New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-24
Another Rebel Night Assanlt-It IL Re.
pulsed, and Renewed on Friday-Cow.
ardicc Of n Union Omccr-A Mistake
in Battle, and its Consequcuees-Rebels
Defcated-What Bcauregnrd Iatcnds-
Gen. Butler thinks Otherwise.
from Our Special Correspondcnt

from Our Special Corrcspondcnt
HEADQUARTERS GIN. Butler, May 20, 1854.
The despcrateness Of the Rebel cause Is
shown BY the ,enacity with which they cling to ap
parent imposslbilities. Having devoted Wednesday
and Thursday to feeling our position. during which
considerable picket firing and some diminishing oc'
,ired hey Loot night disturbed slumbers by an
assault upon line 81 rife pits dug by our pckets along
the center Of intrenchments. CanDonading acoom
panied this attack and batteries responded. From
the noise one would have thought terrible havoc was
being made by the shells thrown ndisoriminately
around but Judging the effect Of fire by the results
Of theirs it is safe to say that the effect was chiefly
moral. The Rebels did not succeed in carrying the
pits they assGiled and after their retirement quiet
with increased vigilance prevailed To-day another
assault was made. In front u Gen Amess line near
the center the rinepits mentioned lie at the skirt OF
woods. Between them and our intrenchments Is
a field devastated by fire, around which the woods
form an irregular scmcircle. The Rebs" came down
upon these rife pits to-day in force and succeeded in
driving our administers out after desperate fight One
Of the officers commanding portion OF the line SO mr.
forgot his duty q soldier 20 withdraw himself and
force without firing shot. Gen. Butler, who was anx
iously watching the fight from the parapet, mmedi-
ately ordered the officer before him, and telling him
that II would ten lives FOR every one TO retake what
he might have held dismissed him from the service IN
an attempt retakc tho pits the 97h
and 18th Illinois Regiments were ordered to move
through the woods 10 cooperate with movement made
by another portion of Gillmores forces. Msunder'
standing the order the troops were moved by the flank
along the skirt of the woods. Marching steadily along
they came Unexpectedly upon Rebel battery, which
opened murderous fire, LITERALLY moving them
down 1t appeared TO the lookeron as though the entire
force melted away before this terrific rain of grape and
canister. The loss is estimated possibly exaggerated
at 800 The other movement partially successful,
and the Rebels were driven from their position. Brig
Gen. Walker. C. s. A.. was dangerously wounded and
captured. Tonight the Navy gunboats In the Apo
mattox shciDg the woods in front OF the len and
toward the center At sunset the report Of their heavy
guns and the explosion Of their shells mingled with the
music Of the regmen bands along line. recalled
the Fourth.ofJuly exhibitions OF fireworks. where the
programme read, Grand discharge Of heavy mines,
with variegated stars and many coored fires" The
delightful music Of the bands dispeed the terrors Of
war and one forgot in the strains that the bursting shell
might be the death knell Of flowcreaturc,
though traitor 1t appears evident that the intention
Of tho Rebels is TO nronch themselves outside Of our
nes for the purpose Of holding any movement Of
ton with Petersburg and North Carolina Whether
for tho pnrpose Of bringing up supplies or Of
taking of Lees army remains 10 be seen.
With the positions attained by our guDboats
on either flank they will find themselves in more
comfortable position than contemplated Gen. Butler
does not intend they shall hrtify themselves In peace
and the digging Of their rfepits and the erection OF
their batteries will be accompanied by the digging Of
graves and the erection Of wooden tombstones As /
close the heavy missiles from the gunboats left
make their uneartby music in the air, and the fash of
their exploding shells is plainly visible along the right
Of the Rebel lines w.HK.
Butler Strengthening His Posiiion-visi's
70 Generals - Personal Impressions-
The Rebel Force-A Night Assault
staff Talk Denomination on Fort
Powhntan.
From Our Special Correspondent.
HEADQUARTERS OF GEN. BUTLER
In THE FIELD. May 81, 1864.
Last night, fears being entertained Of an