Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-08-19
FROM THE JAMES RIVER
Adyices still Cheering-Weather Favora.
BILE to Wounded.


Deep Bottom are cheering to. day. The Meta
mora brought down the first instalment of pris.
oners-253 prIvates and II officers. Our cap
tnres are reported at 1880. 1t would be safer
to say 500. An attempt on the part ofthe rebels
to flank us resulted in the capture Of the flank
Ing party.
One Of the objects Of the expedition is now
apparent. The rebels had become acquainted
with our canalling operations, land were engaged
in the laudable enterprise Of drowning US out.
They succeeded in drowning few men and q
considerable amount OF stores before Grant in
terrnpted them by an attack of the 18th csrps
on their rear. The work is now progressing
rapidly toward completion.
Seven hundred sick and wounded of the Cd
corps have been received at the hospital at City
Point The weather, though warm, is favora-
BILE for the poor fellows, and the average OF
death is lighter than usual.
NEW YORK, August 1S.-The Commercial g
special dispatch states that part OF our lines
has been advanced two miles further.
No General Assault Designed.
Correspondence New York Herald
CITY POINT. VA, Aug. 16.-Army CORES
pondents have generally given too much i'm
portance by far to the recent demonstrations of
the I'd and 10th corps against the enemy's posi-
tion on the north bank OF the James, in the
vicinity Of Deep Bottom. From the best in
formation obtained before and since the pro-
gress of the affair, am warranted in saying
that 1t was not intended to be serious attack
on Richmond, unless the enemy's line should
be found weak one, and the city uncovered
by strategic movements, or the sending Of re.
nforcements to Early or Hood. This is ap-
parent from the fact that but small portion of
our army was sent to the front. Had gener.
al assault from that quarter been contemplated
the entire strength of the army would have
been concentrated there suddenly, beyond
question.
A ride Of several miles along the enemys
front yesterday convinces me they have again
chosen lines OF great natural strength. To
sault them successfully would require q very
heavy force and insure a very heavy loss
Gregg's and KautZ's cavalry have been on
the right flank Of the infantry since the cross
ing of the I'd corps, and succeeded at one time
in driving in the rebel left considerable dis
tance. But their infantry rallied, and subse-
quently regained the ground which they had
Skirmishing and sharpshooting 90 on con-
tnually, with Indifferent success on either side,
so far as can be ascertained.
Our losses within the last three days may
possible reach four hundred killed and
wounded.
General Grant and staff have ridden along
the lines daily, inspecting operations, and
on several occasions have, it would seem to
many, imprudently plunged into places Of
deadly peril.
Enemy's Account.
From the Richmond Dispatch, August 18th. /
Our pickets weae driven in, yesterday morn
ing, between Malvern Hill and New Market,
on the north side Of the James, and heavy
skImlshng was Kept up during the day. with
Grants entire force of cavalry was crossed TO
the north side OF the river.
Ihe neaVy hiring heard down the river on
Saturday, was caused by an engagement be-
tween the enemy's gunboats and our IRON
clads, in which our land batteries participated:
The enemy, 1t appears, had commenced cut
ting q canal across the narrow neck of land
formed by bend in the James, and known as
Dutch Gap; and the object being or supposed
to be to flank our position at Howlett's, our
forces determined to interrupt their digging
operations. The engagement was spirited
one, the firing on both sides being heavy and
rapid, and we are informed that the Yankees
Were finally driven from their work at the
gap. One OF our iron.clads received shot
through her smokestack, and another was
struck near the water line, but not injured
Our casualties in the land batteries were one
killed and five wounded.
Another account states that the Yankees
were erecting battery at Dutch Gap, and had
landed three brigades threre. Our fleet opened
at seven O'Clock q. m, and was Joined by the
battery at Howletts, when the enemy's fleet,
attracted by the firing, came up to the Gap
and took part in the engagement. The Yankees
were driven from portion OF their works, and
the firing ceased at eight o'clock p. m. There
were no cas- ualties on board our gunboats, and
the only damage sustained was by the Fred
ericksburg, which received two shots though
her smoke. stack. The vessels engaged on our
side were the iron. clads Fredericksburg, Vir-
ginia, and Richmond, and the gunboats Nanse-
mond, and Drewry.
The heavy firing heard yesterday is sup
posed to have been caused by a renewal Of the
engagement.