The New York herald., 1863-07-08


details Of the grand assault shs saemys vorks At
y,cksburg this Afternoon. socuad just roady
70 leave and take Advantage Of the snservh until her
departure 70 add scms particulars.
PRELIMINARY orxsAnoss
To understand clearly Tue of the day it
may be well TO preface with short description OF the
rebel works In rorealing TO vcsburg the rcbos tcok
possession Of chain OF hills which In the eepera
outline OF eipsc around the city, and these they
Immediately fortified, at tine sarus time correction;
them by liEe Of earth and breas,v5ro hsrdiy
Inferior 10 strength to the fortified hills them
selves. The centre OF this line protruded considerably
into the position taken by General Grant and was in
fact the largest h OF the chain Tho crest o. this was
rapidly converted into formidable earthwok. which
the rebels amply supplied with artillery and knowing
that afforded the key TO the remaining works It WAS
strengthened by every means within their power our
forces, however,, by night approaches succeeded IN
planting artillery 10 that lay by day is guns
sienced, until at length became tenaole only by
the OF sharpshooters who from the cover Of the
rife pits constructed the opposite slope and just below
the edge Of the summit. kept up CALLING fire on those Of
forces who within sight and range. 10 elect
breach in the line Of works at this point became
part General GRANTS plan and accordingly the sappers
and miners commenced operations. TO
dwell upon the progress made BY them, a. 1T was
daily recorded by your correspondents Suffice IL
10 cay that, with the support of . line Of
parallels, tho approach TO the founcation Of the
fort was made by trenches and covered ways until
mine constructed In the very heart Of the hill
Singular TO say whie rsbcl rifles cracking away
the top Union spades excavatng thirty feet below
In an almost perpendicular ne Ng #H
fMgeWft THH EXPLOSION or THE MIMI.
This morning the work was completed, IN immense
quantity Of powder stored in the cavity prepared 70
receive il, and the fuse train was laid At noon tho DIFF
regiments q the Seventeenth corps selected 70
make the assault upon the breach when ii should have
been eeoted were arshaed In long lines upon the
slopes Of the bills Immediately confronting the doomed
rebel f0tifcaons where disposed for sae attack they
impatienty awaited the denoaeme The rebels seemed
TO discover that some movement foot, for from
the moment our troops into position until tho
poson took place their sharpshooers kept up inces
SAINT fire from the whole line OF shoir works
AT length all was in readiness; the fuse train was
fired, and It went nzzing and popping through the
zgzag line Of trenches, until for a moment II
vanished. It's disappearance quickly succeeded by
the explosion, and the mine sprung SO terrible
spectacle is seldom Witnessed Dust, dirt smoke gabions
stockades, timber, gun carriages logsin fact, every
thing connected with the orrose hundreds Of feet into
the air, II vomited forth from volcano. Some who
close spectators say that they the bodies
the poor wretches who moment before lined the ram
parts OF the work.
CHAR0K OF GENERAL a'pFERs0s's TROOPS
simultaneously with the firing of the fuse
tlery opened from tho entire semi-crcle of batteries
and its thundes we'll nigh drowned the noise OF
posion Of the mine Hardly had tho smoke cleared on
the al ing fragments Of tho ground whom
at the word with terrific yell troops started on
the charge. Up the slope they went at the ''double
quick turned the summt and running down upoa the
other side, dashed at the breach. How far they pene
ated lam mot yet That the rebels were pre-
sent in force to check their progress at the gap was
dent from the fact that they there met BY wther
ing voley Of musketry The smoke Of the contest soon
enveloped the The musketry became louder and
louder aud for three hours has continued In
ceasng rattle, inermingled a times with the heavier and
thunder like. .peas Of the artillery.
In my nextI hope to record for you victorious con-
clusion TO this days work
~ YAxoo RIyxR, Juno 2e-8A NJ
The news from the front this morning 10 that the
charge Of our troops yesterday afternoon entirely
successful They hold the breach, though the victory
not without terrible loss, including many Of
hcers. Seven picked regiments Of General McPhersons
corps constituted the assaulting party. Among the
killed Colonel Moancthon Smith, Of the Forty fifth
Illinois, which is famsrly known as the "Lead Mius'
regiment. The Major Of the same regiment Is also
among the killed.
Twsnty-n barrels Of powder were placed In tho
mine to oeot the blowing up Of the fort. Tho gap
veals complete view Of the city and Of the river be-
yond Two Of our heaviest pieces Of artillery
mand the city at point blank range Ammunition is
going forward that may iook for renewal Of tho
attack a any moment
Mr. Charles ii. Farrell's Dispatches.
NEAR TnRrxnm ARMY CoRrs, !
LETT WING. ARMY or TIE MISSISSIPPI,
vIcxsEuRo, June 20, 1868.
susy DAT WITH Im ARMY
Tho day opened clear and warm--somethng Of the tenn
perasure OF August day New York. Before daylight
and for the space Of hours the enemy opened brisk
artillery nre directed the right Of this corps They
appeared to be desirous Of paying old one
Of our batteries at that point Tho only result attained
by was an immense waste Of powder and shell by the
rebels. Not injured by the rebe, ebullticn Of
temper.
orr BATTERIES oras
Shortly stsr daylight the LEFT wing opened are on tho
enemys rife pits and the new works being
cd BY them. Our sharpshootcu not idle. The enc
my returned tho Ere very slowly at first, bu, times
would redouble their efforts.
IHE NAVAL BOATS.
The naval 1eet gunboats and mortar boats acted In
concert with the batteries on loft wing and kept
very regular and apparently effective re the enemy
OR BATTERIES CRASH uRis0
At noon order from General Grant br our bat
teres 10 firing, which Of course was promptly
obcyed The object Of the order will appear 10 the follow.
| Ing paragraphs
l oouP p'ErAr os RkHKls
Tho event having happened, now at lIborty to
state that for several weeks past our engineers
| In the centre column General Mclnorsons) have
| been sssiduousy engaged in sappng and mining
the enemys principal fort, situate the highest hill
in this vicinity The particulars o the work and how n
accomplished leave TO be narrated by the HKRIps
correspondent, with MCPhcrscns corps. The officers m
high rank Informed carly In tns day that at four
O'Clock p. u. the mine constructed BY US under tho
sucmy's principal fort would BE- sprung and that the
event would be the signal for svsy gun position Along
entire besiegng ne ten miles. to open AMI seep up
| . brisk IRE on the sosmyn wOsgs.
All QuIE5 AIowG LINZ.
\ From twelve O'Clock, noon, until four oclok r N