April 21, 1863, The New York Herald
Our Fortress Monroe Correspondence.
FORTRESS MONROE, April 19, 1863.
For upwards of one week a large rebel force has beleaguered Suffolk, with a view of reducing this stronghold, and if possible get possession of the stores and ammunition on hand there; but thus far the enemy has had no other gain than a waste of munitions and hard knocks. It is true that Longstreet, by rapid and flank movements, has gained the Nansemond river, where formidable batteries have been erected to cover the crossing of the rebel army in order to gain our rear, and by this strategy cut off our communications with Norfolk. The foresight of General Dix, however, has placed no mean opponent to cope with the enemy on the river, in the presence of several fine army gunboats; and acting Rear Admiral Lee has also heartily co-operated with the army, and ordered a number of light draught gunboats to the Nansemond, in charge of Lieutenant Lamson, a brave and highly efficient officer, to prevent the rebels from carrying out their designs. Thwarted in the prospect of executing this strategic movement to gain our rear, the utmost energies of the rebels are bestowed upon an endeavor to cripple our gunboats. To move upon our intrenchments around Suffolk would entail on them a fearful loss of life, and their only salvation is either to effect a passage of the Nansemond or retreat. At this moment, however, such a movement would be of no especial benefit to the enemy. While the latter has been busy throwing up intrenchments, our troops, under Major General Peck, had not been idle; but, on the contrary, spades seem to have been trumps, and are likely to win on our side. Active preparations have been going forward for the past few days, and Major General Dix is now determined to assume aggressive measures, instead of remaining on the defensive. While we had but few troops such a course would have been destruction; but this department is now able to boast of an increased command, and will give a good account of itself.
During the past night and all this day heavy firing was heard from the Nansemond river. The gunboats are battling with the shore batteries. General Dix and part of his staff left here this morning on the steamer Henry Burden for the scene of action, and will return here this evening. At Suffolk heavy skirmishing is going on between our outposts and rebel pickets. Our sharpshooters are actively engaged, and many a bullet from the unerring telescopic rifle has been sent to the hearts of daring rebels who exposed themselves to the bead of our riflemen.
Jeff. Davis has ordered General D. H. Hill, commanding the department of Virginia and North Carolina, to clear the Yankees from this and the old North State, and Hill promised to comply with the order provided he could have forty thousand men. The raid on our lines at Suffolk is evidently the beginning of this campaign; but not much has been accomplished by him as yet. Simultaneously with this movement the rebel iron clads now at Richmond were to come down and make an onslaught upon our navy, while the Yorktown would quietly slip out to sea and join the Alabama, Florida and other rebel privateers, to prey upon our commerce. Today the second anniversary of the ruffianly attack upon the Sixth Massachusetts regiment by Baltimore secession sympathizers, was set apart as the proper period for the Merrimac and consort to make their advent, but up to this moment (three P.M.) we have seen no appearance of any hostile craft from the James river. Probably the rebels, having the fear of one of our machines called, in rebel slang, […..] cheesebox on a raft” before their eyes, have concluded to await another anniversary of some kind. In order to atone for misdeeds in skedaddling from Roanoke island, &c., Henry A. Wise, brigadier general in Rebeldom, commanding all the rebel forces on the peninsula, attempted to co-operate with the mooted plans of the Confederates to clear our forces from Virginia. He accordingly made an attack on Williamsburg, knowing full well that, owing to the fact of there being several hundred lunatics domiciled in that town, our forces would not injure the place. Wise, however, treated this matter with secondary consideration, and boldly advanced. Our troops fell back to Fort Magruder, one mile from Williamsburg, and there offered battle to the would be hero, which, however, was declined. A few days ago Wise sent a flag of truce to Major General E. D. Keyes, commanding at Yorktown, informing him that our wagons would not be disturbed in carrying subsistence to the unfortunate insane at the Virginia State Lunatic Asylum at Williamsburg. This proposition is the height of sublime impudence. While we held possession of the town our officers fed the lunatics, our surgeons treated the sick, and our medical purveyors supplied the drugs, and now these honest rebels, having placed the citizens of the […..] under their gentle protection, kindly invite us to continue our charities, by supplying the idiots with wholesome rations, which are a very scarce article to be obtained in Secessia. This is certainly […..] the rod that smites you.” General Keyes is a very benevolent gentleman, and, having done everything in his power to ameliorate the sufferings of the poor inhabitants of the asylum, feels disposed to do more; but the cool proposition of the rebel Wise was not in accordance with his views, and consequently he declined the proffer.
The steamer J. F. Freeborn, Captain Squires, arrived last evening from Port Royal, having made the run in forty-two hours. The Freeborn brought a heavy mail from the fleet and army in the Department of the South.