Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-06-09
Hon. WILLIAM III. SEWARD,
Secretary Of State, Washington.
THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST RICHMOND.
A BLOODY BATTLE ON FRIDAY.
THOMAS SAVAGE,
Vice Consul General.

The assault upon the enemys works TIE Chckahomi-
ny Friday last made all along the line, and the
conf ct that ensued to have been much
culinary than would be inferred from the brief official
count Of it that has been given to the public The army
ofthe New York Tribune writing from Head
quarters nine o'clock Friday night I'D instantly
cords some OF the details as follows:
This the thrteh day Of the campaign, has witnessed
s another general eng cement to Richmond than
any other and scarcely less bloody than any other liz
the second battle of Cold Harbor the first beog that of
day before yesterday Our loss between four and FIVE
thousand, distributed aiming the corps follous Egh
ieenth Corps, say 1000; Second Corps l,400; sixth
Corps, 000 Fifth and Ninth Corps, say 600 to 000
general assault ordered 10 be made at half past
four O'Clock in the morning. and made promptly the
hour The relative position Of the corps beginning the
left in this order; Second Corps, Hancock Sixth
Corps, Wright; Eighteenth Corps Smith Fifth Corps,
Warren; Ninth Corps, Burnside. Warren and Burnside
did not participate in the assault
Brave the attack, and severe has been the
loss the result ndecsve Generally the line has been
materially advanced Every where hold closer the
rebel line Baldy Smith carried and retains dictnc
weentrenched position and other corps in possession
Of detached works and various positions less i'm
por ant, from which they drove the enemy
Hancock charged with Barlow's aud Gibbons DIVISION
holding Brney the works FROG which he moved
and protecting his left front Barlow carried every thing
before him. capturing guns, Prisoners and colors but
whether unsupported by corresponding his right
whether be finally than any division could
withstand at length he forced to reGqush neary all
these trophies Eutrenchng distance in advance Of
his original position and resting his left swamp per-
pendcular to the Chckahomny be has all day maintained
a bri-k sharp-shooting.
"The s,r sPendidy covered by several batteries
The charge and the withdrawal occupied two three
hours One battle f,g and two hundred prisoners were
brought off. Gbbons's charge Barlow's right began
with desperate rush, and met with stance
stern INJECTING loss severe that having within the hour
carried line he too enrenched and has fought the
mander Of the day with artillery and sharpshooters
Yesterday Thursday Hancock, assuming portion Of
Wrghts 'front.' caused Neps division to be taken from
the left the right Of the Sixth Corps leaving Russell on
the left and Ricketts, 10 the centre The whole division
charged excepting Russells Second and Third brigades
Neil and Ricketts, gained nearly half mile, Russell less
owirg TO his coming upon open ground swept by muket
Besides it would not do to advance beyond Gbbon who
cted with his left.
During the afternoon when visited the Sixth Corps
which already constructed admirable works an incau
ous head exposed briefly above any point Of the
paraprt drew in every instance shower Of bullets from
the rebel line, not two hundred yards distant.
Devns division having been moved to the right Of the
Eighteenth Corps Martndale's became the centre and
Brooks the left The Eighteenth probably achieved the
decisive Of he day. gaining ground and
holding it with great tenscty and logs II should be
stated however that i've times many struggled from il
did from all other corps combined account for the
paradox by the assumption that the officers did their entire
duty aud this view confirmed by the great fatality among
them
After the morning assault and the almost Simultaneous
desisaDce from the the whole line set TO enrench
ing while the heavy guns ceased to play the
skirmsh lines their bot fuslade, TIL sunset But there
has been no neofbattle firing The position remained
unchanged except that Brneys division withdrawn
from the left and sent TO occupy thespace between Smith
aud Warren, giving to the army connected line OF
miles 1t IL mainly parallel with the Chckahominy, al,
though copfusiDgy rgzsg particular directions aud
tends through alternate fields aud woodland judge the
ground H. be the average higher than the enemy and
to that extent have the better position.
The prisoners taken from the most diverse com
mabds; from all the corps Of Lees army proper from
Bfeckinridge and from three divisions of Beaur gard
hat hssu mad
mand.
Thrtytwo Founders, probably brought from the de-
fences Of Richmond, opened upon at daybrsak and
dropped shells far IT, the rear MT only Of troops but of
the different sdquarters Of the trains and the hospitals
indeed every corps headquarters has been under
fire from morning to night"
despatch dated at Headquarters Of the Army Of the
Potomac, ON the 9TH instant contains the following rebel
version Of Fridays battles #.u .s
"The Richmond Sentinel Of June announces the ar