The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-08-01
BY TELEGRAPH
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Portland Daily Press.
FROM GEN. GRANTS ARMY.
The StOrmins of Petersburg Begun.
Explosion of the Mine under the
Rebel Works.
FROM GEN. GRANTS ARMY.
GREAT BATTLE SATURDAY!
Large Number of Prisoners Captured.
THE BATTLE STILL PROGRESSING
BAI.TINoRF ,July

BALTIMORE, July 81.
We have the glorious news from Gen. Grant
by the Old Point boat, that the seige of Pc
tersburg has had an suspicious commence
ment. The news received this morning is as
follows:
The seige of Petersburg has opened in earn
est, This Saturday morning at daybreak
We blew up one OF the rebel batteries consist
ing OF 10 guns, and had carried three tiers of
earthworks OF the rebels, before the mail
steamer left City Point this Saturday morn
ing. Reports by the officers of the Old Point
steamer is to the same effect The news is be-
lievcd to be reliable.
Second Dispdtch-All doubt as to the good
news from Gen. Grants army, seems to be re-
moved.
A late dispatch, just received, says:
The assault commenced at four O'Clock on
Saturday morning, by a terrible explosion,
which completely destroyed one of the enc
my's principal forts in front of Petersburg,
containing 10 guns, this was rendered mass
Of ruins. Immediately upon this explosion
our artillery opened one simultaneous and
continuous roar along our whole line.
Up to the leaving of the mail boat at ten
o'clock, we had captured the two outer earth
works and also the entire line of rebel en-
trenchments The battle continued to pro-
gress with the greatest fury.
hEADQOAhIEitS ARMY
July 800 A. NJ.
The great event so long anticipated, name
ly, tile explosion of the mine under the rebel
fort in front of the 9th army corps, came off
this morning at 40 minutes past o'clock
Picket firing was kept up all night and in Iact
at the time the match was applied, the Skin
mishes were still engaged on both sides. Vol
umes of dirt were thrown up rising over 800
feet in the air, resembling an immense foun-
tain of earth, more than anything else
The 9th army corps at once charged the
works driving the rebels to their second line
of entertainments, and taking a number of
dirt badly bruised. These rebel prisoners
state that only about a dozen of their regi-
ment, South Carolina one, new remains.
As soon as the explosion took place, 100
guns Immediately opened on our front, while
musketry blazed in one continuous line of fire
along the front of the 9th and 9Th corps.
The scene will long be remembered by those
who witnessed it. The smoke from the guns
soon obscured the view, and the first particu-
lars OF our success were CLEANED from those
who came in with prisoners.
The prisoners state that we completely sur
prised those in their front, they being mostly
asleep at the time. The prisoners also state
that there were four guns in the Notifications
which of course were buried far out of sight.
One of the prisoners stated that they were
busy mining under our works, and that in two
days more they would have bsen ready TO
blow us up, but We got the start of them.
Latest.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY Potomac [
July 80, A. NJ.
Reports just in say that We have possession
of the entire front line of the rebel works,
with large numbers of prisoners.
Our losses, in the charge, were severe, as
our men had to cross an open field to reach
the rebels.
The troops engaged were the 9th corps with
the 18th supporting them. The I'd and 9TH
being held in reserve.
The firing is still going on with great fury.
Gems. Grant and Meade, with corps generals,
are at the front watch the progress Of affairs.