Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-06-06
The Rebel Gunboats in James River
Preparing to Attack our Fleet.
Fort Darling Considered I'm
pregnable.
Secretary Chase Makes the TeIe-
graph au Advertising
Medium.
DC. &c. &c. &c &c.
Fron new YORK.

NEw York, June The Herald's correspon.
dence from Headquarters Cavalry Corps. gives
the details of cavalry engagement on Monday.
nj Cold harbor.
The engagement was brought on by both par
ties attempting to establish line of pickets.
Generals Beyn and Merritt went in with zeal
and drove the rebels to the first woods. then dis
mounted three fourths of their men. leaving the
others in charge OF their horses, and one part
pressed through the woods and across ravne or
creek. and over the next hill into the woods As
they were going up the hill Mllliston opened his
guns upon them. having reached the woods
The enemy made another stand supported by
reserves
Merritt aud Devn maintained their ground
stubbornly and contested the enemy until their
lines were within eight ods of each other. neither
yielding. and both suffering great slaughter
Custar, With his demoralizng seven shooters,
was now ordered up TO aid In running the rebels
out of the woods
Sheridan also came Oh the field where he
could observe matters aud give directions.
Custar dismountcd bis men who moved for
ward in double quick time, and in less than -
minutes the rapid crack OF the Spencer rifles
could be heard
The lst New York dragons charged ia with
them, and the enemy doubtless thought that ten
thousand men at least had reinforced their op-
ponents, for they fled two or three miles, leaving
their dead aud wounded on the field
Torbett followed up and spent the night four
miles in advance
Another fight occurred on Tuesday.
As Merritts brigade was pressing towards
Cold Harbor in the afternoon they came upon the
enemy's cavalry reinforced by three regiments
of North Carolina infantry
Merritt pitched into them with his regulars and
was strongly supported by Denis and Custar
The fight was even more desperate than that of
Yesterday.
Sheridan galoped to the front but found Tor
bett whipping them beautifully.
This action gave us possession of Cold Harbor,
and if Lee is at Mechaniesvlle as supposed, il
very nearly turns his right flank, and is a great
point gained.
The Heralds correspondent with the James
river feet says:
\ deserter Just from the rebel ram Richmond
states that Fort Darling is mounted by fifty
heavy guns, and is considered bs the rebels i'm
pregnabe TO gunboats
The three irOn-clads, now living before the
fort ore preparing To attack our fleet aided by
several fire ships and number of Internal ma
chimes
The fire ships are TO be drifted down 10 our
vessels in flames, closely followed by host of
torpedoes. which will explode on striking our
clads are TO make the attack.
The rams are plated with S-inch iron, three
feet of solid oak, and each has beak several
feet long, with powerful submarine battery at
tached.
The Times Headquarters special, dated May
81. saws:
There Is hardly doubt that the position now
held by the rebels in our front is but an advanced
line which thep will hold long as possible for
the purpose of gaining time and perfect defenses
on the Chckahomlny. on that historic line. 1t is
now fully expected that we shall ere long de-
liver battle
need not say that in the relative positions of
the opposing forces this is the only field fight we
are likely to have outside of Richmond, and that
its result must be whether the capital can be car
ried by coup de main whether destined to be-
come an object of 4 summers siege.
The Herald's Headquarters Army of the PO
tomac correspondent. under date of Nav 3lst,
says:
All that was done yesterday morning was
nothing more than series of attempts 10 ascer-
tain the euemv's position.
The HeralG's Washington dispatch, dated 81
June, says:
Gen Barnard. accompanied by number of
engineers. left for General Grants army on Fri
day
The Tribune's SPECIAL. dated headquarters 9th
corps, IL miles north OF Richmond, May 81. 10
NJ. saws:
The line of rebel rifle pits in front OF Hancock
has been carried
There has been desultory firing all day by
Wrights corps. which is very close proximity 10
the rebels Both parties wish the other to make
the attack
Capt Platt of the 9th corps. with FIVE men
and wagon. we're captured on Sunday night
last
Supplies will reach the 9th corps to morrow
from White House