The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-09

ns Of the la.h BY ferry boz rs a. wnoozs landing re
q the ih and sossns Of the balance
rmy was rapidly push ID forward by both on]so ano
After the crossing mad commenced I proceeded by
steamer 70 Bermu0 Hundreds TO give sns nSSsssA'y
orders for the Inv aediate capture q peteryeusH
sAv .Is AZ pKSRkhfuKG.
The inst1uT IONS General Butler were verbal and
we're for 0iU 10 send General Smith Immediately that
nigh With all the troops he could give INN without sac
dhcinri tn, position he then held told MN that
wou at once to the Army the Potomac hasten
It's crossing, and throw IL forward 70 Petersburg by
v o could reinforce our armies more rapidly
shcre than the enemy could bring troops aainst US
enemys pickets near Petersburg before daylight next
morning but for that haze neuT oesn
able @ sa iiactory s.rdeaend Do not get READY 70
part OF his command only he made the assaai ana
red lines northeast OF Petersburg from the Ago
capturing fteen pieces Of artillery and three hndred
prisoners. This about seven r NJ 3e<ween tho
line thus captured and Petersburg thcre wec other
works and there was evidence thp. Tho eaemy had
reinforced Petersburg with single brigade from any
source. The night was clear9.ne UaJsn shining
brahtiyand favorable 70 furthey opersrtcns General
Hancock with two divisions Of We Second corps reached
General Smith just after dark oOed the service Of
the named commander who naturally supposed knew
best the position Of aays and what to do with the
At once into Petersburg ho requested General Hancock
10 relieve part OF his Zine captured works which
- ~ ~ TIE waffle or PETERSBURG.
By the time arrived the next morning the enemy was
in force. An avtack was ordered to be made at six
O'Clock that evening by the troops under Smith and the
SECOND and Ninth corps required until that for
the Ninth corps to get up and into position The attack
made ordered ana the fighting continued with
little internission Until six O'Clock the morning
and resuits In our carrying tho advance and some OF
those pVeviousiy captured by General Smith, several
pieces q artillery sndover four hundred prisoners
Tho Firth corps having got up the attacks were rc
18TH hut only resulted in for ing the enemy an in
line from which h, could not be dislodgei Tho
advantages in position gained by very great
The army then proc oded envelop Petersburg toward
theScuthsde Railroad as fur as possible without
i inS Notifications.
! BUeLERs FAILURE rErEssnuaG AND RICH.
/ hoND RAILROAD
On tho 9th the enemy to reinforce Petersburg with
crew from part OF his intrenchmert in 'front.' OF Bcr
ruda Hundred, expecting, doubt ges troops from
north Of the jones to take ehc place of those Withdrawn
1 d fore covh discover it. General Butler, taking
advantage Of this at once moved forceson the railroad
between Petersburg and Richmond As as was
apprsed OF tho advantage thus gained, to it
dcred two divisions of the ixth corps General Wright
commanding that were embarksag at Ficox's landing,
under orders for City Point, report Butler
Bermndn Hundreds, Of which General Butter was mott.
ncd and Me importance OF holding opposition in advance
| of his present line urged upon him.
About two O'Clock In the afternoon General Butler was
forced buck to the line the Iat Withdrawn from
the morning General Wright with his two divisions
latter stl holding with strcg picket line the cnemys
works But instead cf putting these divisions into the
and reet distance in Tire his own line BE
1, and five o'clock in the afternoon The enemy
al es,. drove In his pockets and rcoccupcd his old
ll.L
THE LopaMENT Sr,U0Ep Rorros
On tho night Of the Goth and morning OF the 2Ist :
lodgnent was effected by General Butler with one brig AIDE
Of infcntry, the north baA, Of the James, Deeq
Botsac and connected TIC cutoon bridge with Rermuda
| Hundreds.
sRsarpAss EXPEDITION Up THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY
On the 18th General sheridan, his return from his
expedition agans. tire Virginia Central Railroad arrived
| at the White House just the enemy's cavalry was
about to attack it and compelled II retire The result
Of this expedition was that General Sheridan met the
encny's cavalry near Tfevian station on the mornns
OF Ire 11h Of June, whom he attacked, and after
obstinate drove field In complete rout
He ft his dead and aear All his wounded in our hands
aud about four hundred prisoners and several hund6
william station TO louisa Court House. This occupied
untn three O'Clock p NJ when he advanced in the direc
tion Of Gordonsvle. He found the enemy reinforced
by Infantry Sbehind well constructed rife pits about five
miles from the latter place and too strong to successfully
assault On the extreme right, however his reserve
twioc driven therefrom by infantry Night closed the
contest. Not having sufficient ammunition TO con-
inue the engagement and his animals being without
forage the country furnishing but inferior grazing,,
| and hearing nothing from General Hunter, he
withdrew his command to the North eide OF the North
Anna and commenced his march, reaching White
House ut the time before stated After breaking the
depot at that place he moved 70 the James river which
he reached safely after heavy lighting He commenced
crossing the 25th, Fort Powhatan, without
further moiesaton and reoned the Army of the Poto-
mac
GENERAL WILSON'S WELDON RAILROAD
On the ed General Wilson, with his division Of
cavalry of the Army OF the Potomac and General Kauzs
division Of cavalry OF the Army OF the james, moved
againste che enemy's railroads south OF Richmond Strk
the depe. and several miles OF the road and the outh
side road about fifteen miles from Rchmond.to near Not
toway station where he met and defeated force Of the
enemys cavalry, he reached Burksville station
| the afternoon Of the 23d, and from there de.
stroyed the Danvle Railroad to Roanoke Bridge,
the enemy in force, and In position from which he
could not dislodge him He then commenced his
march, and the 2sh met the encmys cavalry force
ut the Weldon Railroad crossing Of Stony creek he
had severe but not decisive engagement Thence he
maue as,our irom ms eil WITH view Of reaching
this place he was met by the encmys cavalry supported
by infantry and forced to retire, with the loss Of his
artillery and trains. In this last encounter General
Kauz, with part OF his command, became separated,
and made his way into our lines General Wilson, with
Notoway river and coming in safety left and
The damage 70 the enemy in this expedition more than
connexion by railroad with Richmond several weeks
THE rETErs BURG NINE yIcHT
with 2 view OF cutting the enemy's railroad from
near Richmond TO the Anna rivers and making him
way Of the situation Of his army in the shenan
doah and in the event o failure In this TO take advan
burg 70 explode mine that had been prepared front
Of the Ninth corps and assault the enemy lines that
Corps and two divisions Of Tie cavalry corps and Kaulzs
cavalry crossed TO the north bank OF the James
ve5 and Joined the force General Butler had there on
OUT Lines extended from Deep Bottom TO New Mar
ket road but In getting this position, attacked by
hours resulting in considerable loss to both sides The
nrs object Of this having failed by Of the
mined 70 take advantage Of the diversion made by
saptug Petersburg before he could get his force back
there; One division Of the Second corps was
moved during the night to tho rear OF the Eigh-
teenth CORPS 70 relieve that corps In the line that
might be foot loose in the assault 70 DO made The other
two divisions Of the Second corps and Shcrdan cavalry
were crossed the night Of the 10th and moved
front OF Petersburg On the morning OF tho 3Oth be-
tween four and Ave O'Clock the mine sprung blow
Ing up battery and most Of regiment and the advance
Of the assauiting column, formed Of the Ninth corps Inn
p8sion, and the hne for distance the right and
leH OF and detached line In front Of M but 8r some
cause failed to advance promptly 10 the ridge beyond
Had they done this have every believe that
Petersburg would have fallen. Other troops were imme-