American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-07-06
Late Military Intelligence

matches from Gen. Grant, dated the preVl-
ous day. reports no operations in front ex-
cent from our own guns, which fire at the
bridge at Petersburg, some two thousand
yards distant. The amount Of labor being
performed before Petersburg is enormous,
but is of a character that cannot properly
be commented upon at present.
The attack on Sheridan's cavalry on
Friday was determined and bloody at
fair, which resulted in a general battle be-
tween our mounted and dismounted cayal-
ry, and the infantry, cavalry and artillery
of the enemy General Sheridan acted
on the defensive, and repealed several OF
the most desperate assaults thatcouldpos-
sibly be made. His light artillery was
brought into play, and it was admirably
served. The fighting was at shortrange
and canister shot was used with terrible
effect At the end of the conflict he sue
ceeded in beating them of, though great
ly superior in number, and resumed his
march to James river without the loss oil
gun or wagon. His killed, wounded
and missing may reach five hundred,
among whom are four Coloncls.
Gen. Hunters movements i'll South
western Virginia have been carried out
on grand scale, and up to Monday noon
had been highly successful, nstwithstand-
ing Lees efforts to overtake and defeat
him. 1t is known in official quarters that
Gen. Hunter has adhered to the Virginia
and Tennessee Railroad with a pertinaci-
ty unparalleled. He produced conver-
sation at Lynchburg that the rebels of that
vicinity will never forget. While one
portion Of his force was engaged in tear
ing up the~ railroads, the other portion
fought the enemy Rebel accounts agree
that the damage done by General Hunters
forces was very extensive. They say that
the scene of desolation and ruin in the
neighborhood of Lynchburg is positively
appalling. All available supplies for the
rebel army were destroyed, and grain, cat
tie and other stock con6scated. After
leaving Lynchburg, Gen. Hunter pushed
on westerly to Liberty, on the same road,
destroying the Big and Little river rail
road bridges, the rails and sleepers on the
road, and rebel supplies. From there he
moved along the same road to Salem,
where he destroyed a large number OF bridg-
es including the railroad bridges over the
branches of the Stanton river. At this
point he turned north ward, passing Fin
castle, and, at last accounts his command
was out of the reach of any forces sent
against him by Lee. He has performed
great work He has not done it, of
course, without hard fighting and losing
some men; but he has done his work and
has done it well. Petersburg papers Of
the 25th state that Hunter is striking
jackson river depot, about forty miles
north of Salem, and says if he reaches
Covington, which they suppose he will do
with most of his force, but with the loss
of some of his material, he will be safe
From Gen. Wilson's cavalry, we have
the fact through rebel sources that few
days since they tore up several miles of
the Petersburg, and Weldon railroad, be-
low Petersburg and then moved next for
the railroad connecting Petersburg with
Lynchburg, and on Friday tore that up al
so. Later intelligence from Gen. Wilson
states that he has reached Burksville, the
Junction Of the railroads leading from
DanDiueand L.ynchbug to Richmond and
Petersburg, and destroyed large portion
of both roads. The cutting of this com
munication, the accomplishment ofwhich
is acknowledge in the Richmond papers,
is one OF the most important achievements
now going around Richmond. This, to-
gether with the results of Hunters expe-
.dition, cuts all Of Lees communications
with the South and Southwest, and is the
beginning Of the great work of investing
the rebel capital. Petersburg papers
state that Gen. Wilson destroyed train
of cars loaded with cotton and furniture,
burned depot, and at Burksville destroy
ed the track, and was still pushing South.
All the railroads leading into Richmond
are now destroyed, some of them badly.
A dispatch from Sherman, received yes
terday morning, reports that on Monday
morning he made an unsuccessful attack
on the enemy's position. We lost between
two and three hundred, particularly heavy
in officers Gen. Harker is reported NOR