Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-05-26
OBSTINATE FIGHTING.


Letters from correspondents of the New York Tribune
show that the Confederate army the south side of Rich
mond has assumed the offensive. Gen. Butler is within
bis entertainments the bermuda Hundred peninsula
and (he Tribune says must be content to maintain him
self in that position until Lee IS driven to summon part
of Beauregards forces to his aid"
1t appears by the letters referred to that the rebels do
voted "Wednesday and Thursday to feeling the position Of
forces, during which considerable picket firing aud
diminishing occurred and in the night of the latter
day made assault upon line of rifle pits dug by our
pckes along the centre of entertainments. The
saut not entirely successful and they renewed it tho
next day. We extract of the details from letter
bearing date Tenth Army Corps, City Point" on
Friday evening last:
There has been to day fierce and sanguinary battle in
front of the Sd division of this corps under Gen Ames
Our line irregularly from the Appomatox the
left to the james on the right The approachabe spot
single point of the line in space of about eight
hundred yards in width and the same in depth. s, .
The rebels had up in front Of the clearing having
followed down from Fort Darling, and had posted their
first guns the yard of the Hewlett House. This house
is behind fall the ground and at several points along
the line they have posted light batteries The clear
ing wholly our work and is faulty only in not hay-
ing been done to greater extent One strip of woods
which threatened with sharp shooters Thursday is
happily now down but those next the Hewlett House
main, and beyond our power to remove
On Wednesday night pekets dug rife pit in front
of the rebel positions and about eight hundred yards from
our line, extending quarter of mile into the woods on
right, which yet stands 1t evident that this pit in
Invaluable to it's possessor and accordingly the rebels
drove out OF it this morning and the struggle of TODAY
has been attempt to regain it, which far
full although we have retaken the rghtof it, which is in
the woods e# 4. .#
Last night there was an alarm between ii and H. and
another between and 8 caused by picket firing. Both
times there was skrmshng and charging, but troops
held their pit The shone setting just after the 30
cond alarm and our old enemy the fog so thick that
man could not be distinguished at fifteen PAGES, in
phara Erao haAh aa. h.rp, .,.all,. ~Lk
chief the rebels might prepare under its cover one
knew but it thought they would try to plant bat
teres in the woods the right of the Hewlett House. on
the ground where is section of the rifle Dit and
further alarm looked for later in the night but
came ..ua.
At nine or heresbout the muskets began lively craze
ke, aud the guns opened from the rebel position Hurry
ing to the found the enemy had advanced been
repused yet had the rifle pit in their detested
The whole OF the 9th Mane with portions OF the 4h New
Hampshire, 55th PenDsy vania and Tth New York were
occupying the rifle pitt the regiment first named being
nearly in the The rebels charged upon them with
their peculiar shortved enthusiasm and their YELL and
were met firmly, and the position might have been held
without difficulty had not the 9th Maine broken and fed
to the woods thus permitting the rebels te enter the pit
and flank the remaining regiments compelling them to
tire
This unfortunate affair has cost hundreds of lives day.
and threatens with battles the price Of hold
ing position. The rebels in the pitt and the woods
which yet stand next the Hewlett House, the twin
sources of apprehension. @G..
Our Of the pit and in retreat the mpetu
reckiessy INTO full
the clearing Then guns, angry but silent while they
sheled away at yesterday opened with spherical
and the rebels umbled back to their newly acquired pit
Now = momentary ull, and then the Sd Regular
battery in the left redoubt the 4th New Jersey adjoining
it right both facing the pitt and the Ist Connec
cut in the elevated redoubt further to the right pointing
dagOnay and partly it, opened fire. roaring without
moments stop from 10d to using first mostly spbe-
rical The practice mainly excelent under the
personal direction OF Gen. Ames the shell bursting
the pit The rebel guns returned the fire. but their
shots counted hardly than th of ours and only
an insignificant number were struck, while own FIRE
not 10 the least retarded.
Meanwhile the 18th Indiana Col Dobbs made gallant
and as 1t seemed mprudent charge upon the pit the
right but were Iepused when within about hundred yards
OF the work During this charge took prisoner Major
Gen Walker OF South Carolina, who here in command
OF brigade. lie had his foot torn off by shell, and
safes that his brigade off and left him on thefeld
The firing being for the present men could BIO
seen hudded behind apple trees and others in the clearing
For rarity there rain and the day was oppres
siyey hot IA. h0t .a .gaI. oti .r
At half past two our guns again began to roar Word
brought that the left Of the pit was empty aud
the 9th Pennsylvania and 18th Illinois were advanc
ing against the rifle pit in the open clearing Their leader
had mistaken followed precisely his ORDERS and the
rebels had come in, aud suddenly they and poured
upon the advancing force murderous fire Of infantry aud
grape and they seemed to fall 10 swaths Ii was a sad
spht, without help but they ran desperately forward
hestated wayered and back, all in the space of
nou ent OF time Meanwhile guns were turned upon
the spot and the fire OF the rebels rapidly diminished
for something like hour IL possible
with fair chance ofmpunty to sit upon the parape and
watch Shells although for time rebel shot flew wildly
over us, and the trees few into splinters
Z The clearing nearly empty OF mon, but about
the rnepit on the right Five O'Clock, and musketry
cracked vigorously In the woods showing that errvs