The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1865-04-08
The CrOXenilkg Victory.

The movement of the Army of the FCto.
mac commenced on Wednesday, the 10Th
ult., and appears to have been somewhat of
a surprise TO the enemy. They were found
but in small force on our extreme left and
were easily pushed back. On Thursday we
had advanced and occupied the Boydtown
road, the resistance still being slight. The
Boydtown road runs southeast from Peters
burg, and near Dnwiddie Court House in
tersects three other roads, forming what is
known, as the Give Forks" On Friday
morning the Rebels concentrated On our
left near Dabney's Mills, and after hard
fighting drove it well back toward the Boyd
town road. In the afternoon we assumed
the offensive, in turn drove the enemy and
got possession of the White Oak road, west
Of the Boydtown road. The objective point
of the struggle appears to have been the
Five Forks" the possession of which was
of great strategetic importance to either
party. On Saturday General Sheridan, aid
ed by General Warren, had pushed the enc.
my back so far that their force defending
the Five Forks appear to have been sep
arated from their main army. Desin's divi-
sion of cavalry carried the "Forks," and
the Rebel force there attempted to, work
their way back by the White Oak road to.
wards Petersburg. In this they were unsuc
cessful, and General Sheridan carried every
thing before him, capturing three brigades
of infantry, numbering several thousand
men, with their artillepy and wagon train
The rebel right having thus been turned,
General Grant sew the auspiclous moment
for which he had prepared by bringing a
large portion of the Army of the James
from the north side to the Petersburg front.
A general assault along the whole front was
ordered, whilst General Sheridan with his
cavalry, the Fifth Corps and part of the
Second, moved in on the enemy's flank
The enemy's entrenched line was broken
through, forts, guns and prisoners captured,
and the Southside Railroad Mt last reached.
A correspondent of the N. Y. Tribune
gives the following account of Sundays
fight, which was the real ana browning bat
tie of the series:
In accordance with the programme the
attack upon the enemy's lines on the east
and South of Petersburg was made simulta-
neously at daybreak by the Sixth and Ninth
Corps, Turner's and Fosters Divisions Of
the Twenty fourth Army Corps, and Birney's
Colo"ta Division Of the 25th The Second
and Third Divisions of the Second Corps
likewise assaulted the enemy's lines in their
front at a later hour, and after brief but
sharp contest with the opposing pickets drove
them into their works across the Boydtown
Plank road, and pressing forward were soon
in undsputed possession of the Rebel line,
having met with comparatively trifing re-
sstance, and having captured several hun
dred prisoners.
Preparations for the assault were begun
along the Sixth and Ninth Corps front sew.
eral hours before daylight. The troops were
masscd as quietly a. possible for the attack
at daybreak, but, notwithstanding, their ma
neuvers were discovered by the enemy, who
at once opened terrific artillery and mus
kerry fire npon them, continuing it until
they moved outside of their works for the
grand charge which resulted in such signal
success. 1t was yet dark when our forces
began their march for the enemy's line in
the face of fierce and incessant fire such
as has seldom been exceeded during the
war. The firing of the enemy was wild and
inaccurate, however, and our troops suffered
less while moving to the charge than when
massing two hours before.
At the time before mentioned, the line of
the Ninth Corps was advanced fr3::.i the Ap.
pomattox to its left, near the Weldon Rail.
road, and after short and desperate con.
test was in possession of the greater portion
of the Rebel line east of Petersburg, includ.
ing most Of the formidable salients. The
division of Wilcox, resting its right on the
Appomatox, was afterwards furiously attack
ed and forced to retire to its original posi-.
tea, ~hiia talose &. p"....tr al H.. &C.
further to the left, still held tenac,o. sly the
greater portion of the enemy's line, notwith-
standing the desperate attempts made to
dislodge them. Fort Malone, in front of
the notorious Fort He'll, and three other
formidable earthworks to the northward had
been carried by storm, and the enemy, mad
dencd at the success of our assault, were in
turn assaulting, now driving our men from
the works, and again being hurled back
leaving them in our hands. The history of
the fighting of the Ninth is made up of n
series of charges and counter charges, hnai, y
resulting in our retention of the works car.
ricd by Potter and Hartranft in the morning.
To the gallant old Sixth was reserved the
honor of carrying the whole Rebel line of
works on their front, Of sweeping down to
| the left to The Appomatox, southwest,
and two miles from Petersburg, of cutting
the long coveted Southside Railroad, and of
capturing some 1000 prisoners, 20 guns, and
a number of battle flags Brig. Gen. l.. A.
| Grant, commanding the Second Brigade OF
Getty's Division, was severely wounded in
| the head by the fragment of shell while
| preparing his command for the charge an
hour before daybrcak. Under the fire OF
four Rebel batteries, and in the face of a
storm of bullets, the different Divisions,
moved steadily on to the attack, driving
back the Rebel skirmishers, piercing two
lines of abatis, carrying at the point of the
bayonet the whole line in their front, and
making the important captures referred to.
The line wrested so CALAMITY from the enemy
was but mile from the Southside Railroad
toward and across which the troops of the
Corps were Immediately thrown, with the
left of our new line resting on the Apo.
mattox, west of Petersburg All attempts
of the enemy to repossess their line having
resulted in his repulse, he withdrew between
10 ana II o'clock across Town Creek to his
inner line of earthworks, in the immediate
vicinity of the city.
The enemy having thus been completely
cut in two, dispositions were Immediately
made to roll up his right wing in the direc.
ton of Dinwiddie Court House, the Second
Division Of the Second Corps, led by Gen.
Humphrey in person, being at once dis.
patched down the Cox Road running to.
ward Dinwidde Court House, between the
Boydtown Plank-road and the Southside
Road, for the purpose of environing the
| Rebels on the north, while Sheridan, sup.
| norted by the Fifth Corps and Miles Div;.