Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1865-04-11

'usces' were far from being pleasant 1t wa
impossible TO move. The soldiers erected breast
works, but it was a chesrless day till the SUI
made ts appearance. The pioneers and detail
from the regiments went to work building mile
Of corduroy road Friday night and Saturda,
forenoon passed away. Ii was fair weather ono
more, and the roads began to be passiblc,
SATURDAY NIGHT.
Once more Sheridan formed his lines-Ile IN
n@lVered with his cavalry, dlsmounting por
ton in front Of the rebels and gradually presseC
them back into their works under the most des
peate and terrible fighting Of the war.
While this was being done and done slcwl,
by order, tr.dan set about forming the infant
ry, showing the same geous IN infantry tactic
that be has IN cavalry. Il was marvel to So
60 paltry force of cavalry press back and hole
in check 10000 rebel infantry. Still they die
1t, and in such manner as to completely hid,
The movement Of cur infantry. They we're drv
en- back step by step into their works, when the
signal was given and the infantry closed on the
works, ike a huge barn door. The rebels saw
their situation but did not appear to appreciate
how desperate were their circumstances. They
fell back to the left only to see four close lines
Of battle waiting to drive them across the field
decimatcd. At the right, horsemen charged
them 10 the vain attempt 10 cut their way out,
snd 10 their rear foot and cavalry began to a..
semble Slant fire, cross FIRE, and direct fire by
yolley was poured in perpetually, cutting down
their brave cheers and etrewlng the field with
bleeding men. Their own artillery wac turned
upon them. At last bodies Of cavalry mounted
their parpet and charged down upon them,
slashing and trampling them into confusion. -
They bad no commander to lead them out Of
the lOils in which they had fallen. A few more
yolleys, d command to die or surrender, and
5000 muskes we're thrown upon the ground,
and 5000 men are Shsridans prisoners. The
way was then opened to the South Side railroad.
The army Of Petersburg was Ia Grants hands.
lle determined TO turn il TO quick account.
" Attack along thO whole line, was his m, =.
sage to the corps commanders.
AT ten O'Clock Saturday evening the cannon
ade began. All the batteries joined, all the orts,
the gunboas IN the AppomsIox, the batteries
west Of Bermuda Hundred, and the monitors by
the H0Tlet house. There was constant success.
sion Of FISHES, and an unborken roll OF thunder
The rebels had no peace during the night.
" Send up the provo brigade was the dis
patch sent to City Point. The 6lst Massachu-
sets, l4th New York and other regiments, and
dismounted cavalry, were out at day-
break and on the march.
WHAT rus NINTH CORPS ACCOMPLISHED
From ten till one o'clock the cannonade was
kept up. Then there was silence, but the 9th
corps was in secret preparation for decisive
Wilcoxs division was on the right,
reaching from the App0mattoI down past Fort
Steadman to the Avery HouS. Opposite the
Avery House as at Fort Sedgewick, the other
divisions hold he lines
Gen, Parke placed Gen. Hartranfs with the
80 division On the right, and the "a division,
zen. Patten, on the left 1t was precisely four
} clock when the divisions saped from their IN
renchments, and with bsyonets fixed, without
firing gun, but with a wild, tumultuous cheer
eaped upon the enemy's works, sweeping over
he rebel picket line as gra, wave OF the sea
weeIs in the sticks and stems strewd upon its
hore
Hating not, but tearing away the sbattis in .
ront Of the forts, they rushed on, dashed past
hem, gained the rear, swarmed over the en-
,ankments, eapcd lnto the embrssures and pass-
d over the parapet. IL was the work of five
minutes only, but the forts four in number.
mounting between twenty and thirty guns, as
am informed, were theIr'. Seven hundred
,risoners were taken, and the guns 10 an instant
we're turned upon the sccoad line Of rebel works
q the rear.
Is It now came the grape and canister and
hells which made sad havoc in their ranks
len. Potter tell badly wounded but they held
n 10 what they bad gained You must hold
till noon wac Gen Parkes word to them.
hey obeyed him, maintaining their position TIL
elltved by the provost brigade arriving from
'Ity Point. The rebels were angry They tri.
d twice during the forenoon to regain what
hey had lost, making charges but were repul,-
d. Meanwhile all the forts along our line were
curing hot tire Of shells and solid sho, on The
sbel batteries to keep them silent, and succeed
J in part.
The fret division captured one battery near
be AppomattsI and took fifty prisoners, but,
ayng no support, could NOT hold it, aud retlr.
!.
ON TnE LKTr.
1t was seven o'clock in the morning before
he lett wing was ready to move Beyond hatch.
rs Run, on the right of the % corps, was HAYES
vision, immediately in front of the rebel fort /
he men were ready to move, to have q share t
i the glorious work of the day. Sheidan dur 8
X the night had marched with his cavalry {
trough the gateway, and was In possession of c
le southside Railroad and was moving in rear I
the rebel work beyond the Run. They could !
ot be held. 1t was as If having gained the {
ar OF horse, he was entering by the back b
,or. The 9TH corps moved up the Boydtown I
lank road marching nor heast now. Have,
vision, supported by the others, moved uion c
he fort and carried it. 9
The oath corps at the same moment sprang n
pom the work on the north bank and planted f
e stars and stripes upon the work. Then the E
Ath corps taking up the line of march broke c
raight through The rebel line, gathering 10 g
rye number OF prisoners. Before ten clock t
u forts were carried by the ysor of the troops, II
hich might have been ably defended had not a
e gate been forced. But with Sheridan q
Their rear, the sound Of his guns echoinp a
ong the Appomatox, what h pc was there for v
em None, The position was lost. Peters b
Irg was no longer tenable. Early in the
orniug the torch was applied to stores IN the II
reefs and great black clouds of smoke rose a
sayenward u
THF oAPrNRE or PORT MALONE. q,
The capture of Fort Malone, one Of the most Il
portanI rebel defenses Of Petersburg, took
ace on Sundy morning after demonstration n
ID been made 10 draw as many Of the rebels h
om our left to our right as possible, during I,
ach effort our skirmisbers reached the outskirts \
Petersburg, aud actually held brisk engage. n
ent with the enemy, which would have resulted o
an actual attack aud capture Of the place had a
u Gen Wilcox, at the crit cal moment, received n
ders to attack Fort Malone on the left, and /
ithdrew bis men for that purpose. The raid r
TO the enyirons OF Petersburg had one good u
feet Lee had mohillzad so hr,a n nor,ion nfl