, 1864-08-01

WouHtcu A1a toMmaAuu u give LIE fntQ
battle.
The enemy also formed and advan3ed c
him with three lines of skirmishers ant:tn
divisions, visible along the main line. Th
onset Of the skismishsrs was very vfgoroal
and part of our lines soon began to wave,
and probably would have given aw.y
lad not the 1st United States, onl
about 15o strong, posted on
hill, crossing the road moved gallautIy u
and stood ground and held the position til
other regiments Of tie brigade were agail
tfsa1lY In line. The enemy came close up t.
the 1st cavalry,i but were driven back with
loes Of about 100 psisoners, including on
staff officer and two. .regimental colors. Th
enemy thus checked did not uake another
effort during the day. The irlaatry fore,
which attacked Merritt consisted, accord
Fling to statements ofprfsouers, of fMcGowan's
and Lnne's br1gades Of Wilcox's. division
| The condnct Of the 1st cavalry regiment il
praised in the highest terms by all who wit
messed It. Our entire cavalry. loss wa
about one hundred killed and wounded. Du
Eiss the day no part Of the infantry forcs
WAS engaged in the action. Part Of the
force engaged in this movement to- the
north side of the James River crossed the
river during the night, and the cayalrg 10
| mains close tn Ito poeitiou.
/ From Gen. Butlor's signal tower larpe
| number Of trains were observed moving
from Petersburg,to Richmond to-day with
troops. This fact proves our teint bus had
| the desired effect.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ACCOUNT.
bALTMoRE, Sunday, July 3l.-Au doubt
IS to the good news from Grants army aeems
to be removed. 4 later dispatch iust r..
ce1Yed says the assault commenced at
o'clock On Saturday morning BY terrible
expioelon. Which completely destroyed one
Of the enomy's principal forts in front Of
Petersburg, containing 16 guns. This VIA
rendered mass Of ruins Upon this g1n1n.
sion our sr tlllcry opened with one simuita
ine dha ha roaE along our entire
u o'clock Il. H., we had captured two other
eaFthWorke, and also the entire outer line of
the rebel entrench1nents.
Ihe hnttle continued to progress with the
greatest fury.
HEADouAisrERs Anxr or THE Porox,c
Saturday. July 80, 10 q. m.-The great nj
SO long anticipated, namely, the explosion
of the mine under the rebel fort in front Of
the 9th Army Corps, came off this morning
at forty minutes past 4 o'clock. Picket firinP
Wss kept up al night, and In fact at the time
Hk1F-
ntshers we're still engaged on both sides.
The volume OF dirt was immenae nnd
thrown MP 800 feet In the air, The 9th Corps
at once charged tue works driving the rebels
to their SECOND line Of intreuchments, and
taxing number Of prisoners, some Of whom
These rebel prisoners state that only about
Caro:inian. "'A'N1
Az soon as the explosion took place, one
hundred and twenty guns Immediately OPEN
ed ln our front, while the musketry plag ed In
and part Of thell5th Corps. Prisoners sav w
they, were completely surprised-thoze II
'front.' being mostly asleep at the time. They
also state that there were four guns in the
Notifications, which Of course were buried
far out Of sight.
busy mining under our works, and that two
days ence they Wob1d have been ready to
blow them up.: We got the start Of item
however, and 1t Is hoped that long ere this
reaches you that Petersburg Will be in our
- THE rERY LATEST.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE PoToMAc-
O'Clock T. M.-Reports just In SAY that we
have possession of the entire first line of
the rebel works with large number Of pri5-
onert.
Onr loss in the charge was severe, Us our
men had to cross IN open field to reach the |
reeels: The troops engaged were the 0th |
ana 5th in reserve. The firing is still going
on with great fury. Gems. Grant and Mead5
with all The corps Generals are at tie frpnt |
watching the progress OF aflairs. /
lAe 1xt6a.@,s special, dated headquattera |
.s!s5urs: ssturaay, Jalr 70, I'm a. H. Is as @
tollowss:, The grand conflict has com:
Inenced IL earnest. At daylight thi, morn
Ing q loud and continuous roar Of canuon
ali along the lines startled the whole coun-
try from Its slumber and spreadln. through
ont our army the Widest excitement and
!, Gen. Grant's new flank movement has en-
tireIy changed tho aspect OF affairs. By 1t
h1s right WIS thrown on the north side Of
James river, within ten miles Of Richmond.
enabling him to switch his entire force uuon
either side Of the river In a very few hours.
and compelling the enemy to cover Rich.
mona mon. w wit9 A. large ioEce as veil as Peters:
lot do and have to risk general engage
ment at the same time.
Inc artillery duel progresses magnificently
at this honr. The muskelry. have not yet
come much into action, but the whole
army is under arms and in line Of battle.
The H<rald's correspondent near Deep
Bottom, Of the 2otb, aa5s that prisoners r.
port that when 1t was discoTefed that the
second corps was north Of the James the en-.
en'y Immediately commenced pouring REIN
forcensnts, both from Petersburg and Rich
noId. Gen. Lee was t4ken entirely bp eur
prise, and WINS Obliged to use the utmost
dispatch to rush troops to the threatened
point.
: During last night the enemy continued
the splendid natural positions |
..e LED, which IN the morning were formed
'ogetheF, but the numerous reinforcements
we're too strong to assault. All the roads to
Richmond between 1.-The James and White
oak swamp were strongly defended.
Last evening Mcrritt's brigade Of cayl1rv
droye Ha1npton's troops from IN important
point @ On the Central road, which was held
ont IN thrse hrfgades Of infantry, making
steady assault on Merritt, WHO had dis.
mounted, falling back in order to q reserve
brigade: Both delivered destructive 7olley
md then CHARGED the rebels; ther broke
and fled In confusion, leaving their lead and
wounded on TIE field.
At the same time Gen. Griggs' division be-
came engaged Ut another point with q supe-
ritr force and the fighting Was very severe.
Davies brigade recelyine1the largest share,
ground and loet one gun, but rallied, checked
he advance Of the rebels, and finally drove
them back. -.
Gen. K4utz took possession of Malvern
Hill, which had been abandoned BIZ the
rebels to protect one Of the Richmond roads.
A\A NsVbNl1 N4%IA LAC 4lUEA5+ 1EllEFEQ me |
Fuvnlry with lis infantry and sgirmighei |
position.
Lieut.. Fletcher, Of the Goth Massachusetts,
and Lieut.. Fisher, Of Gen. Motifs staff, ara
3upoeed to be captured. Capt. McEwau, Of
Gen. Barlow's staff ia killed or captured.
The Mendoza did good service during The
The operations had the effect
If drawing large force from Petersburg and
greatly alarming Lee: The Richmond E,
,msneT ns. speaking Of & The aght on the soth:
acknowledges loss of four twenty pound
parrosts.. It also says Grant ia to attack
:bree points simultaneously, Deep Bottom,
Fort Drury and Petersburg.
The Htrald's 18th Corps correspondent Of
he Goth, says: An election was held the day
before among North Carolina troops, and
lotwithstas ding the intimidation Of rebel
eaders, nearly 0ne-half the votes were east
or Holden, the disatlected candidate, ,acaiost
Ennee. One regiment gave majority for
Holden.
THE WAR In GEORGIA.
a