Daily Intelligencer

FROM YORKTOWN.

Camp Near Yorktown,
24th April, 1862.

Editors Intelligencer:

One could hardly suppose, judging from the talk and careless manners of the soldiers, that one of the greatest struggles in the history of the world is about to take place: When not on duty, they engage in almost every variety of exercise and amusement, playing ball, pitching quoits, and other athletic sports. Not unfrequently their amusement borders on mischief. The boys of Col. Sam Black's Regiment, (the 62d Pennsylvania,) while on picket, captured a hound, which came from the enemy. They concluded that they would send the rebels some late news, and therefore tied a New York Herald containing an account of the taking of Fort Pulaski, to his neck, and a tin can to his caudal appendage, and sent the animal tying back to his owners.

The only fear appears to be lest the Confederates should not make a stand, but fall back. There is no ground, however, for this belief. The strength of their fortifications, and the industry with which they still work at them, indicate their determination to defend them.

I had the pleasure of making a reconnaissance "in force" as near to the rebels as practicable. I first took a view of their works from the house in which the capitulation of Cornwallis was signed. The house is very old fashioned in appearance, but the interior is fixed up in more modern style. The fortification of Gloucester Point is an earthwork of great strength. It mounts sixteen guns, thirty-two and forty-two pounders. Slaves are busy filling sand bags and placing them around the guns. About a mile in the rear is a large frame building from which floats the red flag. In the immediate vicinity are many new frame buildings used as barracks, and several are in the course of construction.

At Yorktown there is a water battery containing five large guns, two 100 pound rifled Parrott. The battery south of Yorktown contains thirty-four guns—thirty-two and forty-two pounders, bearing principally on the river. Three of this battery are of large calibre, and are termed by the "Confs" "baby wakers."

Two bear on the river and one inland.

In company with an officer, I approached to within a mile and a half of their works. With the splendid glass that we had, we could see distinctly all that was going on. While we were looking, they fired one of their heavy guns, throwing a shell a mile beyond us. It hurtled harmlessly over our heads, with that peculiar rattling noise which, when once heard, is never forgotten.

One of our gunboats came up to-day, and exchanged several shots with the water battery at Yorktown. The boat received no damage whatever, nor could it be ascertained whether its firing did execution or not.

The statement of the rebel fortifications in the New York Herald of the 22d, are ridiculous. It only excited the humor of those whose business it is to know.

More anon.

QrI.