Twixt the York and the James - guard your buttermilk
As Union General McClellan ships his huge Army of the Potomac to Virginia Peninsula a couple sketchy reports are published by the Richmond press that seen to indicate things are heating up around Yorktown.
From the Richmond Daily Dispatch March 29, 1862:
From the Peninsula.
advises from the Peninsula are a little exciting. They represent the enemy in large force on Yorktown. The inhabitants are leaving that region by very means of transportation at their command, in anticipation of the grand struggle that seems to be pending. A slight skirmish took place on Thursday, in which Lt. John W. Wise, of the Old Dominion Guard, was in the [?]. No other casualties are reported. A time is looked for, and the most news from that quarter is expected.
From the same issue:
Drummer boys captured.
–Three Yankee drummer boys were recently captured by our pickets near Newport News while at a farmer’s house in search of buttermilk and other plunder. When taken before Gen. Magruder they were very communicative, and wished to know from him the price of drummers in this section. They were brought to Richmond on Thursday night, viz York river, and lodged with their fellow-prisoners.
Even the Yankee drummer boys seem mercenary. Maybe not “beauty and booty” but at least “buttermilk and booty”.
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