the mouth of the Appomattox River. Immediately upon landing, the troops intrenched themselves, with the gunboats covering their flank on the water. On the same day, Gen. Butler sent the following despatch relative to his proceedings to Gen. Grant:

OFF CITY POINT, VA., May 5, 1864.

Lieutenant-General Grant, Commanding Armies of the United States, Washington, D. C.: We have seized Wilson's Wharf Landing. A brigade of Wild's colored troops are there. At Fort Powhatan Landing two regiments of the same brigade have landed. At City Point Hinks' division, with the remaining troops and battery, have landed. The remainder of both the 18th and 10th army corps are being landed at Bermuda Hundred, above the Appomattox.

No opposition experienced thus far. The movement was apparently a complete surprise. Both army corps left Yorktown during last night. The Monitors are all over the bar at Harrison's Landing and above City Point. The operations of the fleet have been conducted to-day with energy and success. Gens. Smith and Gilmore are pushing the landing of the Gen. Graham, with the army gunboats, led the advance during the night, capturing the signal

men.

station of the rebels.

Col. West, with eighteen hundred cavalry, made several demonstrations from Williamsburg yesterday morning. Gen. Kautz left Suffolk this morning, with his cavalry, for the service indicated during the

conference with the Lieutenant-General.

The New York, flag of truce boat, was found lying at the wharf, with four hundred prisoners, whom she had not time to deliver. She went up yesterday We are landing troops during the night-a hazardous service in the face of the enemy.

morning.

BENJ. F. BUTLER, Maj.-Gen. Commanding. A. F. PUFFER, Captain and A. D. C.

Gen. Kautz, above mentioned, left Suffolk on the 5th, and forcing a passage over the Black Water, advanced to Stony Creek, on the Weldon and Petersburg Railroad, and burned the bridge over that stream. A part of the force of Gen. Beauregard moving from Charleston to Richmond, had previously crossed over, and contested the further progress of Gen. Kautz, who then moved through Surry and Prince George counties to City Point, which he reached on the 8th.

On the 5th, also, Col. West, with two regiments of cavalry-the 1st and 2d colored-made a demonstration on Williamsburg, above Yorktown, on the Peninsula. He advanced to the Pamunkey River, stopping at the White House, and returned to Williamsburg on the next night. On the 7th he advanced over nearly the same ground again, but met with more opposition, than on his previous expedition. Subsequently his force was embarked on transports, and landed at Bermuda Hundred.

On the 6th, Gen. Butler caused reconnoissances to be made of the position of the enemy. On the 7th, an expedition consisting of five brigades under Brig.-Gen. Brooks was sent forward for the purpose of cutting the Petersburg and Richmond Railroad. When within two miles of the railroad, the cavalry advance came on the enemy in a strong position, from which they opened fire upon the mounted rifles.

The cavalry fell back to the infantry line, which deployed as skirmishers, and slowly advanced with a strong support in line of battle. The enemy were now steadily driven, with some loss to both sides, back to their main line in front of the railroad. Here a sharp contest took place, during which some of the railroad was torn up, and a railroad bridge, crossing one of the tributaries of the Appomattox, was set on fire and totally consumed. The increase of the force of the enemy finally compelled Gen. Brooks to retire, leaving some of his dead and wounded on the field, and with an estimated loss of two hundred and fifty.

At the same time when Gen. Brooks' main column started, a brigade under Gen. Heckman, with Belger's Rhode Island battery, moved out on another road, and meeting a force of the enemy, drove them back on the railroad, but were unable to penetrate far.

The Petersburg and Weldon Railroad was supposed to be an important route by which For the supplies were brought to Richmond. purpose of disabling this line more effectually, another advance was made on the 9th.

Three divisions from the 10th corps, under Gens. Terry, Ames, and Turner, and two from the 18th, under Gens. Weitzel and Wistar, moved from camp at daylight, and reached the railroad at four points without opposition. Gen. Terry's division occupied Chester station, about fourteen miles from Richmond, and destroyed the track. Gen. Turner moved on his left toward Petersburg, until he came up with Gen. Ames' division, each destroying the road. Four miles was thus finished before noon, and the column began to move toward Petersburg, the division of Gen. Weitzel leading the advance. The enemy were met near Swift Creek. A desultory skirmish began, which was continued until the line of battle was formed and pushed forward. The fire on both sides then increased, and artillery was brought into a tion. Gen. Ames' division formed on the left, then Gens. Weitzel's, Turner, and Terry in the order named. The enemy were steadily driven back, with considerable loss on both sides. At night the enemy had fallen back to their batteries across the creek, and the skirmishers confronted each other on opposite sides. During the night the enemy formed in a column, and advanced about one o'clock, either to test the strength of the pickets, and to determine if the force had been withdrawn, or to capture a battery. The pickets on their approach fell back to the main line; and as they came well up, a destructive fire of musketry was opened upon them. Three charges were thus made in the dark, and repulsed, when the enemy withdrew, leaving sixty dead on the field. In the morning they made an attack upon the right flank, for the purpose of turning it, but without success: In the afternoon a similar attack was made on the left, which was repulsed with some loss on both sides. At night the forces had returned to their original

position. The 11th was a day of quiet and rest to the army save that portion engaged in strengthening the intrenchments.

On Thursday, the 12th, a heavy force from both corps was sent out, under Gens. Gillmore and Smith, and at the same time an expedition of cavalry, under Gen. Kautz, for the purpose of cutting the railroad communication between Richmond and Danville. Leaving a sufficient force under Gen. Ames to watch the enemy at Petersburg, Gen. Gillmore advanced on the left up the railroad toward Chester station and Richmond. Gen. Smith, with the 18th corps and a division of the 10th, advanced in the same direction on the right, up the turnpike between the railroad and the James River. A little above Werbottom church the skirmishers in advance met the enemy and drove them back a mile or more. They then made a determined stand in a strong position, and a sharp engagement ensued. Finally the enemy retired slowly to a new position, where they again made a stand, and were again driven from it. The skirmishing continued until dark, when the command of Gen. Smith had advanced to Proctor's Creek, within about three miles of Fort Darling, and within sight of that work. The weather during the day was hot and sultry, and a number of cases of sunstroke occurred.

Meanwhile Gen. Gillmore moved from his position to Chester Junction, and thence up the railroad toward Richmond, reaching Chesterfield Court House, on the enemy's right, without any real opposition. Continuing his advance, and diverging still further to the right, he reached a formidable earthwork, stretching from west of the railroad across to the James River, which was strongly constructed, and well supplied with embrasures for artillery. This proved to be the outer line of defence about Fort Darling. The movement of Gen. Smith had caused the enemy to concentrate in his front, so that no heavy force appeared before Gen. Gillmore. Throwing forward the 24th Massachusetts and 10th Connecticut as skirmishers, with some sharpshooters and a battery or two in position to annoy the enemy and occupy his attention, Gen. Gillmore sent the brigade of Col. Hawley through the woods on the right, which surprised the enemy and entered the right flank of the work in the rear. The enemy made a sharp resistance, but were driven to the rear by the brigade of Col. White advancing and occupying the line. Finding their position turned by this movement, the enemy on the next morning-Saturday, the 14th-under cover of a vigorous demonstration, abandoned the whole line, and withdrew to the second, a stronger line of works, about threefourths of a mile distant.

A despatch of Gen. Butler on the morning of the 14th says:

We are still before the base of the enemy's works at Drury's Bluff, Fort Darling. The enemy are here

in force.

Gen. Gillmore, by a flank movement with a portion of his corps and a brigade of the 18th corps, assaulted and took the enemy's works on their right. It was gallantly done. The troops behaved finely. We held our lines during the night, and shall move this morning.

Two hours later he added:

Gen. Smith carried the enemy's first line on the right this morning at 8 A. M. Loss small. The enemy have retired into three square redoubts, upon which we are now bringing our artillery to bear with effect.

The redoubts into which the enemy had retired commanded the outer line of their defences, and it was necessary that Gen. Butler should obtain possession of these to enable him to secure his position. His artillery was therefore brought to bear upon them, and with the aid of the sharpshooters the enemy's guns were silenced. About 9 P. M. the enemy attempted to advance on Gen. Butler's line near the Petersburg turnpike, but after a short engagement they withdrew within their work. On the next day, at noon, they again advanced, and attacked Gen. Heckman's brigade; a contest with musketry ensued, which continued for four hours, when they withdrew within their works. On the next morning, Monday, May 16th, under cover of a thick fog, the enemy made an attack on the line of Gen. Butler. The attack was made on the right, with cavalry, artillery, and infantry. The extreme right next the James River was held by Gen. Heckman's brigade. Next the river were two squadrons of colored cavalry, then came the 9th New Jersey infantry, then the 23d Massachusetts, then the 25th and 27th Massachusetts, all of Heckman's brigade, of Weitzel's division, of Gen. Smith's corps. Gen. Gillmore's corps held the left and left centre. The line of battle was the fortifications, except on the extreme right, where they did not extend down to the river. Prominent among the batteries on the right was battery E of the 3d New York artillery, of twenty-pounder Parrotts, and the 1st Rhode Island battery. On the right, in reserve, Col. Drake's brigade of the 10th corps was temporarily posted. A narrow belt of timber screened the reserves from the view of the enemy on the right. The advance of the enemy reached the rear of the 9th New Jersey before the attack was made. Gen. Heckman finding he could not hold his position, began to fall back. The enemy, however, charged upon him in overwhelming numbers, and his force was broken and driven from the field, and he was made a prisoner. At the same time a force of the enemy moved down the turnpike, and attempted to surprise Ashby's battery of twenty-pounder Parrott's. Most of the guns were saved, but the loss was heavy in men. The Rhode Island battery also lost one gun. Having forced back the right, a heavy attack was made on the entire line of the 18th corps, with feints along the line of the 10th corps; and the entire right was forced back some distance after several hours of severe and sanguinary conflict. The loss was severe

on both sides in killed and wounded, and some prisoners were taken. After thus gaining a portion of their first line of intrenchments, the enemy massed their forces on the 10th corps to drive it back. Repeated charges were made, which were desperately resisted and driven back at all points. Finally, ceasing their efforts to force the position of the 10th corps, and leaving their dead and wounded on the field before its line, the enemy again massed on Gen. Smith's front and attacked his left. Gen. Gillmore immediately ordered Gen. Turner to attack the enemy on their flank, and also ordered Gen. Terry to support him. Gen. Turner's attack had hardly commenced, before Gen. Gillmore was ordered by Gen. Butler to retire and strengthen Gen. Smith's corps by forming in his rear. The troops fell back slowly and in order, repulsing every attempt of the enemy to quicken their movements, until they ceased to follow up and fell back to their first line of intrenchments. At half-past two o'clock the fighting, which had been going on with more or less violence along the whole line, ceased, and preparations were made by Gen. Butler to draw off his forces from the field and return to his intrenchments. The artillery was sent to the rear, except a section to cover the rear guard. The ambulances, loaded with wounded, and the supply trains, were despatched to the rear, and finally the entire army fell back. The enemy did not pursue. During the action of the morning, a brigade of the enemy attacked the force guarding the extreme left on the roads from Petersburg under Col. Dobbs, and after a sharp struggle drove him back toward Gen. Butler's intrenchments, but finally gave up the pursuit. The loss of Gen. Butler was estimated at twentyfive hundred. That of the enemy was severe, but the amount unknown.

The despatch relative to the above operations was as follows:

WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, May 17, 9 r. M. Major-General Dic: Despatches from Gen. Butler, just received, report the success of his expedition under Gen. Kautz, to

cut the Danville road and destroy the iron bridge

across the Appomattox.

On Monday morning the enemy in force, under cover of a thick fog, made an attack upon Smith's line, and forced it back in some confusion and with considerable loss. But as soon as the fog lifted, Gen. Smith reestablished his lines, and the enemy was driven back to his original lines.

At the same time the enemy made an attack from Petersburg on Gen. Butler's forces guarding the rear, but were handsomely repulsed.

on the field.

The troops having been on incessant duty for five days, three of which were in a rain storm, Gen. Butler retired leisurely within his own lines. We hold the railroad between Petersburg and Richmond. Persons state that Bragg and Davis were present EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. The cavalry expedition under Gen. Kautz returned on the 17th. On the night of the day on which he started, Gen. Kautz reached Midlothian coal-pits, where he remained an

hour. No injury was done to public property here, but a considerable amount of private property was destroyed. Thence he proceeded to Coalfield station, where he arrived between 10 and 11 o'clock. The depot building and water-tank here were destroyed, the telegraph wire torn down, and some hundred feet of the railroad track ripped up. Thence he advanced at daylight upon Powhatan station, which was reached at 8 A. M. The railroad was torn up, and the depot and water-tank destroyed. An advance was next made to destroy the iron bridge at Mattaox station. This was found to be too strongly guarded by the enemy, and the column turned to the right and reached Goode's bridge about 4 P. M. This bridge had been partly destroyed, but was repaired by Gen. Kautz, who pushed on and reached Chula station at 10 P. M. The enemy sent a locomotive from Mattaox to reconnoitre, which was captured and destroyed. On the morning of the 14th the column faced about and recrossed Goode's bridge, approaching Mattaox. Here a fight took place with the enemy, who were in a strong position, and after a loss of about thirty Gen. Kautz retired. The column now moved to the south, and crossed the Appomattox at Devil's bridge, which they were compelled to rebuild, reaching Finney Mill at 12 M. Here the 5th Pennsylvania, under command of Maj. Kleinz, was sent to the left near to Mansboro', on the road to Petersburg, to convey the impression that Gen. Kautz was about to move on that point. The march was then resumed, and, arriving within six miles of the Petersburg and Lynchburg road, Gen. Spear was sent with his brigade to destroy the road at Wilson's station, while the main column moved on to Wellville, where they arrived at about 4 P. M. After waiting patiently until 5 P. M. for a train that was due at that hour from Petersburg, but which did not come, Gen. Spear destroyed the railroad property at Wilson's, and, moving up the road, rejoined Gen. Kautz at Wellville, just as the latter had finished tearing up the track and burning the depot.

The column arrived at Black's and White's at

10 P. M., and found large supplies of forage and rations. These were dealt out with a liberal hand to the exhausted men and horses; and the track and other railroad and government property having been destroyed, the force moved a few miles further on, and bivouacked at 2 A. M.

On the 15th, at 7 A. M., the column set out for Lawrenceville, and after a long march, passing through Jonesborough and Edmonds, arrived at that place at dusk. A large amount of property was destroyed here, and large quantities of corn and bacon distributed to the men. At daylight the march was resumed with the intention of striking the Petersburg road at Hickford. Finding a strong force of the enemy at Stony Point ready to receive him, Gen. Kautz turned directly north. After marching eight or ten miles, the advance came to a stand in the centre of an immense pine forest.