Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-04-01
FROM GRANT


pulse of the Rebels with Heavy Loss.
Correspondence Of the Philadelphia Inquirer
WIN. H. cUNNINGToNs LETTER.
CITY POINT, VA, March 80, 1865, sK o'clock
q. m.-Not satisfied with the signal repulse ex-
perienced last Saturday morning, and with an
exhibition of their usual tenacity of purpose,
the Rebels last night made another desperate
attempt to storm Fort SteadmaH, break through
the lines Of the Ninth Corps. and, if possible,
reach City Point itself, and there amuse them
selves by INDUCING in wholesale destruction
| of public and private property, and the cap
ture Of as many individuals hereabouts as they
conld conveniently carry away with them.
Emboldened by the apparent situation they
| massed heavy columns early last evening in
| front of Fort Steadman, and about ten o'clock
at night with one of their peculiar yells, they
| boldly advance to the assault, and q brisk
| determined battle was at once inaugurated,
| which lasted through the entire night, and did
| not cease until far into the "wee sma' hours"
| OF the morning.
The cannonading was terrific and for time
| during the night was only equalled by the
grand artillery salvo that took place on the
| goth Of July, when the celebrated Burnside
| mine was sprung.
The rafting OF musketry followed soon after
| the opening of the cannonade, and continued
| with grea: rapidity during nearly the entire
| night.
| The result eliminated In the utter repulse
Of the rebel columns with heavy loss, while
our own, owing to the peculiar disposition of
| our forces and previous knowledge that the
| attack would be made amounted to only four
kliItO anu tW6ntys1OuT WOunQ6Q.
The fighting commenced in front of Wilcox's
| division OF the 9th corps, and extended suhse.
quently to the right as far as the Appomattox
| river and on the left as far as Hancock's Sta.
ton. The 9th corps has been held in readiness
during the entire day, as an attempt of the
| rebels to break through their lines was looked
| for at any hour.
| The time chosen by the rebels for the attack
| was we'll conceived, as it was just at period
| OF the night when soldier enjoys his sweetest
sleep, and when want of vigilance Gf any
W N W firno n,1Ih -
| occur. But the rebels reckoned without their
host, and our boys were not to be caught nap
ping. The picket line was strengthened,
| watchfulness was the word. The men lay
| quietly at their guns; the stealthy advance Of
| the massive rebel column was duly heralded,
! and at the proper moment they were vel.
| comed by such an I'M welcome greeting of shot,
| shell and musket balls IA caused their adyan.
| eng and over-confdent ranks to falter, and
great numbers OF them to bite the dust for their
Both rebel and Union batteries We're now
opened, and lire OF such rapidity, and of
such determined character ensued, as made
the earth quake for miles around.
The rebels were caught in q trap again, and
but for the darkness OF the night they would
have been slaughtered numerically: AS it
paid dearly tor their whistle. ~ ''i'' gu"
The sight OF the night battle was magnificent
beyond description. The Heavens were illu-
kerry firing which presented the appearance
OF a continued series Of sheet. lightning. Hun.
dreds OF shells exploded in mid air, emitting
at the time brilliant light, like SO many huge
stars in the sky. The roar of the cannon, the
rattlipg Of the musketry, the yells of the op-
posing forces, the rushing to and fro Of troops
not actually engaged, constituted, at the dead
hour of night. scene not easily to be for.
gotten.
The troops detailed to guard City Point,
consisting Of the sixty eighth Pennsylvania,
Colonel A. H Tippen; the one hundred and
fourteenth Pennsylya nia, formerly command.
ed By Colonel Colifs. and other regiments at
present unknown to me. all under command of
Brigadier General g.. II. S. Coils, Command.
ant at City Point, were under arms at once.
and proceeded with all possible speed to man
the works that constitute the main defense Of
City Point These troops were placed in DO.
sitions calculated to make them eligible tor
service at any moment in case Of disaster to
the 9th corps. As no such thing occurred.
however, they wers subsequently brought
back 10 quarters, Gen. Coils returning to his
head.q narters about daylight.
Fort He'll was engaged in throwing shot and
shell during portion Of the contest, but took
no very conspicuous part in the same.
l. Too much credit cannot be accorded the
Ninth Corps for their watchfalness and gallant
conduct during the entire affair. The slightest
remission OF vigilance on the part OF the Ninth
might have resulted in serious consequences
! Another attempt on the part OF the Rebels, Of
q similar character, Is not improbable. but il
would be attended with equal If not more dis
astrous consequences to them. Fort Steadrnan
has been remounted and placed in perfect
defensible position, and capable OF holding its
own against any force the Rebels can bring.
3 At City Point everything was hushed in re-
pose when the fight commenced, but the noise
Of the battle aroused all the slumberers. and
every ele waited position was quickly occn pied
by an xious spectators peering into the nIeht.
watching the flashing of the guns and the ex.
plcsion OF shells In the air. From 10 to 10
O'Clock the firing was without inter mission A
slight lull subse quently took place, which was
soop broken by renewed artillery and musket
exercise, and which continued without N uch
intermission until Daylight, when the Rebels
retired, discount Mites and disheartened and our
men stunned their old position held before the
fight. 1t was anticipated at City Point that
the attack would be made, but as no firinr was
heard mp to bed time no one expected to be
aroused from his sIumbers during the nieht, as
an attack In force at the time this assault was
made Is very unusual Occurrences.
~ On Wednesday, Senator Fields, OF the
New YORK LEGISLATURE, introdnced a bill to 10.
corporsts .The Father Matthew Total A bsti.
nence Society Of New YORK. !" and later in the
day so interrupted the proceedings, by his Gin.
coherens' snoring. a. to compel an adjourn.
menS aitef vain atteHn Pt et hts removal ffom
the cnamber BY the Sergeaht.at.Arms
~ Maj Gen. Banks leaves Nsw YORK to. day
for New Orleans, via Cairo and ths Mlssisslp.
. s4rhe report tina. ex.Presidsnt Fillmore
n "a gone TO Glty Point n m ntraeL HA In