Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1864-06-21
THE GENERAL SITUATION
Dispatch from Secretary Stan
ton TO Gen. Dix.
Washington. June IL.


10 Maj, Gen. Dix,
The following dispatches baye been "a.
ceived BY this department
CITY Point, June Is (ria Jamestown
Island, $50 A. NJ. June l6)-Suitb with
$1,000 men, attacked PETERSBURG this A
NJ. Gen. Butler reports from his ol,serya-
tary near Bermuda Hundred, that there
has been sharp fighting. and that the
troops and trains Of the enemy were. nc
he writes, moving FROM the city across
the APpomatox, as if retreatipg. Han.
cock Is not near enough TO render Smith
any aid
The Richmond papers have nothing
10 indicate a suspicion of our crossin .
the James River. They expect to he
attacked from the direction of Malvern
Hill
City Pint. $50 P. NJ, June I5.-Our
latest report from Smith was at 4 M
He had carried line If intreucbmenIs a.
Bsatty's House, the colored troops assault.
ing and carrying the rife pits with great
gailsntIy but he had not yet carried the
main line. He describes the rebels ar.
tillery fire as very heavy. He expected
to assault the line just before dark. Han
cock is within three miles Of Smith.
City Point, A. NJ, june I6 {ria
Jamestown Island. ll:45 A. Mat 7:2O
r, NJ. yesterday Smith assaulted aud car.
ried the principal line Of the enemy before
Petersburg, taking thirteen cannon, sew
eral stand of eolors, and between. 300 and
400 prisoners. This lire is two miles from
Petersburg. Hancock got up and took
position on Smiths left ut 3 A. NJ. to>dav
There was heavy firing in that direction
from 10 6O'clock. No report has been
received yet.
"Dsnthard Landing, Va. 1P. NJ, June
l6.-Af:er sending my dispatch of this
morning from the heights southeast of Pc
tersbnrg, went over the conquered lines
with Gen. Grant and the engineer officers.
The works are of the very strongest kind.
more difficult to take than was Missionary
Ridge at Chattanooga. The hardest fight.
ing was done by Hack troops. The forts
they stormed were the worst of all. Az
ter the affair was over Gen. Smith went
to thank them and tell them he was proud
OF their courage aud dash. lie says they
ecu ldn't lie exceeded as sol Tiers. aud here
a'ser be will send them in a difficult place
as readily as the best white troops. They
captured six out Of sixteen cannon which
ne took. The prisoners be took were from
beauregard's command. Some of them
said they bad crossed the james above
Dfury's Bluff. d. not think any Of Lees
army bad reached Petersburg when Smith
Stormed il. They seem to be making ar,
rangements to bold the west side Of the
Appomattox. The town they cannot think
Of holding. as it lies directly under our
guns. The weather is splendid.
City Point, june 16, 4:l5P. M.-Gen.
Butler reports, from Bermuda Hundred.
inst the enemy has abandoned TIE works
IN front OF that Ilace, His troops are now
engaged IN tearing up the railroad between
Petersburg and Richmuod"
The following dispatch does not designate
the hour, but is supposed to be later than
proceeding ones:
5 ''Jamestown, Va, June l6-l came
down frem the pontoon above Fort Pow.
hatan with dispatches for Secretary Stauus
ton. just as I'Ieft Capt. Pitkin reported
to me that PstersburgA was in eur posses.
sion /"
Nothing Of recent date has been heard
from Gen. Sheridan; but the Richmond
Wig OF the 18th contains dispatcb from
Lee, stating that Sheridan bad been routea
in an engagement with Fl. zhuph Lea and
Hampton losing 500 prisoners and leav-
ing bis dead and wounded on the field.
From Gen. Sherman dispatch dated 4
hast night as 9 u'clock, has been recpiyed
L only stated the relative position az tho
forces. No pr ons engagement had oc-
[ wed.
tSigDed) Edwin NJ. SrANyos.
Secretary Of War.