The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-07-02
BURLINGTON WEEKLY HAWK-EYE;

Petersburg, should arrive. Instead of
waiting, however, Beauregard withdrew
early on Thursday morning. On becom.
ing aware of this, Gen. Butler advanced
Gen. Terry's corps, commands Of Fisher,
Ames and Turner to develope the where
abouts of the enemy. Advancing, they
struck the Richmond and Petersburg rail-
road, which was entirely uncovered by the
rebel evacuation. Turner and Ames tore
up portions of the track for two or three
miles in the vicinity Of Port Wathal juno
ton, while Gems. Terry and Foster moved
up on the turnpike toward Richmond
They had not advanced far, however, when
by the division Of Pickett, marching by
the flank. Gen. Terry made q skillful
disposition of his small force Of about four
thousand, and succeeded in delaying the
advance Of the rebels for an hour or two,
when he received orders to retire to his old
position.
OPERATIONS OF FR1DAY-BuRNsIpE AND
HANCOCK.
At daylight Of Friday, 18th, Burnside on
the left OF Hancock, and supported by
Miles, Of the First Division, Second Corps,
made an assault on the right of the enc
my's line which had not yet been carried.
1t captured three redoubts, five guns, three
collars and four hundred and fifty prison.
ers. After this the different divisions of
but though their losses were heavy, they
achieved no success. On the right, one di-
vision Of the Sixth Corps, (NeilPs) and
one division of the Eithteenth, Martin
dale's) pushed out simultaneously and
drove the enemy in very handsomely for
three-quarters of a mile. AT o'clock in
the afternoon, another advance was made
by the ninth eorps-division OF Wilcox
and Ledlie. Warren's corps, connecting
on the left. was also pushed forward TO
cover that flank. The results on Fridays
operation were of a mingled nature-suc-
cesses and reverses. What is most to be
regretted is our loss-Hancock on Thurs
day and Friday having lost not less than
900; Warren 1000, and Burnside, 1900.
THE ACTION OF SATURDAY-THE ATTEMPT
TO CARRY THE TOWN BY STORM.
During the night of Friday, the enemy
abandoned all that portion of the second
line which had not been carried during the
two previous days, and retired to the third
line, which they had meanwhile been con-
structing. Hereupon, the commanding
General resolved to make an assault along
the town. This action, therefore, sepa-
rates itself from the assaults of the two
previous days, which may be.looked upon
as of the nature of preliminary ope-
rations. This was an action which
was designed to be decisive of opera
tons on the present position. Three differ
ent assaults were made during the day
at in the morning, at noon, and at in
the afternoon. Space would fail me, even
if it was possible for you, away from the
ground to appreciate the maze of tactics
through which the bloody action of Satur-
day wrought its way, We gained ground;
! it brought our front close to the rebel
lines; but it failed to give us the coveted
position, and after severe losses on the
part of the Second, Fifth and Ninth Corps,
night found the enemy still in possession
Of his works covering Petersburg.
THE SEQUEL AND THE PROSPECT.
Since the indecisive engagement of Satnr-
day, there has, up to the hour Of writing,
been no renewal Of the attempt to carry
the lines Of Petersburg.
OF the prospect l know nothing more
than the suggestions Of inference; but the
lull is of kind similar to that which fol-
lowed the action of Coal Harbor, and
hazard the prediction that you may once
turn your eyes away from the front held
by the confronting force, and endeavor TO
conjecture what new stroke will be made
by the fertile brain that has already dis
played such fertility Of resources, in a
campaign without it's parallel in the histo-
nv Of warfare. VIM. SwINToN.
for. n y. Times.