Monday morning engaged IN arrsnRng for The f
Maidmg u I,sntnn DIVISION " wess roins ana u -
suitaton VIII lne nava comn'.nuoI, - wu ~ 0tnS
autles incident 70 my losn neero notnlng IRON ~
front On Monday morning that gave mo any idea that
ineie WAS anythine serious Invo'voo ne.fu nCsn!
ron oecers sumner Inc hrr. ln'mssou nAo -
ihere was anything ~ All scIious was from cove!sG
sprsgue VINO came 70 mo ss lu.'own aua o,u mo 49,
.hhsh were bot gong on Men w ,Ivn'. thm WIS.,
tnink ABOUT uoon u may nave oesn hA! an nour OF -
hour one way or nc otne ne toa me tnat tnmgs weee
not gomg well ana 'n.. my psesenee ~ 'oe ,r"n. ~:
necessIy. Hs soon ~ ncsra .has eoh ooa.. Wont
down to camp where my horses werc and Immediately
eit TOT tue 'front.' meeng on ue way me rtnce oe Jo1n
vhs ana an aid VI "enefa SUMNER VINO nao occn scos
back 10 hurry ne up Up 10 TINS time naa mad no VI
formation roin General sumner, or any one 10 commauo
that there WAS anytnlng al All ous IN 'front.' arrives
on tho grounj should nnk ABOUT Al houe OF an nour
ana haii oetoro darS acquainted myseh as rapdy
as possible Win the state o Affairs aud Immediately
croeleu reniorcemen's 70 eenera, nsneeck, VINO vs.