The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-07-08
THE WEEKLY PIONEER AND DEMOCRAT

than was SANKEY'S, yet they pushed their divis.
ions forward under the deadly fire, drove the
skirmishers from their rife pits, and advanc-
ed almost up to the rebel reserve, but were
forced to fall back to the rife pits, where they
also fortified. and held their position, within
about fifty yards of the enemy's works:
About P. NJ. the enemy attacked along the
whole line, but the heaviest blow was upon
Whitaker. Lying behind their hastily-thrown
up breastwork, our men met the assault with
shot for shot, and handsomely repulsed them.
Our losses to-day in wounded alone will
amount to 200 in the 4th Corps alone. The
18th Corps on the left, supported, but did no
heavy fighting. The Goth Corps was on the
right, but only participated with one of Geary's
batteries, and experienced little or no loss.
Among the killed and wounded are number
of valuable officers, whose loss will be deeply
felt Col. BartlesOn. of the Tooth Illinois, as
brave an officer as ever marched at the head of
a regiment, who lost an arm at Shiloh, was
captured and wounded at Chickamauga, and
only few weeks ago released, fell dead while
bravely leading the skirmish line on Wagner's
front. Col. Eastman, Of the 93d Illinois, an
other esteemed officer, was MORALLY wounded,
Bierce, late Engineer on Gen. Hazen staff was
slightly wounded while following the General
along the lines.
The fighting of Gen Butterfeld 8 division (O
on the 22d, it turns out, was more severe than
at first supposed. 1t was on the left of the
corps and had as its task to carry and hold
difficult and important hill, or rather ridge.
The whole division charged right Up the hill
as usual, under severe musketry fire, pushed
the rebel skirmishers into their works, ap-
preached the latter as nearly as could be done
without needless waste oflife, threw up breast
works fright under the rebels noses" all the
while under fire, and planting Smiths and
Geary's batteries and training them upon the
rebel works, finally dislodged them, and drove
them back entirely off the hill.
The heaviest loss was suffered in Col. Co
burns brigade C2d). The entire loss in killed
and wounded Is estimated at LAG Early in the
day Capt. VIM. R. Thomas. of the 105th ILL
nois, Assistant Adjutant General to Gen. Ward,
received a severe flesh wound in the RICH leg.
Capt G. e. Graves. of the SD Massachusetts,
was also slightly wounded in the ankle. The
losses suffered by the 33d Indiana, 55th Ohio,
and 26th Indiana regiments were particularly
severe.
In FRONT OF KENRsAw MouNrA1N,(
June "a, 1864.
Kenesaw Mountain is still in the hands of
the enemy, though our right wing has wheeled
nearly around it, and threatens directly and
imminently their rear. Yesterday morning we
were within three miles of Marietta-this
morning but two. Our shell go into the aris-
tocratic and pretty town, and the roar of mus
kerry is never out of the ears of the startled
inhabitants. Universally the rebels are expect
ed to fall back within the next few days, and
their position is now so CONSTRUCTED that no
one would be surprised to wake up in the
morning and find the enemy across the Chatta-
hootchie.
There has been something of lull in the
tremendous skirmish fire that has been main
tanned day and night for the last three or four
weeks. and in which our troops by great odds
bore the most active part. An enormous
quantity of ammunition has been expended.
Some regiments have fired three or four hum
dred rounds per man, and some batteries have
had their caissons replenished regularly twice
per week. Thanks, however, to the integrity
of the great railroad in our rear belonging to
the State of Georgia, there is plenty on hand
and to spare.
The left has not advanced to-day and skir-
mishing has been light. There are indications
that McPhersonIs corps will be transferred to
the right, as the rebel position can be more
easily fanked on that wing.
In FRONT OF KENEsAw, Ga, June 25.
The work OF our army to-day amounted to
just nothing; during the entire day the con-
tending armies rested in their rife-pits and be-
Mt ath their 'pup tents, contenting themselves
with occasional shots to remind each other that
they were still there. and had not evacuated
their works. Our skirmishers. understand,
were ordered to fire but occasionally, and the
enemy manifested no desire to provoked severe
skirmish along the line. Why this or Ter was
given / know not, but knowing ones assert
that it was to give the enemy an impression
that we were short of ammunition, and thereby
induce them to come out OF their works and at
tack us If this was the object it failed, for no
attack was made. At n. NJ. six or eight shots
were fired at Kenesaw by McPherson's artil-
lery, but they called forth no response.
During the night, however, the quietude was
broken by pretty sharp skirmisning, lasting
| from ten o'clock until reveille this morning
The loss, however, was very light.
In the absence of skirmishing, both armies
have occupied the day in erecting new, AND
Strengthening their old works. The lines are
now 80 close before the 4th and 14th Corp.
that the skirmishers in their rife-pits keep w
| lively conversation with each other.