The weekly union record., 1864-08-06
The Siege Of Petersburg.

WASHINGTON, July 3l-FridAy afternoon.
July 29ih, Grant ordered the wagon train of
the Sixth Corps 10 be drawn over james rive.
az James Ford. the same place where the
Second Corps crossed two days previously. 20
Deep Bottom. where they had battle with
the enemy. The movement Of the Second
Corps had drawn a considerable force from lee.
and the demonstration with empty wagons
caused him to send smother large force to inter
cept the attack from the north side of the
james This fein; having produced the desired
effect, Hancock marched back 10 the darkness
OF Friday night to the rear Of the army opsr-
atiDg IN front Of Petersburg. where be was
posted Is reserve, II front Of Burnside's corps.
which exploded on Saturday morning the key
to the rebel line. Sheridan, with large force
OF cavalry, was operating yesterday around the
rebel right and important TeSGliS axe aulici
pa;ed from bis movement.
Nav loRE. August 1.-The Times special
dispatch, dated Before Petersburg, July 80"
says: The explosion OF the miae vas he signal
Tor the discharge OF every piece Of artillery We
had 10 position from lie Appomattox 10 our
extreme LEFT. The effect was magnificent.
N!uei! five pieces Of ordnance we,e fired AZ a
sigma. simultaneously - that il seemed as If
they might have been discharged by pnl Of
one lanyard. The fFing thus opened was kept
up 10 the same manner, with scarcely percept-
IDLE lull, for al least one hour and a half when
1t Slackened 10 some extent. Tie result Of the
explosion OF the mine was almost annihilating
to one regiment and bu-viug three guns Under
Its cover our artillery advanced and took al.
vantage gased by The suddenneSs Of the assault
The Ninth Corps advanced, taking possession
Of The works through the gap made by the
explosion, aud driving the enemy 10 their
second line, which crowns The hiiltops eastward
Of the town. The Nineteenth aud Twenty.
second Regiments were buried by the explosion,
but dug out alive bu, badly bruised Some
Of them were doubtless MORALLY hurt The
mine was four huDdred feet long. aud constructed
IN Two galleries diyerging from the main pas
Snge. making three chambers in which G train
OF powder Is inches wide and deep was laid.
The effect Of the explosion was disastrous to the
enemys artillery. which replied but feebly. 4
few minutes only elapsed before the rebel lines
were entirely shut out from view by The smoke
OF our gunners, who only guided their work in
having obtained & proper range before many
shells were discharged from the front. The
Eighteenth Corps shells must have struck far
Into the streets of Petersburg as from that
direction heavy columns Of black smoke arose
soon after opening FIRE, evidently burning
buildings. After the rebel lines were pierced
they made hurried movement to the left, and
suffered heavily from an euilad.ng fire from
Sedlys Division. Burnside's Corps led the
attack, the Fourteenth New York heavy aftil
lery having the advance. Abou: one hundred
prisoners have been brought to Burnside's
headquarters while the caunonading was still
hot. The rebels held he position obs,ina,ely
uuiil our Infantry received orders to advance
The Herald says the mine was TO have been
sprung at } o'clock in the morning. The
Lieutenant General, accompanied by his staff
reached BuFnSlde's headquarters about that
hour. Meade and staff also assembled at the
same headquarters. The appointed hour for
the explosion having arrived, for some reason
it did not take place. Everything movable in
the way of troops had been placed in position
to move at the first signal. One entire corps
held in reserve up to the time of writing had
not been called IN o action. \ o'clock. a
cloud OF dust was seen rising from the rebel
entertainments, which was followed by q general
upheaviug of earlhworks, reaching probably
90 feet. The whole mass looked ike huge
mountain, and the dust formed most imposing
spectacle simultaneously with the explosion,
the batteries along The entire iiUe opened most
murderous aud destructive fire on the rebel
breastwogks. The Infantry, with deaieuing
cheers, rushed into the entertainments of the
enemy. AT O'Clock our valiant troops cap
tured and occupied the first line of the rebel
entertainments. Prisoners are constantly ar
irving from the front. Several OF onr wounded
are also coming il. They report the slaughter
inflicted upon the enemy by the explosion, and
the accurate range Of our shells from guns and
mo1tars, as terrible. So far. victory is ours.
The air is thick with flying missiles, We are
pushing the enemy steadily anl surely, and
occupying his forlfcaiions.
BALTIMORE, August IA letter from For,
tress Monroe says: Later adylces from the
front show We are unable to hold all the ground
gained in the assault on Saturday, it being
mostly commanded by the inner line. and that
the works taken By our forces were recaptured
by the enemy. We took 500 prisoners in the
assault The loss Oh both sides was from
1000 to j00O
Headquarters, Army of Potomac, July 30,
9 P. M.-At half past 5 this morning a charge
was made on the rebel line and carried in a
most brilliant style. The 81 Division. which
was in the center, advanced aud carried the
second line. This time the colored division,
under General White was pushed forward and
ordered to charge the enemy on the crest of the
hill, and which would have decided the contest.
The troops advanced in good order as 'ar as
the ftst line. where they received d CALLING fire
which checked them, and, although quite
number of them kept advancing, the greater
portion seemed to become completely demoral-
lied, part Of them taking refuge in the fort and
the balance running to the rear as fast as pos
sible. They were rallied again aud pushed
forward, but without success. The greater
part OF the officers were killed and wounded.
They seemed to be without any one to manage
them, and finally fell back to the rear, out of
range of the voIleys of canister aud mnsketry
that were plowing through their ranks. Their
losses are very heavy, as is shown by the fol
lowing report: Twenty second United States
Coored Regiment, Is officers and 400 men
killed, wounded and missing; Twenty-eight
Regiment, II officers and so men; Twenty
seventh Regiment, 6 officers aud $50 men
Twenty ninth Regiment, officers and 275
men; Thirty first Regiment, officers aud