Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-08-27
From the Richmond ExA miner, August aa.l
The Fight on the Weldon Railroad

The effort made on last Friday to dislodge
the enemy from his position on the Weldon
railroad proved, as we have before stated, un-
successful. Saturday passed without any fight
ing between the two armies, save little she'll
ing and picket firing. On Sunday the effort
was again made.
Accordingly, early on Sunday forenoon an
advance was ordered. Our forces drove the
enemy out of their front lines Of breastworks
back upon their main line, and capturing 800
prisoners. The enemy did not retire without
giving battle, aud the rround was hotly con-
tested Tor the sp tee Of an hour or two before
they were forced backed. In the meantime,
the cnemy's artillery was throwing shell and
canister al our ranks, and our batteries In
| the rear were replying. The tnemy's maln
works on the railroad were Judged too strong
TO attack, and our troops therefore held their
| second line of entertainments.
| In the meantime . more important move
ment was started towards the enemy extreme
| LEFT, about one mile west of the railroad. A
body of our troops acting In con- Junction with
others was sent down on the Vaughan road,
some three or four miles from the city, 10 re-
conuoiter the enemy's position In that direc-
tloD, aud ascertain their strength there, with a
view to iurthor movements.
II was discovered that the Yankees had ex.
tended their lines west to the Vaughan road, In
the direction of Poplar Springs Church, aud
were rapidly fortifyine. An effort, We learn,
was made to turn that flank, and dlslodge
them, which did not prove successful. The
outer works were carried, but the inner were
found TO be OF such g,eat strength and 80
heavily armed with artillery rs to render their
capture matter OF doubt, without great loss oi
life. Some advantages were gained, we learn,
at q considerable cost In killed, wounded and
missing, which were subsequently yielded,
Gen. John Q. Q. Saunders, OF Alabama, was
killed here while leading his men In a charge.
Tl,a .f sl,A II.
are able 10 judge, 10 about thus: Their centre
rests upon the Weldon railroad, about three
miles from the city, their right extending
across the wooded country to the Jerusalem
plank road on the east, and their left to the
Vaughn road on the west. Along this whole
line they have strongly fortified themselves,
and works OF great strength have sprung Ut
| like magic. In their rear, on the line of th'
i railroad and on both sides, they have throwI
up heavy works to provide against flank move
mgnts. At Yellow Tavern and the Gurle!
House heavy batteries of guns are planted. A
every point open to attack they are strongl
fortified.
! Wsrren's corps, which first occupied tn
4 railroad, have been heavily reinforced within
n the last two nights. Hancock's (2D an
y Burnside's (9th) corps have reached the road
and now confront our troops, numbering Ii
= the aggregate fully 30 900 men.
"A The Yankees have been busy In destroying
. the railroad, and reports say that the track !
torn up to and beyond Reams' Station, a dis
Z tance Of ten miles from the city.
n In addition to the strong character of tn
4 fortacations on the enemy's left, which wer
+ assaulted by our fdnking column, one Of tn
main causes Of the repulse was the givin
I away, at a very critical moment, OF a brigade
which caused considerable confusion and CAV
A the enemy a great advantage. Our troop
A were compelled to retire after capturing lin
n of the enemy's skirmishers and reaching the
!. strongest works. Col. Lamar, of Florida, wa
= mortally wounded.