New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-24
The Batteries At Work-New Rife Ptss
Dag Good Artillery Practice - The
Rebel Force-(icn. Weitzel Appointed
Chief Engineer.


From Our Special Correspondent.
TENTH Army CoRrs NEAR CRY Por'r Va,
Saturday Evening, May q, ls64.
The batteries which fired yesterday, as men
toned in my last reopencd slowly and deliberately at
o'clock this morning. As the rain has ceased for tho
present the air Is drier and last night gave MS the
moon. without the accompaniment of fog but while our
pckets had dug themselves a rIhe-pit, little in
front Of the old one, the Rebels had extended their line
toward the woods on our left by throwing up new pit
considerably nearer u.s. on the extremity OF which
appeared embryo and threatening redoubt which our
guns were deliberately Smelling.
Standing on the magazine Of battery Metcaf the re-
doubt on the right though deaened by the Of the
PARROTS at my feet watched with keea satisfaction
the effect Presently musketry was heard again in the
woods to our right, which lasted but few moments
however; but at the time the Rebels opened gun
from their new rcdoubt at the left directing it toward
the woods. As ii was discharged our PARROTS and
Napoeons let fly at the point where the smoke rose and
it was speedily silenced.
The firing continued slowly. and moved to n battery
to the left which exactly faced the location OF the Rebel
gup On the right of the old rihepit, nearly in front Of
the Hewlett House waved Rebel flag Of some rich and
dark red material heavily rnged but floating so thati's
ers squatted in their pits like rabbits and our guns fired
over them.
The practice was mainly excellent, majority OF the
shells throwing cloud of sand at the instant OF explo
sion and the "ohnnes" laid very low. Now and then
bad shell burst short, pits, and the men in
the works groaned and cnrscd but at every shot which
was seen through the smoke to burst in the exnct spot
and make the earth of the Rebel pit dy cheering went
IA in fha haff
Jersey Battery the spectacle was refreshing Solid
shot were fired from two Napoeons, and at every dis
charge the eye could follow tie black speck in its curve
through the air till II sruckas nearly every one did,
although the weakness Of the platforms ranged the
fring-the edge OF the parapet where the Rebel gun
was making the red dirt fly and knocking several extra
embrasurcs into which head was occasionally eau
tously thrust and soon withdrawn. The firing lasted
until 9! o'clock
The afternoon passed with hardly even stray musket
shot on either side Our men busily shoyeIed and
chopped and undoubtedly the Rebels did the same. al
though little could be distinguished.
The gunboats on the James fred occasionally during
the afternoon. 1t is suggested by an authority quito
high that were the woods slashed away they could fire
directly into the ravne which lies between US and the
Rebel position The Rebel force in front is esti.
mated at 2o,VOU.
The loss in the 9th Pennsylvania yesterday was
about 10; In the 18th Indiana, about CO.
Gen. Godfrey Weitzel, commanding the "a
Division Of the 18th Corps, has been appointed Chief
Engineer Of Gen. Buffers department Gen. Martin
dale is named as the Of Wetze in the com
mand Of the division.
Col Jacob J. DeForest. slst New York senior Colonel
Of Marston's brigade has received q complimentary
testimonial from number Of his fellow citizens. resi-.
dents Of Albany. in the shape Of recommendation to
Brigadier-G eneralship.
To-day has been fearsully hot, and the labor OF
fatigue duty brightly nare and of work on the FORTH
cations exhausts tho men almost as much as actual
battle Tomorrow may bring the decisive attempt OF
the besegers to break the line or when their other
objects are accomplished they may possible retire.
Signal communication is fully established from
river TO river. Iw'