The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-06-25

brave nen-of Gen. WaTren's command
DISPLAYED greater heroism. Their in
vincibiGty in battle mas been most bril-
lisntlv sttested. Called upon to mako
repealed assaults upon strong and for
midable earthworks, they have faced
the enenays bullets and cannon with
mistaken fortitude and valOrous de-
termination that always foreordains
victory At daylight began the day ;
work On the extreme left Of the army
line is the position assigned this corps,
which position it still holds, General
AyFes' division being on the left, Gene
raj Cutter next. General Griffin third,
and General Crawford on the right At
our right Is the 9th Corps.
The corps. WAS ordered on charge at
baybrealS; bat on advancing the fact
developed itself that in the night the
enemy had fallen back to a new line of
earthworks, the object being, as was
afterward shown, TO contract his line
and enable stronger resistance to our
advance. Our men in battle line by
divisions moved ahead to attack the
enemy in his new position. A portion
ofthe advance had TO be made across
q continuous abatis made of fallen trees
and dense shrubby underground
This abatis gives evidence of having
been long since prepared to meet the
contingency of our army ever making
a hostile demonstration from this way
upon Petersburg; and, as to the mat
ter Of prior preparation, nearly all the
rebel earthWorks give like proof Of be-
ing the production Of careful labor ex-
pended months ago. Most of the
ground Is uhdulating, and the greater
portion passed over by the corps clear
ed land with growing crops Of corn,
wheat and oats.
Soon the rattle Of musketry became
fierce and incessant, and on both sides
the artillery opened a vigorous cOun-
ter fire. The chief result Of this adj
vance was obtaining q good position for
our infantry and artillery. All the
forenoon there was lively diminishing
and more or less cannonading. AT
noon the whole corps assaulted the
enemy's line. The assault was vigor-
ously made and vigorously contested
We gained some ground and bettered
our position.
There was asevere struggle for the
possession Of the railroad leading 10
Norfolk, which was finally taken. Half
an hour before shutdown came another
charge, this time by General Grifins
and General Crawford S divisions only.
With Characteristic Yalor the men re-
peatedly pressed upon the enemy; but
the exceedingly strong position of the
latter, and his stout stubbornness Of re
sistance, aided so essentially by the al.
most impregnable character of his
lines Of earthWorks, TO which the prior
assaults had compelled him TO fall
back, prevented any very decisive addi-
tional advantage being gained in the
last attack Of the day.
Our men, as / have stated, behaved
splendidly; but it is terrible murder
Gus this work Of assault, and It IS this
splendid behavior that should elicit the
highest encomiums for the troops en-
gagged. Our losses, as far from the ma
ture of the case they could not help
being, have been heavy, the killed and
wounded numbering several hundred.
REBEL ATTACK REFUSED.
At eleven o'clock this evening the
enemy made an attack on our line. 1t
was n brief but determined attack,
but met with a decisive and handsome
repulse
Beauregard's and A. ?. Hills troops
are understood 10 be the only rebel for
ces we have had to contend against
thus far. This statement is mainly
predicted on the intelligence furnished
by prisoners. 1t is stated tonight that
additional re-enforcements have arrived
during the evening, and are still srriv-
ing, from Lees army If this be so,
and have no doubt of its accuracy, the
presumption is that the enemy intends
making a determined stand here; and
if he do this--and his interests would
seem certainly to compel i'll think
that we have yet hardly seen the COM
mencement of the beginning Of the bat
ties to be fought here.