, 1864-08-24

Tho Increment ON the Weldon Road
sharp Fig ht1nE on >unday-EYe Ink
GOO Fr1soners-The situation.
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tribune.I
PunADE1ru1A, Tuesday. Ans. y. 1851.
Dispatches from the Army Of the Poto
mac, dated yesterday, arc to the effect that
considerable battle occurred on Sunda
morning. It Was occaeioned by the rebel
making desperate effort to drive our force
from their position on the Weldon railroad
The enemy was completely repnlsed, ami
lost heartily in killed, wounded and prison
ers.
The 10th Mississippi regiment was cap
tured entire, with colonel std colors. Ou
less was elignt, belug only about 150.
The rebels failed altogether in their at
tempts to dis1odge our force from their po
sition On the railroad
Prisoners rantnraa - 49, ae-A --J xs.s
eofd he was determined to drive our meu
from the railroad If it should cost him hfs
entire army. Whether this is true or not, IL
is evident th re. elscorsidcr it Important to
regain their use Of the Weldon Railroad, nud
will not spare any efforts to accomplish their
purposc.
Our forces on the railroad ara strongly en-,
renched, and there Is no prospect OF the
rebels being able to dislodge them. :
HA1rKn's FE1HT, Monday, Aug. - -, ria |
WAsutSoToS, Tuesday. Aug. 70. I
Immediately after the brilliant fight oi
Tuesday, the 10th, under Gen. Cnstar near
Front Royal, Gen sheidan's army began full
Ing back. Tn the following day Custar
moved to Berrysvl1le, and during Thursday,
Friday and Saturday further retrograde
movement took p1acc, so that on Sunday the
army VAS about three miles beyond Charles
town with the cavalry some three miles fur
ther towards Berrysr1llc.
Our pfckets were more In and about the
town. Doubtless much wonder has been ex-
pressed ut this xetrograde movement
Of the ermy. Most of those who don't
know Gen. Sheridan, Or do not understand
the plan and object of his campaign in this
section, may be inclined to await news from
bis command with fear and trembling,
I am not at liberty to state at pre.ent any
detail about his plans, but may give assur-
ance that there is no feeling of despondency
in the army on account Of the movement,
The loss Of q part Of our supply train, and
The presence Of a considerable body of rebel
hor:cmeu to the eastward, who were threat
enipg our precarious communications with
the base Of supplies, are tWo facts which
must hare Ind weight in determining our
movement.
Even If there hai been Berlous purpose
to marchlup the valley, yet if I add General
Sheridan is in constant communication with
General Grant, and suggest that very likely
the grand movement at Petersburg and
6heridan's movement hereabou!s arc part
Of the one campaign against the rebel aray,
shall convey the assurance that everything
is going on reasonably well in this command
During the Inter half Of last week there
vas constant skirmishing between our
cavalry and that of tho enemy
freshly mounted On the Maryland
horses, as prisoners say, in which neither
side gained any material advantage, though
the c1cess Of prisoners taken was largely in
our favor. It is believed that the rebel loss
in killed ard wounded was fully equal to
our OVID, which was not heavy The testi-
mony Of all prisoners VIE uniform as to the
fact that Early had received considerable
reinforcements within a fortnight, and the
country already knows that Sheridan has re-
ceiTcd reinforcements within that time.
. There are forces enough in the two armies
to make great battle if closely engaged.
There WAS lively time yesterday, but the
sf1air did not rise to the magnitude Of IN en-
gaEement: It Was merely part Of the gen
eral maneuyering for position, which has
been going on since Thursday last. The
game this time seemed to be Martinsburg,
which the rebels did not succeed in getting
The affair began between and a. N. Our
line extended from the Berr; vile pike on the
left, two or three miles beyond Charlestown,
to the Smitnfleld pike. Our right, the cav
airy line, was Us follows: In front was Will
sons division, Duffee's brigade bringing up
our extreme right, and Mcintosh and Chap:
man following to the left Merritt's diyIs.
ion, with its p1ckets extending to the right
to meet Wilson's ut Ocoquan creek
Averills division is at SLepardstowu,
the fords of the river. About0
O'Clock in the morning the rebels made q
furious attack On Wilson's division, and at
the same time made faint upon Mertitt's
division. The feint did not accomplish aov.
thing, IS Gen. Sheridan in advance saw tia
real movemsnt was against our right and
upon Wilson. Our men stood up to the
fight nobly, but the rebel onset was 90
fierce that we eutfcrcd somc loss. The loes
in NelDtosh's brigade Will foot up 200, and
IT..