Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-08-04
ACCOUNT OF THE NEW YORK TRIBUNE
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
.Suud1u Mor0spD T,sI,, ri 1874

~ASSooNA
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
Sunday Morning, July 81, 1864.
The sangune expectations Of decided success that
raised at the opening Of the attack by the Ninth Corps
upon the rebel works yesterday not regret to say
realized Instead of the hopedor triumph to the loyal
army, have to record the failure
The plan and object of the Commanding Generals for
the movements of yesterday briefly as follows:
The Ninth Corps was to be Withdrawn during the pre-
cedng night from its position in the centre of the main
line, and massed Immediately the of our main line
and to the right of the mine Gen. Carrs colored division
was to relieve it upon the ne The Eighteenth Corps
was also to be withdrawn from main ne relieved by the
third division of the Second Corps that had the day before
recrossed the James and massed 10 position to the
right of and in close supporting distance of the Ninth
Corps The Fifth Corps to leave It's line thiny pick
eed and to be massed to the left of and close to the Ninth
Corps The first and second divisions of the Second Corps
were to recr0ss the James under of before
the of thu attack to the right of behind
the Egheepth Corps The cavalry corps also TO re
turn to the of line, around the rebel right and
move upon and attack Petersburg from its southern and
southwestern approaches.
The first division of the Ninth Corps to avail itself
promptly OF the condemnation created among the enemy
by the explosion of the mine, push forward formed
in column of attack, and carry the intervening rebel
works. The second aud third divisions of the Ninth
Corps were to follow the first to the right and left
teenth Corps were to close up the enemy's
line was broken The mine to be exploded at 80
A. M The dampness of the main passage had affected
the fuse BY which it was to be gnted Causing delay Of
over threequarters of hour At 20 those in charge
SUGGESTED 10 sprinRing it.
Within few minutes after the explosion the two br
gades OF the first divlsonthe second Col Marshall of
the l4th New York Heavy Artillery, commanding To- the
lead, followed by the first, under command of Brig Gen
Bartlett of Mas achusets-umped the breastgorks
forming our main line and advanced at charging pace
They were hardly in motion when they received voley
from the enemy who, although surprised by the expo
sion, were evidently prepared against attack owing to
the noise inevitably made by the concentration troops
and the movements OF trains and artillery, &c for hours
close to their front.
The explosion although it had destroyed the rebel bat
terry had not affected the abas and other distractions in
It's 'front.' and the attacking column experienced consider
able trouble in work their way them Part our
line passed into the fort and part to the right of IT, upon
curanke entertainments connecting the right of the bat
terry with the line of breastwoIks beyond it,
As the first division had moved the second and
third followed to the right and left and closed up with
it at the work The enemy. meanwhile, had opened.a
vigorous musketry and artillery are from their entench
ments that enclosed the work the Of an angle
giving them an enfladpg fire. Several attempts were
made by troops to continue the aivan Gene
terry Hill but they failed under the severity of the ne
About six O'Clock the coored division, Gen. Ferrero
commanding, ordered take up the attack and push
to the rght OF tho other Divisions for Cemetery Hill dis
tant four hundred yards beyond 1t advanced in line with
great seadlDess until it came up in line with the other
divisions, and received severe FIRE, when the column
turned to the left whether by command without am
unable TO say, and the Of it became mixed up with
troops in and about the work
About thousand Of the coored troops rushed over
the parapet into the Interior Of the work which the ex
plosion had caused to make pit-lke FORM and was al
ready crowded to Overlooking with officers and men The
negroes tumbed headong down the sloplng SIDES when
scene OF ineItricabe confusion ensued Efforts made
by officers to get them ont Of the work and form outside
but they failed, and the strangely mingled of human
beings continued to crowd the pit the upper portion Of
xuhta hruss ahnut hnn cd Ia A..
When the attack commenced all our heavy and light
batteries in position hundred pieces IN ALL OPEN
ed aud kept up tremendous fire. mostly with she'll upon
the enemys ne but neverthees the rebel FIRE increased
in severity
Between seven and eight o'clock three attempts were
made byour troops charge but each of them check
ed by the enemys fire. Squads Of during that time
were continually trying to make their way back TO
main line, but the intervening spaceopen ground about
hundred and fifty yards in widthwas so thoroughly
swept by the epemys fire that many shot down in
the att mpt TO escape.
About nine o'clock the Ere from our batteries slack
ened and soon aferward the enemy rushed Of hs
trenchment and charged upon the position held by our
troops They at first checked but finally succeeded
ia gaining most of the ground between the work and their
line, aud came within short distance of troops.
More aud Of the latter attempted get back to our
lines from the work and the rife ps and minor entench
ments about it, Many succeeded, but many also we're
killed aud wounded. About ten o'clock the enemy made
another charge, when great Of men, estimated by
at thosandJ mostly blacks broke out of the fort
never reached il.
What was left Of our troops In the work now became
completely hemmed in the rebel standards being planted
close to the parapet west Of work and the rebel FIRE
causing retreat impraccable They continued in that
predicamen for nearly hour when order was issued
Thy whom have not positively ascertaned directing the
whole army to fall back to its original position The diff
feren divisions OF the 10th Corps Temporarily attached to
the 18TH was ordered to make attack to their right in
order to divert the enemys FIRE from them 1t advanced
some distance but gained advantage and subsequently
fall har vhpn tha Id - ansvap
Shortly aterward tho rebels heard to make another
charge, to which the party doubtless surrendered.
The Fifth Corps under FIRE all We forenoon but did
not join in the attack. The Second Corps was entirely
passive The cavalry corps crossed the rear Of our lines
in the course Of the forenoon. Gen. Sherdans original
orders were afterward modified and the further move
ment Of his command stopped
Our loss has not yet been fully reported, but will be
several thousand At the time OF writing the army again
occupies it's old position along the whole line,
THE REBEIS GATHERING WHEAT