American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-07-06

manding brigade; Col. Rice, 57th Ohio,
very seriously; Col. Barnedell, 10th Illi-
nois, and Col Augustine, 55th Illinois,
killed We took few prisoners, but don't
suppose we inflicted heavy loss on the
enemy, as he kept behind parapets.
An army correspondent gives further
interesting details of the attack by the
rebel eighteen gun battery upon General
Smiths Eighteenth Corps on Friday morn
ing. The cannonode is said to have been
one of the heaviest of the campaign, and
the impression on people at distance was
that terrible battle was in progress. The
enemy wasted large amount of ammu-
milton in concentrated but harmless fire
upon our troops and batteries. The ball
opened at about $50 o'clock, a. m, and
closed at about nine. Our own batteries
during this time were not silent, but re-
piled in spirited style. While this artil-
lery fire was raging, charge was made
on position of General Stannards Divis
ion, formerly Gen. Brooks of the 18th
Corps, by Haygood's brigade of rebels
About four hundred of them succeeded
in entering our front line of rife-pits-a
mere picket line, our skirmishers retiring
to the main breastwork of the front line
of battle While these were coming in
our troops did not fire from the rear that
they might hit our own men. The rebels,
encouraged by this, advanced boldly to-
wards our entrenchments, but the moment
our skirmishers had all gone in volley
was immed lately fredinto the ranks of
the enemy, and moved them down fear
fully Their progress was all at once
stopped, and to retreat was as much out
of the question as to advance. While
placed in this dilemma our men continued
firing rapidly upon them. They made
signs of a desire to surrender, which was
not at first perceived, but soon as their
wish was ascertaincd firing was discon-
tinued and they received cordial invita-
ton to come in. The number of prison
ers taken was one hundred and sixty-six,
and thirty-six wounded were brought off
the ground. The remainder of the four
hundred must have been either killed or
too badly wounded to get away, as the
men captured say none went back. Ma
ny of the prisoners appeared to be rather
pleased than sad at the lot which had be-
fallen them. One, a sergeant, exclaimed
feryently, as he jumped into our intrench-
ments, "Thank God, Tn a white man
again" rather emphatic way of an
nouncing that he considered himself re-
leased from slavery in becoming prison
er Another one, Captain, expressed
the opinion that the entire brigade to
which he belonged would come in if they
could do so without being fired on. 1t is
worthy Of remark that these men appear
to be chiefly South Carolinians, and judg-
ing by the feelings they express, one
would infer that the State which inaugu-
rated the war was ready to cry hold,
enough" but these men are of the poor
er class, and their views and feelings are
entirely distinct from those of the veal
thy oligarchy who rule them, and WELD
them for the accomplishment of their own
aims by combining a system of the most
shameless mendacity with rigorous ex-
ercise of power. Some of the prisoners
taken this morning say they have been
told constantly that the Yankees, if sue,
cessful, will reduce them to condition
almost worse than that of the slaves, com.
pelling them to work for seven pence q
day, Or whatever they may see fit to give,
l was particularly struck by the natural
ness and evident sincerity of the reply
made by wounded rebel to some one who
inquired whether he came into the army
on his own inclination. % No, indeed, "
he answered, "I ought to be at home
ploughing corn this very hour" The
look of care in his eye as he said this be-
trayed anxious thoughts of his distant
wife and children, and the crops he had
planted willing under the hot sun for want
of his culture.