The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-01-27

Mr.. John A. Brady's Dcspatches.
HRADouARrus, AMY sns Jixn,}
In TIE FIELD. Jan. n, 1855. /
ADDITIONAL DyIAns or TIE RECENT MOVEMENT Enc
Nys -cLADs. ME ~ 4
The strange quiet so long maintained this side Of
the James and tho remarkable picture Of two rival
armies lying pesceably within stones throw Of each
other ceased last night 70 be the position Of ars This
interruption Of long established habits from quar-
YER entirely unexpected and proved that recent
the have led 10 greatly undeatc the
formidable character Of the enemys nect in the river
Shortly before midnight bombardment commenced
'front.' from Fort Brady TO the Crows Nest, and
continued intervals through the night Owing to tho
darkness Of the night however and She almost mpassa
BILE condition Of the roads, nothing could be definitely dis
covered as 10 tho result Of the disturbance.
Near daybreak loud explosion heard from the
river and after the army electrified by tho in
tegence that the whole rebel feet had down the
river passed and the obstrucons in the river
and only stopped in their progress BY two Of their
ironclads grounding, the Virginia and the Richmond
ATTACK IRADY.
The Arst OF our works that the enemy attacked
Fort Brady, under the guns Of which the scst
psllsd 70 pass while running down the river lively
hombardmsAt commenced between the land and water
batteries which only ended by the dismounting, by
chance shot, Of The hundred FOUNDER In the fort
yn raoors UNDER Rns.
The noise the meantime had aroused the troope and
General Hickman Immediately had the Twenty nth
corps under arms ready meet any attack the enemy
might see At 70 make on the land side. s
oEsrRucrloxA
Passing Fort Brady Vie rebel vessels reached the
distractions placed in the river by Admiral Lce. hut
these not BY any impassabe Tho late fresh
sts had destroyed them considerable extent and very
little work the par Of the enemy made them psssable
1m FREDERICKSBURG PAssE 1HR0UGH.
The FIRST Of IL ensmys boats 70 PASS through was the
Ersdericksburg which steamed on down the river
towards ths anchorage Of the Onondasa; but unfortu
naely this double turreted Monitor bad removed
down below the pontoon bridges All that remained TO
resis the advance Of the enemy was eur heavy guns
mounted a Crows Nest and In the batteries opposite
Howet's and every Of these belching forth It's
enormous prejsctilss with the greatest rapidity.
TEE RrsEJ RcNcLADs AGRorSD.
Not a. fortunate a. the Frsdericksburg the vr.
sinia and Richmond. Both got aground without
ceeding passing the obstructons Discovering that
abe mot followed by her consor the Fredericksburg
turned back and rejoined Them when all three in
pany with the wooden vessels commenced desperate
exchange OF shots with our batteries which they were
Joined by every gun the enemy had mounted from Drew
rvs Bluff 70 Howletts
THE pRxwRY sUHK.
Near dsybrsak = mortar sherl from one Of our bat
tories went through the deck Of the wooden Drewry
and exploding in her magazine, blew her up. The
Drewry q wooden vessel mounting two guns, and
under command Of Lieut.. sheppardson.
DnERrERs Tlon rIn nENY's vLnr.
While making reconnaissance Of the enemy Captain
". H. Abel Of General Heckmans stsf picked mp four
dsssrs from thediasrsnt vessels In the feet who had
succeeded IN escaping by swimming ashore They state
that every one with very few exceptions the Drewry
was killed, and also several the adjoining bOata
CAPTAIN sxxxB COMMAND.
Tho nodfious Alabama ssmmes b said to have been In
command OF the nset II Ia said hat he sent for 70
Richmond for this particular purpose and that
great things were expected from him.
THx oRyEcr or TIE DENY.
The rebels believed that our onclads with The
ception Of the Onondaga, wsre al o. Wilmington, and
that had very few wooden vessels in the river They
proposed to break through the obucons capture the
OnondagA and destroy tho poutoon bridges and the
amount Of shipping and supplies collected
City Point and Bermuda Hundred.
ESExY LAND yoRcEs COOPERATING.
There scarcely be any doubt that heavy land
force cooperate with the enemy by attacking
the north bank Of the Jamca Extensive movements
have been observed In Lees army around Petersburg
and ~, 10 very probable that they were caused BY the
Withdrawal OF troops In order bring them over this
side Of the river s- 4.e
Through tho day the enemy exasperaed BY the cheers
with which the reading Of the circular announcing the
destruction Of the Drswry was received, suddenly
opened all their batteries along the trent Of the Twenty
fourth and Twenty .nth corps Inpumcpbs mortar
shells thrown 81 Fort Burnhsm; but the lombard
meus IVES rendered completely harmless BY the prscan
ton taken by General Hickman TO place all the men in
the trenches Many chimneys wsre in great DANGER and
one or two were knocked down. Several Of the mems
houses entered by the Shells and these objection
able visitors were travelling about the roads In all drec
lions This state Of things continued throughout the day.
several false current 70 the snscs shsf
the enemy were again anoat
rxxpAsAuops 10 RARAss rHs nxSxy
IN the event Of the rams getting on and attempting 70
reascepS che river through the ashs General Hickman
mas lined the bank with Aemcs, who, safe from Che
easuys are, will undsub>edly prove Source q great
annoyance. -
Our casualties - far - learn have only been
thrss negro soldiers killed. and the wounding OF two
o4hers For Brady, while hs enemy must have sunered
terribly, especially from ths explosion Of the Drewry
TIE sSnsy's rSET.
The rsbci feet was composed Of the following
sells
Virginia flagship, four srps, one hundred crew