The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-19
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
ArFAIRs ON THE IAMEs.

Affairs ON THE JAMES.
GrNERsl r.. S. FosrERs HEADQUARTERS,
DEEr BorroN, JAMES RIVER, VA, July lG, NJ d-
night.-Thc usual and prolonged nou5tony that
has HI herto well nigh been the death Of the
Union hert in the James river In its relation TO
the public mind Of the North, was broken by the
enemy at an early hour this morning, and they
have kept IL broken throughout tho whole day
I have Just arrived from the gunboats nc and
near / cep Bottom, with the following news .-
GENERAL IS. FOSTER HEADQUARTERS sur1LUu
At o'clock this morning the eucmy-iu all
p OH b'lity informed as 20 the position bya boy
who deserted from one of the gunbOats two
days since-opcned heavy fire on the head Iuar-
ters Of General r. s. Foster commanding the
United States forces at Deep Bottom; and for
upwards of an hour the range was so accurate as
tocompcl the inmates TO change their base seyc-
raj tines,
Several large fragments Of shell passed directly
into the tent Of the General, while yet other shot
literally cut TO pieces the trees and the foliage
Immediately surrounding the tent. Fortunately
there was loss of human life during this sharp
and, for n time, terrific bombarlment of the spot.
The horse of Captain 2. 4. Davis, Assistant-Ad-
iutant General to General Foster, was shot dead
while standing within a very few yards of the
Captains tent.
ATTACH ON A GUNRONr.
The enemy having satisfied themselves with
General Foster and his staff, atabOut eight clock
In the morning turucd their sole and undivided
attention 10 the gunboats and the pontoon bridge,
NOuIlCsS having IN view Lle TOTAL ucStfNGllun OF
both. They accomplished neither object
THE r1RiNG-rHE "HENDorA" ENGAGED.
The firing was evidently directed in accordance
with the information impaired by the desertcr
referred to above, and began 10 grow sharper and
sharper ms the day grew Old, They opened ON
the Mendoza Commander L. I. Nichols 40 head
and stern, from point on the left bank of -Four
Mile creck-the gallant Nichols lying with his
vessel at Deep Bottom, two miles and a half
nearly due west from Malvern Hills, and about
two miles from the nearest point of Turkey Bend.
ErFECT or ONE SHOT.
The principal one of these missiles was a twenty
pound rifle shot, which took full effect in the bull
warks, lust forward of number one gun, on either
side Of which were six men and one officer COM
manding them I'm the working of the piece. The
shot killed two men, wounding the other four
and the officer, thus destroying the usefulness of
onc-half the working force of the gun.
The first shot from the enemy duly astOnished
the officers and men Of the Mendoza. She was
lying at the time Immediately below the pontoon
bridge After the first shot had been received
and before she replied the Hendota steamed down
the river short distance, for the purpose of de-
sIoying the enemy's range and securing a better
one for the guns of the ship. The third and fourth
shots caused the MeHdota to slip.
THE REBEL BATTERY sILENcED.
After again steamng down the river, she
opened on the enemy with splendid range, and
totally silenced their battery. The engagement
was both spirited and elegant one, and reflects
indubilable credit upon Commander Nichols and
the gallant officers and crews Of the Mendoza.
ARRIVAL OF ITUrENANT-GENERA GRANT.
AT aboutten O'Clock Lieutenant General Grant,
with portion of his staff, and accompanied by
Major General Butler, Colonel j. w. Shatfer
Chief of staff and Captain Clark, arrived at
General Fosters headquarters, for the purpose of
consulting with him in reference to the sitnaton
These distinguished soldiers were handsomely
and cordially received by Indianas favorite SON
after which the Commanding Generals at once
proceeded to accomplish tue object of their visit
which was done by looking over the map in COM
pany with General Foster, and reviewing with
him the position of his front and his works. The
enemy all the while were shelling in the direct
ycinage of the distinguished party.
Both General Grant and General Butler, as is
their custom were cool and unimpassioned. The
former smoked his cigar and read Richmond
papers, while on the picket line and under fire.
with that stubborn and never-absent imperturb-
ability for which he Is noted wherever he is
known.
General Butler was intent on seeing as much
Of the Rebels as possible, while Colonel ShatIer,
Chief of STAFF, with his broad brmmed hat
beaming face, and elongated Oody, looked upon
the entire thing as alike tolerably commonplace,
and, owing to the ntrm condition of his health
personally to him, borous beyond the ordinary
measure of bores.
A wITTICIsM FROM GENERAL GRANT.
By some mistake, on leaving headquarters
General Grant mounted horse other than his
own, which fact after riding some distance was
discovered, and moreover that the animal was
iOundeIed, and belonged to a staffoflicer. When
about TO leave General Fosters headqu lrters,
General Grant asked how far It was to City
Point The answer was "About ten miles"
General Grant replied, 81 think it must be much
further on this poor horse"
RETURN OF THE LIEUTENANT GENERAL.
The military party separated from Gen Foster
at half-past three p. NJ, and returning TO Ber-
muda Hundred and City Point as they came, in
the fagboat Of General Graham.
THE "PEQUoT" AND COMMODORE NORRIS"
ENGAGED.
There was a short but sharp engagement dur
ing the day between the United States gunboats
PeqU0t and Commodore Morris and Rebel land
battery, at or near Malvern Hill. The Pequot
received four shots, nobody being injured, and
the Commodore Norris a solid shot which struck
her magazine, but fortunately did no damage.