Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-06-30


on the rebel batteries near Petersburg
and every morning occurs an artillery
duel,
The weather is unusually warm cases
OF sun stroke are numerous.
Some men were captured from the I'd
corps when the rebels got into their
rear ana TOOK monnignIs battery OF the
18th artillery. 1t Is impossible to tell
with accuracy how many men Were
lost. Parts of Owens, McAllister's and
Motifs brigades are among the number.
Gen. Barlow was marching rapidly To.
wards the Weldon railroad. Gibbons
followed The troops moved d, eeAulon
by division. Maj Crawford of the LIST
Massachusetts cavalry had seven hun
dred mounted men of a provisional bril-
gade composed of attachments from all
the regiments and companies. He fought
the rebels on the right of the plank road
long after his ammunition was exhaust
ed, holding with determined valor
whole brigade of rebels in check. In
the meantime the rebels had succeeded
In getting between Gibbons and Barlow.
They were as much surprised as our
men, but being first to make discovery
of the position of affairs were quick to
take advantage of it. There was very
little hard fighting and the men were
taken before they were fully prepared
for resistance. The horses were cut from
the battery and the guns spiked. When
the line was reformed the rebels came
came up again but were twice repulsed
with dreadful losses. The 9th corps
charged them driving them some dis
lance and forming ON the left of the I'd
corps.
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE PoToMAc, }
June %, 6 A. NJ
The only fighting that took place yes
terday was an attack made by the enc
my on Burnside, but whether intended
as feint to cover some more important
move or an attempt to break his line, il
was failure. They opened with a
heavy fire of artillery which was return
ed by our batteries, and the rebels max
ing a charge were driven back in con-
fusion, upwards of 100 being taken pris-
oners. This occurred about a. M, and
the artillery firing was kept up for an
hour when all became quiet at that
point About the same time battery
opened in front of the. hospital on the
left OF the 9Th corps which the rebels
seemed DESTROYS of cleaning out, but
they were checked by our guns before
any damage resulted.
Picket firing is still kept up along the
entire line, and in almost every hospital
are few victims of this species of war
fare. 1t is almostimpossible for change
to be made in the skirmish line without
some loss from the enemy's sharpshoot-
ers, and these lines have to be relieved
after dark on that account.
The engagement between the 9th corps
and the enemy for the possession of the
railroad, on Wednesday, was quite Sc
we're, particularly in front Of the I'd di-
vision, commanded by Gen. Wheaton.
Only short distance of the railroad
had been destroyed when the party
were attacked by heavy force of
the enemy under Gen. Anderson, sup
ported by Wilcox's division. Capt. Be-
attic of the Third Vermont was in
charge OF the party that reached the
road and he fell back slowly, while the
skirmish line held the enemy in check.
A body of the enemy made flank
movement, expecting to turn the left
flank of the line of battle. They how
ever, did not penetrate far enough, al
though they succeeded in taking a large
number of skirmishers prisoners, prin-
cipally of the Fourth and Eleventh Yer
mont regiments. The enemy after
wards advanced and attempted to break
through the line at several points, but
We're met with such heavy fire from our
forces that they were driven back every
time with heavy loss They finally at
dark gave up the effort and retreated
across the railroad bank where they took
up an advantageous position. Our loss
in killed and wounded was very light,
while that Of the enemy was more than
double ours. We lost quite number
of prisoners, but figures as yet cannot
be correctly given.
The railroad from City Point to Pc
tersburg is being placed in order and
engines and cars are already procured
to run on it as soon as it is in running
condition.
Supplies are received at the point
regularly, and the troops lack nothing
in this respect but they suffer some
what from scarcity of water