“on the qui vive” in Yorktown

Ravine occupied by the picket reserves, of Brig. Gen. Joseph Hooker's division, Heintzlemans corps d'armee, at the seige of Yorktown, April, 1862 (v; LOC: LC-USZ62-1143 )

Reserved Union troops at Yorktown

What are the Yankees waiting for?

From the Richmond Daily Dispatch April 26, 1862:

Correspondence.
from the Peninsula.

Yorktown, April 21, 1862.

Nothing stirring, as yet, has transpired on the Peninsula. The enemy seem to have no disposition to attack. Recent events have demonstrated that they have a large force in front of us, and what they are waiting for time alone will reveal. Our forces are ever watchful — continually on the qui vive; and depend upon it, a warm reception will be given when it is needed.

Confederate fortifications, Yorktown, Va. (photographed between 1861 and 1865, printed between 1880 and 1889LOC: LC-DIG-ppmsca-32789)

After the bantering - some ex-rebel works at Yorktown

With the exception of the demonstration the other day of Winn’s [Wynn’s?] Mill, a little commanding [cannonading?] from our batteries, and considerable bantering on the part of our outpost pickets, nothing of note has occurred.

The Conscription bill, recently passed by Congress, is the great topic of discussion, and with the twelve months men, undoubtedly gives considerable dissatisfactions not, in fact, as to the matter, but as to the manner in which they are held. It cannot be denied that they do and will complain loudly of the poor recompense given by the Government for their patriotism in answering promptly the first call of the country.

I must not close before telling you of the disgraceful manner in which the Yankees treated their dead, after the engagement the other day at [Lee?]’s mill. Their wounded, and the bodies of their dead, lay in and in our side of the slough, from Wednesday night until Saturday evening–the wounded to die and the dead to –and yet no effort was made by the Yankee General to relieve his wounded or bury his dead. When a flag of truce was sent by our commander for permission to bury their dead, that were becoming offensive, his reply was, that they didn’t trouble him, but we could bury them if we wanted to. What a comment upon their “Bull Run investigation.”

Warren.

yorktown-map Harper's Weekly 5-3-1862

A peninsular seat of war

Harper’s Weekly map displayed at Son of the South

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