, 1864-08-01
Especial Dispatch to the Chicago Tn5une.1


l1Pecaa ptpa1ca 70 the chicago Tr15ane.1
Saturday jnfy s. va was,1so7os Ynn 9 Jnr
The Grand offensive move an lonr nrenar.
ipr In front Of PateYshurc wa mada fhja
morning. As stated IN vesterdav,a dien,tc1,
+hs ,,,o.a or ~ o. 49, 80
nn-th s;aa -, ~ T"s.N ' sotp7 w tu'
+oaaas ~ ."as.. Wy .,. "os w. le1nt, ~
~" 49,. o.o 80 'upfession tna1
n,",..1 o.1 - ee.atsa 81. an 1osance On
euo ,, ~ thAL usiestloh anu 20 lnance
e ~ w'o.. q pa91 y, n's army IRON refers
~ 49, ~ ~ mss. ~. IL .ne couEse OF yesterday
eouus oene'ais satlsnea 1hem-
ee.'ee ~ tua. 'ne remuneration naa the desired
e"ect, anu henee determined to make the
5lana atthch several Times about to be made
anrapg Tue 1ae1 ie" daSs out prevented By
nc senulng On o. part Of the army for
eue succor VI washington. Inc cause Of TIE
pleS'eus oetay "as not ot, removed BY the re-
@o1a VI lug otn ana 1asn corps, but it was
CONSIDERED that INC military Situation In
otoef qoa1ers required IN immediate re-.
aump'aon VI .ne oueAs'7e mere, hence the
great events o1 To-Day
II VIZ uetetn1neo 10 employ the Whole
st1enG1n o1 1ae army against certain part
ol tne enemys pos1t'on' Inc selected point
"4S III non1 o1 our center mine on a
large sea4e' SAID W our engineer officers to
oe me largest ever constructed, was ordered
to be dug under permanent hill in front of
General Potters division Of the 9th Corps,
out1ouu9so ~, WIN tne enenny'e 3rtneat1ona.
me "o1k was placed IN chargc OF Lieutenant
colone4 Fleasants, OF the 4sth fennsYlvanta,
and mas occupied the lest four weeks. The
trunk OF the mine Was HUI feet long, opening
INTO galleries Of 800 feet. In each one the
charge consisted Of six tons of powder. The
plan Of attack was to spring the mine and
make an assault en- masse amidst the con-
sternatlon among the army, by the explosion
'on the came point Of line.
Ihe order OF ATTACK was as follows: The
18th Corps was to Lead In the assault. Of ite
three divisions, the first brigade, General
Ledlie commanding, was in the lead, aud tile
Cd and Sd we're to. support 1t On the right
and left.
The 5th Corps WAS to be Withdrawn from
'be front line, 1elEing but thin line to con
ceal the movement from the enemy, and mas.
SEQ during last night On the LETT Of the 9th
corps. lhe ioth corps was to be massed
On tae r1enl OF Inc Wh. Inc 81 d171ston OF
The ID corps, which reached the james river
night before last, Was to occupy a position
ut the right front Of the 18th Corps, and the
two remaining divisions were to re-cros. the
James last night aud resume position this
1nor6Ing in the rear OF support to the 18th
Corps.
Sheridan, with the whole cavalry corps,
vas also ordered to rccross the James last
night. and move as rapidly as possible to the
south and west OF Petersburg and advance
OH and attack the enemy's position from that
direction.
According to- this programme the 1st, I'd
and Sd divisions Of the 9th Corps were re-
lieged in the trenches about midnight by
Gen. Carr's division of colored troops, and
maesed to the right Of the undermined hill. :
4 The mine was sprung at half.past four this
morning. The explosion vas not as great as
expected, but threw up vast mass Of earth
and stone several feet high. Gen, Ledl,e.
commanding the division, had orders not to
stop till his command had poss essfon of tho.
hill, which is. the north east key to Peters.
burg. The ID and Sd divisions of the 9th
Corps were to follow after he had eecnrsd
the hill and take position on his ripht and
left. .''
up to the moment of writipp the hill Ind
not been carried. a,second and stronger linz
OF intrenchments being atscovere3 Thc
5th and 18th Corps are now movinr m md
simultaneously with the exn1os,on nf The
mine ali our batteries and about 1a 1e1d hat.