The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-06-18
The Enemy Retreat from
q. .51 ..'a' Petersburg.
REBEL WORKS AT BERMU.
DA HUNDRED ABAN.
medoiE DONED. rqrlat
Rumored Rout of Sheridan.
.RT.. REv.. GEN. POLK DEAD.

w ASHINGroN, June IL.
To Major General Dix: H.-l. lIt
The following dispatches have been re-
ceived by this department: r.g tr
CRY PoINr, 18th, via JAMESTOWN
ISLAND, $50 A NJ, June l6.
Smith with $4,000 men attacked Peters
burg this morning. E.ais. ,i,
General Butler reports from his observa-
tory near Bermuda Hundred, that there
has been heavy fighting, and that the troops
and trains of the enemy were, as be writes
are moving from the city across the Apo
mattox, as if rstreating. ait
Hancock is not near enough to render
Gen. Smith any aid. .@s.. r
The Richmond papers have :nothing to
indicate a suspicion of our crossing the
James river. They expect to be attacked
from the direction of Malvern Hill.
Cry POINT, 2 A Nj, 18th via JAMES
TOWN ISLAND, 18th, HAS A NAT 7;20 P
M yesterday Smith assaulted and carried
the first principal line of the enemy before
Petersburg, taking Ii cannon, several stand
of colors and between 300 and 400 prison.
ers. This line is two miles from Peters
burg. ..-.l
Hancock got up and took up position on
Smiths left, at 3 A. M. to-day. There was
heavy firing in that direction from to 6
o'clock. No report has been received yet.
DENT HART LANDING Va, P. NJ. 10th.
After sending my dispatch Of this morn>
ing from the heights south east of Peters
burg. I went over the conquered lines
with General Grant and the engineer Off
GERS. The works are of the very strongest
kind, more difficult to take than was Mis-
sionary Ridge or Chattanooga.
The poorest fighting was done by the
black troops. The forts they stormed were
the worst Of all. After the affair was over,
General Smith went to thank them and tell
them he was proud of their courage and
dash. He says they can't be exceeded as
soldiers, and hereafter he will send them in
difficult place as readily as best white
troops. They captured six out of the six-
teen cannon which he took.
The prisoners he took were from Beaure.
CARDS command. Some Of them said they
had Just crossed the James above Drury's
Bluff. | do not think any Of Lees army
had reached Petersburg when Smith storm
ed it. They seem to be making arrange
ments to hold the west side of the Apo.
matix, this however they can't think Of
holding, as it lies directly under our guns.
The weather is splendid.
CRY PoINT, June 1G, AIS p. m.-Gens
eral Butler reports from Bermuda Hun
dred that the enemy have abandoned the
works in front of that place. His troops
are now engaged in tearing up the railroad
between Petersburg and Richmond. The
following despetch does not designate the
hour bat is supposed to be later than the
preceding ones.
JAMESTOWN, Va, June l6.-I came down
from the pontoon above Fort Powhattan,
with dispatches for Secretary Stanton
Just as left, Capt. Pitkin reported to me
that Petersburg was in ourl possession
Nothing of recent date has been heard from
Gen. Sheridan, but the Richmond Wing Of
the 18th contains despatch from Lee sta
ting that Sheridan had been routed in an
engagements with Fitz Hugh Lee and
Hampton, losing 500 prisoners and leaving
his dead and wounded on the field. From
Gen. Sherman despatch, dated last night,
at 9 o'clock, has been received. 1t only
states the relative position of the forses-
No serious engagement had yet occurred.
Signed,
E. NJ. STANTON.
Sec'y of War.