The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-08-08

THE REBELS SPRING A MINE.
HEADQUARTERS, 18TH Army CoRPs, IN THE
FIELD, August 5-Mdnght.-From numerous
deser,ers who have entered our iues within the
last week, it had been discovered that the Rebels
were mining in several places on our front We
were tn, reiore fully prepared, though somewhat
surprised, when, AZ about O'CLOCK yesterday
afternoon, a mine blew up between our line and
that of the enemy, the explosion being immedi-
ately succeeded by rapid and successive volleys
of mu,ketry. The smoke from the explosion
h. hardly cleared away when our men answered
the Il, bel fire and drowned the Rebel yell with
their wild cheer of derision at the failure OF their
mining operations.
THB OBJECT OF THE ENEMY.
The enemy, in all probability, intended to have
blown up a sap we had run out towards their
line. and charge through the opening. They had,
however, sadly miscalculated their distance, and
the explosion took place five rods in advance Of
the head Of the sap. Not particle OF the debris
was thrown into any portion of our lines, and the
sharpshOOters did not even think IL necessary 70
The explosion could, of course, bear no COM
| parison IN magnitude with that OF Burnside's
| NINE. A mas of dirt, thirty feet In diameter,
| was thrown in the air to the height OF one hun
dIcd feet, the centre portion being elevated con-
| siderabiy above the sides.
NO CHARGE.
1t was Immediately perceived by she enemy
| that their mine was a failure, and they conse-
| quenty satisti, themselves with rising behind
/ tDclT WOTkS anu pouring III lHclI uushctIg uIC.
! The main part of the firing was on Ames' front;
but il afterwards extended slightly TO the front OF
| Burnsidc's right. The artillery hre was almost
| as heavy as on the eyer-memorable Saturday.
| SEw REBEL BATTERIEs-THE ARTILLERY FIRING.
The Rebels developed number of new bat
| teries, and fired with far more accuracy than
| they have hitherto been accustomed TO do. One
| peculiar feature In connection with this fire was
| It's extraoT binary rapidity. At General Buffers
headquarters it is said TO have sounded like
almost one continuous roar.
| The splendid firing of Dow's lst Connecticut
mortar battery attracted universal attention,
especially for the accuracy with which the COM
mander dropped she'll after shell in a l0-ponnd
| Parrot Rebel battery whose eniilading tire has
| b, en- seriously annoying, drove the enemy from
their guns and silenced their battery for the time
| being.
The To- ses are but trihing, hardly more than
| would have been sustained through an ordinary
day 's picket firing. That of The enemy must have
been more severe, as they exposed themselves in
firing their first v0oy and we're in full range OF
our batteries, greatly superior in numbers IL
theirs.
ACTING GENERAL sTEADMAN WOUNDED.
Colonel Griffin A. Steadman of the llth Con
neciicut, who has been Ia command of a brigade
since the opening of the campaign, was severely
II rot mUrtally wounded, by q musket-shO
through the stomach. This is one of the m ,s
severe blows the corps has sustained for some
time, and has given rise 10 deep and universal
feeling of regret.
General Ames, by whose side Colonel Stead
man was standing when he received his wound
| in announcing the fact TO General Ord, stated
that we had lost one of the finest soldiers in th(
army Few men have more personal friends
and fewer possess those ra personal qualities
that distinguished the Colonel and attracted all
with whom he came in contact.
He has been repeatedly recommended for the
rank of brigadier general for galantry and skill
upon the battlefield, and last evening despatch
was sent to Washington, indorsed by both Gene
raj Ord and General Butler, earnestly recon-
mending that he at once rec i've his appointment
Central Ord, ut the commencement Of the fight
was on the extreme front, examining the position
Of the enemy, but hurried to his headquarters
ready TO meet any move on the part Of the enemy
coUNTERMINISG.
HEADQUARTERS, EIoHTERNTH CoRPs, In tn
Field, August 6, Daybreak.-From a careful eX
animation of tho crater formed by the explosion
last evening, Captain Farquhar, Chief Enginee
of the corps, has been led 10 believe that th
enemy imagined we were mining from the hea
of the sap, and endeayored 10 countermine US
| This opinion Is confirmed by the fact that tn
Rebels have been calling out 70 our line, 'HOS
about your mine Z" with other similar expressions
If this be the true state of the case they certan
wasted a considerable amount Of ammunition.
LAST NIGHT AND THIS MORNING.
Last night was rendered rather anomalous b.
the continuance of musketry at intervals unit
morning. AS write, however, everything ha
subsided TO the usual state OF quiet.
RESERVES.
. A division Of the I'd Corps was sent up las
night and formed in the rear Of that of Genera
Ames. Otheh troops were also in motion so ths
tits highly probable that If the enemy had charge
they would have met an extremely warm rece[
tion.