The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-04-12
Account Of Saturday and
Sundays Fighting.

lcolfespehutul say
Att A. M. the 9th corps was again in
motion, passing to the left along White
Oak road, to join Sheridan, executing the
dihcult movement of marching by the
flank in the presence of the enemy, with
drawing divisions frem the rear of each
other, and marching them off success
sively from right to left; the left divis-
ion, (Crawford's), executed the same
movement by brigade
While this was taking place the I'd
corps moved toward White Oak road by
mere direct route, and established con-
nection with the right of the 9th corps.
Meanwhile Sheridan, with four cavalry
divisions, passed around the left of the
whole army, went through Dinwiddie
Court House and toward the South Side
railroad with his usual rapidity.a. The
force which drove Crawford and Ayres
across Gravelly run, however, at once
turned their attention to him, moving
rapidly to the right, and, after a despe-
rate conflict, he also was forced back
within mile of Dinwiddie Court House.
but. being joined by Warrens corps he
again took the offensive, and, in turn,
drove the enemy, capturing point known
as Five Forks, together with bout 600
prisoners and several batteries of artil-
lery.
He was then Joined by Miles division,
I'd corps, and pushed westward for the
South Side railroad. This he soon reach
ed and took position upon it. The 9Th
corps, supporting cavalry, also took 1s
guns and about 1000 prisoners, enabling
Sheridan to drive back the force which,
on Friday afternoon, checked his advance
near Dinwiddie Court House.
| On receiving this news it was deter
mined to give the enemy no time to send
troops to the right, and at once a stimuli
tsneeus attack was ordered all along the
lines, by the 9th, 9th, Gath and I'd corps
An order was given about 9 o'clock at
night, and in less than an hour furious
assault began on the rebel entrenchments
in front of their several commands, re-
sulting in the enemy being driven in con-
fusion from their 6rst into their second
line of works, with the loss of over 5000
prisoners, several forts and about twenty
pieces of artillery The I'd corps, en-
gagged all day in their front, and in spite
of the terrible fire, of musketry poured
into their ranks behind their works, sue
ceeded in maintaining their new line, sew
eral hundred yards in advance of the
line they occupied in the morning. The
Oath corps occupied the center of our
line, its left connecting with the I'd at
Hatcher's run and its right going to the
left of the 9th corps.
Before daylight on Sunday morning,
the rebels made a furious assault on the
position of this line, driving portion of
the Sd brigade from their breastworks
and capturing about 100. Their success,
however, did not last long. The Goth
Pennsylvania, by gallant charge, driv-
ing them back beyond their first battle
line. A sharp fire was kept up all day
] by both sides. Owing to a hot fire by
cur sharpshoeters the enemy was unable
to work his guns, consequently very few
casualties occurred to our side from
shells. Our batteries, however, rained
incessant fire into their intaenchments
There was little fighting in front of the
9th corps until night, when considerable
shelling occurred. Quiet also reigned
in front of the 9th corps.
So matters stood until 10 clock, when
the I'd corps was started into sharper at
tention by few shots on their front
soon swelling into battling volleys. The
batteries Joined in the olamer. Firing
spread rapidly to the front of the 24th
corps, and ON to the 9th, there away to
the right till it reached the 9th about II
o'clock, at which time the fighting was at
1 its height. Presently cheers broke out
on the front of the I'd as the fire slack
ened. By 2:3o the FIRE had nearly ceased
. along the whole line, at in the morning
it suddenly broke out again, nearer than
ever to the I'd corps, while sharp artillery
practice was heard far to the right, and
again the crash of battle sped from end
to end of the line. At o'clock the bat
tie was raging fercely and our colors ad-
vancing all along the line.
The Worlds correspondent recounts
the attack on the Petersburg defences-
1t was to take place on Friday mornin.
at o'clock, but the failure on our left
was doubtless the eause of the postpone
ment. The plan of this last place of ac-
ton was this:
Gen. Grant, on receipt of news of Sher-
idan victory at Five Forks. Immediately
| uAs PoeSh0u CouHlCIS III COuJuuctlOu VIII
the telegraph leading to his headquar-
ters to each of the corps commanders,
desiring them, without loss of time, to
open with both artillery and infantry up
on the works of Petersburg. Sheridan,
it will be remembered, attained his sue
cess at ) o'clock Saturday night. At
o'clock Grant hearing it, and before 10
o'clock our columns had passed the picket
line and were on their way to the rebel
entrenchments. Parke on the right,
Wright in the centre and Ord on the left,
marched almost at the same instant. The
9th corps (Wright's) was arranged in
double line of battle, and, without eere-
mony, they threw themselves en- masse
into the ditch and up the parapet. The
contest was short, though terrible. Hand
to hand conflicts occurred, the deadly
bayonet lunge, the impulsive and ftful
crashes of musket and revolver, the cross
ing of swords, the volley now and then,
when our troops poured infilading fires
down the inside of the parapet, the yells
and groans, the galloping of couriers to
and fro, from end to end of the lines
4