, 1864-05-14

excessively hot and eultrT, and our troops
suffered greatly from the sun.
On arriving within two miles Of the rail-
road, our cavalry was met By mounted troops
OF the emmy, who, dismountel, lay hidden
in the heavy nndcsbrush, and opened mur-
dc5ous fire upon Colonel Ondcrdo:k's COM
,aend The lire was returned most yigor-
uu6!y By cur troops, who fell back after eCp-
tying their carbines, to allow the infantry to
advance The foot soldiers we're at once de-
plo. GU as skirmishers, and slowly adv1nced
with !, strong support In line Of battle. The
rebels hctDE tn strong position, made most
detcrmiped resistance, but the sready and he
roic bearing Of our brave fellows and their
we'll directed fire soon compelled them to fall
lack, although very slowly. with q loss about
equally divided, utter IN hours determined
fighting en- the main line in front @! the rail-
road, where they had their Lines oi'5a.tls and
artillery.
General Brooks NOW formed his troops In
line ct battle, with the artillery IN the center,
and advanced slowly and cautiously, On to
the railroad, ready to meet any force the enc
ny might have IN position The rebels BY
this time ha1 massed In great force, and our
. slirmiHhers again met them this side OF the
roi1rcad, their front protected by swamp
and their line strengthened by. heafy ord
nance. The site chosen by the enemy was
one calculated to Withstand almost any at
tack.
The skirmfshcrs soon commenced their
work along the entire line, and In very short
tine our main force came into action. AS our
troops advanced the rebels opened on them
with eight or ten pieces of artillery. Not on-
II were our advancing columns Bhelled, but
grape and canister was showered into the ad-
jactnt woods to drive out our reserves. The
t behavior OF the Union forces challenged the
admiration f their commanders. Every g!!p
made in their ranks Was steedtly ana Htea0s-
]y filled up. The utmost order prevailed, and
11w% f.yfif n ron
stances {nlthough driven back several tfnesl
was there anything like p2uic to be noticed
The wounded we're carefully taken careof,
and carried to the rear. The firing became
more cand more'Revere, and what lrstappeared
like slight skirmtsh, soon assumed the pro"
fierce engagement were undergone by us. The
mrderous shells, vending their way through
the air, scrcechfng like SO many unclaimed
demons, cut the trees asunder, and scattered
opposition offered us by the enemy. the gal.
lant Union troops advanced their line, and
drove the enemy before their murderons and
well directed fire.
Fresh arrivals Of troops, sent BY Gen. But
Ter, strengthened our right, and the enemy
Bas again and again repulscd md driven
back. But we were fighting against odds.
AZ We were reinforced the rebels received ac-
I cessions to their ranks, and regiment after
regiment arrived from Petersburg. Up to
| this moment the principal fighting was done
on the right; it now shifted, and the center
was attacked most turiously, where battle
| raeed with stubborn tenacity. !.
! It became necessary to clear the woods, In
| order to give our artillery m opportunity. to
| 20 into effective action. Pioneers were sent
out to make clearing, and very soon Hunts
artillery was brought into battery on our
left, and BIZ continuous and accurate tire
silenced the rebel batteries who had been an.
moving us so long. Hunts fire caused the
crsmT to shift lis artillery to other positions.
| Our attacking parties suffered greatly, owing
| to tho ground in front of the rebels being
very lilly, and travereed by rayines. Every
| and held BY the enemy, who had every advan-
| tage by being hidden in the undergroWth,
| thus lighting in ambush. Still tho deter
mined manner Of our troops trlumphed, nnd
position after position was carried By storm.
At S o'clock P. m. the rebels were driven
from their strongest hold, behind the rnilroaa
embankment, aud held By us for long time.
/ Here several times VIC gained and lost the
/ railroad, and one time on account OF the am-
munition giving out. We, however, drove
| back superior numbers, and held the road
long enough to accomplish the object We
lows had sacrificed their lives. The bridge
crossing the Appomattox River, seven miles
| from Petersburg, was set on flre and COM
pletely destroycd-tho track torn up for q
long distance this side OF the pFldGe, ana OIL
! erWise rendered useless. Still more lmpor-
tant results were accomplished by this en-
/ EdgemeDt
The enemy opposed us with soma $4,000
men, numbering three to our one, but In the
face of utl these obstacles, we triumphed:
After the accomplishment of the above stated
damage to the railroad, the rebels agafn
1nassGd their forcee, aud our troops were
slowly pressed bnck 4 number of our kill
cd and wounded were necessarily lett behind,
and fell into the hands Of the enemy. Alto
gcther our loss will number between two and
three hundred killed and wounded.
The nature Of the ground tonght over By
Us, being SO utterly unclyilized, gaze our
thing In that line was In favor OF the enemy
1t is sufficient to say that the skill with which
our troops were handled overcaule a!l these
obetaclts and turned the tide Of victory to
Big. Gen c. A. Hickman, in command o.
q division of infantry, supported by BelEer'f
I'd New York battery, moved on another
read, during the progress Of Brooks opera
rationB, aud meeting the enemy routed hlu
rpad Belger's riiled pieces belchcd fortt
their destructive missiles upon the rebel llnet
ut long range, thus interfering greatly will
| the trains bringing heavy reinforcement
. from Petersburg after the battle hud com
mepccd The night previous he had Ugh
with tie enemy, while making a reconnois
eance toward Petersburg, bat being confront
. ! ed by a superior force he retired
THE RAID OF TIE BLACK TROOPERS.
From the n. Y. Tmes.]
: The cavalry brigade, commanded By Co
West. consisting Of Capt. Hills company c
the First New York Mounted Rifles aud tn