The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-08-23


SUNDAYS BATTLE NEAR PETERSBURG.
Early III the forenoon of Sunday our line of bat
tie was formed east and west of the railroad and
an advance ordered The troops moved forward to
the work before them i'll beautiful order and the best
OF spirits. They succeeded in driving the enemy
out OF their front lines of breastworks back upon
their main line, capturing three hundred prisoners
Before the enemy were forced back they hotly con-
tested the ground for hour or two but were
finally compelled to yield to the heroic valor of our
troops. In the meantime, fierce artillery duel was
IN progress the enemy throwing shell and canister
at our ranks and batteries in the replying
Ii is stated that i'll this contest of those catas
trophies occurred which We have 90 frequently been
called upon to record during this war; namely: that
Il number Of troops on a portion of the line
were killed and wounded by the fire of our own bat
teries The enemy's main works Oh the railroad be-
ing deemed too strong to attack forces held the
second line of entertainments.
Meanwhile an important movement was started
towards the enemys extreme left, about mile west
of the railroad A body of our troops, acting in
conjunction with Others, sent down the Vaughan
road, three four miles distant from the city,
to reeonnoitre the enemys position i'll that direction
and ascertain their strength there, with view to
further operations 1t was discovered that the YAM
KEGS had extended their lines west to the Vaughan
road IN the direction Of Poplar Springs Church, and
We're busily engaged in fortifyinS An attempt to
turn their flank proved unsuccessful. Our troops
carried their outer works. but the inner found
to be Of such great strength and strongly defended
by artillery, that their capture would have been
matter Of great doubt without fearful sacrifice Of
life. The advantages gained were subsequently,
given up, and loss at this point will probably
reach several hundred.
1t here that the gallant Brigadier-Genera,
John c. c. Saunders, of Alabama, killed while
leading his i'll charge. General Saunders has
for time past ommanded Wilcox's old Alaba-
ma brigade, and in all the fights around Petersburg
has displayed the most conspicuous bravery. Ilo
was not more than twenty-five years of age, and
gave promise of glorious and distinguished career.
lie struck By Mimic ball in the thigh and the
fenOra artery severed which produced such coptous
bleeding that he died before it could be checked
Colonel Lamar, of Florida, also mortally
wounded.
1t is stated that III addition the strong nature
OF the works the enemy's left, which were as
saulted by thanking column, one Of the main
causes of the repulse at that point was the giving
way OF brigade At 4 very critical moment, which
caused considerable confusion and gave the Yam
5ee- great advantage. After capturing a line OF
the eney's skirmiahers and reaching their strong
est works our troops compelled to retire.
a strong demonstration was made by the enemy
on Sunday morning about eleven o'clock on oul
,eft on the City Point road with view OF ascel-
tanning the strength of Cur forces at that point
| For half an hour the firing of musketry and ar
tillery was very rapid. About the time
heavy Smelling WAS opened by the enemy all along
the lines III Prince George, but nothing was accom-
| plished.
At night as well as could be ascertaned, the enc
mys centre rested upon the Weldon railroad, about
three miles from Petersburg, their right extending
across the wooded country to the Jerusalem plank
road the east and their left to the Vaughan roat
on the west. Along, this whole line they have
strongly fortified themselves In their rear on th
line Of the railroad, and on both sides, they hav
thrown up heavy works protection against tanl
movements At the Yellow Tavern and the Gurle,
House, batteries of heavy guns are planted, and
every point open to assault they are strongly for
titled.
warren's corps, which first occupied the railroad
| has been heavily reinforced. The Second corp
Hancock's) and tho Ninth lBurnside's have reaches
I
numbers in the aggregate full thirty thousand men
While these movements have been Ill progress, til
Yankees have given "A share OF their attention t
the destruction of the railroad, and it is stated tina
the track is torn up to and beyond Reams's station
/ ten miles distant from Petersburg. Reports hav
been brought i'll that the Yankee cavalry, under tn
/ notorious SpeeC, engaged IN destroying th
/ tract, one mile beyond Reams's on Sunday morn
/ ing.
All accounts agree that the fight was a heav
one but the battle for the possession OF the raroa
is vet to be- fought and the indications are that
will be attended by great slaughter on both sides
| In the engagement of Friday, the eneIny's loss
| killed and wounded is represented to have been Vei
heavy besides the large number OF prisoners cal
| tured We lost some prisoners and a considerab
| number wounded, but a small proportion kiiie
, | The Twelfth Virginia regiment lost SIX kilie
5 twentv-nine wounded and four missing Tota
! thiIty-nine.
II Passengers by the Petersburg train last eVenif
represent that the affair OF Sunday was much lie
disastrous than it reported to have been. son
say that our loss was not over seven hundred al
the highest estimate that we heard was one tho
| sand, killed. wounded and missing.
The following are the casualties in Braxton
| Fredericksburg battery: Killed: Private BeTnal
/ Taylor Wounded Privates Edward Howison' 10
| n leg. (snce dead; S. Charters, slightly; -
| Spence in head Charles Donahoe sllghtiy 1oi
| T. Roberts, in neck, slightly.
All quiet yesterday with the exception OF son
| cannonading III the afternoon.
RAIDING PARTY OUT.
Intelligence was received yesterday that par
| of raiders had started from Grants army with I
supposed intention of cutting the Southside an
| perhaps, the Danyine railroad.
Il OFFICIAL
Official dispatches, received from Petersburg "
tsrday, state that General Hill attacked the enei
on the Weldon railroad Sunday morning and dro
him from his advanced lines to ihs mann eh'fe4''
ments capturing over three hundred prisoners {
- elusive of wounded. Our loss was pr1nelpany
| Haeood's brigade which mounted the enemy 5
! trenohmepts, bnt support failing, many were ca
turcd. ,o,,opn
Everything continues quiet III the neighboriio
+ | of Deem Bottom The enemy's force on tins side
the river at present too small fof oneis's op'
r tions p.s.
In the engagement of the 18th instant, at uss'
J. | Mill the Fifteenth Alabama regiment lost ~
killed and wounded Among the wouhaed
nc Colonel A. A. Louthsr, Captain B. A. hiii, capt.
w II, Stricklin, Lieutenant ii. Fields, anu La
if tenant d, Thornton
st Major w G. Oats, commanding the forty-eis'
y | Alabama, lost AN arm, and Major o. W cary 81
mandins the Forty fourth Alabama, was wouiia
r xyyF