The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-28


~ headquarters on the bank of the
James are plainly visible
Our losses today cannot now be esti-
mated In infantry FIRE they are heavy,
and probably exceed that Of the enc
my; but our artillery practice was
good, the rebels being sonnetimes seen
on the run for the woods, and perhaps
thus we have restored the balance of
death. 4 few casualties occurred
from our own guns. Not a musket
shot was firedfrom our works
Some of shells ofthe Sd Artillery fail
ed to explode this afternoon. One or
two were examined and found to be
filled with harmless plaster
THE FIGHT on SATURDAY NIGHT.
Corrsspondence New York Herald.
MAJoEGExERAL BuTrER's HEADoR's S, ,
IL THE FIEID, May % J
A ynDSIGHT ASSAULT.
Shortly before midnight, after nearly
every one, worn out with the fatigues
of hard days work, had gone to rest,
volley Of musketry, resembling the
distant rumbling of an earthquake,
startled all hands, and before the echo
died away the heavy booming of can
non took its place, and continued for
full thirty minutes.
Some time before ten o'clock Gen
Butler received a message from the
front that the enemy was massing on
our center, and he in his cool manner
replied, "Iet them mass, but guard
against surprise This message some
what prepared US for what was to come,
and also kept our valiant troops thus
1nenaced on the alert. Sure enough,
az was expected from the enemy, ne
did mass his forces for one grand as
sault to pierce our lines, and had we
not discovered his intentions the at
tempt would probably have succeeded.
Az It was it resulted IN q most disas-
trous defeat 70 the foe.
Our pickets in front Of Gen. Ames'
line received the rebel FIRE with great
steadiness, and never aincbed. They
returned yolley for volley, and gradu-
ally retired on the reserve.
When the rebel column approached
it was received with a most whitening
fire, and our men dropped to allow the
artillery to play on the enemy. The
siege guns and light batteries com
menced their work then. The advance
Of the rebels Was moved down ike
grass; but as usual, they came up to
the breach ike veterans, filing up the
gaps as the men fell Another and
another murderous fire from our bat
teries at last halted them, and the con
fident foe at last halted in his mad
career.
Capt. Iiangleys battery, the lst IT,
States Artillery, played on the rebel
force with great effect About twenty
minutes after the fight had commenced
a 20-pounder Parrott shell struck and
exploded a rebel caisson, scattering
death and destruction all around At
this sight the most deafening cheers
went up from our lines, to the great
discontinue Of the rebels
The gunboats on the james and Ap-
pomattox rivers also opened their bat
tories and shelled the woods around,
making it decidedly uncomfortable for
the rebel reserves.
At last, when the enemy found that
We were well prepared for his advance,
and having already lost very heavily,
ne thought it best to withdraw, which
he did, after giving our metal a fair and
impartial test
The fight lasted about thirty-6ve min
utes, and az soon az was over our men
proceed to bury the rebel killed left on
the field learn from good authority
that two hundred and sixty three were
inferred By our forces
Our loss viii not be more than about
ten killed and about fifty wounded, as
We had all the advantage on our side
constantly on the defensive and the
enemy marching boldly up to our in
trenchments.
Our defenses are almost inpregnable.
Constructed by such able engineering
talent as Major General ". F. Smith,
General Godfrey Weitzel and Captain
T. W. Faquhar, United States Army,
they cannot be otherwise. Should Lees
entire rebel horde pounce upon Gener-
III Butler, the latter could still hold his
own.
The feet in the James and Appato-
mattox rivers is a great auxiliary to our
army
Between the respective chief com
manders-Major General Butler and
Acting Rear Admiral s. P. Lee-the
very best Understandings exists, and
the latter at sll times heartily seconds
every wish of the commanding general
The sortie Of the enemy on our lines
last night is by no means the first in
stance of the kind made by the willy
rebel General Beauregard. II is his
style of doing business but it has new
er as vet succeeded Thus far, in every
engagement he has fought with our
troops be has been worsted, and wiz be
again.
Yesterday morning the rebels made
a movement on Fort P0whatan, to at
tack and capture if possible some col
ored troops stationed there for its de-
Tense, and also to keep the enemy from
obstructing our navigation Of the James
river. Col. Baxter, in command, noti-
fed Brig. Gen. Hincls Of the rebel ap-
proAch, and asked for re endorsements.
General IL, commanding the division
Of colored troops, At once despatched
two regiments TO the relief OF Fort Pow
hatan, who arrived there ia due time TO
participate in the engagement which
ensued. At halfpast eleven o'clock
last night General Hincl1s telegFephed
to General Butler that the rebels were
badly repulsed st Fort PoWhstan, but
stated no particulars.
The rebel General William s. Walker,
whose capture by Cur troops on the
19th inst hiss been already stated, was
removed to the general hos.
pital for medical treatment His wounds
are severe; but with great care he may
recover On mis- person was found the
following order from Hoke. directing
him 70 make q movement on Newbern
at the beginning Of this month, prom
sing the assistance Of the rebel RAN Al
bemarie
aMAY 3.-General have just learn
ed from Captain Cooke, commanding
the iron-clad Aibemarle, who writes
that he feels satisfied that the boat can
stand the Sound, and will be with az.
! viii move at six O'Clock tomorrow
morning, and viii communicate WITH
Yea at Polioclsyille. on the river bank,
~ soon a. reach chat point. ! desire
vou g. move 81 six o'clock tomorrow
movuina and Droceed to Foilocesvilie.