Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-08-30
THE WAR


week ago Sunday the rebels made desperate
attempt to drive US IRON the road, but were re-
pulsed with severe loss as Richmond payers ad.
init In the battle OF the previous Thursday,
however, we lost heavily in prisoners, our official
reports showing nearly 5000 IN ssing Last
Thursday the rebels made another desperate Of
fort to get possession of the road, but were only
partially, if at all in the end, successful We
lost several guns, some reports putting the num-
Der az high as fifteen, and many prisoners, Be-
low We give the official report OF this 6ghting,-
or such part OF 1t as the Secretary Of War has
caused to be published.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 27-l0 20 A. NJ
MAJOR Gen. John A. Din:
% Thursday, the 18th, Gen. Hancock, who
was south OF Reams station was attacked several
times during the day, but he repulsed The en- ,my
in every assault In the afternoon a combined
attack Was made at once on hIs centre and
left, which, after one Of the most desperate
battles Of the war resulted IN the enemy with
drawing from the field leaving their dead and
wounded on the ground The details are given
10 the following official reports of Gen Grant
ten. Meade ana Geo. Hancock
SECOND ARMY CORPS, Aug %.
For Gen. Humphreys
The attack about $50 p NJ was probably
intended to be Simultaneous by Wilcox on nv
centre and Heth on my left. The enemy formed
IN the woods, placed their artillery in position
and opened heavy cannonade, lasting about
fifteen minutes They then assaulted Miles force.
lilo resisted tenaclousy, but the enemy broke
his lines. Some of Gibbons troops were bur
rled over to repair the damage, ana the enemy
on y gained slight loothold They soon at
tempted On my extreme left to drive Gibbons
DIVISION from his line. tbs men had been much
wearled IN rushing over to Gen. Miles and back.
During the repeated assaults Gen. Gibbons
succeeded IN forming line and the enemy,
who were pressing on with great enthusl sn,
were severely checked by the dlsmounted cavalry
under Gen. Gregg, which he handsomely led.
Miles regainqd most of his entrenchmenis. dis
tngulshing himself. All he had to work with
were such small parties as could be rallied and
formed by staff officers. The fight was contln-
ued uutll dark, the enemy being held in check
byaItlllery, dismounted cavalry and sirmlshars
Az dark we Withdrew, for reasons stated. The
Chiei OF Artillery reports that he lost about
Two hundred and fifty horses The enemy made
no advance up to "a late hour last night, holding
as far as could be seen rome Of our captured
guns with their sklrnish lines. They must
bave suffered heavily.
My own loss, including cavalry, will. perhaps,
not exceed 1900 Or 1900, though Ihls il suTmIse,
as the command Is not yet organized Capt
Brownson Of my staff was mortally wounded
and dying during the night. Col Walker, .
A. u, Is missing TINS is acknow lodged to
have been one Of the most determined and des-
perate tights ol the war, resembling Spottsylva-
MA IN lts character, though the number engaged
gives it lees Importance. few more good
troops would have given victory OF considerable
Importance. forward this forenoon, as prso.
ners from the the field, Wilcox and Heth Ma
Jor Angel, OF my sIaf, saw and conyersed with
two prisoners OF Matone's division last night.
do not find them this morning. They said Ma
homes division, with the exception OF one brig.
ade, was there.
(oigned) W. ), HANCOCK, Major General.
/. .. GRANT, Lieutenant General.
The following is just received
SECOND Corps, Aug. 26--l2 80 p. NJ. A safe
guard that was lett on the battlefield remained
there until after daylight this morning. At that
time the enemy had all disappeared, leaving their
dead on the field unburled. This shows how sc.
yerely they were punished, and, doubtless, hear.
ing OF the arrival OF reniorcements, they feared
the results OF to-day II they remained
(Sgnec) Il. q. MEADE, Major General.
The following is just received
SECOND ARMY ORPs, Aug 26-l p. NJ.
To Lieut.. Gen. Grant
Sncs sending my ast dispatch | have con-
yersed with the safeguard referred to. He did
not leave the field until after sunrise At that
time nearly all the enemy had leit, moving
tOwards Petersburg tie says they abandoned
not Only their dead, but their wounded also. He
with an officer who said their losses
were greater than ever before during the war.
The safeguard says he was over the field and it
was covered With the enemy's dead and wounded.
lie has seen great many battletelds, but never,
such sight. Very few of the dead were ours,
nearly all belonged 10 the enemy. All Of our
wounded were brought off but our dead were
unbufled. have instructed Gen. Gregg to
make an effort to send party to the field and
bury the dead. &. G MEADE,
Major General u. S. A.
To U. 5. GRANT, Lieutenant General
Our forces hold the Weldon Railroad, and in
dispatch dated at 3 y. NJ. yesterday, Gen.
to be blow to the enemy he cannot stand |
think do not Overstate the loss Of the enemy
IN the last two weeks at 10000 killed and
wounded. We have lost heavily, but ours has
been mostly III ap,ured whe1 the enemy gained
temporary advantages. The number OF rebel
prisoners taken on our side ha- not vel been
reported"
zen. Grant makes the following report of an
unsuccessful attack by the enemy on Gen
Buffers picket line on Thursday.
d" Yesterday Thursday morning the enemy
drove IN Butler splcket line. The picket guard
soon rallied, however, and drove the enemy back
and re'establlshed their line. The result was
one killed, sixteen wounded aud fourteen missing
on our side. Two commanding officers and fifty
nine enlisted men were captured from the enemy.
What their casualties were in He'd and woun-
ded We do not know " (Signed)
EDWIN Nj. STANTON, Secretary OF War.
The latest reports from Sheridan, although
vague, indicate that the rebels arc falling back
from the Pc omac, after making two or three In.
etectual attempts to cross into Maryland. Sher.
idan had pretty severe engagement with the
rebels the 2lst without any decided advantage
on either side, The llth Vermont suffered
considerably IN the battle. Sheridan afterward
tell back to the north side of the Potomac. lie
Is now said to he advancing again into Virginia
The news from Sherman during the week has
not been Of Importance
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON,
August 18th.
TO MAJ. Gn DIR:
A dispatch from Gen. Grant just received
states that the Richmond papers oI yesterday
the 9th, announce that Fort Morgan is in our
possession |, Is not settled whether il wat
surrendered or whether twas blown up. Auoth,
er despatch gives the following extract from the
Richmond Examiner OF yesterday " Fort
Morgan Is IN the euemys possession, whether
blown up OF evacuated Is not known"
Gen. Sheridan, in disI atch dated yesterday
nj half mast p M renort. Tina ena,,v l.i,