Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-08-12
WAsHtNoroN, Aug. 8.

Claims, to ill the vacancy created by resig-
nation of Mr.. Gibson.
Information from Gen. Sherman's army
leaves no doubt of the capture Of Gen. Stone
man with portion Of his force.
letter from the Army Of the Potomac,
dated 9th inst, evening, says it is not gener-
ally believed that the purpose Of tho enemy
on Fridy was to blow up a fort in front Of
the 9th corps but their intention was to
damage mine that they suspected was beiGg
dug in front Of the 18th corps. Our men
rushed to their posts after the explosion,
when q rapid FIRE commenced from our line
in the direction OF the enemy, supposed to be
advancing. As soon as the smoke cleared
away the state Of affairs was dicovered and
the firing ceased. A stray ball struck Col.
Steadman Of the I'd brigade, ID division,
18th corps, inflicted a wound, from which he
died soon after. His service we're highly APP
preciOted.
A party Of fifty deserters started to come
into our lines yesterday morning at an early
hour, when our gunners, not knowing their
intention, opened ERE on them, killing and
wounding twenty. Nine arrived at headquar-
ters Saturday morning, some Of them wound
ed They represent that the Confederacy is
in bad way on account Of the state of affairs
at Atlanta and tell how their army was fright
ened on the previous Saturday when the mine
was sprung, oil leaving their guns and run-
ming back some distance, fearing that other
xplosions would occur along the line, but
they soon reganed confidence and fell into
their former positions in time to meet the at
tack, which, they say, was more than an hour
and a half rfter the explosion. These men
also say the rebel soldiers are ordered not to
exchange newspapers. but this would be OF
no feet il the soldiers could afford to buy
them, the price being forty cents apiece, and
they have not been paid for a long time
There was very little firing Saturday.
The rebels admit a loss OF but | 100 killed
and wounded and 800 prisoners in the battle
of week ago ia front Of Petersburg. They
claim to have captured 10 battle-fsgs, among
which we're the regimental colors of the 9th
and 58th Macs the llth N. H., the 2Sth and
3lst Colored, and the ID and goth Mich.
The Star says From - gentleman who ar
rived here Saturday from hagerstown, where
he has been for two weeks past, we get some
interesting particulars Of the doings of the
rebels in that vicinity.
When the rebels took possession of the
town they instituted a search of the stores
they got but little by the operation except a
small stock of shoes. AT the grocery stores
they filed their haversacks with sugar aud
their canteens with molasses. At one OF
two stores they turned the molasses out
into the streets. Seeing many citizens were
heightened and anxious to get away, the reb-
els told them to remain, that they would not
be molested. They did not keep their prom.
lee h.. rl I,A
TO take off their boots and hats. The rebel
sympathizers were treated worse than the
Union men.
Rev. ID. Ball, formerly pastor in this city
was among tho rebels, and looked on and
countenanced all the proceedings Of the reb-
els. The trains reported to have been de-
stroyed by this party were burnt by our own
troops to prevent being captured. The cars
contained a valuable cargo of freight, includ-
ing seven thousand dollars worth of liquor.
The rebels bad list OF the merchants who
had their goods hid away--furnished by Sc
cessionists.
NEW YORK, Aug. 8.
The Washington correspondent of the
Herald says -" understand that the Court
of Inquiry which assembled at the headquar-
tiers of the Army of the Potomac to investi-
gate the cause of the disaster Of the 29th ult.,
has decided that owing to the illegality of its
appointment it has no power to examine Wit
nesses or 10 go into the merits Of the question.
The matter has been referred back to Gen.
Meade, and it is said he intends to prefer
charges against Gen Burnside, in which case
it will be necessary to have the latter tried by
Court Martial"
A correspondent Of the Tribune with Gen.
Grants army writes concerning the causes
which led to our defeat in the assault on the
forts in front of Petersburg on Saturday Of
last week
" | ,ell no secret when | say that Grant
wrapped himself in silence on Monday, and
that his hsart was gnawed at by disgust md
rage--and the statement Of this fact is the
measure of great soldiers appreciation OF
the misoond which turned an accomplish
ed victory into disgracetul and ruinous dis
aster.
Until gather the sure facts of the case, |
will only say generally, that the commander
Of the corps charged with the duty and in
trusted with the coveted honor of making
the assault, did not accompany the troops
that led it that not a commander of dl-
vision of the corps accompanied the troops I;
that the work which their absence thus dis
credited and impaired was left entirely to
brigade commanders that the charge made
by the leading force was not supported for
three-quarters Of au hour that when the
support came up to and entered in the crater
produced by the explosion of the mine, it
found it full of the advance, in necessarily
disordered state that the delay in support
ing the leading charge gave the rebels time
to recover from the confusion and terror
caused by the explosion, to gather opposite the
breach all their available force, to drive back
into the crater the force that had advanced
beyond it, to train. upon the fatal pit all their
artillery, to rain into il Ere of musketry,
grape and canister, that tore Iemorselessly
and without the possibility Of error of aim,
the solid mass of wriggling heaving, twisting,
crawling, helpless soldiers, black and white,
that, inextricably intermingled. defied all at
tempts to tactically extricate them. The sur
vivors crawled out of the hel-hole ono by
enc. The rebels swooped upon the pit be-
fore II could be emptied. ] am assured that
we left in it. OF dead and of wounded and
captured, and have under treatment this side
of it of wounded, 5000 men,"
Reference to our telegtaphic columns will
show that the rebels sprung their mine on
Friday afternoon, but that little damage was
done by ii.
WAR DEPARTMENT, WAsHIEoToE,l
Aug. SO p. M.