Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-08-12

! FAR IEIERSHU kG, July 81.
Dear journal This day will be written
in the page Of history, and all participants
will remember it, those Who are spared
until their dying day.
Early this morning, even before day light,
signal having been fired, all our artillery
opened along our entire ines upon the works
of the enemy and the city, which was soon
followed by musketry. One rebel fort which
had been undermined was soon after blown
into the air, burying it is said, a regiment Of
rebels and some heavy ordnance ; Immediately
our men formed for charge and quickly car
ried the fret lines OF the enemy, but with
severe loss, they then pushed on towards the
second, which was partially secured by them,
but, on account of negro troops Of the 9Th
corps, who, not having been accustomed to
such terrific firing, like the llth corps at
Charlottesville, broke and scattered with
the exception of the works the negro, did
not take, we captured two lines Of the rebel
defenses. A lul succeeded. during
time our wounded and theirs (many OF whom
were dug from the earth by which they were
covered at the me OF the explosion) aud the
prisoners were carried to the rear.
But unexpectedly the "rebs," heavily re-
inforced, assaulted in turn their works aud 80
vigorously, that we were driven back over
the ground so dearly bought, inside our
works. And thus we are repused.
This battery, am happy to state with two
sections under command Of LIT. w. A. Phil
lips, received no loss, and was engaged
throughout the entire fight. The sections
still lay in the same position that they occu-
pied when | last wrote. have no time to
give the details, which you will soon receive
from more reliable pen.
How wonderfully we have been preserved,
not one man killed as yet. Rumor has it that
the 18th VT. has again suffered very heavily,
they were near us and we're in the assault. -
1t. w. h. Martin is reported killed. He who
90 lately rejoined his regiment, just from
his home, to which he had been on a leave of
absence, granted for wounds but just healed
hope report is wrong.
In my last, told you of the departure of
the I'd corps. 1t seemed they crossed the
James river, marched to Malvern Hill and
surprised the enemy, taking many prisoners
and number Of colors. he'd the pleasure
Of seeing three stands of colors captured by
them. Two OF which belonged to the 18th
and 2Sth North Carolina regiments aud were
new, not having been carried but a few days
by them. Upon them were inscribed sixteen
battle fields each, among which were: LIST
Bull Run, I'd Bull Run, Fredericksburg,
Chancelorsyille, Cold Hsrbor, Malvern HILL
Hanover Court House, Wilderness. The
movement was very successful; it seemed to
have been to divert the enemy from our as
sAuit here. The I'd corps participated in to-
days battle here, having returned last night.
The heaviest fighting occurred in our i'm
mediate front, the 10th, 18th and "a corps
supporting US. Our loss (the 9th eorps) was
the heaviest. When the rebs" retook their
lines we loss many prisoners. A rebel cap.
thin' whom we captured, said mis- " company
was buried" That was all overheard
concluded his company was in the fort at the
time of the explosion
AT present II 's unusually quiet, all quiet
on the AppomsttoK not = gun being heard.
but as night overtakes us, the firing will com
mence nm