Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-07-10


Kinks colored troops. Kinks and
General w. Fl. I. Brooks division OF
Smiths corps o moved In along the
railroad and were met at the enemy's
intrenched line by a heavy artillery
fire. Martindale's division Of Smiths
corps moved up between the railroad
and the Appomattox. The intrench-
ments were very strong and well sup
piled with artillery. and there were
about $500 infantry and a brigade of
cavalry in support General P. G. 4.
Beauregard commanded the defense.
Some time was consumed in placing
artillery to bear upon the works be-
nsse ~assaulting. Before night. closed
m Seven foffified batteries and a mile
and a half of infantry parapets were
carried by assault, with sixteen a
non and many prisoners. During the
afternoon Smith received word from
prisoners that re-enforcements were
crossing the James to relieve the de-
tenders of Petersburg, and he also
learned that General Hancock with
the second corps was coming to his
assistance.
General Beauregard was early APP
prised of the gathering of Federals on
the James and Appomattox rivers and
on the 14th urgently appealed to Cen
eral Robert u. Lee to send help to
Petersburg. He believed that it was
the next point to be attacked by Grant.
Hoke's division started from Drury's
Bluff on the morning of the 10Th.
Hancock was still six miles of. and
Smith waited for his aid, fearing that
in case Beauregard should be re-en-
forced he (Smith) would have all he
could do alone to hold what he had
gained. By the time Smith had car
ried the outer line Of works as mar
rated B~eauregard's re-enforcements
were drawn up on a second line closer
10 the city, and this they set to work
to intrench. When Hancock arrived
in the evening some Of his troops re-
lIeved Smiths men in the trenches. /,
Heavy Assaults Begun.
On the morning of the 10th Beaure-
gard had at Petersburg the divisions
Of Hoke and Johnson and the brigades
Of Wise and Elliott. about $4,000 men.
and several batteries of artillery. This
force was placed between the Apo
mattox river and the Jerusalem plank
road, a stretch of about FIVE miles.
During the morning Hancock was
placed in command OF all Federal
troops on the field and ordered to at
tack. Two divisions of the Ninth
corps had arrived. and the column was
formed for assault at 6 o'clock p. m.
Hancock's Second corps held the cen
ter, and two divisions of the Eight
eenth were on the right, with Burn
sides Ninth corps on the left The
enemy was driven along the whole
line, and several fortified batteries
were taken. The fighting continued
until dark, and the loss was heavy, the
Confederates attempting several times
to recover the lost ground.
On the break of day Of the 18th Pot
ter's division of the Ninth corps car
ried a series of redoubts, making heavy
captures In prisoners. cannon and mus
kets. This attack was a complete sur
prise, the troops moving upon the
sleeping Confederates and not firing a
shot. The Fifth corps had arrived
during the night Of the 10th. and in
the course Of the day the entire force
had carried the Confederate works of
the outer line and at nightfall were
close to a new line that had been taken
up on commanding ridges three miles
from the city.
Up to this time the only Confederate