The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-03-31


The enemy discovering. Or imagining
that they discovered, some movements
among our pickcts in Gordon's front
that looked like preparation for : re-
newal Of tho attack Of last Saturday,
opened upon our lines with oil their bat.
teries. Our troops believing this can
nonade designed to cover IN assault by
the enemy, also opened with all our ba:.
teries. and each side blazed away, fast
aud furious. for hours. The expendi-
ture Of ammunition was immense and
the noise stunning, but we have not
learned that any casualties resulted on
either side. 1t is not surprising that
the citizens Of Petersburg should have
been deceived into the belief that great
and sanguinary battle was in progress.
Never, since the beginning of this war,
has there been heard in Virginia such
prolonged, terrible believing Of bigguu
OCXN 1Ah
About half.past 10 o'clock last night
(after the above was in type) We re.
ceived the following official dispatch:
." HKADarARrxRs, March 50. 1865.
" General j. C. BreskiariIge, Secretary Of War:
General Gordon reports that the enemy, ut IL
P. NJ. yesterday, advanced against part Of his
line, defended by Brigadier-Gcneral Lewis, but was
repulsed.
/. "The fire of artillery and mortars continued for
several hours with considerable activity.
'sNo damage Oh OUT lines reported.
"R. E. LEE"
THE ENEMY REPORTED MOVING AGAINST
THE sOUTHsIDE RAILROAD.
The Petersburg cypress tells us that,
at an early hour Wednesday morning,
heavy force of the enemy, consisting
of cavalry, infantry and artillery, sup
posed to be headed by Sheridan, made
detour around our lines, and advanced
towards the Boydton plankroad, AND be-
tween seven and eight o'clock struck
this theroughfare some six miles beyond
Dinwiddic~ Courthouse. Towards IL
O'Clock, we understand this force was in
the vicinity of the Courthouse, our
forces skirmishing heavily with their nd.
vance. Wednesday evening it was re-
ported that the enemy had reached the
Courthouse, and was demonstrating to-
wards Burgcss's mill. While demon
strating on the plankroad, it is thought
the main body of the cavalry struck out
through the country in the direction Of
the railroad.
It was reported here, yesterday, that
Fitzhugh Lee had alta cked this raiding
column of the enemy in the neighbour
hood of Dinwiddie Courthouse and de-
feated it, capturing seven hundred
prisoners.
Wednesday afternoon, General An
derson, commanding our extreme right,
demonstrated against the enemy's works
in his front for the purpose Of ascer.
tanning their strength at that point, apd,
| if possible, their intentions in pending
| operations. Our forces met with vigor
Gus resistance. The object of the de
| monstration being gained, they fell back
the Yankees not pursuing. Late in the
afternoon, however, the enemy com
menced advancing and skirmishing with
our forces. Some severe fighting may
have occurred, but of this we are no
positively assured. Every appearance
indicated it. Brisk cannonading wa
heard in that direction during the after
noon.
r An official dispatch from Genera
Lee, last night, states that there wa
skirmishing near Dinwiddie COURTEOUS
yesterday without decisive RESULT