The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-04-26
Details Of the Capture of Richmond.

A corresp poIdent of the World writing
from Spotswood Hotel, Richmond, 9th iast.,
gives many interesting facts. Beginning
with an account oil the last battle al Peters
burg, he says:
"Tbe various devices, inventions, and la
bors which could economic men had all
been tried Earhworks, forts, abatis che
UduE de fise, mines, canals and so on, had
all been applied on our side. and TO these
the rebels added iorpsdoes for the purpose
of relieving as many men as possible for
the decisive struggle, whenever il should
take place.
Thus began The contest. The bad roads
prevented much fghling beyond heavy
skirmishing on Wednesday aud Thursday.
Sheridan was confronted by the whols OF
Wade Humpton (cava!ry,) and a division
unJer Malone (nfaniry.) The result vas
that on Friday, Sheridan, after some oppo
siiion, had cut his way 10 the railroad aud
the Appomat OK. On Thursday night, during
a storm and intense darkness, the rebel
pickets, urged, no doubt, by The immi.
hence OF a struggle, ran iHlo their ioris re-
porting an attack, which, spreading along
the line, soon extended along both lines
around Petersburg The cannonadng was
furious, aud seen in the relief Of The black
storm, was one OF .he uivsi awfdlly grand
from the fous tor some hours, when both
sides, finding that the imaginary foe made
no impression, concluding their enemy re-
spec,ively repulsed- No very great injury
or loss was sustained; but il gave rise 10
an impression in Richmond, and also in
New York, we Judge, that there had been
great battle with terrible slaughter
On Saturday morning the lines having
been closed up, ihs preparations Tor a
general hombsrdment and storming having
been made, The Second, Fifth Sixth. Ninth
and Twenty fourth corps were held in rea-
diness to force their way through any por.
tinn of hsir lines which might develop
promising weakness. The attack was or
dered and galsnily met and after varying
forunes, our success seemed 10 be doubtful
on The left, until Sheridau's cavalry, climb
ing over three successive lines OF newly
thrown up intrenchmenis, were enabled 10
surround a division or mora of the enc
my, and thu, enable the troops in the vi
cinity of Halcher's Run TO bag about two
thousand prisoners, who surrendered with
ont unusual resistance.
Petersburg presents a wretched appear
auce The writer followed into the city
few hours sIler its oecup alton, TO find al
mos! every house closed, many of Them
shoi through by shells many others in ru-
ins. The stores were empty and closed.
The streets were crowded with the inhab-
iisnls aud our soldiers, now streaming in al
all points. The inhabitants consisted prin-
cipa!ly of negroes, of whom there were
vast numbers-s few able bocisd blacks
and gresl many decrepit and aged.
The works around Petersburg are very
strong, and show a heaver-ikP industry,
combined with great skill and daring On
the west and south OF the town the yellow
sand has a colossal worm ea'eu appearance.
Each tort has very comnodous bombs
proofs, and little caves for the gunners.
The space intervening between the two
lines, which in some places is not more
than two hundred feet, is dotted with LILLE
circular pits with curtain Of earth, in
which the pickels on either side kept up
a constant iusilads. The cheuauI de fTise of
the rebels is OF The old sorI-a pine log
twenty or thirty feet long, into which at
right angles sharpened stakes about eight
feet long, which, when in single or double
rows, are terrible ohsiruciiea to a charge.
In the cnY there are caves aIso. in imitation
of those 10 VIcksburg. In my Judgment
the deienses oi Pei-reburg are not as strong
as those o! VIcksburs, but OF course they
have been defended by lar larger army.
We captured about IhirIy heavy guns, un-
spiked. in the forts, many OF them rined
and of great caIibre.
great many OF the Confederate wound
ed are still in the houses aud hospitals of
Petersburg, and but lev surgeons 20 attend
them. The railroad which had been torn
up for few miles was Immediately put in
repair aud py Thursday il was expected to
be running into The city. The lew small
schooners and boals which were at The
docks we're all scuCled. In fact, il was
very evident that the rebels had carried of
or destroyed everything which could be OF
any value TO Us.
The enemy had blown up the famous
Virginia a: Drury's Bluff. and her iron sides
are now visible. The fredericksburg lies
near her and the new iron clad, the Chick
ahominy, is above. A new ram on the
stocks below Richmond was also fired and
is burning 10 this hour. The rebels had
powerful stone blockade at For Darling, in
front OF which are numbers OF ,orpedoes,
some OF them already illed up, containing