Litchfield enquirer., 1865-02-16
Ncms of the 1l)eck.
The War News.

5th inst, the 5,h corps and two divisions of the 2d, moved by different roads from their camps to Hatchers' Run, Rowanty Creek. the latter continuation Of the turner stream. Our infantry crossed the stream and held the position abandoned by the enemvs outposts while our cavalry pressed on after the retreat ing enemy to Dinwiddie Court House. At that point the enemy was reinforced, and our cavalry, driven in turn, fell back on the infan- try. Such were the operations of the first day On the next day (Mondnv) our forces made no advance. hut Pegram's rebel division appearing in our front, it was attacked and tlri,en rapidly, Gen. Pegram being killed. Pe- eram's division was reinforced hv arother di- vision under Evans, which forced our line buck, hut which was in turn compelled to turn ahont Still another rebel division Mahone's-then reinforced the enemy and drove our men back to the very position where Pegram had found them early in the morning. On Tuesday a heavy rain. hail and snow storm prevailed all day, i've had taste of it hpreabouts) but the army held on Tuesday evening all the ground along and west of TIatchers' Run. which it so hravely wrestel from the rebels on the two proceeding days. and it was believed to he Gen. Grants design 10 permanently maintain the new position which the men had already strong ly entrenched. The only disturbance of the quiet on Tuesday was caused lay an attack Of | tbn a ,ft stl, the cavalry. which was repulsed with triling loss upon our side
 The object of this movement of Gen. Grant appears to be the extension of his left wing. which now rests upon Hatchers' Run, four or five miles beyond the old encampments. The fighting of Sunday and Monday was of the most severe and stubborn character, but greatly to the advantage of our troops. On Monday the 2d Conn. Artillery were ho'1y engaged (Col !. Hubbard commanding the hrigadn) and were highly comrlimented hy Gems. Warrnn and
 Wheaton. for their galIantrv on this oroasinn
 In conjunction with another brigade. they succeeded in arrastinr the impntnons advance of an entire rebel division (Mah ,nes) and held them in check Our regiment lost twpntv.ei.ht
 nrisoners X list of casualties sa far as we
 have received them, will be found in another
 colhmn of this paper.
 The Union losses on Sunday. Monday and Tuesday are estimated at between eleven and twelve hundred. Two rebel general officers | l,i11n1 Tho p ob mond papers acknowledge that Gen. Grants object in this movement was attained
 On Wednesday everything remained Tuiet' our men heinz husly engaged in throwing hp defensive works.
 SHERMAN It was expected that Sherman wonl reach Branchvil1p on the 6th inst. Rich monh papers of Tuesday last. have rumors hat he has taken it and Augusta. Ga. There is also rnmor. not confrm"das yet that Charles 1 too has been evacuated by the rebels. | W1EMINGToN is reported from Washing ion that military and naval operations have commenced below Wilmington. and nows of the cann"e of that city, it is said may be short Iv exnpctnd.
 REBrLDoM ia profoundly excited over the re . sn't of the Peace Mission" The r' rnrs lash themselves into > fnrcn frenzy. and lamp nos: susnen ion IS prescribed for all suhmissionists recnnstructinnists and peace men. The people hell mass meeting on the 6'h inst. at which Jeff Davis made fl,ming speech. and said among other things. that 'the person did not know him who sunnosed that under any cir cumstances he would consent to reconstruct the Unon.'
 | THE PEACE M1ssroN-Presiilent Lincoln sent in his account of ihr late reace negota- tions to Congress or Friday. It. is of cnnsil erahle length and is very complete in it's do- tails. narrating the circumstances Of Mr. Rlair's visits to Richmond and supplying all tha des patches preliminary to the meeting ofthe Pres i,lent with the rebel commissioners in Hampton Roads. as well as giving a report of tlie rrn- cpedings of the conference itself ThOneh Mr. Blair went to Richmond with the consent of the government. he had no authority 10 speak or act for it. Jeff Davis sent letter by him, expressing his willingness to send or receive commissioners and MT. Lincoln subsequently stated his willingness to receive gentlemen in- frmally chosen on behalf of the rebels with the object of securing peace on the basis of an und ved country. Befnre the rebel commis sioners were met by the President they were given to~lhdprstand that the negotiations were to be informal and that no proposition which in the slightest degree contemplated q recogni- ton of the so called Confederate States'- could be for a moment entertained. During the conference Messrs. Stephens, Hunter and Campbell pn,leavored to effect an agreement for an armistice but were informed by Mir. Lincoln that there could be no suspension of hostiliries till the rebels had disban1cd their armies and acknowledged their allegiance to the national government; and also that tn ere could be no recession on the slavery question. Gen. Grant had been previously instructel not to allow the presence of the rebel agents witll- | in his lines to cause any delay in his military onpr,tions I'ha Prpsi lent concludes his re. |