The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-09-01
The War
Dispatches hon1 the Seere,
ltaryof War. 4
FROM tbs FIIoNfIER

is HAS~~ SCI No.
WAsHlNdros. Aug. 27th.-To Gen. Dir
On Thursday, Gen. Hancock, who was
south Of Reames Station, was attacked sev.
eral times during, the day. but repulsed
The enemy every time. At 630p. m. "a
combined assault was made on his center
and LEFT, which after one OF the most des.
perate battles of the var, resulted in the
enemy withdrawing, leaving their dead and
wounded on the field. 2si s'o sa'o" Fsi
Official details are given IN dispatches
from Gems. Grant, Meade and Hancock. ~
We hold the Weldon Railroad. 4" sd
In : dispatch dated p. m, yesterday,
from Gen. Grant, says their ioss Of this
road seems to be blow the enc my can
stand. I think don't overstate the enc
my's loss in the last two weeks, when
state Il at 10. 900 killed and wounded. We
lost heavily. butmost in captured.
Grant Also makes the following report
The enemy drove IN Buffers line Of picket
guards, but they soon rallied and drove the
enemy back, and re established their line.
We lost one killed, sixteen wounded and
fourteen missing. Three commissioned
officers and 80 men were captured from the
enemy. Gdw Cd 62ec7Ai gc'7nr inal 3.
fsigned1 1au e. STANTON. r
sqv.o 6ga srs 20 d Secretary Of War.
Noox-The following are official dis
patches from Grant. Meade aud Hancock:
SECOND ARMY CoRPs, Aug. 26.-For
Gen. Humphreys: attack, about $50
p m was continued till dark, probably in.
tended to be simultaneous by Wilcox on
the center and Heath on the left, the enemy
formed in the woods. and placed their ar
tiliery in position and opened . heavy can.
nonading lasting for fifteen minutes, when
they assaulted Mills force. He resisted
manfully, bnt the enemy broke his left;
some of Gibbons troops were hurried over
to repair the damage. and the enemy gained
but slight foothold They som attempted
my extreme left, and drove Gibbons d.
vision from his line, his men had been much
wearief in rushing over to Gem Mills and
back during the repeated assaults. Gen.
Gib5on succeeded in forming strong Hne,
and the enemy, however, pressed on with
great energy, but were checked BY dis
mounted cavalry under Gregg, which he
handled handsomely. Mills repaired the
best part Of his entrenchments. distinguish
ing himself. All he had to work were
such small parties As could be rallied and
formed by his staff officers fighting the en-.
envy being in check by artillery, dismoant
ed cavalry and skirmishers. At dark we
withdrew for the reason stated.
The chief Of artillery reports that he lost
$50 horses. ~ "
The enemy made no advance up tos late
hour last night. holding. as far IS could be
seen, some of our captured guns, with their
skirmish line.
They must have suffered heavily. Our
own loss including cavalry does not exceed
1900 or 1900, this is surmise As my com
mand has not reported. Capt. Bowman, Of
my staff, was mortally wounded, dying
during the night. Col. Walker, A A G,
missing.
This is acknowledged to have been one
Of the most desperate fights Of this war, re-
senbling Spostsylvania in character. though
the n umbers engaged gives less Importance
to It. A few more good troops would have
gal ned victory of considerable Importance.
I for ward this, q. m, prisoners from the
field. fro IN Wilcox's and Heath's divisions,
Maj. AgneL Of my staff saw and conversed
with the prisoners, of Mahone's division
last night, do not find this morning, he
said Mahone's division, with the excep.
ton ofo brigade, was there. =
p z. so ~. W. s. HANCOCK,
To Maj. Gen. U. $. Grant. e.
The following has just been received
SECOND CoRPs, Aug. %, 1890 p. ma
safe guard that was left on the battlefield,
remained there until after daylight this
morning At that time the enemy had al
disappeared, leaving their dead on the field
unburied. This shows how severely they
were punished and doubtless hearing Of the
arrival Of reiniorcements they feared the re
suits ofto+day If they rena ined. iad 80
30 7sGasl "@F >Ga' a. G. MEADE,
atE tas sd d1 - Major General.
The following was received: o
Aug. 26, ! p. m.--Since sending my las
dispatch I have -conversed with the SAFE
guard referrd to- They did not leave th,
field until after sunrise; at this time nearly
oil the enemy had left towards Petersburg
he says they abandoned not only thei
dead but their wounded also. He convers
ed with an officer who said their losses wer
greater than ever before during the war;
The safe guard says he was over the Aeli
and It was covered with the enemy dead
and wounded. he has seen great MANI
battle fields, bat never saw such sight.
Our dead were unburied, have instruct
ed Gen. Gregg to make an effort to send {
party to the Held and bury our dead.
ssetqmi hglof G. G. G. MEADE,
9woEads iics ! sce Major General.
WAsnIseros, Aug. 2s.-To Maj. Gen
Dis.--A dispatch fr I'M Gen. Grant is jos
received. He states that the Richmond ps
psrs of yesterday, the 9th. announce tina
Fort Aongan is in our possession. .alfas
| It "a stated whether the fort was al