The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1864-09-09

, annexed full and interesting account Q
I the battle which occurred on the Weldoi
Railroad near that city;
BY direction of the Commanding Gen
eral, Lieutenant General A. T. Hill
started from camp, near Petersburg OF
, "Wednesday evening, upon grand Hank
movement according to the opinions D
the unofficial wiseacres in and out q
camp This, however, was true only
partially. General Hill had no purpose
n to attack the enemy who are holding
the road ia our front just out Of town
His object WIS TO engr ge the force ol
the enemy which it was well ascertained
were engaged in tearing up the track Of
the Weldon railroad between the point oi
their occupation just below the city and
Ream's station, which is some ten on
twelve miles below the city.
/ The forces engaged ii this ex pedition
\ began their move aboht three ~ 'alpek =.
NJ. going'by theway ofthe Boydton plank
load some three and half miles; then
DETECTING to the left at Harmon's house,
they passed on to Armstrong; mills,
eight miles below the city, where they
encamped for the night. EARLY next
morning the troops were again in posi-
| tion, and advanced as far as Monks
| Neck bridge, three miles from Ream's
station, and parallel to it. Here the
column halted until one o'clock, await
ing the result Of the cavalry reconnaissance
which Geneaal Hampton was then
| making in order to determinate the
strength and position of the enemy
About III O'clock, the cavalry under
General Hampton engaged the enemy's
| olpx, fo ,f,,r oh Iao
below ReaIns Station, and steadily press
ed them back, on q road parallel with
the railroad, to Malone's station. AS
soon as Lieutenant General A. ?. Hill
learned that our cavalry had pressed the
enemy back to Malone's station, he or
dered General Hampton to connect his
cavalry with the left Of our infantry and
to prepare for an assault Of the enemy's
works on the western side of the railroad,
in front of Rcams' station. About two
O'Clock, all arrangements being compile
ted, Lieutenant General Hill ordered the
| line forward, and the command was
promptly obeyed. The line thus formed
and in motion, was preceded by two
squadrons of the Seventh Virginia cav
airy, under Meutenant-Colo Marshall,
of Fauquier. This little body drove the
cnemy's pickets back in gallant style into
their rifle pits, in sight of the enemy's
main line Of battle.
Tn this affair Col. Marshall was slightly
wounded. Having arrived in front of the
enemy's line Of works, General Hill de-
termined to assault them at once, and,
accordingly, ordered Mai Gen. Wilcox
to take two brigades and assault the en-
emy's works. Scales North Carolina)
and Anderson's (Georgia) bfigades were
selected for theework In hand The dis
positions being made, the order TO ad-
vance was given, and the troops moved
gsissIt ais is-sa riviila in. witas
ease, and with greet eiF Il lisissn1, fissA so
envy $ skirmishers and sAarpshooters At
the moment they began their advance,
the enemy opened with their artillery
and musketry most rapidly. The result
briefly told, was that our columns were
repulsed.
General Hill was determined, however,
not to give up the struggle WITHOUT an
other effort 10 dislodge tho enemy. Ac-
cordingly, General Heth was ordered for
ward with Cooks and McCrae's North
Carolina hrigades, 1.-THE Inter Pettigrewis
old brigade, and Lanes North Carolina
brigade, (Wilcox's division, commanded
by Cornner of South Carolina, was ORDER
ed to unite in the. charge. Mcftowan's
brigade was on the extreme right enga-
ging the enemy's pickbts and sharpshoot-
ers. Tho second charge was made some-
what to the right Of the point where the
first was engaged, !. but still veay near it
The second assaulting column was formed
Lane on the left, Cook in the centre,
and McCrae on the right. Again, about
s p. m, everything being arranged, and
our officers having gone repeatedly. up |
and down the lines and encouraged Tie |
men, telling them what they had to do |
and what obstacles they would meet, the |
order was given, and the men bounded |
forward with yell that made the wellsn
fairly ring again, apd plainly told, in adj
vance, OF q determination to achieve
success which could scarcely fail of grand
results.
And now the enemy, having massed /
their artillery, pour forth deadly, raking
FIRE of shot, she'll, grape, shrapnel and
canister; but our brave men heed it not,
and press Onward, determined to win
victory fall in the effort. The ahatlis
and undergrowth in front OF the enemy's
works had to be parted and avenues for
entrance made in the face Of deadly |
as well as artillery fire, but our
braves, needless Of all danger and resolv-
ed on those works, push aside the brush |
and destroy the abattis, snd reach the
works in small squads and not in lne.-
Here vigorous hand TO hand light en-
sued over the works, with pistols, bayo-
nets and tho butt ends of the muskets,
until sufiiciency OF our force hal gotten
up to form the line Of battle anew then,
springing over the enemy's works, they !
swept rapidly down lhenl, capturing anu
before them all of the enemy's
force engaged in the fight to a point some
distaxce southeast OF Reanls' station; and
in order to encourage their hasty retreat,
and TO increase their speed, whilst so
Iaudably engaged, our infantry boys
manned the artillery which We captured
and poured into the retreating foe ra-
king fire.
And here, at Reams's station. Just as
daylight was fast passing away, the fight
ended with the following results; I he
enemy driyen from q mile ard q hall, at
least, Of their lines, and their breast
works Constructed doubtless for per
manent ocoupationl wrestca from them.
wilha loss Of, at this writing. nineteen |
hundred prisoners, representing al four
divisions Of Haueoet eTeek elnEps. in