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tery and their line of infantry at the double-quick. The enemy fled in wild confusion. Some regiments of cavalry sent through to Boonville took possession of the town, tore up the railroad track and destroyed two bridges. We have a good many prisoners, but can't tell how many yet. Our loss is two killed and twelve wounded.

JOHN POPE,

Major-General.

SECRETARY SCOTT'S DESPATCH.

opened upon our advance. As soon as it was possible to discover the enemy's position the sharpshooters charged over the abattis, driving the enemy before them like a flock of panicstricken rats running from a Cairo basement in a time of high-water. This last firing was of no detriment to us, for we lost no men by it, and it taught us that the rebels were prepared and determined to dispute our progress inch by inch from this point onward. As fast as they would show us their whereabouts, however, our infantry would dislodge them, and so it continued for To Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War: General Paine's division made a reconnoissance obstructed swamp roads, to the open fields to half a mile or more, over tangled bushes and to Farmington to-day, found about four thousand the east of Farmington. But as fast as the five hundred of the enemy, drove them in hand-sharpshooters advanced the engineers of Col. some style, killing thirty, wounding many, and Bissell - those who took the steamboats overcapturing some prisoners, their camp equipage, land to New-Madrid- would clear away the etc. At dark our cavalry was in pursuit of their debris and repair the bridges, so that at three artillery and baggage-train beyond Farmington, o'clock the vanguard emerged from the swamp.

PITTSBURGH LANDING, May 3, 9 P.M.

in the direction of Corinth. I witnessed the fight. Our men behaved splendidly.

An artillery reconnoissance went to Glendale this morning and destroyed two trestle-bridges, and some track of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. It has been a splendid day's work for the left wing. The weather is clear and the roads are becoming good.

THOMAS A. SCOTT,

Assistant Secretary of War.

A NATIONAL ACCOUNT.

HEADQUARTERS GENERAL POPE'S CIMAN

BEFORE CORINTH, May 4, 1862.

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Now commenced the fight in earnest. The enemy had posted four pieces of artillery upon an elevation of perhaps twenty feet in height, completely commanding the road, and making it utterly impossible for our troops to gain the open field, except by a detour to the right or left. Then Col. Morgan's (Tenth) regiment were sent to the right, with the Yates sharpshooters to the left, who soon poured such a fire of musketry upon their ranks as sent the gunners from their pieces in confusion, and caused the infantry position, where they formed in line of battle. to rush pell-mell over the hill to their second Then the rebel postillions galloped up to the guns, limbered them up, and dragged them away, under a most galling fire from our infantry.

Yesterday was a busy and bloody day with this command, or a part of it at least. Our forces had scarcely got fairly into their new camp, midway between Hamburgh and Corinth, before Their second position was taken upon the an order came to "reconnoitre in force" the crest of a hill, to the right of the Farmington route via Farmington, to the vicinity of the rebel road, just in advance of a piece of dense wood, works. Gens. Paine and Palmer were detailed being flanked upon the left by an old cotton-gin for the work, and at ten o'clock on the third and press, and on the right and in front by a instant were on the march to accomplish it. deep though not impassable ravine. It now be The regiments selected were the Tenth, Sixteenth, came apparent that the enemy were determined Twenty-second, Twenty-seventh, Forty-second, only to treat us to a cannon fight, and had taken and Fifty-first Illinois volunteers, Tenth and such a position as to preclude us from advancing Sixteenth Michigan volunteers, Yates sharp-upon them except by a circuitous route of some shooters, Illinois; Houghtailing's (Illinois) and Hezcock's (Ohio) batteries, and the Second Michigan cavalry. The column proceeded out on the Farmington road about five miles, when it encountered the enemy's pickets. The sharpshooters immediately formed in line-of-battle order in the road, throwing flanking parties out to the right and left, and opening a most terrific fire from the bushes, which was promptly returned by the rebels. Six rebel saddles were emptied in half as many minutes by the terrible hand of death; eight others of the "butternuts" were severely wounded; eight others were taken prisoners, and the rest, some forty, "skedaddled" off in the direction of Farmington. Five of the Yates Phalanx were severely wounded, but none were killed. Our forces immediately pushed on; but had proceeded but a few rods when they encountered a succession of fallen trees across the road, from behind which a deadly fire was

two miles, which, being through swamp and brush, was impossible. So Houghtailing's guns were brought forward, and emerging from the timber at a double-quick, went into battery upon the same ground just vacated by the rebels. Now, for half an hour a terrible artillery duel was kept up, the enemy showing a spirit of chivalry worthy a better cause, two regiments of infantry in the mean time going around and gaining a position commanding their left flank, and opening upon them with musketry at a distance of only about three hundred yards, such a fire as sent their butternut colored ranks into the tall timber as if the old Nick or some other justice of the peace was after them. Finding themselves deserted by their infantry support, the rebel artillerists changed their position to a point about a half-mile further on. Their new position was just to the right of the road leading from Farmington to Corinth, upon the brow of a

G. B. MCCLELLAN,

Major-General.

COLONEL ASTOR'S DESPATCH.

hill, and about three eighths of a mile north of the left at Gloucester Point and their other works to village of Farmington. Houghtailing's battery our left. immediately moved up to the enemy's second position at the cotton-gin, while Hezcock's battery proceeded to an open field in front of Farmington and to the enemy's right, from which two points our fire soon became too serrible for humanity to endnre, and the rebels fled in confusion in the direction of Corinth. Then our infantry were drawn up at the town and along the roads, while the cavalry were sent on after the flying foe.

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HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,

May 4, 9 A.M.

YORKTOWN, VA., May 4, 1862. Pelatiah Perit, Esq., President Chamber of Commerce:

The rebels evacuated this place at four o'clock this morning, keeping up a brisk cannonade to the last moment, leaving all their heavy guns, eighty in number, with their ammunition.

Also a large amount of material of war of every kind, which was abandoned, burnt, or sunk. Davis, Johnston and Lee were present, uniting in opinion that McClellan's disposition of his forces and artillery had made the place unten

able.

Magruder furiously and publicly urged fight. The fortifications were very extensive and formidable, and the force of the enemy was very large. An assault upon them before bombarding would have cost us great carnage, and might have failed.

Our gunboat flotilla has passed up the river, followed by large bodies of troops in transports. Several columns are moving rapidly along York River.

We hope to come up with them before they can reach West-Point. Our army is in the finest condition and best of spirits. The rebel army is much demoralized. J. J. ASTOR, Colonel and A. D. C.

PHILADELPHIA "PRESS" ACCOUNT,

YORKTOWN, May 4.

At twelve o'clock last night, a bright light in To Hon. Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War: the direction of the enemy's water-batteries atWE have the ramparts. Have guns, ammuni-tracted attention. Suspicions that all was not tion, camp equipage, etc. We hold the entire right were again revived. At one o'clock A.M., a line of his works, which the engineers report as last and farewell gun was fired. From thence being very strong. I have thrown all my cavalry until daybreak all was silent. Our pickets adand horse-artillery in pursuit, supported by in-vanced further than usual, and met no resistance. fantry. I move Franklin's division, and as much At five o'clock A.M., the pickets were relieved. more as I can transport by water, up to West- Skirmishers were at once thrown out to ascertain Point to-day. No time shall be lost. The gun- the state of affairs, and at six o'clock_A.M., Genboats have gone up York River. I omitted to eral Jameson, Colonel Gove, of the Twenty-secstate that Gloucester is also in our possession. ond Massachusetts, and Colonel Black, of the I shall push the enemy to the wall. Sixty-second Pennsylvania, entered Yorktown. The Twenty-second Massachusetts and part of the Thirteenth New-York, were at once thrown into the works, and possession taken. The Stars and Stripes were raised on the deserted fortifications amid the unbounded enthusiasm of our soldiers. The most reliable information I have been enabled to receive shows that the evacuation was commenced on Thursday last. The last of the rebel force, consisting of General Longstreet's brigade, left the works about one o'clock this morning.

G. B. MCCLELLAN,
Major-General.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Monday, May 5, 11.30 A.M.

To Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War: An inspection just made shows that the rebels abandoned, in their works at Yorktown, two three-Inch rifled cannon, two four-and-a-half-inch rified cannon, sixteen thirty-two-pounders, six forty-two-pounders, nineteen eight-inch columbiads, four nine-inch Dahlgrens, one ten-inch columbiad, one ten-inch mortar, and one eight- Just at the first faint light of early dawn, three inch siege howitzer, with carriages and imple- men were observed approaching our outer pickets ments complete, each piece supplied with seven-with a flag of truce. They were received by Col. ty-six rounds of ammunition. On the ramparts there are also four magazines, which have not yet been examined. This does not include the guns

Black. At first it was supposed that they were sent from Yorktown officially — perhaps with a proposition for surrender- - but we soon ascer

tained that they had come over on their own account. They belonged to the Thirty-second Virginia regiment, which was one of the last to leave. They said that when our army arrived in front of Yorktown the rebel force under General Magruder was not more than eight thousand

men.

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tive and reliable information that ever since the battle of Big Bethel, almost a year ago, and before it, the rebels have been hard at work fortifying the whole peninsula. The works at Big Bethel, and those at Howard's bridge which were abandoned when we marched up here a month ago-required considerable labor. From A few hours previous to this time our tele- the time of the occupation of Yorktown, about a graph had been carried so far to the front as the year ago, by the rebel General Magruder, two old grist-mill, which has been used as the head- thousand slaves have been constantly employed, quarters of the generals of the trenches. Gen- principally on the fortifications in the immediate eral Jameson immediately telegraphed to General vicinity of Yorktown and across the river at Fitz-John Porter, director of the siege, the intel- Gloucester. These have been assisted by the ligence which these deserters brought regarding effective rebel force, some seven thousand men, the evacuation. He soon received a reply in- which Gen. Magruder has had under his comstructing him to push forward a small force to mand. They were composed chiefly of Virginia, procure authoritative information as to the truth Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana troops. The of their assertion. He took detachments from fortifications of Yorktown are in the general the Sixty-second Pennsylvania regiment, under shape of an elongated triangle, with the river for Col. Black, the Twenty-second Massachusetts, the base. In length they are five eighths of a under Col. Gove, with a support of two compa- mile. They are strong, but not neat. They nies of the First Massachusetts, under Lieutenant-Colonel Wells, and advanced along the border of the woods, on the commanding bluff which overlooks the river. In the morning our outposts and sentinels on the works we were constructing were astonished when they missed the accustomed rebel watchmen from the walls. Our men in the trenches evinced, if possible, as much curiosity as those who were advancing towards the enemy's fortifications. Thousands of heads appeared above the top of our parallel, and every one manifested the deepest interest in the scenes which were transpiring. It was only by a stern command that the General kept the men from rushing headlong, heedless of all lurking danger, into the intrenchments.

Very soon the detachments reached the ditch in front, and began to mount the parapets. General Jameson and Colonel Black mounted first. They were closely followed by Colonel Gove, Lieutenant Crawford and Captain Hassler, of the General's staff. The General jumped inside the work, which was seen to be deserted, and presently it was swarming with our soldiers. The glorious emblem of our nationality was raised above the deserted battlements, and, as its folds were kissed by the gentle breeze, the General uncovered his head and called for "three cheers for the good old Stars and Stripes." A feeling of profound veneration arose in the hearts of all as we beheld the grand old flag waving over the deserted battlements, and planted once more on that historic ground. You may know that we all reverently uncovered, and the air resounded with our cheers. Two companies were placed on the parapets, and then we commenced an examination of the works. We soon found a Northern gentleman, who had reluctantly occupied an important position in the rebel army there, who managed to secrete himself when they were going, and from whom we received valuable information relative to the mines the rebels had laid to blow up the works.

The fortifications around Yorktown itself were of the most formidable character. I have posi

might have been taken by storm with terrible loss; could have been taken by turning their right on the Warwick, after a severe battle; but have been taken without loss of any kind. One man was killed and three wounded by the explosion of a shell, attached to a torpedo in front of the works. They belonged to the Twentysecond Massachusetts.

That immense connected fortification, with its numerous salient angles, on which their heaviest guns were mounted, is at once a beautiful and a wonderful work. The ditch is deep, but dry; the parapet is lofty, and would be difficult to scale. This work, with a water-battery below, commands the river on the Yorktown side. Running toward the right of the rebel lines there is a long breastwork, not pierced for guns, but having in front a ditch of the same depth as that before the fort. This breastwork connects an elegant redoubt of considerable magnitude, and another breastwork of the same description connects another redoubt beyond, still further to the left. On this redoubt there had been mounted a number of columbiads and Dahlgren naval guns, with one siege howitzer. It is now occupied by the Fortieth New-York regiment, whose banners are streaming from the walls. In front of these works there is an immense area of open ground which is completely commanded by their guns. Trees which were standing a year ago have been cut down by the rebels, to give free range to their artillery. Deep gorges and ravines are inside and about these fortifications. This natural advantage furnished good cover for their troops against artillery fire, and rendered the position difficult to assault. To the left of the Yorktown roadthe enemy's right-as you approach the town, other fortifications have been constructed. the line of the Warwick road, a few hundred yards from the Yorktown turnpike, there is a small ravine. An inconsiderable stream has been made to increase the extent of a natural swamp in front of the works at this point. This is near the spot where Lord Cornwallis surrendered to Washington, and the British laid down their arms

On

Further to the right of the enemy's line, along the course of the Warwick River, there are other earthworks which I have not yet had an opportunity to examine.

From our camps, before the evacuation, we could distinctly see the yellow flag floating from this house. The old church had been set apart as a quartermaster's depot. The alarm-bell was stationed on a house which was known as Gen. Kain's headquarters. Close by the church was the prison, and the prison - doors were open. There are a number of interesting spots which I have not time to describe.

In Yorktown proper are about forty guns, rang

When we arrived inside the fort we found that tents were left standing, with bedding and articles of luxury in them. On the canvas and sides of the huts were caricatures of Union soldiers. Many of the tents were cut in different places. Four large trucks for carrying heavy guns stood near the dock, with an immense quantity of lum-ing from twelve-pound carronades and howitzers ber. The magazines were constructed in the most careful manner. This fort had been occupied by the first battalion New-Orleans artillery, the Eighth and Thirtieth Alabama regiments, the Tenth and Fourteenth Louisiana regiments, and the Thirteenth and Forty-fifth Georgia regiments. These troops were ordered to report at Howard's Grove, four miles from Richmond, and left the fort at midnight. A rear-guard was left, which at last retired in the greatest haste.

burned. Nearly every house was used for a hospital, and medical stores are found in abundance. The camp inside the works was dirty and filthy, and the inclosure is filled with débris of every description. Trophies abound. The early risers secured some worthy relics. A strict guard is over the works, and stragglers are arrested.

to thirty-two-pounders of the old navy pattern, which throw a one-hundred-pound solid shot. These guns are all left-spiked, of course. The remains of two that burst are visible. The heavy gun that burst on Friday last, a deserter tells me, killed three and wounded twelve men. Ammunition is left in moderate quantities-hospital stores in profusion -no commissary stores of any moment. Tents were left standing; guns merely spiked, and the trail-ropes not even cut; the The first gun on this large work, mounted on magazines not even blown up. Only the powderthe left, looking towards the river, was an eight-house, down on the river side, at the extreme end inch columbiad, and next in their order were of their works, was burned, and exploded at mounted a nine-inch Dahlgren, a ten-inch colum- three A.M., with a terrific report. About fifteen biad, three nine-inch Dalhgren guns, Directly houses are all that stand. Some have been underneath, in the water-battery, there were four eight-inch columbiads and an old forty-two-pound carronade. On the large work above, besides these I have already mentioned, there were, just about the brow of the hill, two thirty-two-pounder siege guns, three thirty-two-pounder ship-guns, taken from the Norfolk Navy-Yard, three eightinch columbiads in one position and four in an- Several mines had been prepared for our troops other. All these guns command the river. To by placing percussion-shells under ground in the the right of the river-battery, and bearing on the railways and entrance to the fort. Torpedoes open space of land which I have described, there and shells, with a fuse fastened to small wires, is a thirty-two-pounder ship-gun, and then, had been also placed in redoubts. The Fifth mounted on a barbette carriage, a long twenty-New-York regiment (Duryea's Zouaves) had five four-pounder seacoast gun. The next was a men killed and several wounded by the explosion thirty-two-pounder, and close by another eight- of a torpedo. The Thirty-eighth New-York volinch columbiad. Still farther to the right, bear-unteers, Col. Hobart Ward, had two men killed ing on the land, were thirty-two-pounders, twen- and four wounded by the bursting of a prepared ty-four-pounders, and an eight-inch columbiad. shell. The Fortieth New-York volunteers lost After a good forty-two-pounder there were four one man killed and two wounded. The Seventiold ship carronades, which were little else than eth regiment New-York volunteers lost two men useless. There were other pieces of ordnance, killed. Other casualties have occurred, but I some of smaller calibre, in the works farther to cannot send you particulars at present. the right. Several of the guns were spiked, several had burst, the fragments being scattered around in the forts, and a few had been dismounted, probably by our shots.

Up to within a few days since the rebels intended to give battle here. Finding, however, that the heavy projectiles which we had thrown over were terribly destructive, and having reason When we occupied Yorktown the whole place to believe that the batteries we were building presented the most pitiable appearance. A few would, when they should open, soon compel contrabands were the sole inhabitants of the town. them to surrender, joined with other equally Some of the most interesting houses had been suggestive circumstances, satisfied the rebel genetorn down. The marble monument outside, rals that their position would speedily be untenawhere the British forces under Lord Cornwallis ble, and that the best policy for them to pursue surrendered, had been knocked to pieces and car-was to evacuate. It seems that they dreaded ried away by individual rebel soldiers. Several of the houses had been used as hospitals, but the sick and wounded had all been removed before we entered. The ancient Nelson house, taken once from Cornwallis, and now from the rebels by our forces, is still standing. It is an extensive brick structure, and was used as a hospital.

our gunboats quite as much as our batteries and our regiments. I have reliable information that they calculated greatly upon assistance from the Merrimac. An order was issued, seven days ago, requiring the Merrimac to report to Gen. Johnston immediately, at Yorktown. But the Merrimac had well-founded fears of the Monitor, and

she did not attempt to comply with the requirements of the order.

James River as far as the eye can reach; seeing all these, and knowing how long and bravely an The rebel soldiers and negroes were at work army fighting under the old flag would have held on their entrenchments until one o'clock in the them I almost wonder at the cowardly tactics morning, when their rear-guard ordered the work of the braggart rebels, and more than ever realto cease and the march for Williamsburgh to be ize the baseness and hopelessness of their cause. taken up. In the house of Mrs. Nelson, where Our environments were all complete. Our parGen. Magruder had slept the night before the allels and batteries had gone up day after day, evacuation, I found several open letters lying un-night after night, within point-blank range of the folded on a table. Two were addressed to Gen. enemy, and under unceasingly vexatious fire. McClellan, one to the first Yankee who come, Our more than a hundred siege-guns and mortars one to Abe Lincoln. One of those to Gen. Me- were placed and ready for the reduction of the Clellan reads as follows: walls opposing us. The bombardment would have commenced at sunrise to-morrow morning. The rebels knew that we were ready; they must either fight a desperate, decisive battle, or surrender ignominiously the strongest defence of Richmond. They have chosen the latter alternative; and, if we experience a certain disappointment in not being able at once, and at any loss of life, to end this weary contest, it cannot be doubted that the general Southern public, deluded into a belief that the peninsula would be held, will be exasperated beyond measure by this last exposure of their leaders.

GENERAL MCCLELLAN: You will be surprised to hear of our departure at this stage of the game, leaving you in possession of this worthless town; but the fact is, McClellan, we have other engagements to attend to, and we can't wait any longer. Our boys are getting sick of this damned place, and the hospital likewise; so, good-by for a little while.

Adjutant TERRY, C.S.A.M.

The retreat of the rebels appears to have been precipitate. They commenced carrying all but their guns back to Williamsburgh four days ago. Wagons have been engaged in transporting their ammunition, provisions, and camp equipage for nearly a week past. Their sick and wounded, numbering over two thousand five hundred, were sent to Richmond ten days ago. The rebel council of war was held in Mrs. Nelson's house, at Yorktown, on Tuesday and Wednesday last. Jeff. Davis and two members of his Cabinet, Gens. Lee, Magruder, and nine other generals were present. The debates were warm and exciting; but finally it was resolved to evacuate. The generals entrusted with the orders of evacuation kept it a profound secret from the officers

and men.

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

YORKTOWN, 10 A.M., Sunday morning, May 4. Another skedaddle. Yorktown and the peninsula defences are ours. Evacuated by the enemy at two o'clock this morning, and entered at sunrise by the trench-detail of the Federal army. My associate rides back to the camps to send you the first brief news by the ten o'clock boat to Old Point. I remain in the enemy's recent lines to examine their formidable works, and, if possible, become the discoverer of the redoubtable "last ditch."

Last night I wrote a letter, which the new phase deprives of interest, detailing the latest aspects and probabilities of the siege. The symp tom which has made our officers, from the outset, half distrust the promise of the rebels to fight us, has been the worrisome and vicious, rather than vigorous and systematic, manner of their firing. They have popped away at our trenches and camps in the former style, exposing every one to by their shells. They have not seriously retardthe chance, without much danger, of being hit ed our engineering-which has been more rapidly executed than as much work by any previous army. Right in their teeth our hardy thousands have built fifteen earthworks and thrown up parallels of miles in length.

But yesterday we had a suspicious symptom. In the afternoon the ascent of Prof. Lowe's balloon, and in the evening the display of Major Myers's signal lights, gave them certain ranges, and they began to pour in all sorts of projectiles from their three principal works. (Food and forage have been so limited here that we had accepted the first hospitable invitation to mess and bed received. Owing to this fact, my residence for the past two days has been in rather an exposed location, where a friend, connected with what may be called the "scientific corps" of the For three weeks these fortresses and intrench- army, had been directed to pitch his tent and ments have checked our march to Richmond, but await orders. This spot was near the junction only that they might the more surely, cheaply, of the cross-fire poured in last night. The shells and expeditiously fall into our hands. I look burst in and over a ravine behind us; sometimes around at this village of Yorktown, now a broad in a field in front. No amount of experience can and frowning fortress, covering hundreds of acres, render people entirely comfortable within such twice as large as Fortress Monroe, big enough to nocturnal surroundings. A huge cloud, hanging inclose twenty of our own elaborate works on the over the rebel works, deflected the sound to the Potomac heights; I see a bastioned and traversed forest, and every discharge rang and echoed with flank-work, one fourth its size, and but a hundred a thousand thunders.) For what are they raisrods to the west; I gaze from the further angle ing such a row to-night?" was the question under of the latter, and a chain of rifle-pits, redoubts, discussion. Dispute ran high whether it was to gabionades, and what not, stretches toward the cover a retreat or to use their newly acquired

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