Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1864-08-04

of the N. 7. Tribune,
sends the following important intel
ligence to that journal from before
Petersburg:
BEFORE PETERSBURG.
Saturday, July 30.-9A. NJ.
After three days of maneuvering
with marchings and some fighting,
the grand assault upon Petersburg
was made at half past four o'clock
this morning, and is still progressing,
it is thought, fayorably. The move
nent OF Hancock and Sheridan to the
left bank cf the James river was
feint to draw the enemy on that di-
rectlon, and was successful Yester-
day, to confirm him in his impression
thu Grant proposes to make the
fight there, trains were sent out from
here in his plain sigI t. The long
transportation of the absent 9th
corps was used for the purpose
Then at dark last night Hancock be-
gan marching this way, and before
daylight had his corps in close res
erYe. Gen. Hunt, Chief of Artillery,
had "a guns and Is mortars in posi-
tion.
The explosion of an immense mine
in Burnside's front, was the signal
for them to open. The main attack
was to be from the center, by the 9th
corps, while the 18th, and Turner'S
division of the 10th, should be mas
sed on the right rear of the 9th, and
the 5th on the left of the
9th. Part of the I'd took posi-
ton on the line west of the river.
but nearly all were disposed so as
to support the 9th.
The mine had been pushed out 4 hun
dred feet, ra1iaUing into three bran
ches beneath the rebel four gun bat
terry The powder exploding five
to fifteen feet under ground, was
equal to a chamber train fifteen in.
cbes in diameter and two hundred
and fifty feet long. The ground
shook under our feet when it was
fired A column of yellow earth
spouted into the air, as broad and
high as Bunker Hill Monument :
The echo of the awful blast had not
returned from the woods behind,
when three hundred guns opened
from the rising ground. ! conld see
the line of belching fire, and the great
volumes of white smoke and hear the
noise of it all. The enemy angrily
replied by heavy musketry vOlleys in
the center, only heard in the momen-
tary intervals between the guns -
Great masses ofwh.te powder smoke
! hung in clouds close to the earth or
reluctantly rising and resting on the
tree tops obscured the view. The
fash Of guns in the haze, projecting
many feet from the muzzles could be
seen-nothing else. The church
spires of Petersburg were lost from
the picture. At last, just before six,
a fresh freeze cleared the prospect
as by magic
We now have recourse to field
81 glasses, and sweep the glass from
point to point. Among the groups
are Gems. Warren, Hunt, Cutler and
Ayres, and their stats. Still nc
word from the front as to how it is
with ours. Then we can only look
and exchange thoughts and hopes
and knowledge of what each sees
At Just 9 the rebel are moving =
One and then another is certain thai
he sees them flying, The naked e,v'
soon confirms shat which was seer
through a glass darkly, and the ras
Gals are seen running in great fiocks
One more, glance from this poin
and then tv another At our elbow
a battery is thowing II inch shells a
the enemy, who are occasionally re
plying with shells Of equaf size, AM
with good aim, at the regular brigade
at our left. A column OF black, smok
from Petersburg. and clouds in bh'
sky. are seen. The city is burning
A signal station by a battery harr
to the front, is waving merriIv it
J little fag-a flag that talks. 1 d.
not comprehend its language.
Generals Grant and Meade are a
Burnside's headquarters. There
r learn 5liat the mine accomplished it
purpose. The explosion buried tire
of the four guns above it. and man
men. While the earth still trembled
, the 14th New York Heavy Artillery
Cd brigade of Lediie's rushed upor
the spot and broke the eneny's fine
Over one hundred prisoners wer
taken. Prisoners are coming in
There are three hundred already
. There is no struggling. We havr
t certainly carried'some ofthe enemy
works Here at headquarters th
impression is that we shall have. he
fore the sun goes down, the satisfac
ton of planting our flag in Peters
{ burg. There are still fresh troop
! enough on hand to pour new col
umn upon the rebel center ever,
hour till night, If that shall be n,
cessary. OF course nothing is know
/ yet in detail; nothing as to the losses
: and where they have fallen heaviest
Sheridan's cavalry is Iaovins
round to our left, on the enemy'
right The hattie has ragged fou
hours without cessation, much Ion
. ger depends on the rebels gisins
| way, not ia cur giving up.