The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1864-08-02

battle Gags.
All IL ai'et this morning, Sunday, the a1sl
RECAPIrtIArloN.
t:rNnt's Preliminary Operations.
For some truc pat ar increasing impression
prevailed in the sruiy that an important movement
was In progress 70 strike decisive blow agsna
the enemy, hu, no definite information could be Oh
taincd NJ 10 Its nstur" or extent. This impression
has now been verified by the events of the pas,
~ech. and more particularly r. the successtil er.
ploson Of the rct-l tort on Saturday last. The
rebel fort wa situate near the City Point railroad.
IN commanding position north east of the city,
near the Arpoma,tos river. II forui,d the key "
that portion Of the rebel dccnces ard cxccciing-
iy strong constituting a portion Of the line thN
Wa unsuccesrf,lly y stacked % the 18th Of June.
T~ failure of tha, assault suggested the ics
oi rcsor''ng 10 mining 70 effect . bresch
in the rebel lines. The work was cos.
mcDccd on hn following week, and was
executed by the 18Th Pcnnsylvanis volun-
tecrs, . regimen, raised in the mining districts
and whoeo olonel-Pcasants-wa- familiar with
extensive engineering operations. rvcry Ir.au.
tion VA adopted " secure secrecy. The work was
exceedingly dificuli from the naiur- u the soil,
which consisted II Tucks,nds aud marshes, which
caused water TO accumulate in the excavation, and
greatly retarded the prorrcss of the mcn. The
distance from the for, N front Line WAS four hun
drcd Yards, and II w~ necessary TO sink the shan
NJ distance Of Ave hundred feet from the fort, in
order to oopcc,l our operations from the enemy.
The tunnel or 'gulley" WA four -snd-a-han feet
high and nearly four feet wide a the bottom slcr-
ing 10 two fecs st the top. Ventilation secured
by shan in the side of the tunnel. in which fire
was built 10 obtain current Of air. In order 10
draw attention from the smoke, other fires
built in the vicinity, as II for cooking purposes.
As the work progressed q constant nisilsde
was kept ~. in order 10 deadcn the noise
Of picks and shovcls below, and divert the ssicn-
ton both Of the enemy and our own picke,s. Hence
the constant tclepraphie reports Of Continuous
firing on purnsido's 'front.'" When Il became np-
parent that the rebel fort was reached. great eau
ton exercised in order not W alarm the enc
my, as our engineers could hear the sound OF
votcce from above, and distinguish the hauling Of
cannon and placing them In position. The soil a.
cumulstod from the excavation during the day was
placed in bags aud pourci on top of
, our earthworks during the night, A. 10
allsy suspicion. Everything WAS completed
IN about ten days and II only remained for General
GrantSo give the signal W deposit the powder aud
light the fuse. ,o hoist tho rebel fort into the air.
| This given Friday ani ak tons Of po~dcr
were placed IN the branches or the tunnel under
| the rebel works, and orders issued o The
troops on Friday nigh, which len no doubt among
experienced campaigncrs tina, hot work a'
hand 10 the ensuing day. Preliminary movements
| NJ ~ u have dyaw
bulk Of the rcbol army scruss the James rver,
IN leave q comparatively insignificant force in ou'
iron, to resist the sx>aultng party. On Thursday
and Friday evenings just before dark, long trains
OF empty baggage wagons were driven across the
pontoon bridge the Jamee river, SO as u Leaf
the enemy 10 SUPPOSE tha, the army wac about u
resume operations IN the Peninsula, while Han
cocks men we've quietly marched back again dur
ing the dsrknoes, and plarcd IN reserve To supper
tho a-,aulupg party on saturday morning.
Tuy yxpLosIoS.
TIC proqrarnre was successfully carried ou'
every particular. The troops forming the ss>sul'
ing party were placed in position before daybreak
They cons sed II ,hyec divisions, one of ther
coored, q the Ninth Army Corps supported by
powerful rcrryc. Tue signal was given, and
h ~ past four o'clock saturday morning FIRE wa
sppliei TO tire f,izcs, and in about quarter Of a
hour terrlhc rumblipg OF the earth, followed by
sudden clouding OF the atmosphere in the drcctio
OF tho rebel fort told that the powder hs
lono it's work Instantly the men of the Fou'
! tecn,h New York heavy artillery, who hsd bcc
crouching behind their gunr sprsng ~ their place
ani oI~ncd a terrific and furious ARTILLERY fire,
the direction of the disnantlc rebel fort. A. II