Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1864-09-08
Tbe gntellietnttr.
The War in Virginia,

q The desperate fighting on the Wei
don Road on Thursday week is no
table feature in the Richmond cam
paigns. Grant has evidently grasp
ed the Confederacy by the throat, il
a this movement as their frantic efforts
10 .dislodgct our forces fully testify
On Thursday they made tho fourth at
tempt to drive Grant off, but still! lie
holds the road with q determination
and power most encouraging for our
ultimate success. On Thursday after.
noon the rebels renewed the attempts
made on the Sunday and Friday of the
preceding week 1; but this time more
desperately, more disastronsly, and
with like failure. Gen. llancock's
second corps held the position attack
ed at 4 o'clock p. NJ, on Thursday by
the whole of A. =. Hills rebel corps.
The fight was severe, hand to hand,
and the ground was contested almost
inch by inch. The second corps APP
pears to have been gradually falling
back, when the fifth came up to their
support, and the fortunes Of the, hour
were changed. The enemy withdrew
from the field after sustaining fearful
loss, leaving their dead and wounded
behind them. The baltic lasted until
dark. 1t is reported 10y Gen. Hancock
to be one Of the most desperate battles
of the war. Our loss is said 10 he
very heavy. The enemy had entirely
left the field OH Friday morning at
daylight. The scene Of the action is
described as most awful to behold
the dead and wounded lying in mass
es, friend and foe intcrmingled in
death and agony. Mr.. Stanton re-
ceived brief official dispatches from
Generals Grant, Meade and Hancock,
cmbodying the above results, which
hc communicated in bulletin to
Gen. Dix. This is their third serious
attempt to gain the Weldon Railroad,
made with abundant time for prepara-
tion, and with great energy. Should
it be renewed, the result will, with
ont doubt, be the same, for it is their
turn now to attack in open field, and
ours to fight with the advantage of
intrcnchmcuts. These desperate eff
forts to regain the ground they have
lost prove how serious that loss is,
and how great an advantage the
skill and persistcncy of Gen. Grant
have gained
The Richmond papers admit loss
of five rebel Generals--four Killed
and one woundcd--on the Weldon
Railroad. They also admit a loss of
1000 men, but say the loss exceeds
5000. Our loss, which has been re-
ported at abont 1000, is being mate
rally reduced by the return Of strag.
glers. -.. .
e From the Shenandoah valley we
learn that Gen. Merits division Of
Forbett's cavalry was fighting Brad
ley Johnson's cavalry, aud one divis-
ion of Early's infantry all day on the
2Sth ult lie Came upon Johnson's
command on Sunday, and the country
being open, the LIST and I'd regulars
met them by a counter charge. The
enemy was charging down upon them.
The collision of the two columns was
fearful, and there was more sabre cut
ting than has been seen before during
the war. johnson was driven from !
Charlestown,- through and beyond
Smithficld, and Merits division occu-
pied the town. The next morning
i29th) they brought division Of i'll
fantry against our cavalry, and the
fighting continued briskly until about
three O'clock, when Sheridan, who had
gone to the front, sent TO Wright, of
the 9th corps. for division of his
troops. lilo at once directed Ricketts,
TO advance with the Sd division. Rick
cts madcla rapid march Of two miles
or more, and relieved Torbett's caval-
ny who had fought most splendidly
all day.
4. Sheridan's advance occupies Smith
field, and the remainder of the army is
strongly intrenched in a good posi-
tion few miles beyond Charleston.
The enemy still maintains line in
our front, but evidences no disposition
to attack. Early's main force is be-
lievcd to be in the vicinity Of Bunker
HILL Ga Cd .p- q