Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-05-05


l. became evident thai the fighting to he done then
and there. We quickened steps, and on emerging
from he wood, Immediately formed in line OF bat
tie a. d ordered forward.
The evening had become dusk, aud objects could
b. ba' indsnctivsy seen by The moonlight struggling
nth tue fading CLEAN Of day. We were about to charge
methiug somebody, but what where it was We
entirely ignorant Of Tee at this Tina was
splendid The rafting Of musketry and crash OF
artillery incessanl while the ash from the guns
and the fiery train of the Kissing shells lit up the sky
with their baleful CLEAN, presenting splendid but
CHASTITY pyroec1nical display. Fighting in the daytime
is not pleasant but fighting at night is anything but
agreeable Give me to sie, and Ajsx ssks no more
This was precisely my sentiment that evening When
a strikes blow he likes to where 10 aim it,
Some one has fad that ell towards in the dark.
AN proud to Say that the axiom does not eeem htted
Southern sclo ers, for men ever moved forward
with 6rmer tread or camer or more deliberate meln
than Hoke's and Kemper's did that night with no
other guide than the fash Of the that beched
from the frownng for which now knew to be about
200 yards in front of us but which We could not See
Kempers men had not advanced far, however, before
they we're ordered to face to the LETT and halt The
csuse of this soon explained by yell around on
lett aud front 1t the gal AIT 2lt Ca and 2lst
n O. regiments Of Hokss Brigade charging at double
quick up the fort, which they had been ordered TO
Storm. This was small but formidable work which it
WAS necessary TO secure before We could operate
were 20 feet high, tloping a. on ansle of about
60 degrees, With barbstte guns, S2-pounder
rife pTos gun and II pjuni,r hoSizer ArouI d
this ch 10 feet deep byl2 10 widtp, ossed by
drawbridge Outside OF this eleVedux de trieSe
the most complete ever saw, extending entirely round
the work. 1t seemed iu pc sbe haze to get through
ths place, much less man; but uunber Of the storm
got AL The dsenoss and into the fort not SUI
heieut however to OverpoWer the garrison who fought
with desperation firing muskety from locp-h s. pour
iuerer and ifO
ing baud grenades iuto the trenches among our men.
Infantry, exctps in oyerSh lmng numbers, could not
take place, aud Hokes tell back in good order
leaving a number OF dead aud wounded behind tbe,o.
Among the TO Colonel Mercer, Of the 2lst Ga
regiment, commanding the brigade. lie fell about fifty
yards from the fort. Gen Hoke Immediately ordered
sharpshooers TO be posted within 100 yards OF the for
6caion where they KEEP. up such gaog fire to pre-
vent the gunners from working their pieces, while
elton OF the Fayete battryu imbered within stones
throw and opeued on the enemy ropid and mos:
effective FIRE. The combined assault was so overwhel.
ming that tie enemy could net return single sio
and surrendered about ii o'clock. During this action,
shelf from one Of the Yankee gunbOats explod d a
ca eson OF the Fyette sbattery, killing two men, wound
ing two others, and killing three horses Ths battery
was much exposed, and behaved with great galaotry
throughout The whole affair. Their oss was two killed
aud .urteen wounded-greater than that OF any 9th
battery engaged.
la he mean time previous to the surrender of the
lN.
bet seen it and the towa Gus left joining Hokes right
while Ransom still remained the extreme right OF
the whole line. Here lay down awaiting crders-a
most uucon ortable siuatiod, between two fires,
man IN the 24sa being killed and several wouldtd By
shells from our own artillery. We could not stir abou:
TO keep the Llood 10 circulation; the night very
coli tor the seasol and 70 add to our discomfort the
clothing of almost every man was wet from wadipg
through sgampI Here We shvered until morning,
firing having ceased Nhen about O'clock the death
han nv a tran Iona
welcome sound il was long-e xpected iron dad
ps wing her respects to the Yaokee gunooats. 1t was
ths BE- ginning Of the end To be brei, she sunk two
aud cap ured oil her rsil antagonists number OF
their crews going down-in them. Tne Yankees opened
on her from fort not 200 yards distant with 200
peueder Plrrott quo. 70 be bOness about it, every
shot told ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS fatally | went o.
board of her and saw the damage dVLe. Four shots
had 80 indented the slabs OF iron as to make il nece
sary TO remove ana replsce them with new ones. Two
of them narroRly missed entering her port holss.-
Luz kily however, no serious damage sustained,
a only one man killed, who foolisnly exposed him
self by putting his head cut to- look around fore
the day had fairly daWned, We changed our position
from between the forts to the shelter OF ridge
form ng line at rig angles with the tom; here
Ia, all day and night, awaiting further developments
from the seton OF ,he gunboa which kept up its thur
der at intervals all day, while the guns oil the fort,
which we had captured were turned on the enemy,
ope atiug with our field pieces which were actively en-
the luce SAINT rattle OF their shsrpshooters and roar OF
artillery. Bsore Light "Wednesday morning, we aga II
extended Ice along the position between the forts
Ransom in the meGntlue hal moved round further 10
the righ and gotten rear OF the town, between the
enemy and the liver where they had deemed it
cea airy TO erect fgTiieatons their gulbOats commanding
TIA entire ground Ulforuuaely or them, ram had
pu, theso all horS do combat and Rsnsoms charged
them IN tie rea" With rousng ytll, driving them
back int c!ciunscrioed space and lighting lheM
more upoI grounds equal advantage, wnc the huge
shells iron cur ram hurled against the rear of
their works, icnaer,ng them unlenatl9, as they hai
only been constructed % resist front attack. How
terribly effective ssles are, may be imagined
when tell you tlat one OF them killed and wOuude
Is men and horses D.iven out OF their brtastwoks
by this combined attack upon their rear the Yankees
thres down their guns and poured out into tbs field in
search OF some Gvepu5 OF escape, aud tle place was
ours for the resistance Of s'rong 10 thcaon,
just 1t aud commanding the town, which still Ii Out
obstinatey. This Iust be taken. Tie sems method
was adopted IL lhe assault Monday night. Sharp
shooters kept down their gunners, while Branchs bat
terry passed us at weeping e. lop and look position
within easy pisc shot range aud lberatey oceeded
To dismount her guns. At the third shot, an officer
Jumped on the WALL and waved white haudkerehief
while the stars oud stripes hauled down. A ira
mendous cheer mt M from our men. Tue place Waa
o rsl This a. ten minutes past ten o'clock on
Wednesday morning April ooh. In an hour after
WARDS our men running through the town in pur
-uit OF punder the place having been given over to
pllAgs. VIAToR.
TEE FIVE DOLLAR NOTES.
T.eM,s-n( e Peiegapa says: