, 1864-06-09
FROM BUTLERsS DEPART
mENT.
HEADQUARTERS. n TIE FIELD, June 8, 16N8
FOSITIQS OF AEFAiHa.

HEADQUARTERS, N TIE FIELD, June 8, 1874 n
POSITION OF Affairs.
The recent attacks on our lines have, for
the number Of men engaged, been desperate
encounters, and the losses On both Sides, 80
far Is known, prove with what determination
the reb.ls attempt to break through The lines
and drive us from our position. During the
last week BeaHregard has apparently made
up bis mind to Gust Us If possible. TAe d..
pa1tura Of General Smith's corps and tEo Of
General Gilmore's divisions soon became
known among the rebels, and they very nat
u1a1ly inferred that we had net men enough
to hold the Notifications IN sur front, But,
alas for the rebs, they did not stop to con
slider that the first division Of the 10Th Corps,
Brigadier Alfred e. Terry commanding, Was
holding the right OF eur lines, and that the
center and leit we're equally we'll guarded,
although not 10 easily assailablt. With their
.eeuston:a I'd E, sagacity t9ey enos; the mot
point to be attacked. The time WAS also well
chosen-When night shrouded everything Ia
impanetrab1e gloom.
THE ATTACK.
Beauregard opened with his heavy artillery,
and afterwards pushed his troops for eard to
our lines. Gen. To1ey's troops met the en-
emy, and after a protzacted struggle, sent
him back with thinned ranks and a higher
opinion Of What the veterans from Morris
Island can achieve: The first attack made
bt the rebels vas exclusively an artillery du-
q. Beaurtgara's guns opened suddenly on
our position, and IN about the centre Of our
lines. Our batteries replied with equal vig.
or, and after about one hours firing both
sides suspended operations, and quiet was
restored almost Is suddenly as 1t had been
broken. The energy and yigor displayed bY
our artillerists on that OCCASION undo1bted-
ly deferred the rebels from massing their
troops and attempting to storm our works.
I,~,% Farvv tsoFo Ll.A
our army had been weakened BY the with
drawnl Of Smiths and Gi1more's troops, and
must have been considerably astonished to
find our front 50 strongly guarded.
r1unsDAr's F1our.
The last and grRndest effort Of the rebels
to force our lines Was made about o'clock
tn tho morning Of the Cd instant. At that
tine three regiments Of General Terry's diyi-
sion were on picket duty, and occupied the
euth Maine was on the extreme right, the
Thirty ninth Illinois In the center, aud the
Seventh Connecticut on the left. Shortly af-
ter thteo o'clock On the morning Of the %
instant heavy artillery fro was opened By
the rebels on the right Of the Seventh Con
picketa were stationed on line which In
clIned considerably outwaras towards the
rebel line. Under cover Of their artillery the
rebels nAsBcd y latEe number Of men, who
made sudden rush on our thin line of pick
cte. They took our line In reverse, and
broke 1t in two places, formed In the rear Of
our men, and took large number Of them
ment, Lieutenant Colonel Plilnpton CON-
Manding, subsequently drove the rebels back
and 10 established our picket line. Twenty
flve prisoners were taken from the rebels.
On the extreme left Of the line the pickets
were attacked by the Twenty-4econd reEl
~ IL, VI
msnd Of Colonel Dantzter. They drove In
our men In front Of the work known ~ Bat
te1J No. 8. The rebels were attacked and
driven back By one company Of the 1st Conn.
and some dismounted cavalry from General
Kautz's command. Our heavy artillery also
was here soon re-established. The extreme
right OF car line was also attacked by con-
siderable force Of rebels. They did not na1-
age to h1eak through at this point; but the
skirmishlng was continued during the whole
day, and our line SWING gradually hack for 4
short distance. Tha line was Afterwards es-
tablishsd on ground which was preyfoualy
selected Is the best to be occupied By our
pfckets- It would hare been occupied be-
fore tor that purpose but from disinclina-
tiou to yield any ground Whcn not attacked.
During the whole time there Was very heavy
firing between our own and the rebel batter.
les. But very little damage, however, was
done by the artillery, aud the rebel batteries
were silenced by cur own.
REBEL. coLoaEL KILLED.
When the 22d South Carolina rebel regi-
| meet attacked our left, It's commander, Col.
| Dautzter, IVES killed, and lieutenant and
twenty-three prirates taken prisoners Col
! Dantzter's body WAC carried OF the field BY
our men. To-day It was sent within the reb.
| el lines, uude1a flag Of truce. Tho prison.
CTS we're btought down to Gen. Buffers
Headquarters, and afterwards forwarded ia
| fortress Monroe.
| THE UNION AND REBEL Losses,
During these engagements our losses, bott
| of officers and men, hare been very heavy
| and. from the determination with which thf