The Sun.
London, England, 1864-08-17 00:00:00

account says that Col. Marshall, of the Ist division,
had the advance, but as the terrific mass of earth
loomed up so suddenly and so near them a momen-
tary fear was felt that it was one of our own forts
which had been mined by the enemy. The delusion
was an optical one, but still had its effect in restrains
ing the impetus of the first onset. I will not say
the men became panicstricken, but they hesitated,
and the line of battle swayed. At last the efforts
of the officers prevailed, and the brigade—but not
until some five or 10 minutes had elapsed—charged
with a wild cheer. The Ist brigade, under the gale
lent Bartlett, was at their heels, and together Les-
lie's whole division charged through the breach.
"What few of the enemy were near by surrendered
without a shot. The breach was filled with rebels,
who were struggling to clamber out of the sand.
These, more fortunate than their comrades, had been
but partially buried. A detail was rapidly made,
and our men Went to work to exhume all they could,
really as anxious now to disinter all whom a few
minutes before they had been anxious to bury. As
fast as extricated the rebels, with the other priso-
ners, were sent to the rear, the wounded to the hos-
pitals, where they arrived with the first of our own
injured. Indeed the one ambulance was often filled
with Union and rebel soldiers indiscriminately.
Following came the 35th Regiment of Massachu-
setts, the engineers of the division, who set to work
with their tools to reverse the slope of the rebel line
of intrenchments and open up a covered way to the
works behind. Their efforts, however, were but
vainly employed, as the sequel shows. The coloured
troops, upon the heels of this repulse, were ordered
to charge, and they moved out gallantly, A hun-
dred yards gained and they wavered. Then the 39th
Maryland Regiment, which led, became panic-
stricken and broke through to the rear, spreading
demoralisation swiftly. Their officers urged them,
entreated them, threatened them, but failed to rally
them, and the mass, broken and shattered, swept
back like a torrent into the crater which was
already choked with white troops. The con-
fusion incident to this wholesale crowding
and crushing of the negro soldiers into the ranks of
the white troops very nearly caused the panic to
spread. Had such been the result, it might have
been fortunate, and many a brave fellow who after-
wards fell might have escaped his fate. But at the
moment the rebel fire, which had been murderously
directed upon the place, materially slackened, and
the white soldiers recovered their stamina. Our
lines were once more straightened, and just in time
to check an impetuous charge, which was after•
wards repeated, and with a similar result of heavy
loss to the assailants. Another account says that
in rear of the main column of attack the coloured
division had been formed, with a view to passing
the other divisions when they had gained the outer
line, and making this a starting pcint for the con-
tinuance of the charge. The first division held the
centre, with the second and third on either flank,
and now the fourth advanced beyond. The troops
were in two columns, each brigade constituting a
column. Their splendid discipline could not but be
observed, and in the early part of the contest no
soldiers behaved more gallantly. They charged
upon the next and an interior line of the enemy,
and for a time gained decided advantages, as is at-
tested in two rebel figs which they captured and
brought off with them. But the rebels, exasperated
as we know them now to have been at sight of the
negroes, fought with the fury of devils, and rein-
forcements coming to their aid—our signal officers
counted six brigades hurried from a camp beyond
the town—the tide of battle turned. The coloured
troops gave way, broke in confusion, when the
rebels, having repulsed their charge, charged them
n turn, and then they ran, a terror.stricken, dis-
ordered mass of fugitives, to the rear of the white
troops. In vain their officers endeavoured to rally
them with all the persuasion of tongue, sabre, and
pisiol. Whatever discredit attaches to the troops
themselves, their officers are 'beyond reproach. A
correspondent of the World, in a special des
spatch dated on Monday, says when the negro
troops were ordered forward their officers took
the lead, and from the manner in which they
started it was believed they would easily ac-
complish thfAr task. On arriving at the first line,
however, they seemed to waver and hesitate, and
finally, the great mass took position behind the
earthworks and in the fort where the other divisions
were massed. Quite a number, however, kept on
their course, and those who were not killed or
wounded were taken prisoners before they could
sive themselves. As soon as the rebels discovered
the line halting they made a desperate charge, which
was as fiercely met by volleys from the white troops,
while the negroes fled in wild disorder to the rear.
Many a brave officer lost his life while doing his
utmost to rally them, and although portions of them
were got together and led forward by these gallant
men, they could not induce them to attempt another
charge, while it is said by many
that they broke no
less than three times, each time suffering the most
frightful loss. The enemy's batteries were so placed
as to enfilade the ground over which they had gone,
and perfect showers of canister were sent among
them each moment they were in range. It soon
became evident that the effort to carry the hill was
useless, EO much time having been lost in trying to
get this division to do the work ; and about 9 o'clock
the order was given to hold as much of the ground
in our possession as possible,
while the remainder
was to be evacuated. As soon as this became known
everybody felt that the entire object of the movement
had been defeated. And now the victorious flushed
enemy bore down upon.the white divisions, and the
shock was a fearful one. The headlong charge was
stayed and repulsed again and again. Numbers of
our men had huddled into the crater of the exploded
fort, and the enemy's
mortar shells burst among
them, causing a large sacrifice of life. The enemy
at the same time pressed the flanks of our army with
infantry and enfiladed them with artillery. At
length came the order to fall back, but it was not
accomplished without an additional and heavy loss
in prisoners. Generals Griffin and HartranPft nar-
rowly escaped. General Bartlett, less fortunate,
is in the enemy's hands. He had been advised to
retire at a time when ho could have done so in
comparative safety, but ho waited with his brigade
to the last moment, and eventually became a priso-
ner. He went into the fight with his cane, and it is
reported that his wooden leg was twice hit by the
enemy's bullets. His bravery is the subject of uni-
versal corntricnt throughout the corps, and his caps
lure is deeply regretted. General Grant was at the
front during the entire fight, as was also Genera
Meade. Lee was without doubt completely out-
manoeuvred, and but for the remarkable rapidity of
his movements and a combination of unfortunate
circumstances Would have met with a.'severe reverse.
By a series of stratagems and the marching and
countermarching of the 2d Corps General Grant had
entirely deceived his opponent, and a large number
of troops were withdrawn from our front and taken
to the north bank of the James to oppose Hancock
and Sheridan. The moment these generals com-
menced falling back to rejoin Grant, Lee returned
his troops with all the rapidity in his power, but
would stil', hey° been too late but for that series of
eircumstaacea that sometimes arises to frustrate the
best laid plans. At the time correspondence left
Petersburg only a very general idea of the losses
sustained could be formed. The Herald correspona
dent says that ' the killed and wounded number cer-
tainly not more than 1800, and fully 1000 prisoners
have been taken. A number of our wounded fell
into the enemy's hauds. About 30 of the coloured
troops were captured. 'What the enemy's loss is we
do not know ; but we have about 400 prisoner s-
The Times' correspondent says that the losses on
both sides were very severs. The wounded in the
hospitals are more than 1,000. Probably 1,800
were taken prisoners, and the killed would swell
the list:nuterially. The losses in Lallie's division
are roughly put at frets 1,200 to 1,500, though there
etc no correct means ofgctting at the facto es yet.
Compf.tentit!Ows say that the (ley's, operation ht,s
cost us between 4,000 anti 5,000 men, Tho negro
division &en lost 53 eflicers."

The cOl%-opolidect ,of the Neto York Tribune

hays:--

"Everybody who witnessed the transaction cony
ears in saying that it was most miserably managed ;
that the rebels had not oum-fifth of oar force within
their breastworks ; and th.at the rest of the army
were silent .spectators of the scene of slaughter.