The War news.
Affairs on the south side of the James continue quiet. The enemy has been engaged for several days in shelling our left and centre, but has inflicted no damage. On Thursday night a feeble attack was mode upon our right, where a portion of Colquitt's Georgia brigade was posted, but the demonstration was easily repulsed. Some disposition was manifested by the enemy to renew the assault on Friday, and heavy skirmishing took place, which was soon abandoned by the Yankees. Nothing on interest occurred on Saturday or yesterday. It is reported that Butler has received reinforcements of negro troops, but we are not prepared to vouch for the truth of the statement. One thing is certain — he is reduced to very narrow straits, and the more undisciplined negro troops he has to manage in his present quarters will but add to his embarrassments. Notwithstanding the existing state of quiet on the Southside, the interest which for two weeks has concentrated upon that point has by no means abated, nor is it believed that the excitements of the campaign there are over. The gallant Beauregard is silently, but skillfully, making his preparations to give the enemy a hot salutation whenever he shall see proper to leave the protection of his fortifications; and whenever that time may come, we entertain no doubt of the result.
From General Lux's army.
All eyes are now turned towards the heroic army of General Lee, which lies in a position to intercept the enemy's approach to Richmond. It was the general impression that a beside would be fought yesterday, but the quiet of the day was unbroken. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon, a cavalryman rode up to Atlee's Station and stated that a hot fight was going on about two miles and a half down the road. Persons at Atlee's listened in vain for the sound of the guns, but nothing could be heard. Presently another horseman came in, who said he was just from the front, and that every thing was perfectly quiet. This last statement was the truth, and no one could divine the object alone or by the first "courier," unless it was to get to a sensation.A severe cavalry fight occurred on Saturday, at Haw's shop, in Hanover county, a few miles to the right of the Central Railroad. A form of our cavalry, consisting, we learn, of Rosser's and Workham's brigades, the 4th and 5th regiments of Butler's South Carolina brigade, and the 20th Georgia battalion, all under the command of General Wode Hampton, was sent out to reconnoitre the enemy's position. They came upon a large force of Yankee cavalry in the above mentioned locality, and without hesitation made an attack. In this they were successful, driving the enemy back towards the river; but at this juncture the enemy's infantry supports, composed of a full corps, come up, and poured a raking fire into our men, who stood it as long as they could, and them fell back, with a loss of over a hundred wounded and a few killed. The fight lasted several hours, and is represented to have been one of the severest cavalry engagements that has occurred during the war.--We took some prisoners, and lost some. It is reported that our wounded were left on the field, but as the enemy showed no disposition to follow up his advantages, they were all afterwards recovered.
The train last evening brought down between 90 and 100 of our wounded in this fight. The same train brought 22 Yankee prisoners, who were captured near Hanover Junction. They represent that they were on picket at the time; were left in that exposed situation by their comrades when Grant's army recrossed the North Anna, and soon found themselves surrounded by "rebels. "
The larger portion of the Yankee army is this side of the Pamunkey, the main force apparently making for the Peninsula, by way of Potatotamoy creek. Of this, however, there is no certainly. Burnside's corps is reported to be within three or four miles of Hanover Court House — between that place and the Pamunkey.
About 11 o'clock on Saturday morning one regiment of Lomax's cavalry brigade had a skirmish with the enemy's cavalry near Hanover C. H., with no important result. It is supposed that this force of the enemy was sent out to cover some movement in their rear.
The Yankees are plundering the inhabitants on the line of their route, taking negroes, horses, and articles of subsistence.
The latest.
Information was received last night that the enemy, in heavy force, was advancing on Hanover Court-House. Grant's whole army, with the exception of Warren's corps, has crossed the Pamunkey at Hanover Town, and his line-of-battle extends from that point to a position some distance in front of Atlee's station — which is a point on the Central railroad, nine miles from Richmond. Our troops are in the best of spirits, with a morals unbroken, and a discipline unexampled.
From Fredericksburg.
Persons who left Spotsylvania county on Tuesday last bring interesting intelligence from Fredericksburg. They learned that pickets had stated that the whole of the enemy's force there was under marching orders. The town was only held by cavalry, who were moving everything away as rapidly as possible. The railroad bridge across the Rappahannock has not been rebuild. It is represented that the people have been treated tolerably well, but the whole country in the vicinity has been rendered a desert. The Yankees have inflicted a good deal of damage upon the railroad.The persons who brought this information came by way of Beaver Dam, and report that no enemy had been nearer that point on the Central Railroad for several days than Hewlett's, which is eight miles from Beaver Dam, in the direction of Hanover Junction.
