Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-04-05
THE BATTLE OF SUNDAY.
HEAD QUARTERS,
No. -, -. IS---..--.- Ill n

D 3
The most important victory the
army Of 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 army are TO-
night within mile and half of the city,
on the southwest side.
The struggle made by the enemy to re-
tain their works has been of the most des-
perate character, and for the success OBJ
tsined to-day, we are indebted, not only TO
the strategy exercised by our commanders,
| but to the overwhelming number and
bravery of the troops that did the work.
| Orders for an attack on the line east and
south of Petersburg by the Sixth and
Ninth corps were carried out punctually at
daylight, the artillery having been ham
mering away the greater part Of the night
along the entire line held by the above
| corps. Such furious csnnonade has very
seldom been heard during the,Ws=. 1t was
not even surpassed by that which was
hesId on the occasion Of the mine explo-
sion in front of Petersburg.
The 9th corps troops engaged in the
action were the I'd and Sd divisions, and
Colonel Sam Harriman's brigade, of the
lst division. The charge was msde in front
of Forts He'll and Rice, on the Jerusalem
road, and were so far successful that BY
A. NJ. we were in possession of tn rec forth
fcstions, Fort Mshone being most elsbo-
zata- a--A1 1~-%O-sSiv1- iEas-v=5 CUuTHIn-
ed fourteen guns, some Of which were at
once opened on the enemy by men belong
ing to our infantry regiments. Just inside
and about one hundred yards from Fort
Malone, was another work, to which the
rebels retreated, and from whence they
threw a most destructive fire upon our
men, causing them to retire to the north
part, when the rebels made dash, think
ing to recover it entirely but the guns in
the right wing as well as in the centre had
been manned and shotted, and the ssssil-
ants were driven back. From this time
till late in the afternoon the struggle con-
tinued, the enemy using every effort TO re-
cover the fort, while our men were as de-
teTmined to retain p -ssession OF it. About
noon the chances seemed that we would
lose it, but soon after the Provisional bri-
gade under General Colliss, and the Engi-
neer brigade under General Benham, with
General Hamlin's brigade of the 9th corps,
came on the ground, and by their timely
arrival saved the gallant men in the forts
from czpture, and again caused the enemy
to retire. The fire which rsined on the
ground around those forts was of the most
terrible and fearful character. At dark
the position Of the contestants was the
same as during the day.
General Wilcox, with part of his divis-
ion, made an st sck in front of Fort Nc
Gilvery, and took part of the line, but was
soon alter forced to retire to his former DO
sitlon, owing to lack of support.
The loss of the 9th corps will reach from
800 10 loco in killed, wounded and pris-
oners, among whom are General Potter,
commanding the I'd division, who is badly
wounded In the groin, but not fatally, it is
thought; Colonel GetcheD, of the 3lst
Maine, severely; Msjcr Bolton, ,3lst Maine,
severely; Colonel Gregg and Lieutenant
COl)nel Winsboro, I79!h New York, wound
ed. Major Morrow, of the 2O5th Penn
rylvsnis, lost leg. Lieutenont Alexsn-
der, of the same regiment was killed.
This corps has taken fourteen guns, about
200 prisoners and 2 battle f9gs. The lat
ter were taken by the 2lIth Pennsylvanis.
The 9Th Corps struck the enemy's line
in front of Fort Welch, near the celebrated
lead works, and CARED them with very
slight loss. They at once pushed tor the
South Side road. which they reached about
8 o'clock, and in very short time, several
miles of it were torn up and destroyed.
Thoy then moved on down towards Peters
burg, driving the rebels before them into
their inner line, close to the city. They
took large number of prisoners, estimst-
ed at 200O and 20 guns.