The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-07-02
BURLINGTON WEEKLY HAWK-EYE.
From the Front.

From the Front.
HEADoUARTERs ARMY OF THE PoToaAc
June 23.-The attack upon the "a corps on
wednesday, near the Weldon road, did not
result so disastrously as at first supposed
me line was formed by Bariow's division
being on the left Birney's, Mott in com
mand, in the centre, and Gibbons on the
right. 1t was expected that the 9Th corps
would have continued on the left with Bar
low, put 1t seems quite gap was left, intC
wnch A. r. Hills treDeI corps entered,
anu before our men were aware Of it they
received n vOlley from the rear, which Gre
ated panic in our ranks, and caused 8
rapid retreat to the woods in the rear of the
Sd division.
The left flank Of the Sd disvision being
unprotected, and the enemy taking advan-
tage OF 1t, charged through and fairly INTO
our pits. ordering the men to surrender
The troops however left the trenches and
Tell back rapidly. but many OF them were
captured and quite a .number killed and
wounded.
Inc number of our loss in prisoners is
reported at 1880, while some make the fl9-
ure higher. Our loss in killed and wound
ed is probably 1880.
some of our officers engaged in this fight
had just joined their commands after be-
ing exchanged, and when surrendered and
Qs
Death rather than Libby Prison." and
fought their way out as best they could
Many of them succeeded in getting back
safe to our lines.
At 8 p. m. q change was made by the I'd
corps, and the line of works from which
they had been forced this afternoon, was
recovered. We lost scarcely a man in this
advance, as the rebels fred too high. A
NUMBER OF prisoners were taken. Skirm-
ishing was kept up all night along the line,
the pickets being at some points not tifty
yards apart.
At daylight this a. m. an advance of our
line was made, when it was found that the
rebels had taken new position some dis
tance further back, where they had thrown
up strong entrenehments during the night,
which they still hold.
Col. Blafsdell, Of the 18th Massachusetts,
was killed to-day by sharp-shooter while
visiting the skirmish line. Lieut.. w. Fl,
Child, 45th Pennsylvania, who was to have
been reinstated yesterday az lst Lieuten-
ant, was shotdead by q rebel sharp-shooter.
Maj. Holsey, of the l1th New Jersey, is
missing and sussuped to be captured.
The 9th corps moved toward the railroad
them.
HEADQUARTERS, June q, s a. m,-The
only fighting that took place Yesterday
was an attack made by the enemy on Ger,
Burnside, but whether intended "a a feint
to cover some wore important move, or an
attempt to break through his lines it was
. failure. They opened with q heavy fire
OF artillery, which was returned BY GU,
batteries, and the rebels making q charge
were driven back in confusion. Upwards
OF 100 being taken prisoners. This occurred
about y. M, aud the artillery firing was
kept up for one hour, when all became
quiet at that point. Atabout thes same time
. battery opened in front of hospital on
tho left Of the fifth corps, which the rebels
seemed disrosed to clear out, but they were
deferred oy our guns, before any damage
The engagement between the sixth corrs
and the enemy, for the possession of the
railroad, on Wednesday, was quite severe
the Notifications in front Of the second di.
vision, commanded by Gen. Wheaton. onlv
. short distance of. The railroad had
been destroyed, when the party were at
tackled by heavy force of the enemy, un.
der Gen. Anderson. who was repulsed by
Wilcox's division. Capt. Realty Of the
third Vermont, was in charge of the party
that reached the road and he fell back
slowly while the skirmish line held the
enemy in check, but body of the enemy
made flank movement, expecting to turn
the left flank of the line OF battle. They
however did not penetrate far enough, al
though they succeeded in taking a large
number OF skirmishers prisoners, princi-
pally Of the 4Sth and llth Vermont reQi
ments of the Vermont brigade.
The enemy afterwards advanced and at
tempted to break through the line at sew
eral points, but were met with such heav y
fire from our forcef that they were driven
back every time with heavy loss
They finally, at dark, gave up the effort
and retreated across the Railroad bank
Ar-o
ton. Our loss was very light in killed and
wounded, while that of the enemy it is
supposed was more than double ours. We
lost quite q number Of prisoners, but the
figures cannot be a. yet correctly given.
The railroad from City Point to Peters
burg is being placed in order and an en-
CINE and cars are already procured to put
Supplies are received at the front reyu-
larry and the troops lack nothing in this
respect but they suffer somewhat from
scarcity Of water.
WASHINGTON, June 27.-The steamer
Highland Light arrived here from City
Point, which place she left Yesterday
morning, and brought up the Sth Ohio in
fantry, commanded BY Maj. Winslow,
whose term Of service has expired. The
regiment numbers Isl, including officers
and men.
There has been no very heavy fighting
within the past few days, but sEirmishin9
ID kept up all along the line, and cannon
aiding at times.
Heavy firing was heard about wentv
miles from Bermuda Hundred on Satur-
day, where Gen. Butler is entrenchinQ. -
The rebels made an attack upon Butler 9
entertainments, but did not succeed. and
they were driven of.
On Saturday, the rebels attacked Sheri-
dams rear at Wilcox's Landing and cap
tured few of his men. A brigade of in-
fantry was at once dispatched 10 protect
Sheridan's rear and the rebels were kept
back and Sheridan made for the James
river, crossing it successfully with his en-
tire train.
The railroad is advanced Eve miles from
City Point towards Petersburg.
Yesterday heavy firing was heard ia the
direction of Petersburg.
Saturday night the rebels made an at
tack on our pickets about the centre Of our
line, they were repulsed with little or no
loss to us. On the heights beyond Peters
burg the rebels have an IS gun battery
bearing upon the centre Of our lines in
front Of that place. This battery has been
very troublesome and so far has proved
too heavy for any artillery we have
brought against it.