The War News.
The city abounded with rumors yesterday, and everybody was asking his neighbor "What's the news from Petersburg?" We give below such reliable accounts as we have been enabled to collect:
Sunday's battle near Petersburg.
Early in the forenoon of Sunday our line of battle was formed east and west of the railroad and an advance ordered. The troops moved forward to the work before them in beautiful order and the best of spirits. They succeeded in driving the enemy out of their front lines of breastworks back upon their main line, capturing three hundred prisoners. Before the enemy were forced back they hotly contested the ground for an hour or two, but were finally compelled to yield to the heroic valor of our troops. In the meantime, a fierce artillery duel was in progress, the enemy throwing shell and canister at our ranks, and our batteries in the rear replying. It is stated that in this contest one of those cates trophies occurred which we have so frequently been called upon to record during this war, namely: that a number of our troops on a portion of the line were killed and wounded by the fire of our own batteries. The enemy's main works on the railroad being deemed too strong to attack, our forces held the second line of entrenchments.Meanwhile an important movement was started towards the enemy's extreme left, about a mile west of the railroad. A body of our troops, acting in conjunction with others, was sent down the Vaughan road, some three or four miles distant from the city, to reconnoitre the enemy's position in that direction and ascertain their strength there, with a view to further operations. It was discovered that the Yankees had extended their lines west to the Vaughan road, in the direction of Poplar Springs Church, and were busily engaged in fortifying. An attempt to turn their flank proved unsuccessful. Our troops carried their outer works, but the inner were found to be of such great strength, and so strongly defended by artillery, that their capture would have been a matter of great doubt without a fearful sacrifice of life. The advantages gained were subsequently given up, and our loss at this point will probably reach several hundred.
It was here that the gallant Brigadier-General John C. C. Saunders, of Alabama, was killed while leading his men in a charge. General Saunders has for some time past commanded Wilcox's old Alabama brigade, and in all the fights around Petersburg has displayed the most conspicuous bravery. He was not more than twenty-five years of age, and gave promise of a glorious and distinguished career. He was struck by a Minnie ball in the thigh, and the femoral artery severed, which produced such copious bleeding that he died before it could be checked. --Colonel Lamar, of Florida, was also mortally wounded.
It is stated that in addition to the strong nature of the works on the enemy's left, which were assaulted by our flanking column, one of the main causes of the repulse at that point was the giving way of a brigade at a very critical moment, which caused considerable confusion and gave the Yankees a great advantage. After capturing a line of the enemy's skirmishers and reaching their strongest works our troops were compelled to retire.
A strong demonstration was made by the enemy on Sunday morning about eleven o'clock on our left, on the City Point road, with a view of ascertaining the strength of our forces at that point.--For half an hour the firing of musketry and artillery was very rapid. About the same time a heavy shelling was opened by the enemy all along the lines in Prince George, but nothing was accomplished.
At night, as well as could be ascertained, the enemy's centre rested upon the Weldon railroad, about three miles from Petersburg, their right extending across the wooded country to the Jerusalem plankroad on the east, and their left to the Vaughan road on the west. Along this whole line they have strongly fortified themselves. In their rear, on the line of the railroad, and on both sides, they have thrown up heavy works as a protection against flank movements. At the Yellow Tavern and the Gurley House, batteries of heavy guns are planted, and at every point open to assault they are strongly fortified.
Warren's corps, which first occupied the railroad, has been heavily reinforced. The Second corps (Hancock's) and the Ninth (Burnside's) have reached the road, and the enemy's entire force there now numbers in the aggregate full thirty thousand men.
While these movements have been in progress, the Yankees have given a share of their attention to the destruction of the railroad, and it is stated that the track is torn up to and beyond Reams's station, ten miles distant from Petersburg. Reports have been brought in that the Yankee cavalry, under the notorious Speer, were engaged in destroying the track one mile beyond Reams's on Sunday morning.
All accounts agree that the fight was a heavy one; but the battle for the possession of the railroad is yet to be fought, and the indications are that it will be attended by great slaughter on both sides.
In the engagement of Friday, the enemy's loss in killed and wounded is represented to have been very heavy, besides the large number of prisoners captured. We lost some prisoners and a considerable number wounded, but a small proportion killed. The Twelfth Virginia regiment lost six killed, twenty-nine wounded and four missing. Total, thirty-nine.
Passengers by the Petersburg train last evening represent that the affair of Sunday was much less disastrous than it was reported to have been. Some say that our loss was not over seven hundred, and the highest estimate that we heard was one thousand, killed, wounded and missing.
The following are the casualties in Braxton's Fredericksburg battery: Killed: Private Bernard Taylor. Wounded: Privates Edward Howison, lost a leg, (since dead); S. Charters, slightly; --Spence, in head; Charles Donahoe, slightly; John T. Roberts, in neck, slightly.
All quiet yesterday with the exception of some cannonading in the afternoon.
A raiding party out.
Intelligence was received yesterday that a party of raiders had started from Grant's army with the supposed intention of cutting the Southside and, perhaps, the Danville railroad.
Official.
Official dispatches, received from Petersburg yesterday, state that General Hill attacked the enemy on the Weldon railroad Sunday morning and drove him from his advanced lines to his main entrenchments, capturing over three hundred prisoners, exclusive of wounded. Our loss was principally in Hagood's brigade, which mounted the enemy's entrenchments, but support failing, many were captured.
Below Richmond.
Everything continues quiet in the neighborhood of Deep Bottom. The enemy's force on this side of the river is at present too small for offensive operations.In the engagement of the 18th instant, at Fussel's Mill, the Fifteenth Alabama regiment lost forty killed and wounded. Among the wounded are Colonel A. A. Louther, Captain B. A. Hill, Captain W. H. Stricklin, Lieutenant H. Fields, and Lieutenant D. Thornton.
Major W. C. Oats, commanding the Forty-eighth Alabama, lost an arm, and Major G. W. Cary, commanding the Forty-fourth Alabama, was wounded.
From the Valley.
We learn by late advices that the Yankees have all left the Valley of Virginia. On their retreat they indulged their villainous propensities by burning barns, crops, and plundering the inhabitants generally. So ends Sheridan's famous movement to "clean out"Early's command.
From Georgia.
Dispatches from Atlanta state that the enemy's cavalry which struck the Macon railroad on the 19th were met on the next day by a portion of our forces and routed, losing two stands of colors and one piece of artillery.
