The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-08-26
FROM THE SOUTH. II * 70
NEWS FROM PETERSBURG.
Effect Of the BOmbardm ent.-A bsencc
Of TrOops...Grant,s Line Of Battle.
From the Richmond ENQUIRER, 18th.

From the Richmond Enquirer, 18th. ia. .e'..
The subteranean proclivities OF the enemy
form the standing theme in Petersburg and
fresh and frequent reports OF further mining
and countermining, contribute somewhat to re-
lieve the monOtony of the rather dull and prosy
topic. The last approximate to sensation was
that we had mined o prominent position of the
enemy and made some attempts to explode the
magazine, but from some unknown reason, the
thing would not take, and up to last accounts
the experiment had proven failure. If this is
true, it is probable that the enemy Slapped the
gallery and poured coic water on the maya
zine.
The occasional shelling Of the city has lately
only accumulated bricks and other building
materials in the streets. without seriously hurt
ing anybody. Now and then house is fired,
and the light affording target for the gunners,
shells are rained in upon the fire to prevent its
extinction and to extend the cOntiagratlOn.
The fire department has worked nobly, not
withstandirg the danger to which it is expos
ed, and in no instance has it failed to restrict
the fire to comparatively ordinary limits. As
the position of the enemy's right enables them
to command i full view of nearly the whole
city. and to Judge with sufficient correctness
the range OF their shells. there can be no i'm
propriety in SAYING that they have done con-
siderable damage TO the property OF the citi-
Some two Or three hundred shells of differ
e1s calibres and characters. have been sent
whzzing through many richly decorated par
l0r and tidiIy kept chamber, smashing into
snitheyeens stout cCrnices and fragile Orna-
,nents, making all furniture g mess of frag-
rnerts, and stripping the walls to the lattice
and joists, Of their polished cement and plain
plaster, to smother ", the wreck and complete
the destruction. Parties have been invaded
and tIDnercfuI crashes sent breaking and ring
iag through piles Of crockery and rows OF jars,
rct- sz
swee. ruin upon the indented floors and caved-
IL shelves that mark the scenes of the disaster.
Libraries too, have shared equal fate with
snOl1e-houses: and while children Of the lar
ger growth grow hungry from the lack of i'll
teiectuai pabulum, the lesser can cry about
for the more substantial meet, which last seen
was il the air, or flying into state OF savOrv
nothiuguess inside the blaZes Oft cODtiagva.
ton. Owing to these and similar events, the
city has become almost deserted. TO as great
an extent as possible, it has been the aim Of
General Lee to move no troops through it !;
none are kept in it at any time. They are all
in the trenches. where they may be found by
the enemy whenever it behOOVeS the latter to
come Out and look tor them.
As to the positions CT the enemy nothing
could he more agreeable, i'll q military sense,
TO orr Generals. Whether it is because there
is no water to the south OF the city, or whether
it is necessary 10 keep the army in a petty
status, the better 10 secure the protection OF
Washington Or not, we cannot confidently tell ;
but it is quite certain that the enemy's line Of
battle before Petersburg is from some necessity
o. other extremely short. "ShOrt" is the
word for it, for although the Federal lines ex-
tend across to Deep Bottom, that part which
lies in front OF Petersburg, instead OF being
the main body in appearance, as it is il fact
is more like the bobtail Of the bushy kind The
Federal lines commence on the AppomattoX,
just about a mile below the city, upon bluff,
which is the location of battery No. 1, COM
handing partial view of all the lower part
of the citV