Official Records of the Rebellion

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No. 20.

Reports of Brig. Gen. John G. Barnard, U. S. Army, Chief Engineer Army of the Potomac, of operations during the siege.

MEMORANDUM OF BATTERIES.

Battery No. 9 on left of old dam, about 1,900 yards from fortress, for ten 10-inch siege mortars.

Battery No. 10 in middle of parallel between right branch and York River, 1,500 feet from big gun, built for seven siege guns and three 100-pounder Parrotts. The six 4-inch guns from No. 6 will be placed in it; also one from No. 2. This last will be replaced by a 30-pounder Parrott.

Battery No. 11 in head of ravine E, 2,600 yards from fortress, 4,000 from Gloucester Point, for four 10-inch sea-coast mortars.

Battery No. 12 behind secession huts, 1,700 yards from fortress, 2,000 from exterior work, for ten 10-inch siege mortars.

Battery No. 13 on right of boyau to be made to-night and near bluff, 1,250 yards from fortress and 2,400 yards from exterior work and 2,500 yards from Gloucester, for three 100-pounder and three 30-pounder Parrotts, leaving four 30-pounder Parrotts to be otherwise employed.

Battery No. 6 to be converted into a mortar battery for six 10-inch sea-coast mortars. An epaulement to be built to protect against Wynn’s Mill and a couple of platforms behind it to direct mortars that way.

Battery No. 1 to be extended to receive another 200-pounder Parrott.

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Tuesday, April 29.—Redoubt C: 200 men are employed night and day. The ditch is now 6 feet deep and about 7 wide. It is proposed to continue the width to 12 feet, which will require twenty-four hours more time at least. The closing of the redoubt to the rear can be commenced to-morrow morning. Parallel: in consequence of the detail being short 500 men, little progress was made in the day-time; also, the detail for the night was not filled out, and Battery No. 12 was opened in consequence. The branch parallel leading from main parallel to rear to Plum Tree Ravine, L, was not opened last night. It will be opened to-night. Battery No. 9: the detail worked very sluggishly and the platforms cannot be put in this morning, as was anticipated. It will be ready to-morrow. Battery No. 11 has progressed rapidly and is now ready for its platforms. Battery No. 12 will be ready for its platforms to-morrow morning. The magazine timbers ought to be delivered at all the above batteries to-day, and to-morrow the carpenters, with tools, nails, and spikes, ought to be on hand. Parallel between ravine and York River requires steps and banquette tread. Parallel between Battery No. 2 and Yorktown road requires widening, a berme, and steps. Parallel behind Battery No. 10 requires a little more excavation. Branch Parallel traced and nearly excavated. Redoubt A will be completed to-day. Redoubt B: revetment done; parapet nearly completed; will probably be done to-day. Battery No. 10 ready for gun-platforms; one magazine completed, except floor; the other under way. Number of gabions ready, 176; on hand, 950; at depot at saw-mill, 276; about 400 at the Methodist Church, and about 250 distributed near batteries. The artillery has charge of laying the platforms and mounting the mortars in Battery No. 4. The beds for the platforms are prepared by the engineer. General Woodbury suggests that as the mechanics employed on these beds have no experience in that line, they can be usefully employed on other mortar beds. General Woodbury desires that the Fifth New Hampshire and Sixty-ninth New York Volunteer Regiments be ordered to continue on the service for which they have been detailed for four more days. I respectfully request that this may be granted. Captain Stewart reports progress on Nos. 7 and 8 and corduroy road to No. 7, and also having examined the ground along left of line. Nothing of moment to report. Inclosed is a memorandum for reference. The following memorandum, changing the armament of Battery No. 13 and establishing Battery No. 14, is approved by the commanding general:

Battery No. 13 to consist of six 30-pouuder Parrott guns, two on the left to be directed at the gorge of right redoubt, the other four to be directed 5° north of hospital. A change of 15° in the direction of embrasure will bring these last four to bear on Gloucester, if necessary. Battery No. 14 to consist of three 100-pounder Parrotts and one 100-pounder James gun, to be placed at extremity of old parallel; right cheek of embrasures to embrace the extreme right-hand effective gun of Gloucester fort. Shifting embrasures 5° or 10° will bring the big gun and watcr batteries of Yorktown into the field.

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