Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-04-06
RUTLAND HERALD.
MONDAY, APRIL 8, 1865.
The Rebel Attack.

Some correspondents have depicted in
rather startling colors the tremendous
damage which might have been effected |
by the rebels in their late attack on our
line near Petersburg, if they had only
succeeded in carrying out their plans.
And these correspondents treated the
attack as of an eminently dangerous
character, as one imperiliug Grants en-
tire position. On the contrary Carle-
ton. the correspondent Of the Boston
Journal, says:
The rebel leaders planned a move
ment which, | think, will be set down
as one Of the most insane on record
They intended to break Grants lines Mt
that point, push down along the south
side of the Appomattox cut the pom
toons at Point Of Rocks, fall like thun-
derbolt upon City Point, and destroy the
sOmmissary supplies. To do that they
must first carry Grants advanced line
of works, then the second, then cut the
pontoOns under heavy fire from gHn-
boats, march ten miles, make a dash on
City Point against the brigade doing
provost duty there, sheltered behind
breastworks and protected by formid-
able feet of gunboats, with the entire
Army of the Potomac in their rear, to
say nothing Of what could be brought
over from the Army Of the James, or of
the provisional brigades at Harrison's
Landing and Fort Powhattan, down the
river six miles. And yet they planned
the attack against all these Countersct-
ing forces.
How the surprise occurred by which
she rebels were enabled to capture Fort
steadman-one of the dearest captures
to them that rebels ever made-is thus
stated by a correspondent:
In front Of Fort Steadman is a hollow
which, having been filled up by recent
rains, was untenhble for picket stations,
and consequently no picket line was
regularly posted before the fort. Pick
cts, however, were stationed Immediate
ly below the embankment of the fort.
And the position was so commanding
and seemed altogether 50 impregnable
that it was never supposed that the en-
emy would be rash enough to storm it,
and the garrisOns consequently rested in
q dangerous sense Of security trusting
IN the pickets to give the alarm If any
attack should be attempted. 1t was a
very foggy morning. About half past
three o'clock their skirmishers were
thrown out, and approached our lines
apparently in irregular order. They
were close on our pickets before their
approach was discovered, and then they
exclaimed, Don't shoot, Yanks, were
coming over" as though to intimate
that they were deserters. They brought
their guns with them, as many other de
serters do and this fact excited no sus-
picion, and the fog prevented their &C
tual number being seen. When they
reached our picket line they threw of
the mask, captured the pickets, and sent
them to their own line under guard
Then the main body of the enemy ad
vanced in four lines of battle deep the
line extending a quarter Of mile. Thu:
Ear they were undiscovered, and nothing
remained for them but to pass the abat
Gs and bitches of the fort. The abattis
having been constantly exposed to The
enemys fire, was not as firm as it should
have been in front of Fort Steadman
In a very few minutes the rebels haC
pulled down the lumber framework anC
Shrown the limbs in the ditch. TheI
the way was clear, and the rebel column
came dashing forward with a wilC
cheer. They were in Fort Steadman be
fore many Of the garrison were aroused
from their slumbers.