YORKTOIVN AND WILLIAMSBURG.

193

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SKIRMISH AT LEE’S MILLS BEFORE YORKTOWN, APRIL 16, 1862. [SEE MAP, P. 188.]FROM A SKETCH MADE AT THE TIME.

to a standstill, with the right in front of Yorktown, and the left by the enemy’sworks at Lee’s mills [see p. 188]. We pitched our camp on Wormley Creek,near the Moore house, on the York River, in sight of the enemy’s water-bat-tery and their defensive works at Gloucester Point. One of the impedimentsto an immediate attack on Yorktown was the difficulty of using light artilleryin the muddy fields in our front, and at that time the topography of the countryahead was but little understood, and had to be learned by reconnoissance inforce. We had settled down to the siege of Yorktown ; began bridging thestreams between us and the enemy, constructing and improving the roads forthe rapid transit of supplies, and for the advance. The first parallel wasopened about a mile from the enemy’s fortifications, extending along theentire front of their works, which reached from the York River on the left toWarwick Creek on the right, along a line about four miles in length. Four-teen batteries and three redoubts were planted, heavily armed with ordnance.

We were near Battery No. 1, not far from the York River. On it weremounted several 200-pounder guns, which commanded the enemy’s water-bat-teries. One day I was in a redoubt on the left, and saw General McClellan with the Prince de Joinville , examining the enemy’s works through their field-glasses. They very soon drew the fire of the observant enemy, who openedwith one of their heavy guns on the group, sending the first shot howling andhissing over and very close to their heads; another, quickly following it, struckin the parapet of the redoubt. The French prince, seemingly quite startled,jumped and glanced nervously around, while McClellan quietly knocked theashes from his cigar.

Several of our war-vessels made their appearance in the York River, andoccasionally threw a shot at the enemy’s works ; but most of them were keptbusy at Hampton Roads, watching for the iron-clad Merrimac, which wasstill afloat. The firing from the enemy’s lines was of little consequence, not