Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1865-04-05
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE

IOTOMAC, April =.
The most important victory the army oi
the Potomac has ever gained in Virginia,
was won to-day, and the outer line Of works,
which we have been trying in vain for
months TO overcome, has at last yielded To
our victorious arms, and the greater portion
Of this are tonight within mile and hall
the city, on the southwest side. The strug-
gle made by the enemy to retain these works,
has been OF the most desperate character,
and for the success obtained today we are
indebted not only to the strategy exercised
by the commanders, but to the overwhclm-
ing numbers and bravery of the troops that
did the work
The order for an attack on the line, east
and south Of Petersburg by the 9TH and 9th
corps were carried out punctually Mt day
light The artillery having been hammer
ing away the greater part of the night along
the entire line, held by the above corps.
Such furious cannonadc has very seldom
been heard during the war, not even sur
passed by that which was heard on the oc-
tasion Of the mine explosion in front of Pc.
tcrsburg.
The 9th CORPS troops engaged in the action
were the I'd and ID divisions, Col. Sam Har
| riman's Brigade of the Isl division. The
| charge was made in front of Fort Hell and
on the Jerusalem Road and were so far sue
| ccssiul that by 3 "A. IN. we were in possession
Of three Notifications, Fort Malone being
| the most elaborate and extensive Thes,
works contained IA guns, some of which
were at once opened ON the enemy by mel
belonging to our infantry regiments Jus'
| inside and about 100 yards from Fort Ma
hone was another work to which the rebels
retrcated, and from whence they threw Il
most destructive fire upon our men. causing
them to retire from the northern end, when
| the rebels made dash, thinking to recover
| il entirely, but the guns in the right wing,
as well as in the center had been manned
| and shotted, and the assailants were driven
back
| From this time till late in the afternoon
the struggle continued, the enemy using ev-
ery effort to recover the fort, while our men
| were IA determined to retain possession.
n About noon the chances seemed that W.
! would lose il. but soon after the Provisiona
Brigade Gen. Cortcrs and the Engince
Brigade under Gen. Pcrham, with Genera
Ilamlins Brigade OF the 9th Corps, came o
| the ground, and by their timely arriya
saved the gallant men in the fort from cal
turc and again caused the enemy To- retrca
The fire which raincd ON the ground an
!, around this fort was of the most terrible an
fearful character. AT dark the position {
| the contestants was the same rs during IN
day
Gen Wilcox, with part of his Division
made IN attack in front of Fort Mctiilvery
near the AppomatoA, and took part "i tht
line, but was soon after forced to retire t.
his former position owing to the lack of sup
port
The loss Of the 9th corps will reach fro,
500 to 1000 in killed, wounded and pris
oners: among whom is General Potter
commanding the 2d division, who is bail.
wounded in the groin, but not intally, it
thought.
This corps has taken II guns, about go
prisoners, and (. haltlc-ilags. The latte
were taken bv the 2llth Pennsylvania. lin
9Th corps struck The cncmys line m front o
Fort Wclch. near The celebrated lead works
;ad carried them with very slight loss. The'
at once pushed for the south Side Road
! which they coached about o'clock, and IN
very short time several miles OF 1t were tori
IN and DESTROYED They then moved o.
down towards Petersburg, driving the rebel
. before them across Town Run and into thei
I inner line, close to the city. They took
large number of prisoners-about 1000, an
b some 20 guns.
5 No attack on the river line has been mad
j rs yet as the position is a strong one an
viii either be defended to the last or evact
atcd during the night The 18th corps hold
ing the line north of Hatchofs Run an
south of the Duncan Road, connecting wit
the 9Th corps on the right and with HE ?
on the left, advanced mt daylight and too
the works in their front with slight loss
Over 1000 prisoners were captured her
nv Fosters and Turner's divisions, unde
Gen. Gibbons. They were supported b
the colorod division of the 25th corps, bu
the latter did not get into action. The Pm
corps who held the line from the run, a mil
and half east of Boydstown, over mil
west of it, delayed advancing, until Sheridan
with the 9th corps got within supportin.
distance on the extreme left, when the en-
tire line moved forward. CARRYING the work
almost without opposition. The enemy Wa
found to have fallen back from this part o
the line, owing to the 9th corps cutting then
off. they having reached the south side roa,
early in the forenoon, and were busy tearin!
it up.
This Of course cut the rebel army in two
and the two divisions thus caught between
the 9th and 2d corps, at once started acros
the South Side Road towards the Apponfaotx
hoping to he able to ford it and thus escape
capture, hut il appears they ran agains
Sheridan, and putting on a bold appearance
made show to fight News 10 this cifcc
reaching headquarters, two divisions of tn,
I'd corps were at once sent to flank and i
' possible capture the entire command.
Our losses during the day cannot be given
but it is believed 1000 will cover them
Many valuable officers among the number
Our captures will be about 5000 prisoner:
and 3s guns, including those taken by Gen
Sheridan yesterday. The loss of the enem,
in killed and wounded is not estimated, bui
in front of the 9th corps they lie on tn,
ground very thick. They were mown dow,
by the hundred at each effort to regain los
ground.
CI Gen. Ransom is badly wounded and ,
prisoner IN our hands. lie was fonnd at q
house on the Boydstown road, from which
1t was dangerous 10 move him.
E, Gen. A. p. Hill is reported killed, by pris
oners RS