The New York herald., 1864-08-24
Partic uiars or Fridays Fight on the
Weldon Railroad.

Weldon Railroad.
Especial correspondence Of the Washington Chronicle
The YELLowlHousE, August 20, ls84-P M.
Here 10 summary OF the movement which gave us
possession Of the Weldon Railroad. Thursday morning
the Fifth corps marched 10 the LETT Their destination
the present position; the object Of the march,
sruction 10 the railroad communicating with North Ccro
lima.
The snsall command Of cavalry in advance captured
drove of every rebel this side Of the road. Very few
posed progress. . surprise designed it could
not have been successful Grin1n's division nrst
MAKING Srsastwos Of the rains and 'es. seesers
Al this place che comm snd halted for rest
their H.noue,s and Hehs 0ed dvsoos sioos
were rushed .p on the double quick They attacked
instantly i%peuously Ayers division seemed abou 20
division oravey upoa his left and offered the rebels
stout resistance re Purne Legion composed Mary.
the shock, butsoon recovered from the moentary
fusion into which they thrown. Crawford upon
the right and Ayres the left advanced their
line simultaneously, swinging 1t around and forward
TO ake longer ana stronger the road for
here the gsau, Person colonel Of ihe 1S,y
ninth Massachusetts,, received q mortal wound, and
Third division. were placed so,s de- oo%sa soarssy
month has elapsed since ! performed the melancholy
M the n
setts One evening while quietly sitting in his tent
shcli came wnizzns along and burst under theohair
AZ last We bold shs weldon Railroad. That night,
Thursday. We buiit bresstwors q ibe soft mud All
A. s The ii. The line i IRON. o. .'1 Veteran
Reserves. brisk skirmish ensued, which lasted about
half ~ hour, and then died out. It General
wilcoxs division q the Ninth bad taken up posi-
General Brasg's brigade of the Fourth division was
slightly advanced skirmishers. Then Cravford's
division; WheelecKs brigade in the centre, Lyle and
Hartshcrn with their respective briEadss either side
At this point rsn the rsroad. Upon the other side
Ayres division and the Second brigade OF Cutters dvi
son Grns and the balance Of the Fourth division fol-
lowing.
Wilcox with fearful force rosy succeeded volley but
failed TO destroy the impetus which the rebels had
qured in their run. Hartrauit. on The right and Hum
phrey the left had their orgades closely united and
successfully resisted and oed every effort OF the
ants 70 penetrate their front This was but the pre-
cursor Of the csniag CONNECT simultaneous attack
was made upon entire front Every battery In pos-
ton roared forth dreadful dreful notes Great dark
Of the battle neG gently ascended IN soft pillow ned
wreatbs to plead and propate Soon the rain began
OF mems cannon We'd with the rumbling OF Heavsn
tlery.
were swept from sight in LEES time than IL takes V
write this The rebels had forced their through the
skrmish line and were depoying right and left to
fight thckened; men grew desperate and drew strength
from the frenzy which the battle created General
Braggs brigade forced back and the rebels rushed
upon Lyle, threatening 10 devour everything. The
Veteran reserves were swept from sight, after doing
fearful execution with their Spencer rifles. Coone
Hartshorn. commanding brigade captured; Colonel
Carle wounded aud captured, and two hundred
from this brigade are missing
General Potter brought the Second division Ninth
CORPS upon the right Of Wilcox. General White soon
took position stil further TO tbs right This was early
in the engagement These troops had just performed
wearsome march soft roads, yet they entered the
SIGHT Immediately with cheerulneas and courage, oldng
Eut,sth regiment OF Pennsyivssia Veteran Volunteers
captured stand OF coors from the Fortyssvsnth vir
wsre inscrp.ions OF thirteen engssements in which The
resmsos had fought-from Bultlrun to Mine run.
About this time Major Becher, commanding the Eighth
Hart dSn0 ha
Fifty first Pennsylvania wounded short distance 70
the Lett the oue Hundred and Fourth New York captured
q stand Of oolcrs and some prisoners.
Tho rebels peneraed our front and poured upon the
TANKS OF the different commands Men begsu TO to
the rear with weapons In their hands General Hayes
who connected with Crawford at the railroad, was
roughly handled He lately dubbed brigader gene.
sion asy az m Of h
We receded from the clay banks, hastiy thrown In
The battle assumed the sppssrancs oi meise' Every
one seemed to fight to XIII
was ~, s'eas ealing ove. zoe en- e1 battle The
when killed, their long hair drabbed in mud, their gray
clothes dripping with blood Being the assailsnis they
suffered severely. We lost most In prisoners they had
many Killed and wounded. Beauregard's men had
centrated with Hih's corps. They designed anniha,ne
with powerful force single ddre, which they
imagined detached from the main body TO up the
railroad track. Unfortunately for the Of their
plan three divisions OF the Ninth corps hand,
and The savation OF warren's command was sure Lee
has generally been successful when he comes with
n no po"er poS a. 40 n oeay toOps n
prisoners, ard about 1vs hundred killed and wounded.
over one hundred rebel Slain were found In front of
brigade this morning. They Inferred.
short time before dark our line was redressed and
srensbene II was too long and attepuasdbeore the
fight IL was now our turn TO advance Forward rushed
soldiers, and back went the rebels We recaptured
the works and the ground lost two hours before. No
doubt Lee desires to leave here IL very ncovenen
for US TO remain 10 this soft glunous mud bot
cannot accommodate the great virginanD What them
He will force u.s. on twice he tried that and failed
Would be risk general engagement At this time and
placeS Verify, no. Then we claim the road 70 be Urs
bv right OF "squatter soveregnty,r for we are now
osmped around and about u. Lee s thus forced 10
lcn0hen bis line which necessarily weskens it He must
foeeo all supplies by this route, sod renquhh this line