Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-08-26
THE NEWS,
PROM rETERsBURo--1Hs RECENT ENGAGEMENT

cnrthworks, carried back to their Notifications
On the east Of the city, has been built to cover
the movement Of troops to and from the CEN
tire. This fort is mounted with forty guns,
principally of light cslibre, but, should they
be unmolested long enough, their places will
soon DO taken by siege pieces. We take the
following additional concerning the recent en-
gsgements from the Express" of yesterday:
Thore have been three short but sharp con-
testD on tho line Of tho Weldon railroad since
the enemy advanced their lines in that direo..
ton OH Thursday last. On the afternoon of
Thursday, tho enemy having forced our cav
airy back from Gurley's, some five miles
out, to Davis farm, two and hGlf miles
| from Petersburg, were met at that point by
cur infantry, and were themselves forced
back one mile, with considerable loss in kill
ed, wounded and prisoners. On Thursday
night our forces fell back, and the Yankee
lines were again advanced over the ground
from which thoy had been driven.
| On Friday afternoon the enemy we're again
attacked on both sides Of the railroad, and 80
energetioally, that they wsre forced out OF
their front lines of entertainments in great con-
fusion, and compelled to retire upon their in
ner and strongest line Of works, which it WAS
deemed inexpedient to assault In this attack
twenty-seyen hundred Of the enemy were
taken prisoners, and largo number placed
! hors du combat. Many of their killsd and
wounded fell into our hands. but were subse-
quently relinquished. Owing to the dense
growth Of woods and brush to the east of tho
railroad, ,horo WAS some confusion in carrying
out tho plan of hattie, and commands in sere-
raj instances became detached and separated.
In this confusion We lost some prisoners, most
Of whom were subsequently recaptured. In
stances were frequent in which squads Of our
mon were taken prisoners by the Yankees,
who, as they were conveying them to the rear,
would themselves fall into the hands Of other
commands.
"a Friday night our troops again retired
aud tho Yankees again advanced, re-occupy.
ing the GROUND which they had twice lost, and
recovering the dead and wounded they had
loft behind. Saturday passed without any
fighting. bu. rather in the disposition of the
forces preparatory to the battle, which occur
, rel Oh Sunday morning. In the meantime,
the Yankee column on tho railroad had
been heavily reinforced, as they evidently SAW
that strong attempt would be made to dis
ledge thrm from the important position they
had gained. Every available man the Yum
KEGS could command was thrown in the
, trenches, and made to work in strengthening
them. Works sprang up like magic, and were
: constructed in the strongest manner. Their
lines already extending east and west of the
railroad wcre further extending westward to
tho Vaughan road.
1t WIS determined On Sunday morning 10 at
tack the eruIny in his works in front, and at the
same time send column around on Vaughan
road to take their position there on the flank. Ac-
cordincly, about . clock, our arrangements be-
: ing completed, the battle was )ined-wilh what
success, our readers already know. In front the
enemy were succ:s fully driven from their several
outer lines Of works to their main outrenchmsnts
and here for the third time the work was stopped
Ga the extreme right they were driven from the
Vaughan road-their lines Of skirmiHhers cap,
.urcd mud the main works almost reached, when
, brigade of tho attacking force gave way, and
, tho dHy's work WAS lest. Further movements III
front on The immediate line of the railroad wero
dependent upon the SUCCESS or failure of the
, lsnking column. md as the movement resulted
unisvorab!y, offensive operations ceased Iu
this days tight we lost II number of prisoners
r and many killed und wounded. W. captured
nearly four hundred prisoners. and Inflicted
heavy loss upon the enemy
, In tEesa three battles the enemys loss, inclu-
ding prisoners, could not have been leas than
eight Thousand, probably more. Our !oss has no!
Yet been stated, bat does not reach near so high
Il figure
Monday every thing WAS gue! all around thu
lines, with the exception OF the usual Smelling
md picket firing. The enemy still mainsin their
, entire lines OH aud ACROSS the railroad, and nc
further attempt has been made TO dislodgo them
They are still engaged in fortifyiug and strength
e;iing, and show no disposition to depart. They
, .re rnther endesvoring to advance and Get q:
, near The city as possible
a son Of General Finnegan was wounded
in t1e hattie Of Sunday.
An incident is related of General Hagood
; in the Sundays fight, which adds another tc
tho laureIs already won by that gallant eff
Ger. During tho thiokest Of tho fight on tuC
Vaughan road, Il Yankee colonel captured
Fonc of Tho colOrs Of his command Gene
rel llagood seeing the act, and not wish
iag t. loso bin colcrs, which had been borne
, go molly and calamity on so many fields
| confronted tho Yankee officer and demanded
its restoration. A refusal was given, and
r the two officers became engaged in o hand tC
: haGi encounter. General II. slew his oppo-
nent and bore of the flag in triumph.
THO occupation Of the Southern road is
certainly an event much to DO lamented, not
. only On account Of the inconvenience to which
government but to which the citizens ore sub.
, jected. An abiding confderoe is felt in oul
T Generals, however, and it is beloved matters
r will shortly assume better aspect.
uosBY's REcENT MOVEMENTS.
We have received nu interesting letter from
! melsb .r of Mosby'a command, giving Ar
account, under dnte of the 18Th inst, Of the
recent operations Of that energetic soOu. and
partizan. We make the following extracts
On Friday last tho battalion was ordered
to meet ut R,ct0rtown, Fauquier at ten
o'clock. Meantime various o9nj lectures were
started among US as to what was up, and
where wo were bound. Alter forming at the
rendezvous, we took up oar march, and, after
winding along labnrynthino roads for six OF
seven hours, wo reached Suckers Ferry -
Hero wo crcsssd into the beautiful Shenan,
d0ah Valley, now desoLate by the Vandalism
Of ocr malignant loo. At one o'clock that
night we halted, to give our scouts time to as-
certain the situation ahead. In two hours
aiterward we were ordered forward, expecting
every moment 10 DO hurled like an avalanche
upon como ponderous and transporting train.
But, for the moment, wewerc gnausingly dis
appointed. Down We bounced upon camp"
and found one wagon, six mules, o few horses,
and seven Yankees. The extended physiog-
nomics Of. tbs men betrayed the feeling OF
disappointment which ran through the batte-
lion. 1t seemed like O bear trap shutting
down On u mouse.
Sour gallant leader finding he wss too far
III the rear Of sn transporting foe, inmodi-
atey wheeled und started in pursuit towards
Berryvillc.
with tho swiftness OF electricity, the order
to close up vas given, conveying at the same
time the agreeable information that wagon
train WAS ahead, which infused new life into
tie rangers, and every one thcn looked for
wcrl to rich harvest, aud the severe chas-
tisement in store for the Yankees.
Through c rnte!ds and green meadows,
over stone fences, ard across deep and rocky