Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-05-17

arrived AZ tie Midlothian Pts 1T . o'ciotl
that night, where llcy remained ebOut ~
hour. TIE superintendent Of the pits wa:
subjected 10 i. rigid cross-e1amnation. IL
answer 10 ,heir interrogatories, he Informed
The Invaders thu. tic pits were owned by ar
English company. and worked by Virginia
company, but that twelve or fifteon English
men were employed there and lived in the
immediate vicinity with their families. No
injury was done to public property at this
pcis4;, bat {. considerable amount of private
property was dsEtroyed5 Among the sufferers
was Mr.. Jim Manders, whose store was
p!ua3.scl ,.ul destroyed. His loss will pro-
bal l. rcack $50 0C0.
While &: the Piis, they visited tho residence
cf ps. Mills, close III hard, and asked for IL
quor and water. The doctor Ind none Of the
former, but IN abundance Of the latter. and
handed them = silver goblet, and pointed to
tbo wc l. A!cr gratifying their thirst, one Of
.he officers quietly placed tho goblet in his
pockc,, and rJde off at the head Of his conf
maud, The negroes employed o the Pits,
hearing that the Yankees were in the vicinity,
took TO the woods like wild turkeys. About
fir:ecn, however. werS, captured by tho raid
crs, ard csrricd oN
The maraaier1 tbon started Cor Coalield
S;:ati2n, wh"rs they arrived ut fifteen minutes
after tco O'clock. Tao telegraph operator at
this poin- ~as c-.2tarc!. while endcavorinS to
max, his escape with his instrument under
his arm.
After ia:orrosa;ing the operator in regard
to the number Ot Drid Ses in that section, and
the various distances .3d routes, - all (which
inquiries he replied that he didn't know-he
was new co@2r"-tacy proceeded to des-
ing effected this to their satisfaction, they
piled large quantities of weed on the track. in
vsri,us places, and set lire to it. The tcle-
graph wire was also torn down, and about
three h..adrei zee; Of tho railroad track
ripped up. Alter robbing various individuals
living il the vicinity, Of their clothing, money
and other valuahlcs, tao rlaraule-s left in the
direction of .Ia;i0ax Station, with the inten-
ton, it is thought, Of destroy ing the bridge
ncer that point.
FIGHTING on TIE SoUTH.sIDE.
TIE Iring heard from the Southside en-
yesterday, proceeded from & POINT near the
Petersburg railroad, about ten miles from
this c;.y. Superintendent Gill made a re-
connoissance in tbs afternoon, and returned
With he iuscl,igerc" that the lighting, which
was comparatively urirpo.tant in the mori.-
Ing, became Loavier in the afternoon. The
principal work OF both parties was to mapHu-
vcc. The enemy were occasionally gotten in
the right place and punished accordingly. Nc
severe fighting occurred up to fvo o'clock
when the reconnoiscring party left, and as
the frip- ceased soon after it is presumed
that none occurred Our forces held the
ground in The evening occupied by them il
tie morning.
LATEST FROM GEN. LEES ARMY.
More Desperate Fighting- Begging his
TIoops to Eight Hard He tells them tha
Petersburg is in Yankee Hands!
BATTLE FIELD NEAR SPo7srLvANIA c. H.,
VIA Louisa c. H., May IL.
There vas heavy caun)nadlng all day yes
terday. Ahou! II o'clock, the enemy having
got possession of the road leading to the main
road 10 Louisa Court House, with a large
force, Heth's division was sent to drive them
of, which was accomplished with but Sigh
loss 70 us. Our troops drove the enemy bacl
some threo or four miles, and out of their line
Of breas twclks, capturing one piece OF artll
lery, one caisson, and some one hundred anc
fifty prisoners.
Among those wounded on our side, wa:
Briged;cr General II. H. Walker, of Virginia
whose foot has been amputatcd.
Between lU o'clock and nightfall the enem,
made repeated assaults upon Fields division
but were handsomely repulscd in every III
stance BY our line of skirmishers, Fields lint
OF battle never finding it necessary to engage
them. Fields lrss Was very trifing.
Very near dari; the enemy made vigorous
. end determined assault upon Rodes' line C
battle, driving Daniels and Dole's lines O
battle from, their breastworks, and capturing
: six pieces Of our artillery.
Jobnston's North Carolina, Walkers Stone
wall. Va, and Gordons Georgia brigade
i'howeyer quickly came to their assistance
driving the enemy back, and rc-capturipg ou
| lost guns.
! The enemy's loss is said to be very heavy
| especially in Fields and Rode's front. Th'
| enemy are certainly fighting with great nerve
and desperation.
l. The Yankee Major General Sedgwick il
! certainly killed, and it is reported that War
rem and Stevens arc killed.
o. other parts Of the line yesterday, there
J Was nothir but heavy skirmishing.
Hoyee, of Louisiana, was wounded in TIT
| leg. Yesterday, but not dangerously.
| Fredericksburg WAS occupied by the enem.
Sunday night.
| the Rapnahannock. :,
The town is said to be filled with Yanke
wounded the number being estimated as high
| Is 600.
The enemy's loss thus far is believed TO
30 600 some have it40, 600.
| S;nar;'s cavalry have been unceasingly light
| ing and pursuing the enemy, snd have done 81
| celent service. Our position is very strong.
| Grant las issued orders congratuiatlng III
troops on their ,uecess-.elling them that refers
/ burg WAS in the hands of the Yankees, anu Deg
ginc them to fight hard ,.
Our troops, though wearied, are in good nghs
ins plight and confident of ii AL success.
The enemy. in q raid around our lines, cal
tured n few OF + wells ordnance wagons. and re
captured some of their prisoners, on their way
the railroad Up to noon today there had bee
no general engagement, but some aklrmlshin
and occasional discharges Of artillery on OF
right.
Everything is progressing we'll, and the arm r!
is in no danger of suffering for want OF supple
REroRFED BATTLE THURSDAY.
Various rumors were afoat yesterday eve
ing concerning battle reported to have bee
fought on thursday between General Lee al
tbc Yankees under Grant, near Frederick!
burg, in which the enemy were ropreeent'
have been very determined in their effort
advancing six times to the ASSAULT and
.--1i- ,&a,Ioed the sl3upht