connection of the Sixth corps upon the left. The principal portion of the corps was soon moving further to the front. Gibbon was already in position and intrenched; for last night he had advanced as near the enemy's intrenchments as he could get without bringing on a heavy fight. Mott and Barlow pushed forward their lines of battle, with a heavy skirmish line in front. Mott was partly in position and intrenching, and Barlow was nearing the crest in front of the rebel works, when he encountered a heavy force of the enemy marching down in column by brigades, with the evident intention of piercing our position at the interval which now existed between the left of the Second corps and the right of the Sixth. The Second, Third, and Fourth brigades of Barlow's division formed his front line; the First brigade, under General Miles, being held in rear as a reserve. In this assault by the enemy, the rebel General Wilcox's division, marching in three brigade lines behind a heavy cloud of skirmishers, led the advance of Hill's veteran corps. It was early in the afternoon when the head of the rebel column struck at once the right of the Sixth and left of the Second corps. The rebels pushed on with pertinacity, and the shock was soon felt on the flanks of both these corps. The position which they occupied rendered it necessary that they should immediately withdraw the flanks that were thus exposed, and fill up the gap by making a connection with each other along the line of intrenchments in the rear. While this was being done, however, the enemy inflicted considerable damage on our men by his fire, and captured several hundred prisoners from us. The assaulting column came down in a diagonal direction, and, as it happened, struck the flank of the divisions, which were disconnected, and hence the disastrous consequences which ensued. These were, the forced retirement of Barlow, the hasty withdrawal of Mott and of part of the left of Gibbon, and the loss of four guns. The enemy swept down over the ground our troops had left, taking quite a number of prisoners as he advanced. Pressing on still in a diagonal direction, the column soon came to Gibbon's line, the left of which suffered somewhat from the shock. The right held its position with determined courage, and poured a murderous fire into the advancing force. The musketry was terrific on both sides. As the enemy swept over the angle which marked the left of the division line, he enveloped a battery of four three-inch guns, which occupied an advanced position behind the parapet, and almost before the officers were aware of the situation of affairs, the artillery was in the enemy s hands. It was Captain McKnight's Twelfth New York battery. The moment the rebels appeared in sight Captain McKnight opened upon them with canister. They separated in front, and, coming in on the right and left, surrounded the guns. A rebel color-bearer immediately mounted and planted his colors on the parapet. In the meantime Captain Clark's First New Jersey battery, which was posted in the breastwork further to the right, opened on the enemy, and contributed considerably to cheek his further advance. The rebels quickly turned upon us the captured guns, and at the same time concentrated a fire of some twenty other pieces on Captain Clark's single battery. The epaulement in which this battery was placed was well battered by the solid shot which came pouring over from the fortifications of the enemy. While this work was going on at the right of the corps, a part of the rebel attacking column, which by this time had been deployed in line of battle, was still pressing down upon the left. The interval between the right of the Sixth corps and the left of the Second was gradually growing greater, from the fact that the flanks thus exposed to the enemy were slowly melting away, when General Miles' brigade, of Barlow's division, which was in reserve, came up on the double-quick and one regiment was sent through the woods to check the enemy's advance, while the remainder of the brigade was formed behind the breastworks to fill up the interval. At the same time Lieutenant Roder's battery K, Fourth United States artillery, wheeled into position, and the infantry and artillery soon checked the further progress of the enemy at that point. Scarcely had these dispositions been effected, however, before the rebels made another attempt to pierce our lines a little to the right of that locality; but the attack was repulsed. We took a few prisoners at this time, and among them several wounded. The casualties were not heavy, however, on either side, because the rebels did not attempt to cross the open field in front of the breastworks behind which our men were posted. About seven o'clock in the evening an effort was made by General Gibbon, with one of his own brigades, supported by one from General Griffin's, of the Fifth corps, to retake the lost guns of the Twelfth New York. The attack was very sharp and spirited, but failed to accomplish the desired object. Another effort was attended with a similar result. Later in the evening General Meade ordered an advance of the Sixth and Second corps, for he was exceedingly desirous of developing the continuation of the chain of fortifications for the defence of Petersburg. The Sixth corps swung round to the left, pushing back a line of rebel skirmishers, but apparently not meeting with any formidable force, for the firing soon ceased in that direction. Simultaneously with the movement of the Sixth a heavy line of skirmishers pushed forward in front of the Second corps. In the thick woods through which the lines had to advance, this heavy cloud of skir mishers is more desirable than a close line of battle, because it at once gives room for the men (ten miles west of Petersburg,) and were tearing up the track along the road, The Second and Sixth corps moved from their old positions on the right toward the Weldon railroad. General Lee seems to have to move, and exposes fewer to the bullets of the enemy. And thus our lines advanced this evening, meeting with a stubborn resistance, but still pressing onward, until most of the ground which we lost has been regained and reoccupied. Our lines are now being strength-anticipated a movement by our left flank, or ened by the construction of breastworks and the planting of several batteries of artillery. The skirmishers on both sides, however, are firing away at each other at this late hour. The casualties in the Second corps throughout the day will number only a few hundred; but the loss by prisoners captured by the enemy will exceed, perhaps, a thousand. BEFORE PETERSBURG, June 22-11 P. M. This afternoon, pending a fight in which the Second corps was engaged, and in which the enemy temporarily got the best and captured some guns, which, however, were subsequently retaken, General Griffin's division, of this corps, was sent to the support of the Second, should its services be needed. Happily the brave and invincible veterans of the Second corps succeeded in fighting their own battle unaided, and in winning a glorious victory. It was a fierce conflict. Not only the first division, but all the divisions of this corps, expected every moment they might be as heavily engaged. They looked for it, and were ready for it, as they always have been known to be. As it was, the shells of the enemy's cannon fell among the First division, killing and wounding several. else he designed to turn our right, as when near the Jerusalem plank-road the two corps were confronted by General Hill's corps, and a smart engagement ensued. A battery of the Twelfth New York artillery was annoying the rebels, who succeeded in getting round on the flank and charging it. The infantry supporting the battery were surprised, and after a faint show of resistance retired, leaving four guns in the hands of the rebels. Our line was then re-formed. The men were becoming accustomed to General Lee's new practice of acting entirely on the defensive, and must have been confused by his bold and sudden onset. Two divisions of the Fifth corps were within easy supporting distance on the right, and the Sixth corps was ready for any hostilities on the left. Charges were made by the rebels, who suffered severely with each fresh assault. ON THE JAMES RIVER, (Eleven Miles from Richmond), June 23, 1864. To General R. S. Foster has been confided, by General Butler, a most importaut and perilous command on the James river. This position, since it is in full view of the enemy, is at a point on the James river between Aiken's landing and Four-Mile creek. General Foster's force is a formidable one, and is handled by as brave, accomplished, and sterling an officer as is known in the service. He will do the rebels and their shattered cause as much damage as any General in the army. Rebel sharpshooters, too, kept up their accustomed watchfulness, and more than one was borne away wounded by their unerring bullets. Captain Keene, Twentieth Maine regiment, was shot by one of these sharpshooters, During the twenty-first, General Foster drove and instantly killed. Lieutenant Denvers, Twen- in the rebel pickets twice-the One Hundredth tieth Pennsylvania, dismounted cavalry, was regiment, New York volunteers, Colonel Dandy, severely but not dangerously wounded. This making two most gallant charges, upon which morning Brigadier-General Ayres, commanding he was heartily congratulated by General J. B. the Second division, while inspecting his front Howell, commanding the First brigade, First line, had two narrow escapes from the bullets division. Captain Granger, Company K, of the of sharpshooters. One bullet hit his right One Hundredth, charged fully up to Mrs. thumb, and another just grazed his face; and Grover's, driving the enemy from that point, during some cannonading in the early part of they being there in force. Captain Meborne, of the day the shells, as usual, dropped in pretty the First New York mounted rifles, also galthick about our headquarters, but doing no lantly drove the enemy three hours. The rebel damage. A like complimentary salutation was picket line is in range of ours, and the enemy paid to the First division headquarters, and develops a large adjacent force. They are also those of Colonel Sweitzer. I was at the hos-reported to be in full force, with infantry and pital an hour ago. One poor fellow was shot in both thighs, and it was necessary to amputate both legs. "Remember, I have a wife and four children," was all he said before the operation was performed. He lived but two hours. cavalry, under command of Lee - another nephew of General R. E. Lee-at Chapin's Bluff, four miles and a half from the Grover house. The gunboats commenced shelling the enemy at a quarter to seven o'clock on the evening of the twenty-first instant, from our left, maintaining a vigorous and effective fire until dark. The immediate result of this shelling was ascertained to be the driving of the enemy from the left to the right, whence they were again driven. Throughout yesterday, the twenty-second, the struck, is five miles or thereabout. The Second enemy vigorously shelled our gunboats coöpe- corps under Birney, had gained position on rating with Foster-the Mendota and the Warren's left on Tuesday-so withdrawn, howHunchback-the former lying below the pon-ever, as not to attract the attention of the enemy. toon bridge, and the latter a short distance above that structure. They are commanded by Captain Nichols and Captain Fife, respectively. The Mendota returned the enemy's fire, in a short time silencing their batteries. The enemy, on Foster's front, has been ascertained by Lieutenant Bernard N. Smith, aid-decamp, to consist of Cook's brigade, of Heath's division, of A. P. Hill's corps. The enemy's cavalry is commanded by Major Robins, of Holcomb's Legion, which is composed of cavalry, artillery and infantry. In addition to this, several brigades of rebels passed down our front yesterday afternoon (June twenty-second), three regiments passing over Four-Mile creek, with one regiment deployed as skirmishers. The skirmishing resulted in our taking a few prisoners. The destination of the passing brigades alluded to is unknown. On yesterday some of the troops, in making excavations, discovered five thousand dollars in gold and silver, buried in the ground beneath the ruins of a charred and destroyed mansion. The excitement was intense among the boys when these spoils of war were divided among them on their own motion. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, By yesterday morning the Sixth had assumed a similar relation toward the Second, and now the two corps advanced toward the railroad, still three miles distant. Whether the enemy penetrated the design, or happened to be making a reconnoissance in force on his own account, he seems to have been moving toward us simultaneously with our advance. This was about noon yesterday, and the collision was but an hour or two later. The country was utterly unknown to us, or if anything was known as to the direction and termini of roads, and the distances between given points, it was so vague and faulty that it only served to mislead. We found the woods more dense and continuous than any encountered since the wilderness; as dense as those, and different only in that there are more cleared spaces. Notwithstanding the brief time the troops had been in the position from which they started, they moved from very tolerable works-the Second Corps from a continuous line, and the Sixth from a line thrown up by Ricketts' division, which reached here in advance of the rest of the corps. The enemy discovered our advance before we did his, and made dispositions accordingly-to attack us in flank when marching. He confronted the Second corps, and Barlow's division; the left of that corps was moving still further to the left. Ricketts' division, Sixth corps, was also mov The operations of the last three days have had for their object possession of the railroads south of Petersburg-the Weldon and Raleighing, and was within a mile and a half of the road and the Lynchburg. To accomplish this railroad. Mott's (late Birney's) and Gibbon's required an extension of the line far to the left. Second corps, were in aligned positions on the It was thought possible a surprise might be ef- right of Barlow. Gibbon had planted one batfected. In that case, planting ourselves on tery of four guns (McKnight's Twelfth New those roads, all would be attained which the occu-York Independent). I have been unable to sift pation of Petersburg would give us. To carry a vast contrariety of statements, so as to arrive the latter directly, we must expect to sustain at even a theory of the precise way it all haplarge loss. To reach the same end by a sliding pened. But the enemy came down with little movement toward the south, was worth the or no previous indication of his presence, in trial. Besides, if successful, it would still fur- | force, struck Barlow, and glanced by him, bearther envelop the city, and be anothering away prisoners, and then falling upon Mott step toward its fall-a step toward that and Gibbon. Officers in the divisions of the remoter objective, Richmond. Well, it has latter insist that the first knowledge they had of been tried, and the result—if we may accept as the enemy was his presence directly in their the result the situation of this hour-is not the rear. Whether he came down between Barlow most cheerful in the world; nor satisfactory, and the Sixth corps, or behind him and Mott, nor yet disheartening, but marred by a dis- or Gibbon, it is impossible for me to say. It astrous episode-the loss of prisoners by the is perhaps certain that Barlow was first struck, Second corps yesterday. There is this comfort, that at some points the line was struck from the that the losses in killed and wounded, com- rear, at others from the front at all unexpared with those of last week, are inconsider-pectedly and disastrously. It was the work of able. The Second and Sixth corps were designated for the movement, while the Eighteenth was brought from Butler, and with the Fifth and Ninth holds the old works. Thus three corps were stretched over the ground until then occupied by four. The distance from the left of that line, being Warren's left, to the point on the Weldon road which it was thought might be an instant. Scarcely any resistance was made there was no time for it. Gibbon's staff were eating dinner a fourth of a mile in rear of their advance, and heard no fighting; were confounded at sight of men running. These they rallied into line, but the enemy came no further. Those that did not run, some of the best troops in the army, were captured by regi ments. The First brigade (Pierce's) suffered most, and without firing a shot, yet this brigade has been the pride of the corps. Somebody blundered, else such soldiers as the Fifteenth, Nineteenth, and Twentieth Massachusetts, Seventh Michigan, Nineteenth Maine, Forty-second and Eighty-second New York, and Thirty-sixth Wisconsin would have made for themselves an opportunity for fighting. It was the Seventh Michigan and Nineteenth Massachusetts that volunteered to cross to Fredericksburg in boats, under a severe fire, a year and a half ago, which they did so perilously and so bravely. Some of these regiments were captured bodily, viz.: the Nineteenth and Fifteenth Massachusetts, and the Forty-second and Eighty-second New York. The brigade has lost five commanders, and other officers, and rank and file in proportion, during the campaign. Commanding it have been General Alexander Webb, wounded at Spottsylvania, and Colonels Haskell and McKean, killed at Cold Harbor. The division probably lost a thousand prisoners yesterday, and Mott's and Barlow's together as many. Beside these is the loss of four guns. McKnight stood by them and his colors till a rebel flag flaunted beside his own, and there was but one man with him. To-day, while talking of the disaster, his voice broke and his eyes filled. The presence of an enemy had never caused the one to falter nor abashed the other. Dispositions were instantly made to retrieve the fortunes of the day. The Sixth was halted, Ricketts' even marching back a mile, and two brigades were sent for from Warren, and reserve batteries prepared for action. Miles' brigade, with certain others, retired intact to the line of the morning, and it was hoped the enemy would attempt to pursue his advantage. But he knew better, and contented himself with the trophies already won-two thousand prisoners and four guns. At seven o'clock in the evening, Wright advanced the Sixth corps. The rebels had retired, leaving a thick skirmish line, which raised a yell and fired one volley. Our men beat them both in yell and volley, and they fled, like so many pedestrian Tam O'Shanters. And then such cheers as the Sixth sent after them. The whole corps charged a mile and a half, halting occasionally to preserve alignment, and then bivouacked. The direction pursued, had formed it, when halted, at an obtuse angle with the Second. Later in the evening, Burnside was attacked strenuously, but without avail. To-day, at half-past three A. M., the Sixth and Second advanced simultaneously, having, during the night, perfected connections of brigades, divisions, and corps. Birney barely regained the position lost yesterday. Wright found nothing before him but pickets. He advanced some distance, swinging around Birney. His two left divisions, Wheaton's (late Neill's) and Rickett's, were now hardly more than a mile from the railroad. Captain Beatty, with one VOL. XI.-Doc. 37 hundred pioneers and sharpshooters, was sent out to reconnoitre. He reached the railroad unopposed, and found it without the pretence of a guard, and with his report, sent a couple of feet of telegraph wire he had cut from the Raleigh line. The Third, Fourth, and Eleventh Vermont were instantly despatched to take possession, and preparations were made to extend the corps to that point. But by this time the rebels were fully awake to the situation. It was as vital to them to regain the railroad as it was to us to retain it. Their interior, therefore shorter, lines gave them every advantage. It is not less than ten miles from our right on the river to the point in question on the railroad. The rebel communication between the two is not over four. And so they pushed down in overwhelming numbers, all of Hill's corps, and attacked. We had not completed a line, had had no time to intrench, and there was nothing but to fall back. Even that was a matter of some difficulty. The Thirty-fourth Vermont lost prisoners, and it was fortunate that the order, "As you were," was issued so promptly. The rebels followed closely, attacking at the right of the corps, and then to the left, and further to the left, till they found cavalry, and knew they had determined our limit in that direction. It appeared to be his purpose to make a general assault, and it were better to sustain that covered by some sort of works. Hence, in the edge of the evening, all the divisions of the corps retired, and now occupy the positions of the morning. } HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, NEAR PETERSBURG, Friday, June 24-9 P. M. This morning opened with one of the heaviest cannonades of the whole campaign, and the impression was produced on people at a distance from the scene, that a terrible battle was in progress. It transpired soon, however, that the enemy had merely been wasting ammunition in a concentrated and tremendous, but harmless, fire upon the troops and batteries of the Eighteenth corps, from his batteries beyond the Appomattox. Terrible as was the storm of shot, shell, grape, and canister that rained along our lines on the right, the damage done was utterly insignificant. About The ball opened at about half-past six A. M. and closed at about nine. Our own batteries during this time were not silent, but replied in spirited style. While this artillery fire was raging, a charge was made on a portion of General Stannard's division of the Eighteenth corps, by Hoke's brigade of rebels. four hundred of them succeeded in entering our front line of rifle-pits, a mere picket line, our skirmishers retiring to the main breastwork of the front line of battle. While these were coming in, our troops did not fire, from the fear that they might hit our own men. The rebels, encouraged by this, advanced boldly toward our intrenchments, but the mo left, with the probable intentention of turning our flank. Some little excitement was created by this statement, as soon as it got hinted around, but it was only a very brief time before preparations had been made to repel any attack from the threatened quarter. ment our skirmishers had all got in, a volley was immediately fired into the ranks of the enemy that mowed them down fearfully. Their progress was all at once stopped, and to retreat was as much out of the question as to advance. When placed in this dilemma, our men continued firing rapidly upon them. They made signs of a desire to surrender, which was not at first Colonel Sweitzer's brigade of General Grifreceived, but, as soon as their wish was ascer- fin's division, Fifth corps, moved down the Jetained, firing was discontinued, and they re- rusalem plank-road at double-quick, and Colonel ceived a cordial invitation to come in. Collis, with the Provisional brigade from headThe number of prisoners taken was one hun-quarters of the army, moved down in the same dred and sixty-six, and thirty-six wounded were direction. Selecting a suitable position, they brought off the ground. The remainder of the deployed across and to the right of the road, four hundred must have been either killed or and threw up a line of breastworks, which were too badly wounded to get away, as the men cap- held throughout the night, but no enemy aptured say none went back. Many of the pris-peared to molest them. oners appeared to be rather pleased than sad at the lot which had befallen them. One, a sergeant, exclaimed fervently as he jumped into our intrenchments, "Thank God, I'm a white man again," a rather emphatic way of announcing that he considered himself released from slavery in becoming a prisoner. Everything is extremely quiet to-night. Three or four times since dark I have heard the report of cannon and a little musketry, but now I hear no sound more warlike than that of horses browsing in the bushes near where I write, and a single wagon rattling over corduroys a quarter of a mile away; not the sound of a single Another one, a captain, expressed the opinion gun, large or small, for the last half hour. The that the entire brigade to which he belonged heat to-day has been intense, and the dust rises would come in, if they could do so without be-in clouds, which envelop everything. ing fired on. It is worthy of remark, that the men appear to be chiefly South Carolinians, and, judging by the feelings they express, one would infer that the State which inaugurated the war was ready to cry, "hold, enough;" but these men are of the poorer class, and their views and feelings are entirely distinct from those of the wealthy oligarchy who rule them, and wield them for the accomplishment of their own aims, by combining a system of the most shameless mendacity with a rigorous exercise of power. Some of the prisoners taken this morning say they have been told constantly that the Yankees, if successful, will reduce them to a condition almost worse than that of the slaves, compelling them to work for seven pence a day, or whatever they may see fit to give. I was particularly struck by the naturalness and evident sincerity of the reply made by a wounded rebel to some one who inquired whether he came into the army on his own inclination. No, indeed," he answered, "I ought to be home plowing corn this very hour." The look of care in his eye, as he said this, betrayed anxious thoughts of his distant wife and children, and the crops he had planted wilting under the hot sun for want of his culture. 66 Yesterday afternoon General Wright, with the Sixth corps, made a movement to the left, and reached the Weldon railroad, of which he destroyed some five miles. Fires were built along it, which destroyed the ties, and, at the same time, warped the iron so as to unfit it for future use. Having accomplished his object, he returned to his former position. Toward evening a report was brought in that a heavy column of the enemy was moving off toward our FIELD BEFORE PETERSBURG, } The Weldon and Petersburg railroad was seized early this morning by the Sixth corps, without any opposition to speak of being offered by the enemy. Yesterday a party sent out to destroy the road were set or by Anderson's division, of A. P. Hill's corps, and driven off disastrously. This morning we take and hold it unmolested. What can be the enemy's reason for thus deserting this important point, has been the cause of much speculation. A party advancing against the road, at seven o'clock this morning, discovered that it had been abandoned by the enemy. Reinforcements were immediately sent them, and the road is now in our possession. While moving down reinforcements on the line of the railroad, the enemy opened with artillery on them. General Birney, commanding the Second corps, soon silenced the battery in a very peculiar manner, by throwing shells into the city. He has found this a very effective way to force them to cease firing. A mulatto, who has just come into our lines, reports Petersburg to be filled with people, all the inhabitants within a radius of ten miles having fled to the city for shelter and provisions. The latter are furnished by the commissary department, who issue to them, as well as to the troops, half rations daily. The report of the disaster which befell a portion of the Second corps, on the twenty-second, appears to have been rather modest. Instead of simply meeting with a reverse on that unfortunate day, one entire brigade (General Pearce's), and part of another, were "gobbled" |