The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1864-07-16

furiously over corn fields, Imbeided thickly with
stumps. The rebels in the fort opposite could not
get out, and the whole of the Thirty-Sixth Virginia
Regiment comprising the garrison, was %captored.
The Eighth Connecticut and Thirteenth New Hamp-
shire led this charge. The cheering was enthusiastic
along the line as the onset was made, and after it
proved successful, the wounded men waved their
CORY arms, and shouted their gladness from bloody.
checked mouths. Fifteen pieces of artillery were
captured, four earthworks strong enough almost
to be called forts, and $50 prisoners by actual
count were taken. Among them were several officers
and Beauregard's Chief of Artillery. The enemy
retrea;ed precipitately into Petersburg.
Writing at a later date. 9 P. NJ. he says the 18th
day closed upon another terrific battle. Our corps
has been engaged once more since morning, and
again victory crowned our efforts. The enemy have
been driven from all the outer works, and their pos
session of the city now depends upon the last and
single line of defence. The victory has been a costly
one to US. Nearly fifteen hundred of our gallant
boys are now motionless in death or writhing in
agony from their wounds. The charge of last night
by the Second Corps and the division of General
Potter of our corps, resulted in driving the enemy
from q portion only Of their first line of bresstworks.
The Second and Ninth Corps, the advance of the
Army OF the Potomac, were the only columns in po-
sition to attack. The remaining corps are still be-
hind on the road. Consequently the breadth Of our
line FOR the attack was not very extended, and the
assault had to be conducted in detail. The opera
tons of yesterday were confined to piercing the enc
my's centre. and the object was attained. The enc
my, throughout the night, obstinately held on 10 the
SAtNAN W. hN ANiNh hHSH's "NNHs tO'HNSA
was with artillery, excessively annoyed our left, and
at most rendered futile the victory of the afternoon.
Under cover of the darkness, however, General Pot
ter marched his division to a point from which he
could assail it. and at daylight ordered a charge.
Grifin's brigade, holding the advance, supported by
Colonel Carlin, took the rebel works by a most gal
liant and desperate charge. and with it about four
hundred prisoners. Several pieces of artillery fell
into our hands. During the remainder of the fore
noon and the early portion of the afternoon. the in
fantry remained quiet the artillery, however, kept
up a desultOry cannonade throughout the day. Late
in the afternoon our corps was ordered to advance
with the intention of carrying the next line of the
rebel defences. Potter's Division, exhausted by the
march and fight of yesterday, and its early work
this morning-which latter Decessitated q few hours
of sleep during the night-was held in reserve. The
other Divisions had been fully refreshed by the
nights rest, and now were ready for work. Will
cox's division was assigned the lead, and took a posi-
ton with a brigade of Gen. Hartsrouft in the ad-
vance. Col. Christy. with the Second Brigade. came
in the rear as supports, and a series of chain rifle
pits were occupied. The pits had been hastily con-
structed, and were isolated, but the boys went to
work with the bayonet in lieu of spades, and soon
connected the pits into a continuous line, as if to re-
deem the unfortunate character of the preliminary
operations of the Corps. The Division of Gen. Les
lie now advanced and fought with the most crafty
ing success. The command was disposed of with a
front line of battle under command of Colonel Gould,
the centre of which was held by the First Brigade.
The regiments of the Second Brigade, under Col.
Pierce, were put in position upon either flank, while
the brigade of Colonel Marshall constituted the
second line. The First Brigade charged in a most
dsshing manner directly up to the rebel breastworks,
and gained the inside of them. The Second Brigade
was dilatory in coming up, owing to the longer dis
lance which was necessary to travel, and for a time
il seemed doubtful whether the victory was to be a
permanent one. The First Brigade, inside the rebel
works, held one portion of the line, the enemy still
in possession of both sides Of them, and those who
had been driven out were in advance, firing from
another line of rife pits. The terrible cross fire from
the front harassed the brigade, which held on to its
prize with a tenacity which secured an ultimate vic
torious result. The brigades OF Pierce and Marshall
came to the rescue, however, and drove the rebels
from the TANKS. The rebels fully comprehended the
necessity of holding their ground, and the fight was
hand-to-hand across the breastworks, in which mus
kets crossed, end the combatants were beyoneted on
either side. 1t was q struggle in which the men
came face to face, hand to hand, and which the re-
suit was determined by persistent courage. Yankee
steel riumphed, and the rebels were driven back
once more, leaving us in possession of the works, of
their wounded, and several hundred prisoners. The
ditch inside was filled with their wounded, whose
bayonet wounds gave evidence of the terrific struggle.
CHICAGO, June ga letter from Grants army]
dated the 18th, says: The Army of the Potomac has
been hotly engaged today, fighting hard. The loss
is comparatively heavy, particular in the Second
Corps. 1t was intended that a grand attack should
be made on the enemy's works this morning at 4
O'Clock, at which hour all the corps were in position.
and moved forward in a simultaneous attack. How
ever, they were behind time, and Birney's troops,
which were the first to move, did not start till nearly
- U ClOCh, WhSu lis INK dNohSSo III c0S
little opposition, the corps passed over a formidable
line of works which the enemy held yesterday. In
this movement Gen. Barlow, forming the left of the
line of the Second Corps, swung his division forward
and around on 4 pivot, of which the right of the
line was the centre. He continued to push forward
until in front of the enemy's second line, which was
sssag.gEsd. When another Line Of defense was developed.
i ny fell back as we advanced. They made a most
I Jorn resistance to the approach of our men.
D, er a somewhat desultory firing on both sides, Gen.
Z5irney proceeded to make an examination of the
lines to render successful a vigorous assault. A
general advance of the Second Corps was ordered to
take place at II o'clock. Gen. Gibson was directed
to move forward at the appointed hour and make a
spirited assault. while at the same time Generals Mott
and Barlow would throw out a battle line of skirm-
fishers in front of their divisions to engage the enc
ny, and endeavor to attract attention away from the
aeeck by Gibson. At the same time it was arranged
thai. If the assault should be successful, then other
two 6Eisions would move forward in line of battle,
and actSsSly participate in the engagement.
At noosss ;rmish lines were pushed forward. At
the same mSGSpt it was announced that Wilcox's
division of t6s0nAh Corps, on the left of the Sec
ond, was advancing onsthe right of our line, pro-
tected by Neil's division of Se Eighth Corps. Mar
tindale's, of the Eighteenth Co.'S, assaulting force,
under Gibson, consisted of three hrigades. Gen.
Pierce commanded the left of the fronsline of attack;
Maj. Hooper of the 18th Massachusetts the right.
Their troops formed two heavy lines. fhe right of
the line was formed under a crest, which Protected 1t
from the Are of the rebel bresstworks. They were
going to assault the rear of the City Point and
Petersburg Railroad, but was left completely exposed
to a most murderous fire. The moment it was in
sight, the line advanced and the soldiers rushed over
the fence along the road with which the breastworks
were nearly parallel, but could not withstand the
deadly fire of musketry. grape and canister that
poured upon them from that stronghold OF the enemy
on the right of the line. Our men reached to within
about IS yards OF the ~earthworks and on the left to
within 200 yards. The fatal fire was too much for
even such gallant fellows. Our lines were accord