The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-07-01
The Richmond Campaign.
Gen. Foster North of the James.

Early last week Gen Weitzel laid a pom
toon bridge across the James, from Jones'
neck, above Bermuda Hundred, to a point
opposite near Four Mile creek. Gen. Fos-
ter, with his troops, on Wednesday morning,
crossed, drove in the enemy's pickets, ad-
vanced to position near the kingsland road
and commenced intrenching himself within
nine miles of Richmond. Gen. Foster has
considerable force. The gunboats are near
the bridge and cooperate in the movement
The rebel picket line is in range of ours, and
the enemy develops large adjacent force. -
They are also reported to be in full force,
with infantry and cavalry, under command of
Lee-another nephew of Gen. K. E. Lee-at
Chapin's bluff, four miles and half from the
Grover house. Late Wednesday evening,
the enemy had shown two regiments of in
fantry and regiment of cavalry on Gen.
Fosters right, near Four Mile creek. The
gunboats commenced Smelling the enemy,
maintaining a vigorous and effective fire I'M
til dark. The immediate result of this shell
ing was ascertained to be the driving Of the
enemy from the left to the right, whence they
were again driven.
THE REBELS ATTACK BURNSIDE FRIDAY.
The only fighting that took place near Pc
tersburg Friday, was an attack made by the
enemy on Burnside, but whether intended as
feint to cover some more important move
or an attempt to break through his lines, i,
was failure. They opened with heavy
fire of artillery, which was returned by oul
batteries, and the rebels making charge
we're driven back in confusion, upwards of a
hundred being taken prisoners. This occur
ed about s in the morning. and the artiller,
firing was. kept up for an hour, when all be
came quiet at that point. About the SAME
time, the battery opened in front of the hos
pital on the left of the 9TH corps, which tn,
rebels seemed DESTROYS of clearing, but the,
we're deferred by our guns before any dam
age resulted.
THE FIGHTING ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY
! The disaster to the I'd corps on Wednes
day resulted from some neglect in closing u,
the line. Quite gap was open on the left
into which A. p. Hills rebel corps entered
and before our men were aware of it the,
received volley from the rear, which Great
ed panic in our ranks and caused a rapi,
retreat to the woods in the rear of the 81 ii
vision. This left the flank O. the Sd div
sion unprotected, and the enemy taking ad
vantage of it, charged through and fairly in
to our pits, ordering our men to surrender
The troops, however, left the trenches, aut
fell back rapidly, but many of them wer,
captured and quite number killed and
wounded before they got away. Our loss in
prisoners is reported at 1000, while SOM
make the figure higher. Our loss in kille,
and wounded is probably 1900.
Some Of our officers engaged in this fgh
had just joined their commands, after beins
exchanged, and when surrounded and order
ed to surrender, replied, "Never! Deaf!
rather than Libby prison!" and fghtin.
their way out as best they could, maLy o
them succeeded in getting back safe to GU
lines.
AT s P. NJ. charge was made by the 2
corps, and the line of works from which the,
had been forced in the afternoon was recoy
cred. We lost scarcely man in this ad
vance, as the rebels fired too high, the ball
all passing over the heads of our men. !
number OF prisoners were taken. Skirmish
ing was kept up all night along the line, tn
plckets being at some points not fifty yard
AT daylight on Thursday morning an ad
vance OF the entire line was made. when
was found that the rebels had taken a ne1
position some distance further back. wher
they had thrown up some strong intrench
ments during the night. The 9th corps NOV
ed toward the railroad Thursday morning
driving the enemy before them, and during