Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-08-11
FROM GEN. GRANTS ARMY.
The Assault Before PeterSburgh,
Graphic Account of the Attack
and Repulse.
Correspondence of the New York Times.

With the passage of the James was ex-
hausted all possibilities of movement by the
left flank, with Richmond as the objective
point. Nothing, therefore, remained to Gen.
Grant but to assault the rebel lines in front
of him at Petersburgh. The past six weeks
have been devoted to preparation for this as
sault. From day to day, by the aid of the
shovel and the pick, our lines have been in
sidlously advanced by zig-zag and covered
ways, until the outlying pickets OF both ar
mics have scarcely averaged 500 yards dis
lance between them. Along portions of the
line the interval between the riflepits was
scarcely $50 yards. The ground over which
our advances have been made is itself a Sc
ries of natural Notifications, adding vastly to
the difficulty Of taking possession of it. Per-
haps your readers will form more perfect
opinion of its features, if tell them that it
very much resembles Greenwood Cemetery
in its profile. There are similar hills and en-
inences, sloping more or less precipitously
into ravines, which intersect at every con-
ceivable angle, and many of the elevations
are thickly wooded. Over ground of this i'm
practicable nature our men have sturdily
fought and dug their way, driving the enemy
before them, until only one hill remained for
them to take to place our guns in a position
commanding at easy range the town of Pc
tersburgh. 1t is known as Cemetery Hill.
Its crest, frowning with guns, is not more
than 800 yards distant from our advanced
works, and its gently sloping sides are welted
with long rows of earthworks pitted with re-
doubts and redans, and ridged with serried
salients and curtains and all the skillful de-
fences known to skillful military engineers.
The vital Importance to US Of this point
will readily be admitted. To gain it by di-
rect assault must necessarily cost many lives,
but to gain it in the cheapest manner gave
occasion for that high strategy Of which Gen.
Grant has long since proved himself the
master. Therefore, it was that on Tuesday
night last the Second Corps, under Gen Han
cock, and two divisions OF cavalry under Gen.
Sheridan, and another division under Gen.
Kautz, crossed the James River for the pur-
pose OF engaging the enemy, who, misled by
some preliminary operations Of Gen. Fosters
command at Deep Bottom, and Of portion
of the Nineteenth Corps at Strawberry Plains
a mile below-had day or two earlier heav-
lily reinforced the troops in the vicinity of
Malvern Hill. The demonstration here had
precisely the effect which Gen. Grant desir-
ed. Fearing a serious attack, Lee dispatched
a column, estimated at from 10000 to Is, 900
strong, from before Petersburg, and the rail
road between Petersburg and Richmond was
kept busy on Friday and Friday night in
transporting the troops. To keep up the
rebel Generals delusion, an immense train of
more than 400 empty covered wagons, mainly
the transportation of the Sixth Corps, cross
ed the Appomattox on Friday in broad day
light, In full view of the rebel signal lookouts
at Bermuda Hundred, as if destined for the
at Dnnn RnttOn, Rutc Epi -; Oh
as the rebols were hurriedly taking possession
of their new line, the Second Corps and the
cavalry were quietly withdrawn with al ad-
ditional facility for rapid movement in a
third pontoon bridge laid across the James in
the afternoon. By daylight this morning,
these troops were nearly all in position to
cooperate with the remainder o. the army
IN the attack. The strategy was, therefore,
perfect, and no share of the reverse can be
attributed to failure in this part of the pro-
gramme.
ALI these strategems, too, were conducted
with such secrecy, that information Of their
precise bearing was narrowed down to the
circle Of the Corps Commanders Until late
on Friday night, few persons in the army
were disposed to believe differently from
what Gen. Lee suspected, viz: that a move
ment upon Richmond was intended from the
north side of the James, and were only unde-
ceived when, at one o'clock this morning the
troops were got into position for the assault
The tactics Of the movement were under
Gen. Meade direction. His arrangement of
troops and order Of battle was as follows :
The Eighteenth Corps (Gen. Ord was with
drawn on Thursday morning from it's position
On the extreme right, resting on the Appom-
attox, (being relieved by Motifs division of
tee Second Corps,) and massed in the rear of
the Ninth Corps, (Burnside's,) the centre of
our line, in front of which the attack was to
be initiated The extreme left. held by the
Fifth Corps, Warren So was to be in readi-
ness to advance as soon as Burnside pierced
the " orks In front of him. Collaterally, but
IN unison with the advance of the infantry.
every piece of siege artillery posted along
the line was ordered to open simultaneously
upon the enemy at given signal made by
the explosion of mine containing eight tons
of powder, which was placed directly beneath
the rebel battery which Burnside was to as
sault. Not only were the siege pieces to open
herce fire, but all the field artillery which
could be got into position after the opening
OF the battle was to advance as opportunity
onered, and bring their batteries into play.
upon tins awful fire of heavy guns it was
natural that great stress should be placed, in
the expectation that the shock of it's
suddenness would have demoralizing effect,
and so make the way of the infantry easier.
So far all was well arranged success was
promising, and much confidence was felt in
the result
The time fixed for the assault was 81
clock, when, without any moon, an almost
Zimmerman darkness, would effectually shut
out from the enemy the unavoidable stir and
oustle of the troops as they got into position.
But just here the first misfortune of the day
occurred. Upon attempting to fire the mine,
The fuse or slow-match failed, and another was
ried I am told, with similar result. The
bird fuse was successful in its mission, but
he hours delay had made it broad daylight,
md, il consequence, the enemy's suspicious
we're aroused, lat least along portion of his
ront,) and we were robbed Of the advantage
II a surprise.
This was very great misfortune. The ar
ny felt it to be such as they stood in suspense |
md silent Impotence in the cold gray of the |
morning, crouching On their arms. Of the |
fleet of the explosion you have already been |
Ipprised. The mine had been talked of in |
he army for weeks but only talked of with |
)ated breath, although whisperings concern
ng it had been waited over from the rebels. |
clearly they did not know its precise locali-
y, and few on our side, l suspect, were any
wiser. 1t has been tacitly acknowledged as
N improper subject for conversation, and the !
most curious have appeared to feel the pro-
'riety of checking themselves. The noise of
he explosion was dull, rumbling thud, pre-
,eded, I am told, by few seconds sway1ng
md quaking Of the ground in the immediate |
-icinity. The earth wasrent along the entire
course Of the excavation, heaving slowly and
to the surface, and folding side
Ways to exhibit a deep and yawning chasm,
as much as anything else, to a
liver gorged with ice, and breaking up under
he influence of freshet. But there was
rander effect than this observable Also