Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1864-08-11
From Correspondence OF the New York Tribune.
The Grand Conflict Opened.
In FRONT OF PETERSBURG, il

In FRONT OF PETERSBURG, July 30.
The grand conflict commenced in
earnest at daylight this morning. A
loud and continuous roar Of cannon
all along the lines startled the whole
country from its slumber, and spread
throughout our army the widest
excitement and enthusiasm.
Gen. Grants new flank movement
has entirely changed the aspect Of
affairs here. By it his right was
thrown on the north side Of James
river within ten miles of Richmond,
enabling him to switch his entire force
upon either side Of the river in very
few hours, thus compelling the enemy
to cover Richmond with large force,
as well as Petersburg and the entire
line, which they could not do, and
here had to risk q general engage
ment.
The thousand toned artillery duel
progresses magnificently, the bowling
shell bursting in wild profusion in
camp and battery, and among the
trembling pines. The whole army is
under arms and in line Of battle. Am.
munition trains are distributing their
stores along the lines, and ambulance
trains are hurrying up for the recep.
ton of the wounded, while the white
coverIets Of thousands of hospital beds
are turned down, and army surgeons,
with aprons. on, their instruments at
hand, and sleeves rolled up, are qui-
city awaiting the bloody harvest Of
war. Considering the cause, tho ar
mics, and the position, it is the grand
est spectacle the world ever saw.
The mine had been pushed out 400
feet, radiating into three branches
beneath rebel four-gun battery. Tho
powder exploding five to fifteen feet
under ground, was equal to cham
Der train fifteen inches in diameter
and $50 feet long. The world shook
when it was fired. A column Of vel.
low earth spoutod into the air broad
and high as the Bunker Hill Monu
ment.
The echo of the awful blast had not
come back from the woods behind
when the hundred guns opened from
the rising ground in Warren's front.
could sec the line of belchiDg fire,
the great volumes of white smoke,
and hear the noise of it all. And the
enemy angrily replied. Heavy mus.
kerry volleyed in the centre, only
heard in the momentary intervals be-
tween the guns, heaviest just when
the suns blood.red disk whirled into
sight in the east. Was it the sun Of
another Austerlitz !?
Great masses Of white powder
smoke, hugging close to the earth, OF
reluctantly rising and resting on the
tree-tops, obscured the view. The
flashes of the guns in the haze proiec-
ting many feet from the muzzles,
could be scen-nothing else. The
church spires of Petersburg were lost
from the picture. Aud the smoke
lodged behind, and banked up against
the sun till his great eye was dim and
bleared.
At last, just before six, fresh
breeze cleared all the prospect as By
magic. Each man now to his field,
glass, and we strain our eyes. and
sweep the glass from point to point.
In the groups are Gems. Warren, Hunt,
Cutler and Ayres, and their stats.
Still no word from the front as to
how it is with ours. There wo can
only look and exchange thoughts and
hopes and knowledge of what each
sees. At just six the rebels are run
ming. One and then another is GER
tain he sees them flying. The naked
eye soon confirms that which was
seen through glass darkly," and
the rascals are running in great flocks.
One moro glance from this point
and then to another. At our elbows
q battery is throwing four and half
inch shells and the enemy occasional
ly reply with those of equal metal and
with good aim. The Regular brig
AIDE is engaged at our left. A column
of black smoke rises from Petersburg
and clouds in the sky indicate that
the city 10 burning.
A signal station by battery hard
to the front is waving merrily it's lit
tie fag-fag that talks ] do not
comprehend it. Gems. Grant and
Meade are at Burnsidc's headquarters
There learn that the mine accom-
plished its purpose.
The explosion buried three of tho
four guns above it and many men
| While the earth still trembled the l4tl
N. Y. Heavy Artillery, Cd brigade Of
Ludlie's division, rushed upon the spot
and broke the cnemy's line. Over l0O
prisoners were taken. Prisoners are
coming in /; 800 already. There is nc
struggling. We have certainly car.
ried some of the enemy's works.
Tho new move of Gen. Grant has
thrown the rebel lines into great com.
motion. Large movements of their
troops have been made on the Peters.
burg and Richmond Railroad. This
was the unkindest cut Of all in Gen
Grant, to place himself SO near ia
Richmond aud Petersburg at the same
time, and on both sides Of the river
too. 1t was hard enough for the reb.
el army to cover his position before ;
it will now require much harder
stretching to do so.
Grant now occupies one Of the most
l.