Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-05-10

unteers, commanded by Colonel Grahani.-
Three times the euemv essayed to reach tb
railroad, coming with a yell, but cur mer
unaTed by such music, land unintimidstcd b
such apparent feroci.y, met them with
steady fire, causing them to recoil and stag
ger, from the bloody reception. They fnall
retreated in some confusion, and retired abou
mile and half distant, in the direction G
Port Walthall landing. TIE disparity 6
numbers was too great TOR ua to purrue, but
gentleman present informs US that he neve
witnessed more gallant conduct on the part Q
any troops than Was displayed by the intrepi
,Senth garolinians:
The enemy had artillery, hut used is witt
poor effect. Our casualties were twenty-five
two killed and twenty-thrce wounded. w
had no artillery.
The object of the enemy in this movemen
was evidently to tear up tho railroad ant
burn the bridge over Swift Creek.
The loss of tho enemy is reported to hav
been very heavy, but they succeeded in car
rying of all their killed and wounded. During
this engagement the telegraph wires bctwcel
this city and Petersburg was cut, either By
the enemy or the musket balls, which cut vi
of from additional particulars by this line.
On Saturday, at l2 o'clock, the enemy
having been heavily reinforced, the fight Wal
renewed, and continued with great despera-
tion for three or four hours. About O'Clock
the enemy was driven back with considerable
loss. During the night our forces fell back
to Swift Creek Bridge. The enemy is sup
posed to have been about lO. .000-strong. Oul
troops were under command of Gen. Bushrci
johnson, Of Kentucky. Telegraph osmmu-
nication remained open with Chester, nint
miles this side Of Petersburg, until three
o'clock yesterday Sunday morniDg), at which
time the operator, learning that tho enemy
were within mile of the place, end advan-
ding in heavy force upon it, took up his in
struments and left. There were two locomo
tives at Chester, which left about the same
time, proceeding safely to Glover Hill. The
enemy, it was supposed, would take posses
sion of Chester, as we had no forces there a.
the time, except line of pickets e defend it
1t appeared from the movements of tho enc
my that .heir object was to penetrate tho
country as fur as the Danville railroad, and
thus cut Oft our railway Communication with
tho South, which, if they succeed in doing
they will, most likely, find themselves in DO
cidedly the worst predicament.
On yesterday morning Superintendent E
II. Gill, accompanied by Col. Sims, Master Of
Transportation, went cut. on locomotive tc
within mile of Port Walthall Junction, find.
ing no traces of the enonyr Chester
There discovered that the railroad track was
torn up about Port Walthall Junction, and
then returned to the city, getting back about
Ii o'clock.
Later in the day accommodating parties
went as far as Port Wslthall junction, and
ascertained that the Yankees had retreated
towards Bermuda Hundreds. The report fol.
lowed upon tho receipt of this information
that the enemy we're embsrking and leaving
for Fortress Monroe: hu. other intelligence
leads to the belief that they are entrenehing
themselves between the Junction and Be.mu-
da Hundreds. The departure of SONS Of their
transports strengthened the former report,
and it is probable thnt q portion of their
forces have left, in fact. to reinforce Grant.
The following despatch was received from
General Barton at thirty minutes past ! last
night:
DREwRY's BLUFF, May 8-6:35, ?. NJ.
Major T. 0. Chestney:
A scouting party has just got in from the
vicinity of Port Walthall Junction. They
found many dead and wounded Yankees on
the sattle field, some Of our own dead, great
many guns, cartridge boxes. &c.
Tho lieutenant in command, Thorn, pressed
on their pickets, and skirmished with them.
They occupy the came posts ss on yesterday
He thought he saw tents. Hsbeard that the
enemy were forsifying. s. NJ. BARTON,
Brigadier General.
THANKS TO CEN. PICKETT,
The Common Council Of Petersburg on Sat
urrday, framed the following resolution:
"That our people have entire and implicit
confdeno in our able and gallant commander,
Major General George E Pickett, and in be.
half of that people, we hereby tender to that
General, the thanks of this body for the dis
tinguished ability and gallantry displayed in
the administration Of its affairs, both military
and civil.
DESTRUCTION OF ANOTHER cUNBoAT.
The following despatch was received OF
Saturday oTening. at General Ransom's head
quarters:
CuArrts's BLUFF, May 1861.
To Major r. o. CHEsNEY, A. A. g:
have the honor to report that Maj. Stark
has just despatched to me that one of the enc
my's gunboats was attacked, disabled, board
ed and burned. Two iron-clsds came down
on our forces, and they returned. No par
ticulars given. No loss on our side.
EPPA HUNToN, Brig. Gen.
About eleven o'clock Saturday night, the
prisoners captured in this dashing affair, ar
rived at the Libby prison. The name of the
gunboat was the "Shasheen." She w-s at
tackled about half-past eleven o'clock on Sat-
urday fOrenoan, by = battery from the bluff
The shot from Long Tom" went through
her boiler; the steam escaping rapidly and
in great volume, drove the crew to the deck
when our sharpsbooters opened upon them
killing nine. The remainder, including
twenty seamen, five officers and one negro
disposition tn surrender, BY
sundry signs and geSticulations, the gunbcat
was boarded by detachment from the City
Battalion, and all on board wers taken pri.
soners. During this movement two Of tbt
enemy's monitors appeared and commenced
shelling our men, but fortunately none were