The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-08-02
those connected vh this department. there have been
si1 killed. tweuty.on wounded and twelve taken pris
Mr.. jam q. TitzpatricEx's Despatches.
NINTH Army CoRps, I
ByyoRn PETERSBURG, Va July 29-P. M


sesson ooPetersburg. Ere another sun sets, or even
before another rises. the contest will have commenced
II the might before battle" and tho occasion Is
certainly an impressive one No matter how often the
soldier has met the in mortal combat-no matter
how estng no may speak of the conflict when Inc clear
light Of day s shining around him--no matter IL IKE
Dsnatus he point with eamoess 70 the scars OF many
eahere Ia something jn tho battle eve which stlis
the jest and laugh and 62es the mind upon the dread
morrow The dark night, only 10 terminate In the ter
rac contest which daylight brings, Is mystercusly,
broodipgly suggestive Of serious thoughts.
nuRESDE.
Ihaye jus. taken peep a. headquarters Oar corps
leads the assault tomorrow and Burnside naturally
anxious There ho sits, by deal table, communicating
the orders 10 aid who Is transcrbng them 10 mani
fold He Ia dressed SHIRT blue nsnne pants and
sppers and he leans back in the camp stool u 10
easy by watching the changes OF his countenance III up
by candles that barn tho table to trace the
varying thought, the mental deilberaton as sentence
after sentence placed in writing 70 guide his troops in
the battle.
GENERALS WHITE AND yERRERo.
On ono side White, chief OF star sruck
Ing In itful pulls, his face serious and betrayng
earnestly he shares the anxiety OF the occasion.
Ferrero the other side, nesvously twrs his imperial.
and also is evidently deeply interested. The group re-
heyed against the ooped OF the TENT with the
sentry before tho entrance and the corps banners uter
ing In the night wind certainly constitute an Interesting
picture.
And now come the oYderlies summoned from The little
tents close by their sabres clankng they The
mssivss just handed them, and away they
dash TO the different division headquarters.
TO NoRRov's orsRsTIoNs.
The programme OF 10 morrow's operations embraces
the sprngng the half past three O'Clock TO be
tha ha trOnp
nonnde from the artillery In previous letter men.
toned that the TO be charged with six tons OF
powder Tho amount has since been changed TO four
tobs--a sufficient quantity, however to cause small
earthquake Alasl for the poor wretches who, with 80
little thought of the terrible fate reserved them
tenant tho doomed fort
Ninth ARMY CoRrs,
BEyoRE PETRRsBuRG, Va, July 30-A. n. J
HIRING IHE NINE.
II was five O'Clock this morning when the mine was
sprung Conel Peasants superintended the ignition or
the fuse, which had been specially prepared OF phos
phorus chorate Of potash and other combustbie mate
rals. lapse OF fifteen minutes allowed for It's con
sumption distance four huud ieet and thence
communicating TO the powder the terrific exploded
Tho shock less terrible expected, but rtil
sufficiently terrible. ccne-shaped mass OF earth.
mountan upside down, it appeared 1t remained sus
pended for instant, vanish again In dsnse and all
enyeloping cloud Dust The unfortunate wTeches who
had occupied the fort tossed sailing skyward In the
midst Of the debris OF artillery and timber. Through
this mountain the fame Of tine powder bazed in hashes
like ligh,niog through a bank OF clouds.
ASSAULT
And now the marshsled lines Of infantry dashed in
with cheer On the evening before the division oom
manders OF corps had drawn lots for position in the
attacking column The First division the lead, and
nllnu Al
oame the lines Of Wilcox and Potter, and the oolored
troops Of Ferrero Supporting corps the troops
OF General Ord veterans Of the Tenth and Eshteenth
corps
ARIIIxRY OPEN riRE
Hardly bad the duh, rumblipg, trembling explosion
OF the mine subsidized when, simultaneously with the
charge Of infantry burst forth our artillery. First
one gun then another, until the whole front OF our
works was one sheet aame. Not long the response
in coming from the enemy Faster and faster flashed tie
guns until the discharges quckeped into continuous
roar.
friend az my SIDE compared u 70 the contest OF
two giants beaborEg each other With pillows OF
sheet iron. did indeed But words fail to
describe terrific yet magnificent grandeur OF tho
scene The air secmcc vast cxpanse Of metal over
which cannon balls rolling innumcrably. Ny
simile may seom homely one; but 30 person with
closed eyes might consrue the awful noise The cannon
sde was one OF the most terrific Of ,he war 1t was
at one rapid muskctry aud deaened altogether
the sounds Of the small arms
THE ATTACH.
To retrospect little the plan OF the attack was sub
stautay as follows corps assigned the attac H.
Under previous understanding the colored division Of
General Ferrero was the Load General Ferrero
having himself asked permission TO head the assault with
his troops. The plan subsequently, altered, and be
was assigned the support Of the corps The other dv
sions lead the chance Of lottery would decide
Tne white troops were occupy the hill icrownsd By the
rebel works and the advance Of the coorsd troops
into the city. As' .--ss-s
SBr coHrlicr.
Az write the conflict Is still terribly raging The First
division has charged into the breach made BY tho OF
plesion OF the mino The rebels have formed line
the city, and are massug their troops The battle hes
now been 10 progress over hour with prospect OF
speedy termination
NTgRrrG nsKACB
The Second brAgude Of the First division en-
tered the breach. The sight was sckenng one Man
scd and burnt bodies Of the enemy strewn about
on the loose sand Numbers OF those who were In the
works in the vicinity Of the FORT errorsrkcn surren.
desed themselves prisoners without firing shot.
rHx CASUALTIES.
Major Prescott, OF The Fifty seventh Massachusetts, was
seen fall but report Of the extent Of his injuries
reaches me. He calamity leading his men, and was
beyond the rebel line when struca lieuts Anderson
and Barton OF the same regiment wounded but
DANCE rously.
wousrEn
Captain @. d. Brown, Co q, twenty ninth Maseachu-
potts Lieut. Chambcrsr, aid 10 General Bartlett, and
Captain j. II. Holman Second Pcnnsyivapia heavy ar
unery, are wounded Al the present time 'mpossi.
ble to you fuller lie, OF The casualties Or any sst
mate OF our iosa
Ntvrn ARHy CoRrr, I
Bu1oRs PETERSBURG, Va, July SOP NJ
To div IA a black day In the calendar Of the Ninth
eorps Rcpusod bloody repused al last when victory
seemed go sure when the prize seemed within grasp
Is not the time to lament what mch been DONE Ths
stands clearly forth that our lines tonight are where
they were before day brcak this morning. but thnnsd by