The New York herald., 1865-03-28
THE NINTH CORPS.
hIY. Charles II. Hannam's Despatch.
HEADQUARTERS, MYTH AaxY Conrs,
NEAR PErERsBURc, March o. 1895. I

Mx. Char II. Hannam's Despatch.
HKApoUARrERs EIyrH AnxY Coarr
NEAR fErERssURc March %, 1895. !
THE RKnE1 ATTACK TIE nxTu OosPs.
rebel column about three thousand strong, under
command q Major General Gordon, made attack
the 'front.' Of ,c Ninth corps shortly afser four O'Clock
this morning The rebel onset was suddsn, over.
whcming and partially successful Tho pckcts had
oeived orders not to 6re unless there
sty for doing 80 and the night had been remarkably
quiet one all along the hns
rlIR POINT ~ ATTACK
Fort Steodman ncar Mcado's station That part OF
the line Is held by tho Third brigade OF the First dvi
son Gc.. ersi Wilcox commanding. Fort Stcedman Is .
square work covering nearly OF grousd n
garrisonod chiefly by shc yourccnch Now York hoavy
artillery under command Of Major Randall Tho ptcoes
in were brass Napoleons three inch r6es and siege
mortas Immediately to the left of tho fort B a work
known Battery No IL The rebels entered both the
right and le flank Of Fort sseedmaa, tearing down Cue
abattis in several places
oBJEcr on mE Ar5Ax.
II Is supposed that the rebels had twofoid object In
making this attack. First to destroy some portm df
General Grants military railroad which b here only
three quarters OF mile from their main line and second
iy capture tho headquarters of General Wilcox. How
they failed In both will proceed to explain.
rnx CHARGE
Under cover Of the darkness Gordon masscd his men,
and they passed rapidly the short space Of ground
between their works and The ground Is rclnark
ably well adapted for such movemenA bcing fun Of
rvines The rebels made good Of every advantage
and entered works along with such OF pckcs
had not been wounded or captured. Their next
close In the and enter Fort Stcedman-
The movement q successful one and the work fell
into their hands Major Randall seized by some Of
f.tz -
His head struck the soft muddy bottom without nurng
him tho least and he escaped Immediately afterwards
The bombproofs and magazines wcro then entered by
great number OF the rebels while others turned the guns
or the fort on Fort Haskell another OF large works.
about half mile 10 tho left fierce ARTILLERY duel
sued and amidst It's noise and smoke the work OF plum
doring the officers quarters went brsky on
CAPTURE oy GENERAL x'LouoHIIs.
While the above we're being enacted, General
Mclaughlin, commanding the Third brigade OF General
wicoxs DIVISION proceeded TO make proper dsposi-
tion OF his troops TO repe the attack He rode
the brcastwors and into Battery No. H. Just the left
OF Fort ccdman 70 ascertain the position Of the rebels
They were, however, already inside the battery and
captured him baorc he had time his horse round
Lieutenant Thomas sturgs aid decamp his sta was
captured at the time II Is believed they
of to the rear Immediately.
THE
The command Of the brigade then dcvolved on Colonel
Robinson Of the Third Maryland battalion who had only
returned from furough the evening before The rebels
by this time pressing forward not only towards the
railroad but also In the direction Of the Third brigade
headquarters The Twenty Fifty seventh and
Fifty ninth Massachusetts, Third Maryland battalion
One Hundredth Pennsylvania and part Of the Four
teenth Now York heavy artillery, formed In linc
and holding the rebels IN check, although their
skrmIsh line was within nfty yards Of the brigade
headquarters, and Of their had succeeded In
cutting the telegraph wire Tho rebels checred wildly,
and for short time fought with energy and determine
tion. Some Pennsylvania regiments, Of General J. r.
Hartranfts divsion phc Thrd up and TUNED the
tide Of battle. The rebel line charged with great
vigor, when they Immediately broke aud The rout
complete, and the Generalization OF the rebel
column exccled They endeavorcd to get back
TO thor Inc but not than about Ave hundred
succeeded in doing Regmontal and company officers
and pryates surrcodnrcd discretion About nltcen