The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-24
WHAT WAS NEWS
FIT TY YEARS AGO

of wild

All day yesterday the city WAS fun of wild
rumors and speculation to the results OF the
light In front of Petersburg Sunday morning,
the 2lst. Even though tho fight took place
three days ago. ii WIS difficult to get particulars
Early In the forenoon of Sunday the Confc,,-
crate line of battle formed east and west
of the weldon Railroad. and advance ordered
The troops moved forward in splendid order and
win much enthusiasm They succeeded in driv-
ing the enemy out of their front line of broast-
works ana back to their main line. captured
several hundred prisoners and did very much
damage. Before they fell back the Fcdcrals
holly contested the ground for two hours. and
II was Il bloody fight. In the mean time n fierce
artillery duel was kept up. the enemy using;
their motar guns and the Confcdcratcs firing
from their artillery line in the rear 1t was
found that the cnemys main works on the rail-
road were too strong for our forces and we
had to be content with holding the second line
OF entertainments which had been carried
While the fight between General tilrs forces
and the enemy tho Weldon Road was in
progress an important movement was started
towards tho Federal extreme left. about "A mile
west of the railroad y body Of Confcdcratcs,
acting in CONJUNCTION with others was sent down
the Vaughan Road feel the cucny's position
there. 1t was discovered that the enemy had
extended their lines west the Vaughan Road
In the direction of Poplar Spring Church. and
were bustly engaged in fortifyue. An attempt
to turn their flank unsuccessful The
outer works were easily carried. but the inner
works bristlng with artillery. proved too strong
ana the advantage gained had To be given up.
strong demonstration was made by the
Fcdcrals about II o'clock Sunday morning on
left on the CITY Point Koad with tho yIc,y
OF ascertaininE strength at that point For
half an hour tho muskctry ana artillery firing
was very rapid. At the same time. there was
heavy Smelling by tho enemy all along the lines
In Prince George County. In this affair there
was nothing accomplished BY either side.
Private information from Petersburg tells us
that the cause of the disastrous rcpulse OF the
Confcdcrates on the Weldon Road was tho giving
away of one OF brigades ut IL critical
moment and the great confusion thnt followed.
In the lighting In front of Petersburg on Sun
day the gallant Braadier General j. {. G. Saun-
ders. of Alabama. killed. For a year past
he had been in command OF the famous Wilcox's
Alabama Brigade.
General Grant has sent another raiding
force In another effort to cut the Southside and
after them
In the Sunday hghtine in front Of Petersburg
many OF our men were killed and wounded BY
our own artillery because OF the fact that we
had to reply TO the cnerly's guns from the rear
and shoot over the heads Of our own
The Official report OF the Sundays engage
ment says: General Hi attacked the enemy on
the Weldon Road sunday morning and drove
him from his advanced lines his main en-
trenchments, capturing 300 prisoners, exclusive
OF the wounded, but he failed carry the main
works. and the enemy remains for tho present
in his strongly entrcnchcd position the Vel
don Road our loss was heavy, and principally
in Hagood's Brigade which mounted the enc,uy's
works, hut support failing. many captured"
This brief dispatch gives no further particulars
Colonel. Lawson. of Florida. was mortally
wounded in front OF Petersburg in the fight Of
sunday morning.