Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-06-23
The Two Armies Again i'm Front
OF Each Other--sEeavy Fight


4
We are again in front of the entire rebel
army, which has been engaged by our adj
vance of the 2nd and 18th corps, and inn
portant captures of guns, prisoners and
positions have been accomplished. The
Sd, 9th, and 18th corps are in line of battle,
and on the arrival of the balance of the
troops, dispositions will be. made for the
final assault upon the enemy works. Since
Tuesday night, when the advance Of the
18th corps arrived in the vicinity of the
town, our lines have been pushed steadily
forward several strong positions have been
wrcstcd by charges from the enemy, and
we have taken eighteen guns and several
hundred prisoners. Our advance is within
a half mile of Petersburg, which is in full |
view Of almost our entire line.
Prisoners state that portions of Lee S .
army commenced arriving at Petersburg on
Wednesday night, only n few hours after
the arrival of Hancock with the 2d corps, |
and that Wise's brigade, commanded by |
Wise in person, held the town until that
time.
City Point Railroad is now in our posses
sion, and the Norfolk and Petersburg line
is commanded by our troops.
The 18th corps, which landed at Bernu
da Hundred this day, now had the advance,
NiuSslhS NhO -AppOhluNlbN pll lDiNOphD iulN
four miles above its mouth, and penetrating
to the southward up to within about four
miles Of the town before encountcring any
opposition. Here skirmishing commenced.
and our advance steadily pushing forward
Grove back the pickets of the enemy, who
took position in their outer dcfences Those
dcfcnccs were immediately charged by
Hlink negro division, with the most spen-
did gallantry. The enemy was put to fight
and two guns and considerable number of
prisoners captured the works were held
until the arrival of Hancock at half past
five in the afternoon of Wednesday, On
the arrival Of Hancock in the evening re-
connoissancc for the purpose Of ascertaing
our exact position was made. Only two di-
visions Of the 2d corps reached the field on
Wednesday night Barlow, who pursued
another road, with the rest of the corps
at six clock yesterday. On Thursday
morning the divisions Of Birncy and Glib
| bons dcploycd in line Of battle, when their
proximity to the rebels was discovered and
occupying the left Of the line and Gibbons
the right On Barlow arrival in the NOR
ming, he was ordered into position, on the
! left Of Birncy.
Between five and six o'clock yesterday
morning the enemy opened Il heavy artillery
on our line, cnlilading it with batteries pos
ted on our left aud rendering an advance or
occupation of II position to the rear imme-
diatcly necessary. Accordingly an advance
Of the Second and Eighteenth corps was
ordered by General Hancock, 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 bayonct and Il number
Of redoubts Of great strength were occu-
pied. Sixteen guns were taken and turned
upon the enemy by the Eighteenth corps.
Col Egans brigade, Of Birney's division
led the charge of the Second corps, and
galantly drove the enemy from his works,
capturing at the same time two formidable
redoubts, and with Dwight's and Gillis'
artillery on our lett. The works were held
until about one p. Nj, when dispositions
for the final charge upon the cnenly's last
line were made 1t was at this time Col.
Egan was severely if not seriously wounded
III the spine, and the attack was Temporal
| rlly postponed till six o clock last evening.
| However, another charge was made by the
Second Corps and AN advanced position as
sumed and maintained The line thus oc-
Irupicd was at once rendered secure by the
immediate construction of carthworks. At
this timeit is impossible to ascertain the OK
tent of our losses, but fifteen hundred will
probably cover the total casualties. 1t is
to be regretted that our advance was not
pushed forward Wednesday afternoon, a.
prisoners concur in the statement that
Wisc's brigade alone held the town until
late III the evening, when lee ; troops com
mcnccd arriving. Portion of his army
marched from Malvern IIill crossing the
4 pD ~ NO l,riJ l,,v-n I',,t ln,J
ing, while many were dispatched by the
Petersburg railroad. Our line as now form
ed, faces the city from cast to south, partial
ly cncircling it., extends across the City
Point railroad southwark to the vicinity of
the Petersburg Il Norfolk railroad. Burn
side holds the left of our line Hancock thc
center and Smith the right. The remain.
der ofthe troops will arrive to-day, and be
assigned their positions. No one doubts
that Lee will defend Petersburg. .Om
troops, nevertheless, are confident of fnaI
success.
New York, June 20.-The CONNER
cal says private dispatch from Washing.
tou, states that the enemy yesterday cap.
+, turcd an entire division from Burnside
HEADQUARTERS, NEAR PETERSBURG,
June lS.-COntrary to expectations, M
general engagement occurred yesterday, al
though the llghtlng on our lett ut times was
very heavy, Early in the morning the oh
T, and I'd corps, forming the left of our line
were considerably advanced, where, for u
short time, the fighting was exceedingly Sc
we're. The results of the battle, though not
decisive, were favorable. Four additional
guns were captured by the I'd corps in
their charge making total of 22 guns
! The whole line is materially advanced
/ June lS-A. NJ The attack made on
the cvcmy's lines yesterday morning by
Burnside, was more successful tiiS1 was NJ
first reported, He drove the rebels from
two lines of rifle pits with heavy loss, taking
four guns and four hundred prisoners, and
holding the position During the afternoon
he again pushed the enemy still further,
getting within about mile and a half of
the city, and taking some more prisoners,
Shells were thrown into the town, one OF
which struck church.
\ prisoner taken yesterday reports that
80 600 of Lee S men were to have arrived on
the field that morning, and trains were run
ming almost hourly from Richmond, bring
ing troops close to Petersburg, landing them
and hurlying back Many Of the men
| brought in are from Tennessee, this being
their first fight in this direction. They ac-
knowledge to having been completely sur
priscd yesterday morning, and say the Ar
my Of the Potomac fights differently from
the armies of the West but say we can I
take Petersburg or Richmond, They had
not been accustomed to throwing up breast
works at every change of the line, and were
. busy at this work when ordered to Surren-