Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-06-24
The NEWS.

FHE FIGHF AT PETERsBURa WEDNESDAY EVkSNs'
All Wednesday AID even as laie as o'eloek at night
every aoeoun, that reached rom Petersburg reported
all comparatively quiet Our agreeable surprise then
may BE- imagined when just before going to prsssOn
"Wednesday night, telegram was sent rs by the Agent
Of the Press Association, announcing not only that
fight had aiken poe, hut that victory with substantial
fruits again had perched s'ar-eeossed banner in
font Of 40 lOagee "te Petersburg" bat big Peters
burg because she has proven herself unies her present
trying situation, Big Oay in the vAl5s aad hsrOie
endurance Of hor old men, her young men aud even her
boys bu, big ia ne iostluie aud mereful kindness Of
her fair daughters Who have nursed oar wounded, fed
our hungry aud given comfort aud consolation 20 our
DYING God bless aud deliver the gallant Cockads City
aud never let Il be called "Ht3" again even in jest
From the Petersburg Express Of yesterday, We learn
that the enemy had advanced entire corps around,
Tuesday night for the purpose Of sezing aud holding
she Weldon road and oGg Generals the qui Vivs
at a very early hour on wednesday morning. Shortly
alter mid day, alnk NOV mont which lad bseu planned
was pus into process OF execution aaj this bought on
tbe 6glL
Il soon became evident thas our gallant boys we're
driving the invaders aad bsore four o'clock it vas as
sertained that 20 bad gained very dscided success
Three brigAdel un3es the command General Al-
hone had succeeded 10 geag the front, right and left
Of large body Of the invaders before they ere fully
Bp3-z = { ,l. dagger Jg their situation. Tar .roai
vay protected By heavy line OF brea5tWOrks which
had been thrown up during Tuesday night buI no sooner
was the order charge given than our boys rushed
forward with one of those characteristics yes which,
for she second ae lately has been distinctly heard IN
Petsrsburg Simultaneous with this charge in front Of
she enemy, tie two other brigad g mentioned opened
on both tanks and between the three fires, but few
moments su ,ed to cad the eonAos the great bulk OF
the vandas throwing dOWa their arms Gad begging for
quarter.
The 1e5uls Of this admirably pinned and no les.
admirably executed movement, are:
As stated By the Express, the cAptu's OF sixteen
hundred pr,soners eight stands Of eOors four pieces
Of artillery and two formidable lines Of breAs!WOtkL
Blu. better than all We relieve the line Of railroad and
still maintain our communications with the South.
Among the prisoners are dfsy-seven. commissioned
Oaioers-6us none higher than Colonel Tue men be-
long mainly to the . and An Brg4dss Birueys D,Vi
sion, Hanoocks Second Army Corps We captured no
general officers, Ools. FrasF and Cus!ard both COM
mandiDg Brigadss. Some Of the prisoners taken say
that the movement towards the railroad generally
regarded as hazardous, and General Hancock was,
fortunately, taken siek IS. on the Of she eIped
ton. Brney was IN command, Of whom tia prisoners
do not speak a. al cOslglimoahry.
As usual all nai. naiiss are represented among the
prisoners, AID many OF tbs men say that they left the
trenches around Washington twelve days since. ANA
jory OF bCm express great satisfaction that they are
nov prisoners Of war, and declare that they have no
hear. TO 6ght.
Al nine o'clock "Wednesday night We had forced the
enemy frem the vicinity Of the RAILROAD back TO and
across the Jerusalem Plank Road, distance Of iOcr
milez. l, vas di eOVsred moved that the enemy
had many lines Of bseatWorks, extending eastery from
the main line around the city, to PreVe1t faux move
msnts but from each Of these he handsomely driven
After beng forced from the two Ast Inca the enemy
were reinforced aad made al e1, to reeapture them;
bu. our boys turned their guns upon them (nAny
having Left their muskes Wael they aed) and repulsed
them IN galAa: styla.
The following despatch from General Lee, received
Wednesday night, BY. given out BY the War Depart
eut yesterday morning gives account Of our success.
Wednesday afternoon. Private accounts received yes
terday estimate the number Of prisoners a. 500. This
inclldes portion Of the nights operations:
HDQ'R3 Army NORTHERN VIRGINIA.
June %, 1864
Ros.. James 4. SsdIoa, Seey of Var:
Sir:-SiBcs Friday last there has been skirmiIhing
along he lines in rOat Of Bermuda Hundred and around
Peersbug. TIE FEDERAL army appears TO be concen-
tated these places and is strongly intrenehsd
Yesterday movement OF infantry, c4Valfy and ar
tlsry vas made towards toe right of forces and
Petersburg, in tie direction Of the Weldon railcOad-
The enemy was driven back and his Infantry reported
to have hated HIS cavalry have continued to advance
upon the road By FIu.o further removed from our
position.
The enemys infantry attacked this afternoon, on
the wtst side Of the Jerusalem plank road and driven
from his hrst line Of hs second on that road
By Gen. Mahene, vi n part Of his division.
About sixteen hundred prisoners, four pieces Of ar
tisry, egb. stands of ooOrs, and large number OF
small arms we're captured.
Very respectfully, etc,
r r. LEE, General
LATEST.
At 10 O'Clock We learned that al quiet as Peters
burg The enemy are said to be Ortifyng south OF The
city.
FRON sTAUNIoS And TIE VALLII.
citizen Of Ssunion, Who left on Tuesday and
reached Richmond yesterday mOrang, via Lynehburg,
furnishes the fOlOsng sesls of the operations Of the
Yankees during their sCOurn in the town and surround
ing country:
While at Ssaun.On they burned all tie depot build
ipgs the steam mill wooden factory, CARRIERS foundry,
Mason Harnah5 distllery, all the forage houses and
stables occupied bJ the Government the Government
wagon shop J. j. TO.teEs stables and fourteen stages
and vutted the StaORon shoe factory which they de-