The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-04-07

ments at Deep Bottom were left in charge of
the negro soldiers. In front of Petersburg and
along the Appomattox the Federal lines were
weakened, all the available troops being sent
to the left Sheridan's cavalry and all the cav
airy which had before been in Grants army,
were sent to Hatcher's Run. On Tuesday
night Grant had column of seventy thousand
in position to advance against the Southside
railroad, which is seven miles west of the Fed
eral camp on Hatchers Run
1t was hoped that this sudden movement
would surprise the Confederates Constant at
tacks were made during Monday and Tuesday
upon the Confederate works in front of Fort
Steadman. These were to cover the advance.
Grants plan was no move his infantry west
from Hatcher's Run, and endeavor to strike
the Southside railroad, at a point fifteen miles
southwest of Petersburg. Sheridan with the
cavalry was to make detour farther to the
southwark; pass through Dinwiddie Court
House, thirteen miles south of Petersburg, and
endeavor to cut the railroad at BurkesVille
thirty miles west of Petersburg, where itjoins
the Richmond and Lynchburg railroad. The
| columns moved forward at three o'clock on
/ Wednesday morning. Hatchers Run was
crossed without any oppsition from the Confed-
, crates. Sheridan marched south towards Din
| widdie Court House, and it is reported he
reached that place by noon on Wednesday
! As Sheridan however, at once cut himself loose
| from the rest of the Federal army, and has no
communication with City Point, there has been
no authentic information from him since he
| left Hatcher's Run.
! The Federal infantry columns turned west
ward from Hatche Run towards the South
side railroad. 1t began to rain almost as soon
as they started. The Confederate pickets were
| found two miles from Hatcher's Run, and FIVE
miles east of the railroad. These pickets were
driven a mile and fell back to strong line of
! Confederate works, four miles from the rail-
road. The rain continued and grew more
heavy. The Confederates had discovered Grants
movement and hurried forward reinforcements
The Federal advance was checked; fighting be-
| ban; repeated charges were made to break the
| Confederate line: the charges were repulsed
one Federal division lost four hundred men;
and on Thursday morning the Federal column
was still checked by the Confederates. Twen-
ty-four hours, marching had advanced it but
two miles, and everything that happened after
Thursday morning is involved in the greatest
mystery. Announcements of heavy and con-
tliiuouS rains are all that we receive from CITY
Point.
On Wednesday night an artillery bat tie be-
gan in front of Fort Steadman at Petersburg.
Heavy cannonading continued until two O'Clock
on Thursday morning. Our intelligence from
there closed at two o'clock, and we know moth
ing of what happened afterwards.
The Federal troops have evacuated East
port, Huntsville, Decatur, Dalton, and all their
posts in Northern Alabam and Georgia. There
| are now no Federal troops south of Chatta-
nooga.
The Confederates made a raid on the BaIti-
more and Ohio railroad, near Cumberland, on
Thursday night; captured and burned pas
senger train, and escaped.-Age