Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-09-15
FROM THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC

Information received in Washington, from before Pc.
tersbun, under date If the 9Th instant that be
yond frequent skirmshDg and iona canuonsdog no
movements changes Of position have taken place Much
Impotence and some anxiety manifested for the
pected attack of the enemy but they had made
straon and the for their delay not be dvin
ed Our troops still continued to entre1ch their position
which, it is sal will become one of great strength Gen
Grant recetiug large numbers Of recruits rppensh
bis depleted regiments 1t is to be hoped he will obtaB
enough to osrt Gen Lees nforcemeuts VAL
ley Gen LoDgstreet defending the Danvile railroad
On the evening of the 9TH guard of pckets front of
the Fifth Corps attacked by superior force The
officer of the pckets killed and fifteen twenty men
captured There also little fight Thur.day morning
at the Davis House. small party of rebels attacked
force the house. which numbered twenty thirty
men, Three or four rebels were killed. but they capur-
ed all Of our eight Afterwards forces at
acked the rebels aud retook the house. which now
hold.
Mr. T. Creighton, the army correspondent of the New
York World attaches importance to the little affair."
Of Friday night opposite position Of our left centre He
! says:
Our hoe at this point rather more irregular than
was deemed necessary that 1t should be- aud deter
mined TO strengthen up To accomplish this portion Of
the enemys picket posts must be secured and occupied
When state that the coveted position lay directly at
the foot OF low hill on the crest Of which tron9 fort
the great haz ,rd Of attacking will be readily
Besides it was really poiot of value t. the enemy mas
much az from il he could command very fair survey of
eoodly stretch of our work. toward either iuk
"Our works opposite this position held by General
Motifs division OF the Second Corps therefore the re-
spousibity OF planning the attack fell Gen Hancock
Taking into consideration the almost mpossbty of gain
ing object in daylight at least without bringing on
saDguinary engagement, Gen. Hancock determines on
venuriDg night attack, hoping to surprise the pckrts
and their shelter without serious disaster Three
regiments the Ninety nuta Pennsylvsns under Colonel
Bss the Twentieth ndlsna, Col MeikeIs and the second
u. s. Sbarpshooters, all under Gen. De Trobrand were
detailed Tor the purpose and ordered To hold themselves in
| readiness. 81
Indiana Ipovpg by the ri. flank, to attack point
indicated to the left Of the hill fling by the right when
they bad arrived at the of the e1emys pit They
10 toward aud meet the Ninety ninth Penn,yI
vana who, by tactics directly the inverse VI those follow
cd by their participants 20 attack from the right
On joining they we're simply TO faco to tn, 'front.' winch
would bring them into line, with the enemy between
and our position. Having the enemy thus surrounded it
not deemed probable that much resistance would be
made E8t
at one O'Clock Ia the night Of the 9h according to
ORDERS the troops started their respective
positions aud with bayonets fixed moved quickly toward
the rebel position As they got nearer to t they moved
more quickly aud possible silently and at the rear
of the Bns the JUNCTION formed without any aiafm
Fronting they moved the pits again. and tins upe ~
they eaped on their sleeping sdversares one shot was
fred by some rebel who awaked Just ''' ,oo 80
Several others were heard toward the right zen tue
enemy who had caught the alarm fired artillery.
Our gunoers replied while the victorious infantry pro-
ceeded immediately to turn the enemys shetenog works
to their advantage by deRTooS tue slack
ened and faally ceased firing The surprise COM
; plete -, =. 80,
Because they had lost the position it didn't necessarily
follow that coudn be retaken again. thought the rebels
And on this they acted About three o'clock force was
heard approaching, wheeupon vigorous ERE OF muskery
and artillery opened them, aud after few inefsc
tual charges against discharges they concluded
leave the account was for the time being and retired
They asserted their determination repossess
Of this point at some future period and attack
menisry expected BY the time this reaches you, how
strong line OF works will have been constructed by
engineers directly under the OF the This
'front.' which has for time back been quiet now
about the ony place line where any vndcnseness
is displayed.
our entire loss during the whole affair was very slight;
one two killed twelve wounded add about thirty pr
| souors,n