Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-07-02
The attack on Petersburg.

headquarters OF the Army of the Potomac
near petersburg, Friday, June 18th, saws:
We are again in front of the entire rebe
| army, which has been engaged by our ad
= vance OF the I'd and 18th Corps, and impor
! tant captures of guns, prisoners and position:
: have been accomplished.
! since Tuesday night, when the advance Of
Ine ioth Corps arrived in the vicinity OF
petersburg, our lines have been pushed stead
ny forward several strong positions have
oeen Wrested by charges from the enemy, and
dred prisoners. Our advance is within half a
mile OF Petersburg, which is in full view of
almost our entire line.
Prisoners state that portions of Lees army
commenced arriving at Petersburg on Wednes-
DAY night, only few hours after the arrival
Oh Hancock with the I'd corps, and that
"lses brigade, commanded by Wise in per-
son, held the town until that time.
The City Point Railroad is now in our pos
session, and the Norfolk and Petersburg line
commanded by our troops.
The 18th Corps, which landed at Bermuda
Hundred this day. and now leads the adj
vance, crossed the Appomattox ON pontoons
laid four miles above its mouth, and penetrat
ed to the southwark up to within about four
miles of the town, before encountering any
| opposition. Here skirmishing commenced.
and our advance, steadily pushing forward,
drove back the pickets of the enemy, who
ok position in their outer defenses.-
M defenses were Immediately charged by
U;no1.,, negro division with most splendid
.nue..., The enemy were put to flight, and
son a.,'ns d aud considerable number of
two guns ana ,ntured
IT works Were h ed until the arrival of
Hancock at balf.nast i've on Wednesday
evening. On the arrival o. Hancock recon
noissance for the purpose of .,>seertaining our
exact position was made, and considerable
skirmishing ensued. Only two divisions,
Birney's and Gibbons, reached the fed ON
Wednesday night, Barlow, who pursued an
other road, bringing up the rear and coming
up at six o'clock Thursday morning. The di-
visions of Birney and GibbOn deployed in
line of battle, when their proximity to the
rebels was discovered and our troops biv-
ouacked on the field, Birney occupying the
left of the line and Gibbons the right On
Barlow's arrival in the morning., he was or
dered into position on the left of Birney.
Between FIVE and six o'clock yesterday
morning, the enemy began a heavy artillery
fire on our line, enfilading it with batteries
posted on our left, and rendering an advance
or occupation of position to the rear imme-
diately necessary. Accordingly an advance
of the I'd and 18th corps was ordered by Han
cock, 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 bay
onet, and a number of redoubts of great
strength occupied. Sixteen guns were taken
and turned upon the enemy by the 18th
corps. Col. Egan's brigade of Birney's diyis'
ion led the charge of the I'd corps, and gal
lantly drove the enemy from his works, cap
turing at the same time formidable redoubts,
and with Dwight's and ellis batteries, COM
pletely silencing the rebel artillery on our
left. The works were held until about one
in the afternoon, when dispositions for f.
nal charge upon the enemy's last line were
made. 1t was at this time that Col. Egan
was severely, if not seriously, wounded in
the spine, and the attack temporarily post
poned.
At six o'clock last night, however, another
charge was made by the I'd corps. and an ad-
vanced position assumed and maintained
The line occupied was at once rendered Sc
| cure by the immediate construction of earth
works.
At this time it is impossible to ascertain
| the extent of our losses, but ], 800 will prob
| ably cover the total casualties.
1t is to be regretted that our advance was
not pushed forward on Wednesday afternoon,
as prisoners concur in the statement that
Wise's brigade alone held the town until late
in the evening, when Lees troops commenc-
ed arriving. Portions of his army marched
| from Malvern Hill, crossing the James river
or pontoons above Fort Darling while many
were dispatched by the Petersburg Railroad.
| Our line, as now formed, faces the city from
the East and South, partly encircling it, and
extends across the City Point Railroad south
ward to the vicinity of the Petersburg and
/ Norfolk Railroad. Burnside holds the left of
| our line, Hancock the centre, and Smith the
right. The remainder of the troops arrived
to-day, and will be assigned their positions.
No one doubts that Lee will defend Peters
burg. Our troops nevertheless, are confident
of final success.
The special to the New York Times, dated
" Headquarters Army of the Potomac, Sun
day, 6 O'clock A. NJ" says:
No positive advantage has been obtained
| over the enemy during the last twenty-four
hours. There has been more or less fighting
along the whole line. Charges and counter
charges have been made. Our right and left
have been swung in something more than one
mile, while the centre has been advanced but
little. Briefly, Petersburg is surrounded by
an abattis of Yankee bayonets, within easy
range of the city. Ali was quiet on Satur-
day. There was no demonstration on either
side. There has been no fighting this morn
ing.
The New York Iri6une,s special, dated at
the headquarters of the army of the Potomac,
June 18th, in the forenoon, says:
We attacked three times yesterday-at
in the morning, at noon, and at in the after
noon. Warren joined on the left, and swung
around with a skirmishing front, halt mile
at each advance. taking one line of works
and pressing up to another and the last.
Hancock and Burnside, in the centre. found
more opposition. The former has gained
half mile, the latter more. The loss in the
last assault was particularly severe in Bar
lows and Gibbons divisions, and in the I'd
division of Burnside. Mills division of the
!. 9th Corps, and Martindale's division OF the
Sth Corps swept up the river to within half a
mile of the town. One more line, and we
have the town, which we now semi-circum-
J vallate to its last defenses.
The HerGlds special, June 18th, says: AT
four o'clock this morning Burnside's corps at
tackled the enemy's works on the left of ouI
line, and carried them after a severe and pro-
tracted struggle, capturing about 500 prison
ers, six excellent brass field pieces, and two
that were spiked
, The attack at o'clock in the morning OF
Saturday by the I'd Corps met with but little
opposition, our troops passing over formida
: BILE works occupied by the enemy the day
previous, and captured 80 or so prisoners
The casualties on both sides were few. W.
> moved on and developed another line o
Y works ahout 800 wards beyond Here the