The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-06-04

NN"NAo 1Ht NpoAcS1.
Muskets have been almost the only weapons used.
The swampy nature of the ground rendered the em-
plOyment Of artillery impracticable.
Lee absurdly claims q victory, when he withdraws
from our front and retres toward Richmond
General Torbet's division Of cavalry whipped the
rebel cavalry near this place and drove them from
Spottsylvauia Court House; but being reinforced with
infantry they drove our cavalry a short distance.
The lighting was exceedingly fierce. Generals Torbet
aud Robinson were both wounded. General Sedgwick
was shot through the head on Monday morning (9th)
by sharpshooters.
CHICAGO, May lIth.-Special dispatches say the
rebels have a large intrenched depot of supplies on
the North Anna, the line of defenses toward which
Lee Is directing his retreat. Grant, in following
him, will be leaving his base of supplies, but his men
have rations for several days with them.
\ dispatch from Bermuda Hundred IVA. saws
Fighting commenced at noon yesterday and contin.
ued till night, between several of our brigades under
General w. L. Smith and the rebels commanded by
Besuregard in person. Our forces drove the enemy
back three miles, nearly to Petersburg. We held the
railroad between there and Richmond.
New YORK, May 11th--Correspondence from New
bern IN. Co dated May 9Th, says Yesterday after
noon the rebel ram -7i6emarie, accompanied by the
Satellite, Cotton Plant and the army gunboat Bomb
she'll, captured by them ut Plymouth, appeared at
the mouth of Roanoke river. Our gunboats made
Oft, as # fearful OF an encounter, but they were only
anxious TO draw the ram into the Sound. The ram
followed, and pursued about twelve miles, when the
%gunboats, seven in number, Immediately opened fire.
a terrific engagement eusued, lasting from five till
SISut L" NJ buTluS the StTIy part OF the OattlG the
Cotton Plant managed to escape, firing rapidly and
steadily retreating up the Sound. The gunboat
Bom6SheH was soon retaken, with all on board.
The SaSSacuS, with her iron-prow, put on a full
head of steam and ran into the ram, striking abaft
her center, but apparently without inficting injury.
The SdSSacuS was compelled to retire, having her
rudder knocked off and a 100 FOUNDER shot, fred by
the ram, through her boiler. Night now set in, and
the movements of the ram could not be clearly ascer-
tanned. Closely pursued by the %gunboats, under
cover of darkness. the ram succeeded in going into
the entrance to Roanoke river, where the gunboats
could not venture. The ram carried at leas. four
100 Founders. She has not been seen since. but
active measures will be taken to capture or destroy
her.
Reliable reports from Kinston (N. CO say that the
rebel ram in the Neuse is high aground. She draws
seven and a half feet of water, and the river is only
four and q half feet in depth. The rebels have for
the present abandoned the vessel and taken the engine
out.
WASHINGTON, May .-Acco from the Army
of the Potomac concur in stating that there was heavy
fighting on Tuesday, 10th, and that about Ave o'clock
in the afternoon an attack was made upon the rebel
batteries. After the assault had continued for some
time it was found that the rebel batteries could not
be carried without a great sacrifice of life, and the
effort was, for the time, abandoned. 1t is reported
here this morning that General Warren was wounded
yesterday and died on the way to fredericksburg
The rumor is generally believed. The fighting yes
terday afternoon Thursday was very severe. as
heavy artillery was brought into action on both sides.
The result, as far rs known this morning, was to our
advantage. The rebels attempted TO get in the rear
of u portion of our army to obtain supplies, but were
driven off with loss. The fighting was renewed to-
day.
New YORK, May 2th.-The Herald's special dis
patch, dated Tuesday, May 10th. says Gibbons
and Barlow's divisions were Withdrawn from the
south bank of the Pc. The latter division was closely
followed by the enemy, who were checked by our
artillery, posted along the ridge commanding the
river. Early i'll the day the whole army began to
s%traighten out in line of battle for a renewal Of the
engagement, skirmishing being kept up between the
advanced lines of the two armies. The enemy seemed
to be secreting himself as tn ough he intended an
offensive operation. Our line was formed with the
Second Corps on the right, the Fifth in the center,
the Sixth on the left, with Burnside's corps on the
rear of the left, for the protection of our immense
i tie eoa anti IL here aet is as quite a ee TeFIier 10" and dny sta a%feSe Rith
groves OF pine and other timber, aHording better
ABILITIES for moving troops and for the use of artillery
than the Wilderness. The enemy during the night
had strengthened a formidable position, with rife
pits, breastworks and harricades, rendering il strong
er than any line of defense occu pied by him since he
left the earthworks on the Ra pidan. Thus matters
stood until far into the afternoon, the fighting being
quite sharp at intervals at different points, but with
out anything definite resulting Five O'Clock, P. NJ,
was fixed for the grand assault. General orders an
nouncing the successes of Sherman in the West and
Butler on the James river were read to the corps,
producing the widest excitement. AS the hour ap-
preached for the attack the enthusiasm of the troops
became almost ungovernable. Grant, accompanied
by his staff, and Generals Meade, Hancock and War
ren, were stationed on eminences within sight of each
other, while the vast columns of our army slowly
gathered together for the great struggle. Just as
the attack was about to be made the enemy advanced
on our right, threatening to press back that portion
of the line and disconcerting for a time the plan of
assault. Troops were hurried to the support of the
right and succeeded in checking the rebels. Half
past six was then fixed upon for the assault. Watches
were compared by the Corps Commanders, and they
finally separated, with orders to attack at the ap-
pointed time. At the appointed hour, simultaneously
with the firing of twelve signal guns, the whole line
advanced with cheers. The movement was indie
~scribably grand. A por ton of the forces moved in
solid column, while the others advanced in the usual
order-the whole army moving together, and yet
each command fighting its own battle. The whole
rebel line opened a most murdcrous fire, against
which our lines irresistibly advanced, driving the
enemy slowly back from their position and capturing
nearly 1000 prisoners and three pieces of artillery.
The latter, however. were retaken by the rebels
Night closed with our forces occupying the field. The
loss is heavy, but, judging from the killed and
wounded left in our hands. much less than that OF
the enemy, who fought to the last. Our troops bayo'
neted their men in the rife pits, and forced them, by
hand to hand conflicts, to yield.
New YORK, May 12th-Secretary Stanton tele-
! graphs that a despatch from Sherman, at half-past
7 on the evening of the 10th, states that Mcpherson
had not attacked the enemy at Resaca on Friday,
The position is strongly fortified. He Mcpherson j
had taken a position at Snake Creek Gap. Sher
man is in front of Buzzard's Roost Gap, awaiting the
arrival of part of his forces.
CHICAGO, May 1.-THE joint resolution, provid
ing that all the Major and BrigBdier Generals in the
military service, who. on the first day Of July next
shall not be in the performance of their duty CORES
ponding with their rank, and who shall not have
been engaged in such duty for three months continu-
ously next prior to that date, shall be dropped from
the rolls of the army. and all pay and all allowance
cease from that date, passed the House yesterday, L
to As. The House yesterday concurred in the Sen
ate amendment to the House bill, establishing The
money order system.
WASHINGTON, May pa gentleman prominently