Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1864-06-30
The Attack on Petersburg.

|
nave been accomplished .aez.
since tuesday night, when the advance OF
the 18TH Corps arrived in the vicinity of
| petersburg, our lines have been pushed stead
! lily forward. Several strong positions have
oeen wrested by charges from the enemy, and
| we nave taken eighteen guns and several hum
dred prisoners. Our advance is within half
mile OF Petersburg, which is in full view of
almost our entire line.
| PRISONERS state that portions of Lees army
commenced arriving at Petersburg on Wednes-
gay night, only few hours after the arrival
0r -. hancock with the I'd corps, and that
"ises brigade, commanded by Wise in per-
son, held the town until that time.
The City Point Railroad is now in our DOS
| session, and the Norfolk and Petersburg line
commanded by our troops
The 18th Corps, which landed at Bermuda
Hundred this day, and now leads the ad-
vance, crossed the Appomattox on pontoons
iald Tour miles above its mouth, and penetrat-
| ed to the southwark up to within about four
miles OF the town, before encountering any
| opposition. Here skirmishing commenced.
and our advance, steadily pus hing forward
| drove back the pickets of the enemy, who
| took position in their outer defenses-
| Ihese defenses were Immediately charged nv
| Hlncks negro division with most splendid
gallantry The enemy were put to fight, and
two guns and and considerable number of
prisoners were captured.
| The works were held until the arrival of
Hancock at halfpast FIVE on Wednesday
evening. On the arrival of Hancock recon
nolssance for the purpose of ascertaining our
exact position was made, and considerable
sklrmlshlng ensued. Only two divisions,
| Blrney's and Gibbons, reached the field on
OH a.
| other road, bringing up the rear and coming
! up at six o'clock Thursday morning. The di7
| visions of Birney and Gibbon deployed in
| line OF battle, when their proximity to the
rebels was discovered and our troops biv-
ouacked on the field, Birney occupying the
LETT of the line and Gibbons the right On
Barlow's arrival in the morning., he was Or
dered into position on the left of Birney.
Between five and six o'clock Yesterday
| morning, the enemy began heavy artillery
fire on our line, enflading it with batteries
posted on our left, and rendering an advance
or occupation of position to the rear imme-
dlately necessary. Accordingly an advance
OF the I'd and 18th corps was ordered by Han
cock, who, in the absence of Meade, took
command OF both corps. The result was
highly successful, several lines of rebel
works being carried at the point of the bay
onet, and number of redoubts of great
strength occupied Sixteen guns were taken
and turned upon the enemy by the 18th
corps Col. Egan's brigade of Birney's divis-
ion led the charge of the I'd corps, and gal
lantly drove the enemy from his works, cap
turing at the same time formidable redoubts,
and with Dwight's and Gillis' batteries, COM
pletely sllencing the rebel artillery on our
LETT. The works were held until about one
IN the afternoon, when dispositions for a f.
nal charge upon the enemy's last line were
made. 1t was at this time that Col Egan
was severely, II not seriously, wounded in
the spine, and the attack temporarily post
poned.
At six o'clock last night, however, another
charge was made by the I'd corps, and an ad-
vanced position assumed and maintained
The line occupied was at once rendered Sc
cure by the immediate construction of earth
works.
At this time it is impossible to ascertain
the extent of our losses, but 1900 will prob
ably cover the total casualties
1t is to be regretted that our advance was
not pushed forward on Wednesday afternoon,
as prisoners concur in the statement tina:
Wise's brigade alone held the town until late
IN the evening, when Lees troops commence
ed arriving. Portions of his army marched
from Malvern Hill, crossing the James river
on pontoons above Fort Darling while many
were dispatched by the Petersburg Railroad
Our line, as now formed, faces the city from
the East and South, partly encircling it, and
extends across the City Point Railroad south
ward to the vicinity of the Petersburg and
Norfolk Railroad. Burnside holds the left of
our line, Hancock the centre, and Smith the
right. The remainder of the troops arrived
to-day, and will be assigned their positions
No one doubts that Lee will defend Peters
burg. Our troops, nevertheless, are confident
of final success
The special to the New York Times, dated
Headquarters Army of the Potomac, Sun
day, o'clock A. NJ" says:
No positive advantage has been obtained
over the enemy during the last twenty-four
hours. There has been more or less fighting
along the whole line. Charges and counter
charges have been made. Our right and left
have been swung i'll something more than one
mile, while the centre has been advanced but
little. Briefly, Petersburg is surrounded by
an abattls OF Yankee bayonets, within easy
range of the city. ALI was quiet on Satur-
day. There was no demonstration on either
SIDE There has been no fighting this morn
ing.
The New York 7ri5unes special, dated at
the headquarters of the army of the Potomac,
June 10Th, in the forenoon, says:
We attacked three times yesterday-at
III the morning, at noon, and at 4 in the after
noon. Warren joined on the left, and swung
around with skirmishing front, halt a mile
at each advance, taking one line of works
and pressing up to another and the last
Hancock and Burnside, in the centre found
more opposition. The former has gained
half mile, the latter more. The loss in the
last assault was particularly severe in Bar
lows and Gibbons divisions, and in the I'd
division of Burnside. Mills division of the
9th Corps, and Martindale's division of the
9Th Corps swept up the river to within half
mile OF the town. One more line, and we
have the town, which we now semi-circum-
vallate to its last defenses
The HeraldS special, June 10TH says: At
four o'clock this morning Burnside's corps at
tackled the enemy's works On the left of our
line, and carried them after a severe and pro-
tracted struggle, capturing about 500 prison
ers, six excellent brass field pieces, and two
that were spiked.
The attack at o'clock in the morning of
Saturday by the I'd Corps met with but little
opposition, our troops passing over formida-
BILE works occupied by the enemy the day
previous, and captured 30 or 60 prisoners
The casualties On both sides were few. We
moved on and developed another line of
works about 500 yards beyond. Here the
rebels made a stubborn resistance At noon
a general advance of the I'd Corps was Or
dered The assaulting force consisted of
three brigades. The line rushed forward
CALAMITY, but could not withstand the steady
fire of musketry, grape and canister. Though
| they got within seventy-fve yards of the
earthworks, they fell back. leaving the dead
and wounded. Another attack was ordered