Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-08-12


ing in the City-Serious Dam age to Prop
lighthouses Struck by ShelIs-Later
from Atlanta-Heavy Assault by Union
Troops, &c.
Smelling of Petersburg
From the Richmond Enquirer OF Saturday
The subtarrapean proclIvities Of the enemy
form the standing theme in Petersburg, and
fresh and frequent reports of further mining
and countermining contribute some what to re-
lieye the monotony Of the already rather dull
and prosy topic. The last approxim ate to a
sensation was that we had mined prominent
position OF the enemy, and made sundry at.
tempts to explode tie magazine. but from some
unknown reason The thing would not take, and
up TO last accounts the experiment had proven
failure. II this is true, it is probable that the
enemy have Slapped the gallery and poured
cold water on the magazine. The occasional
Smelling CT the city has lately only accumuIa-
ted bricks and other building materials in the
streets, without seriously hurting anybody.
Now and then house is fired, and the light
afcrdipg target for the gunners, shells are
rained in upon the fire to prevent its extinction
and 10 extend the conhagration. The fire de-
parfment has worked nobly, notwith stan ding
the danger to which it is exposed, and in no in
stance has it failed to restrict the fire to com.
parative1y ordinary limits.
As the position of the enemy's right enables
the m to command a full view of nearly the
whole city, and to judge with sufficient correct
ness the range OF their shells, there can be no
improperly in saying they have done consid-
cradle damage to the property of the citizens.
Some two or three hundred SHELLS, of different
calibres and characters, have been sent whiz-
Zng through many richly decorated paror,
and tidily kept chamber, smashing into smith
Greens stout Cornices and fragile ornaments,
making OF All furniture mass OF fragments,
and stripping the walls TO their lattice and
joists OF their polished cement or PLAIN plaster,
10 smother mp the wreck and complete the de-
struction. Pantries have been invaded, and
unmerciful crashes sent breaking and ringing
through piles Of crockery and rows OF Jars,
whose precious con tents still swim or stick in
sweet ruin upon the indentsd floors and caved
in shelves that mark the scenes of the disaster
Libraries, too, have shared equal fate with
smoke houses, and while children Of the larger
growth grew hungry from the lack OF INTEL
lectusl pabulem, the lesser can cry about for
the more substantial meat, which, last seen,
was in the air, or flying iuto q state of savory
DothinpDess inside the blazes of coufiagra-
ton. Owing to these and similar events the
city is become almost deserted To as great an
extent as possible 1t has been the aim of Gen'l
Lee to move no troops through it; none are
kept in 1t any time. They are all in the trench.
es, where they may be found by the enemy
whenever it behooves the latter to come out
and look for them.
From Petersburg.
PETERsBURG, August 4.-This being Lin
COINS tasting, humiliation and prayer day, the
Yankees have not fired gun. The enemy are
go near in Gracie's front that the pickets on
both sides have used hand grenades.
Abusing the Police.
more) was arraigned before the Mayor % o, Rich.
mond on Friday to ans wer the charge of being
Drunk and asleep in the street, and also with
abusing the policeman who arrested him. He
was reqhired to give security for his appear
ance before the grand jury.
From Georgia
ATLANTA, August The enemy have been
unusually active during the past sixteen
hoors. About a O'Clock yesterday afternoon
heavy assault was made upon the works
held by our skirmishers upon the extreme lett
after some stubborn fighting they succeeded in
gaining possession of the position there, but
were subsequently driven from II and our
lines were established
About 10 o'clock last night an assault was
also made on our skirmish lines, extending
from the center to the extreme left, bat the
movement having been anticipated, resulted in
complete failure. Brisk skIrmishing con-
tinued throughout the night, up to the present
time. Our loss in both affairs is insignificant
There vas comparative quiet in the city last
night, and but few shells were thro wn, result
in In no damage.
ATLANTA. August 6.-Hon. J. A. Setden The
enemy made two assaults to-day on FinIy's
and Lewis brigades, OF Bates division, Of
Lees corps both Of which were handsomely
repulsed with loss TO them.
J. b. HOOP, General