Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-04-04
THE REBEL FORTS CARRIED AT TIE
POINT OF THE BAYONET.
IMMENSE CAPTURES OF PRISONERS.
GUNS, AND BATTLE FLAGS.
THE MOST TERRIBLE FIGHTING OF
THE WAR.
Correspondence Associated Press !

Correspondence Associated Press.1
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE Potomac,
April 2.-The most important victory OF the
Army OF the Potomac in Virginia was
gained to-day, and the outer works, which We
have been trying In vain for months to over.
come have at last yielded to our victoria us arms
ana the greater portion Of the army is brospht
within mile and a half OF the CITY on the
southwest side.
The struggle made by the enemy to obtain
tnese works has been of the most desperate
character, and for the success obtained to. dav
we are indebted not only to the strategy ex-
erclsed by the commanders, but to the over
Wneiming number and bravery Of the troops
that did the work.
The orders for an attack on the line east and
south OF Petersburg, by the 9th and 9th CORPS.
were carried out punctually at daylight, the
artillery having been hammering aWay the
greater portion OF the night along the entire
line held by the aforementioned corps.
Such furious canonade has very seldom
oeen heard during the war, mol even SURPASSED
Dy that which was heard on the occasion OF
the mine explosion. y.
The 9th corps troops engaged in the action
were the I'd and Sd divisions and Colonel sam
Harriman's brigade OF the LIST division. The
charge was made in front Of Forts He'll and
RICE, on the Jerusalem road, and was so far
sion of these fortifications, Fort Malone heinc
the most extensive and elaborate The works
contained ID guns, some of which were at once
opened on the enemy by men belonging to the
Just about 100 yardsfrom Malone there Was
another work, to which the enemy retreated
and from which they threw most destructive
fire upon our men, causing them to retire from
the northern end of the fort, when the rebels
made dash, thinking to recover it en-.
tirely, but the guns on the right wing
as we'll as the centre had been manned and
shotted, and the assault driven back. From
this time until late in the afternoon the strug.
gle continued, the enemy using every effort
to recover the fort which our men were so de-
r m TN etnrr NJ
had fought SO hard and paid so dearly for About
noon the chances seemed that we should lose
1t, but soon after the Provisional Brigade, un.
der Gen. Coils, and the Engineer Brigade, un.
der Gen. Benham, with Gen. Hamlin's
Brigade, Of the Sixth Corps, came on
the ground, and by their timely arrival,
capture, and again caused the enemy to retire.
The fire which rained on the ground around
this tort was OF the most fearful character, and
to stand and see men advance in a run through
the very thickest Of it, many OF them torn to
pieces and lost to sight before they crossed
half the distance, was a sight not soon to be
forgotten. AT dagk the position of the contes.
tants was the same as during the day.
General Wilcox, with part Of his division,
made an attack in front of fort McGilvrey,
near the Appomattox and took part of the line,
but was soon after forced to retire to his former
position, owing to lack of supports.
The loss OF the 9th corps will reach from 800
to LOCO in killed, wounded and prisoners,
among whom are General Potter, command
ing second division, who is badly wounded in
the groin, bat not, it is thought, fatally; Col.
Gatchell, 3lst Maine, severely; Major Bolton,
ast %ans 1sS S Esx eegE and msu
Major Morrow, 205th Pennsylvania, lost leg,
and Lieut.. Alexander, OF the same regiment,
killed.
The corps have taken fourteen guns, about
two hundred prisoners and two battle flags
the latter by the 2l1th Pennsylvania,
The 9th corps struck the enemy's line in front
of Fort WEIGH, near the celebrated lead works,
and carried them with very slight loss They
at once pushed for the South Side railroad,
which they reached about nine O'Clock, and in
very short time several miles OF it was torn
up and destroyed.
They then moved on down toward Peters,
burg, driving the rebels before them across
Town run, and into their inner line, Gloss to
the city. They took a large number Of prs.
oners (about two thousand) and some twenty
guns. No attack on the inner line has been
made as yet, as the position is q strong one,
and will either be defended to the last or evac.
uated during the night.
The gath corps, holding the line north of
Hatcher's run and south OF the Duncan road,
connecting with the 9th corns on the right and
the I'd on the left, advance at daylight, and
took the works on their front with slight loss.
Over one thousand prisoners were captured
here. These troops were Fosters and Turner'S
divisions, under General Gibbons. They were
| supported by the colored division Of the 10Th
corps, but the latter did not get into the
action.
| The ed corps, which held the line from the
| run, q mile and q half east Of the Boydton
| road to over a mile west Of 1t, delayed ad.
| vancing until Sheridan, with the 5th corps, got
| within supporting distance ON the extreme
left, when the entire line moved forward, car.
rying the works almost without opposition.
| The enemy was found to have fallen back
from this part Of the line owing to the 6tt
| corps cutting them of, they having reached
| the Southside railroad early In the forenoon
| and were busy tearing il up. This Of course
| cut the rebel army In two, and the two divis
| lens thus caught between the 9th and I'd corpl
| at once started across the SOuthside road to
ward the Appomattox. hoping to be able to fors
| 1t and thus escape capture.
But ii appears they ran against Sheridan
and putting ON a bold appearance made show
to fight. News to this effect reaching head
quarters. the two divisions Of the I'd corps
were at ence sent to the flank, and IL possible
capture the entire command.
Our leases during the day cannot be given