Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-08-11

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physical energies that their charges became ineec
tive and unavailing precisely at the juncture wher
success in the whole object of the campaign de-
pended on the impetuosty and vigor of their
assaults
And in so saying We do not speak from copjec
ture. We' but reproduce the concurrent testi
mony of officers who led the attacks against the
defences of Petersburg, after our noble army,
faint but pursuing, had crossed the James
The first attack, it is known was made on We'd
nesday, the 18th of June, when the outer works
Of Petersburg were galantly captured by portion
OF the Eighteenth Corps, and if supporting force
had been at hand the second line might have been
carried with comparative ease. Our way-worn
troops were approaching rapidly as possible, but
il was not until in the night of that day that the
whole of the Second Corps was in position within
the captured entrenchments. Meanwhile the
enemy had crowded down his troops from Rich
mond and had so strengthened his second line that
it became necessary for our forces to await the
arrival of Gen Burnside's corps before making the
assault Late on Thursday, the 10Th of June,
the attack was made on the enemy's second line of
the defences of Petersburg, but it resulted in
repulse with loss on our part of about two thou
sand men, Early on the following morning the
assault was renewed by portion of Burnside's
corps, which carried the enemys work in their
front, with loss of about one thousand, but under
cover of the darkness of night the enemy sue
ceeded In dislcdgng our men from the position
they had gained in the morning. On the following
Saturday the 18th of June, another strong push
was made at the defences-the enemy having
during the night abandoned the works in our i'm
mediate front to occupy inner series. The
general advance began at noon. Major Gen.
Glbbon pushed up his assaultng columns almost
to the very breastworks of the enemy, but his
forces were compelled to retire, leaving their dead
and wounded On the field At o'clock on the
same day Gen. Mott moved against the works in
his front, but was received with such whitening
fire from concentrated batteries and musketry that
his troops, in spite OF their desperate bravery were
1oicsd back with terrible loss. During the day
less serious attacks we're made at other points, but
they were FL Tepelled by the strength of the enemy
behind his defences. Our loss in these four days
operations was stated at the time by the Army and
Naval Journal to be more than ten thousand men
On the following Sunday and Monday all was
comparatively quiet. On Tuesday, the 2Ist Of
June, active movements we're resumed by the main
army, which once more extended its left flank with
view to severiDg tho enemy's line of railroad
communications south of Petersburg The Second
Corps proceeded the expedition, but its advance
was checked by counter movement Of Inc enemy.
On the extreme right of on. line Gen. Foster COM
manding division of the Tenth Corps, on the
day crossed the James and occupied Deep
Bottom without serious resistance From this
point, situated about ten miles from Richmond,
he threatened the southeastery approaches to that
capital. Early on Wednesday morning, the 22d
of June, the expedition against the Weldon rail-
road was resumed, but, from want of unity in the
conduct Of the movement, it failed Of success Our
loss In prisoners was about two thousaad, including
fifty or sixty officers, four guns, and some colors
On Thursday, the 3d. another effort was made in
the same direction, but il resulted in a decided
repuse, insomuch that our whole line was with
diaNn tOWaIuS cNcbluB " tue cover OF the Dreast-
works, and the operations were suspended On
the following day the enemy made a dash at
S,annards division Of the Tenth Corps, but our
troops were on the alert, and easily repelled the
assault,
From this time the army before Petersburg
remained comparatively at rest The cavalry
movement of Gen. Wilson against the awhile
railroad occurred in the period between the 22d
Of June aud the lst Of July. The movement was
attended with heavy losses, and, though the Dan.
vile road was broken at the time, it was subse-
quenty repaired, and is nov ID full use by the
enemy
Ii offensive movements against the enemy before
Petersburg were suspended, we have already in
timated the reasons which made such lull in the
campaign physical necessity at this time. II is
true that speed and vigor were now more important
to success than they had been before, but our
painting troops, wearicd by the tolls and conflicts
Of the overland march, had little Of either to spend
in assaults on the eucmys formidable line of re-
doubts and entertainments. Referring to thi, mol
anchoy fact the Army and Navy Journal in its
number of July 2Sd said
"The medical and commssary department had been
well conducted but 1t is too much b. say that the
Wer hlv nut Il