The Yankees in James river.
The Yankees are quite active in James river, and were especially so on Tuesday. Early in the morning two monitors, which had been higher up, dropped down to Fort Powhatan, where they were joined by seven wooden gunboats, the latter consisting chiefly of small schooners, mounting one gun, and intended for the navigation of creeks, inlets, and bayonet. Finding the coast all clear of rebel soldiers and rebel guns, the enemy sent some 150 or 200 men ashore, and destroyed some rude earth works which had been thrown up at the fort. They also fired some three or four rudely constructed buildings which had been built for the accommodation of the garrison which once occupied the fort. Having covered themselves with glory, the vandals then returned to their boats and the whole flotilla moved down stream.After the fleet had retired, some of our scouts came upon a Yankee soldier secreted in the bushes near the fort. He cheerfully gave himself up, and said he had deserted especially for the purpose of "becoming a citizen of the great, free Southern Confederacy. He stated further that these movements on the James were all intended as a mere diversion, that Dix was marching up the Peninsula and on to Richmond, at the head of 50,000 troops. This improbable story wouldn't go down with the commanding officer, and the prisoner was sent to Richmond as a spy.
On Wednesday two iron-clads passed City Point going up James river, probably to reconnoitre and discover the strength of the divisions at Drury's Bluff and Chaffins's. They made their appearance near Curle's Neck, about 18 miles from Richmond by water, and about 12 by the road. Seven gunboats and transports remained two miles below City Point. We learn from passengers from Petersburg that heavy firing was heard in that city yesterday proceeding from below the city on the Appomattox river. No explanation of the firing had reached there. City Point is only about 10 miles from Petersburg, and the guns of the enemy, which were probably shelling the woods near there, could be heard very plainly.
