Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 5.
Frank Moore, Ed.

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 lumber. 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.

The first gun on this large work, mounted on the left, looking towards the river, was an eight-inch columbiad, and next in their order were mounted a nine-inch Dahlgren, a ten-inch columbiad, three nine-inch Dalhgren guns. Directly 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 eight-inch columbiads in one position and four in another. All these guns command the river. To the right of the river-battery, and bearing on the open space of land which I have described, there is a thirty-two-pounder ship-gun, and then, mounted on a barbette carriage, a long twenty-four-pounder seacoast gun. The next was a thirty-two-pounder, and close by another eight-inch columbiad. Still farther to the right, bearing on the land, were thirty-two-pounders, twenty-four-pounders, and an eight-inch columbiad. After a good forty-two-pounder there were four old ship carronades, which were little else than useless. There were other pieces of ordnance, some of smaller calibre, in the works farther to 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.

When we occupied Yorktown the whole place presented the most pitiable appearance. A few contrabands were the sole inhabitants of the town, Some of the most interesting houses had been torn down. The marble monument outside, where the British forces under Lord Cornwallis surrendered, had been knocked to pieces and carried 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. 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, ranging from twelve-pound carronades and howitzers 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 magazines not even blown up. Only the powder-house, down on the river side, at the extreme end of their works, was burned, and exploded at three A. M., with a terrific report. About fifteen houses are all that stand. Some have been 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 debris of every description. Trophies abound. The early risers secured some worthy relics. A strict guard is over the works, and stragglers are arrested.

Several mines had been prepared for our troops by placing percussion-shells under ground in the railways and entrance to the fort. Torpedoes and shells, with a fuse fastened to small wires, had been also placed in redoubts. The Fifth New-York regiment (Duryea's Zouaves) had five men killed and several wounded by the explosion of a torpedo. The Thirty-eighth New-York volunteers, Col. Hobart Ward, had two men killed and four wounded by the bursting of a prepared shell. The Fortieth New-York volunteers lost one man killed and two wounded. The Seventieth regiment New-York volunteers lost two men killed. Other casualties have occurred, but I cannot send you particulars at present.

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 to believe that the batteries we were building would, when they should open, soon compel them to surrender, joined with other equally suggestive circumstances, satisfied the rebel generals that their position would speedily be untenable, and that the best policy for them to pursue was to evacuate. It seems that they dreaded 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