The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-08-02


eved from its position in front Of Petersburg and the
Second Army corps and long before drawn
up column Of support to Burnside. The Mi III corps
had advanced beyond teir pits, and cd for
charge The Eighteenth occupied the pl GO they aban
doned. When daybreak made visible the long nes and
heavy column Of troops stretched along the ground few
could doubt thai gallant gh, glorious victory were
before U.S.
SxraloS NINE
Tho fuse WAS 10 have been fred 1T twenty minutes
before three O'Clock this morning; but II was not untl
minutes before I've that with low rumbling, the
mine blew up General Burnside and General Ora were,
together with their stats n the covered way leading TO
the four and half inch rdod battery from three O'Clock
in the morning, awaiting this signal to attack few OF
the least sangune began lose hope In the result and
the explosion, when came, almost unexpected 10
a moment crowd Of staff officers had congregatsd
the top Of traverse, and gazing uponthe heavy
volume or smoke that from what had been srebe
fort yand foaied away IN massive volumes. This point
Of view however. IN few minutes became untenable
when the rebels awoke from their parc and commenced
10 rattle musket bals In all directions.
RATrEscks OPEN.
The explosion was the signal for every battery in posi-
ton open The enemy, aud II had hardly taken place
when cannoners who mad stood for hour at thor
loaded guns. commenced the most furious artillery duel
that has yet taken place D front OF this position. Bat
terry after battery OF the First Connecticut heavy
artillery scettorsd along the line OF Hancock Burnside
and Warren, opened on the enemy with their twenty
and thirty Founders and their cohorns and eight inch
mortars, and for whilo II seemed II Pandemonium
had let loose The great object Of the artillery fire
to silence engross the attention OF such batteries
could brought bear by the rebels tho column
OF troops Burnside threw the enemy's position To
accomplish this object strict surveillance placed
every rebsl battery from the Appomatox to the extreme
left One particular set Of rebel that had endad
ing nre upon column Of attack, treated with a
terrible shelng from the concentrated FIRE Of twenty
mortars.
CHARGE
The Ninth corps moved forward on the enemy 's-ne in
column OF attack immediately followed by Turner's and
Carrs divisions, OF the Eighteenth corps, support
while Ames division, Of this corps, held 10 reserve
The troops charged up TO the crater and Ledes and
Ferrcro's divisions, Of tho Ninth corps, succeeded
in carrying the frat line. The rebels, hcwev er,
had been finally rallied by their officers and
Lee poured large reinforccmans In with suoh rapidty
that second line formed, and heavy columns OF
troops massed behind the earth thrown by the expo
Ihe fire excessively severe, and it was almost
impossible for troops to advance At eight O'Clock in
the morning General Meade ordered General Ord to throw
forward Turner's divisions the right Of the
ceced reaching formed by the explosion OF
the mne and held his position under q heavy fire from
the enemy.
MICRO rPcors
Of Ferreros DIVISION had advanced the ex.re me
with considerable dash, and had captured number
prisoners With several recevedhc part
cular attention OF the enemy, and sustained a
fadng FIRE from number Of brass pieces ut short range
These troops entirely inexperienced and werc
gagged 10 their nrs hgh The enemy finally succeeded In
causing panic In the sable ranks and the latter fell back
in some disorder, throwing Turner's line into
fusion. II evident that the enemy had force
massed behind their weak pon. which would render any
further charge part musderous be attempt
ed aud the order iEsaec 70 withdraw tho troops
Al three O'Clock the Afternoon last OF the Eigh-
teenih corps front Of the enemy relieved by
troops from the Ninth corps and this corps returned 10
its original position the right Of tho ne relieving the
/ Second corps.
The losses Of the Eighteenth corps amount TO probably
four hundred mostly wounded II impossible fur
nsh lists at present. owing 70 the fact that the troops
have been constantly moving, and only as write,
reoccupyins their old positions.
GENERAL GRANT
at the front during the entire ght also enc
raj Meade Lee was without doubt completely out
and but for the kable rapdity OF his
movements, and q combination Of unfortunate circum.
stances, would have met with severe reverse BY o
series Of ssatasems and the marching and counerarch
Ing OF the Second corps General Grant had entirely
ceived his opponent and large number Of troops
withdrawn from 'front.' and taken 70 the north bank
Of the james TO oppose Hancock and sheridan The
mept these Generals commenced falling back TO reon
Grant returned his troops with all the rapidy in bis
power but would st have been too late but for that
series OF circumstances that sometimes ustrate
the best laid plans