Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-04

ton on Grsvely branch, and portion Of
Gibbs brigade was in reserve.
At six P. II. the enemy attacked Smltn
In considerable force, but unsuccesstully:
An hour later, Msjor Robbins, Of Davies
brigade, holding the bridge on Stony creek,
with battalion of the LIST New Jersey was
attacked and driven slowly back to their
brigade. At this juncture the enemy
moved three columns across the creek ct
three points, and with superior numbers
was enabled to flank Davies brigade after
q stubborn fight with the column advancing
in front. Other commands at once changed
their respective positions to meet the
change in affairs. The fight continued
until about 8 o'clock P. n, at which time
the enemy had cut off Davies with Fitz
Hughs and Stages brigade, and forced
them back in Northessterly direction to
the Boydstown plank road, little East Of
North from Dinwiddie Court House, and
on which, this portion of the command,
during the evening moved to that place.
Gibbs brigade for q long time held its
position and made two successful charges,
in one of which the 1st United State, Cap
tain Lord, and the 56th PennsyIvania,
drove the enemy's strong line of infantry,
snd captured about onehundred men, Dur
ing this charge several hundred Of the reb-
els threw down their arms snd attempted
to rush into our lines. Unfortunately the
movement was not generally observed in
season to prevent g Volley being opened
into them. This caused 8 hesitation long
enough for their officers to cover them with
fire from the rear. At FIVE o'clock Gibbs
had fallen back to within q mile of Din
widdie Court House, and was here relieved
by Carthc8rt's brigade of Clusters division,
which was soon strengthened by the arriv-
al of Colonel Pennington with 3 part Of
his brigade.
From this time until after dark Custer
had the fight and the enemy did not sd-
vance to hold ground single rod after
striking his line, when Custer came to the
front a scene of the widest excitement pre-
vailed. Cspehsrt had his brigade on the
left and Pennington on the right and be-
fore anything to fight behind could be
brought up the enemy came swarming out
of the woods in front as if confident OF de-
molishing everything before them. Custer
and his men we're received with cheers.
He instantly set Cspehsrt's band to playing
Hail Columbia and other patriotic pieces.
This revived the spirits of all present, and
the music brought forth cheers from thous-
ands Of wearied.
AS the enemy opened upon the line,
Generals Sheridan and Custer, with their
staff oficsrs, rode along the line with their
respective colors displayed. This demon
stration elected renewed enthusiasm along
the whole line, and by the time this was
over, heavy fire had been opened with
artillery, accompanied by Lords and
Woodruff's guns. The enemy charged
several times, and were repulsed with
great slaughter.
Cspehsrt saw one Of his regiments-the
lst Virginis-dsshing of. Not having
given the order, he followed, and found
General Merritt, Colonel Forsyth, of Sher-
idan's staff, and others, at the lead Of tn,
regiment
The enemy fell back hastily before these
troops and did not attempt to again force
cur line. The result of Fridays fighting,
the Times correspondent says, was: We
swung the left around three miles north of
the Boydtown Plank road, leaving between
it and the South Side Rsilrosd, but single
line of bresstworks thrown up since
Wednesday night.
We captured about q thousand prisoners
and our own loss is not over two thousand
in the aggregate. The enemy have suf-
ferred much more heavily, and their forces
were becoming demorslized rapidly in the
evening and he could not be induced to
make smother charge on the 9th corps
front, although they had fought desperately
in the day.
The TribtlHe's Wsshlng gton special says
It is understood there that Grants plan
was that Sheridan should cut the South
Side railroad, and reach over to DanVille
road. The armies of the Potomac and
James were to push over toward the left,
and turn Lees right flank, while the line
in front of Petersburg was still to be held,
and if possible, advanced
By the latest dispatches the whole plan
seems to have been successful, including
the cutting of the South Side railroad,
turning Lees right, and carrying por-
ton of the rebel works in front of Peters
burg. Two lines of policy are only open
to General Lee. He will have to
retreat to DanVille, or failing in this, fight
till Johnston can be hurried up on the
Weldon railroad TO reinforce him. This
is believed possible, and herein military
men conceive our danger.
Mrs. Lincoln has returned to Washing
ton leavisg the President st City Point TO
enter Richmond, as Grant has promised
| him he shall within A8 hours,