Memphis Daily Appeal

Federal Operations near Yorktown,
From Cincinnati papers in our possession we take the following dispatch:
FORTRESS MONROE, April 11.—The rebels have for several days been building large fortifications on the Gloucester side of the York river, about two miles from Yorktown and within sight of our gunboats, but their guns were of too long range to allow of the approach of the gunboats to shell the woods.
About one thousand men were at work on the fortifications and the mortars were not of sufficient range to check the operations. Yesterday morning, however, the gunboat Sebago arrived, having a heavy one hundred pounder rifled Parrott gun, and at once opened upon them with shell which were so well aimed that they could be seen falling in their midst and exploding with fatal effect.
The rebels could be distinctly seen carrying off their killed and wounded, and in the course of two hours the work was entirely suspended. The men retired out of range. At every attempt to renew the work, they were driven back, up to night.
The guns mounted by the enemy on the Yorktown side of the river, number not less than fifty 100-pounders, six of them rifled, bearing directly on the bar.
The gunboats are at present about two miles below the town. There is said to be skirmishing along the whole line before Yorktown, and the Jordan sharpshooters are spreading terror among the gunners of the enemy by their unerring aim.
The enemy have made several sorties with infantry to dislodge or capture our riflemen, but have been driven back with heavy loss.
As to the arrangements for the final siege, we need only say, the work goes bravely on.