Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-05-11
Enou THE SOUTH SIDE.
THE BATTLE OF PORT wALTHALL-THE Enc
MY REPULsED-RAILR0AD BRIDGE AT $40
NY GREEK BITRNED


The Pelersourg Express Of Monday, received yester
day, gives alsnsth7 and ntore ting account Of the mil
iary operations the South Side of the james up to
the time of going to press. From other eOurces we
have later information. The Express says:
Since our last the movements of the enemy around
Petersburg have been watched by our military author
tiles aud people vita the most intense anxiety. Al
though repulssd in the fight Of Friday afternoon ii was
not believed that the invaders would abandon the con-
test for so desirable prize Petersburg and the rail.
read and telegraph communications between hero and
Richmond, without another aud formidable effort
At an early hour Saturday community was o. the
gwi viVs for the booming Of the guns which would
renewal Of the contest but the sun was high
in the heavens and il probably late IL O'Clock
before the reverberations VI artillery were heard BY
| those residing on the outskiris of the city.
As early as tn rise found tho two armies drawn ND
10 line OF battle, about half mile apart and in full
view Of another We occupied the railroad to the
right and left of Mr. Crags residence very near to the
Junction. end the Yankee army occupied position In
Mrs. Mary Dunn's field.
| Some skim hing took place about IL o'clock when
the Surry Artillery, under Capt. Hankins advanced
several hundred yards Ia front and opened the enc
N.Y. throwing she right into their midst aud prody cling
quite stir among them. This brought on sharp fire
between the infantry left aud le advance OF the
eutmys right. BIT in thirty minutes the firing on boGh
sides ceased except now and then wild shot from the
snemy's artillery. =
Our torceS now maze the rair01d their OF battie
and about ha-pss two o'clock the enemy opened on
chem with their artillery n 'front.' and at the same time
endeavored to turn left: They finally succeeded
by overwhelming numbers in reaching the Railroad
but the 2lst, Goth and 9th South Carolina regiments
under General Hsgood advanced and drove the enemy
pel NEIL back TO their line
The fighting continued until about o'clock and was
Tor the greater portion OF the time very severe the
brave and dagng South Carolinans driving everything
before them. Men could have fought better. In
II N,s. Enke Il nrah of a.
two places not very severely Wever and Ool Prees
Icy, OF the 25.h was shot through the lett very
near the shoulder joint. Lieut.. Col. Darzau of the
| same regiment, vas killed, and Capt. VIM r. S.oney,
Gen. Hagood's st,G supposed to be MORALLY wound
ed The Wounding and killing of thsse officers was
deeply limented
TIE Lieut. Colonel Of the 27sh, whose name we have
forgotten, seyerely wounded in the head.
Brig. Gen Bushrod johnson the senior Brigsdier
ia com nand. and behaved with much GOODNESS. Lieut.
Gen. ID. II. Hill the ground, aud seemed TO court
the most dangerous positions.
Oar loSsin killed aud wounded about $50 or 200
at the farthes and lost very few If any prisoner
TIE enemys loss represented by the prisoners we
captured TO be very heavy, not less than 1000.
Al intelligent serYant who was held by the enemy at
Mrs. Duuns says thu officers aud surgeons stated that
;heir loss was 500 in killed aud WeuDded.
The number of the enemy eng ged Was Twelve or e.
teen thousand.
Taken altogether this is one of the most brilliant
var. Too much praise ne awarded to the u.h
Carolina troops. They have covered themselves with
glory.
Captain Hawkins, of the Surry Artillery, who is
quite young man. distinguished himself for his cool
ness and bravery. He had six of his men wounded,
none of them, however, severely.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLES.
In the engagement on Friday our troops were con-
fronted by greatly superior numbers, but they held
their ground manfully, and completely checked the
enemy's advance. In this engagement we only had
parts of two regiments engaged viz the Dist aud 25h
South Carolina Vounteers-but weak as they were,
they were more than match for the overwhelming
Yankee force that were brought against them. Our
forces were commanded by Col. Graham, of the 2lst
s. c. w. of Gen. ilagoods brigade, who behaved with
conspicuous gallantry.
During Friday night considerable reinforcemens ar
rived, and our lines were greatly strengthened On
Saturday Gen. Hagood, who arrived the night preyi-
Gus, spent the whole morning and until o'clock in the
afternoon, man9uyering and feeling the enemy's
strength and position. About O'Clock our pcketS
suddenly came upon the Yankee pickets, when our
skirmshers ordered to fall back to the line of
Defence selected by GeR. Hagood about 600 yards in
advance of the Railroad at Port Walthsl Junction. and
on line parallel with and east of that road
About 20 minutes past two O'Clock the enemy adyan-
ced in overwhelming numbers, estimated at one diy-
sion and two brgades, upon that portion of line
held by Gen. Hagoods brigade They were in such
numbers to overlap line, which enabled them to
flank and turn extreme left. This forced General
Hagood TO change his 'front.' which he did successfully
but the necesstaed the exposure of our Off
and men, and caused the heavy loss which we sus
tanned. The enemy, however, were soon driven back
when the brave South CaroliDians reoccupied their
original line, and held it successfully against two more
assaults of the enemy. Our loss in officers very
severe, Gen. hagood's brigade, which were the only
troops engaged losing four out of the seven field Off
GERS engaged in the fight We had other troops near
by, but they were not engaged.
1t is not little singular that the troops engaged on
fha ~ If IN HE EOhN al.
troops that the brave South Caroinians who fought
them SO CALAMITY on Saturday, have been fighting SO
long on Morris and James Islands, at Charleston.
Our casualties in these engagements have been quite
heavy, proving concusyely that our officers and men
fought with desperate valor Lieut.. Col. Dargan of
the Dist South Carolina Volunteers, who was killed in
the engagement Of Saturday, was prominent young
lawyer of South Carolina and Col John G.. Presley
who severely wounded in the engagement, is
prominent citizen of Charleston, and was a member
Of the Convention which passed the ordinance of Sc
cession.
Owing to the press upon our columns to-day we
omit the list of casualties in the different regiments en-
gagged in the fight.
THE ENEMY FALL BACK
On Sunday morning it was discovered that the
enemy had fallen back the previous night, leaving our
forces undsputed possession of the battle field and
leaving portion of their dead and wounded the
field. quantity Of baggage left by the retiring
Yankees and persons who visited the field picked
up several articles of value. One soldier we learn
found thousand dollars in greenbacks the body Of
dead Yankee. BY some means, whether accidental
or otherwise not known, the woods took fire on Sat
urday night, and doubt several of the enemy's
wounded burned to death, as our pickets could
hear their peous groans throughout the night the
fire approached them.
STATEMENTS OF PRISONERS
These prisoners represen. that they lost very heavily
in killed and wounded Ss!urday-some estimating the
number as high 900, which is probably an exag-
geratOn. II is known, however that their losses we're
very savere they to fall thick and fast and
the ambuAnces we're observed rapidly hurryng to and
fro.
BUTLER IN COMMAND
They say that Gdlmores corps, recently operating at
Norris Island and Florida was in the fight aud that