The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1864-08-02
Capture of a Line of Rebel works.

The following account Of the gallant action
OF Hancock's Corps at Deep Bottom is given
by the correspondent of the New York Her
aid, who dates on the 9th July ultimo:
"a portion of,he troops in the Army of the
Potomac, under the immediate command oil
Major General Hancock having quickly
| crossed from the south 10 the northern bank
OF the James river, drove the enemy from q
strong line OF intrenchments this morning and
captured four pieces OF artillery.
The forces forming the expedition moved
yesterday afternoon. Marching all night the
command crossed the Appomattox on the
pontoon bridges at Point of Rocks and the
place called Broadway, and crossed the James
on the bridges near Deep Bottom. The
movement was executed secretly and silently I;
and in fourteen hours from the time OF start
ing the command had marched about twenty
miles, crossed two rivers and captured line
of works, with its artillery, from the enemy.
Having effected Judgement on the north
bank of the James, where, however, force
under General Foster had been already station
ed General Hancock's command formed in
the open fields, near the border of the river.
The enemy occupied fortified position along
a road running mostly on the edge OF an ex-
iensive piece OF timber, and at that point near
ly parallel with the river.
After our troops had formed on the open
| plain, strong skirmish line was thrown for
ward, and it soon came in contact with the
enemy.
The consequence was that, with our Skin
! mishers from other brigades advancing at
! other points, the enemy was compelled TO
abandon that fortified position. leaving four
| 20-pounder Parrott guns, with llmbers, two
| cassons filled with ammunition, and small
| number of prisoners in the hands OF Col.
| Lynch.
| After the enemy had been driven from that
/ first position he retired TO a commanding
| crest about a mile behind. That point is
about three miles from Malvern Hill. Re
! connoitefing parties soon ascertained the TACT
that the naturally formidable defensive posi-
! ton OF the crest was being rendered strong
er still by the enemy, whose reserves
were busy completing intrenchments which
/ had been previously commenced. From in
| formation then in our possession it was believ-
/ ed that the force of the enemy in our immedi-
! ate front consisted OF Kershaw's division and
an additional brigade OF infantry, with con-
! siderable force of cavalry, which appeared
1 on our right. Reinforcements, too, were ra-
| pidly arriving by railroad, twenty-nine car
loads full having passed up from Petersburg
| during this afternoon. Our skirmishers were
cautiously sent forward until they came in
which spread out from the foot OF that COM
manding crest.
A portion of General Barlows infantry
division pushed forward for the purpose OF de-
veloping the left of the enemy's line, and had
handsome and successful little skirmish.
| With the same object in view a portion of
our cavalry, whichis under command of Cen
| eral Sheridan, advanced on the Malvern Hill
and New Market road, and on the right OF
| the infantry, dashed in with the sabre, pushed
in the lett OF the enemy,s line and captured
q small number OF prisoners.
About three weeks ago, when Gen. Han
cock resamed command of his corps, afteI a
temporary absence. during which time it lost
four guns and with them a portion of the
| prestige inseparaby associated with its name,
I he issued an order to bis troops. In which he
told them that when they met the enemy
! again he would expect them TO fully redeem
| what they had lost. 1t is an interesting CO.
incidence that this morning, the first occasion
! on which they had met the enemy since, they
/ captured four gyms of heavier calibre than
those which they had lost, and more than re-
[ established their honorable name, Upon re-
! ceiving the announcement OF the capture of
the guns this morning, Gen. Meade immadi-
/ ately dispatched these brief congratuiatory
| liRasi
HEAp9U ARTERs ARMY POTOMAC
July q, GA. NJ.
General Hdneock:
Your dispatch of twenty minutes past
seven, received. i congratulate you and
your gallant corps on your success, and trust
it will be continued.
GEORGE @. MEADE, Maj. Gen..
During the evening our lines have been
we'll established In accordance with Gen.
Grants design and the object Of our opera
| tons, which must be left TO future develope-
ments TO disclose.
| The following is list OF the casualties 10
the iilh Maine regiment, which bore prom
inent part In the capture of line of rebel
/ works above described:
| Capt w Wiswell, leg, slightly; Corp La
cassard Sasseli, f, belly, do; Corp Horace 5
| Mills, q, head, do; Corp Kenny G Lowell,
| L, face, do; James X Ash, G, face and breast,
severely; Jas n Leighton, C, leg and lung,
MORALLY; John III Parker, 9. face and back
severely; Geo III Robinson. G, hip, slightly
| Moses NJ Burse, f. killed; Horace III Burse.
side and right arm amputated; Geo A Beals,
f, right hip, severely; Parker w Leach, L,
forearm. do; Robt Ii Newall, E, knee, slight
| ly Archibald Taggard, Il, fa2e and neck,
mortally; Charles w Royal, G, arm. eighty !;
| Everett 3 Small, G, shoulder, do; Simon
Wood, 6. do, do: Frank johnson, G, arm, do
| Samuel b Morton, g, hip, do; Chas Douglas,
G., head, do; Joseph Meaaer. II leg. do; John
Finnegan, |, leg, do; Charles Il Corson, /,
I lao do