Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Jackie Martin.
ASSOCIATED PRESS ACCOUNTS.
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, June 16, 6 P. M.—SMITH’S command, which crossed the James River at Point of Rocks on Tuesday evening, advanced early yesterday morning on the City Point and Petersburg Railroad, and found the enemy near Harrison’s Creek, and drove them into their fortifications some half a mile beyond.
The line of battle was formed. HANCOCK’S, with colored division on the left. A charge was made, and the entire line of works was taken, with sixteen guns, three hundred prisoners, and several battle flags.
The position was one of great strength, and should have resisted an attack from a much heavier force.
The colored troops are reported as behaving admirably, taking their part in the line at the same time with the white troops.
Our loss in the entire affair was not over 200, of which some 40 were colored.
The Second Corps came up in the evening and took position on the left of SMITH. In the morning an advance was made by the Second Corps, under Gen. BIRNEY, and the enemy were driven from another strong position with considerable loss in killed, wounded and prisoners.
In the afternoon BURNSIDE came up and took the left of HANCOCK, and at 6 P. M. a combined advance was made along the line and a desperate struggle ensued on the left and centre, both with artillery and infantry, which lasted till long after dark, BIRNEY’S Division gaining a breastwork in their front.
A large number of prisoners were taken by this Corps. This morning another advance was made along the line at daybreak, and BURNSIDE has sent in about 100 prisoners, 16 of whom are officers. Most of the prisoners are Tennesseans, and from BEAUREGARD’S army. They also took a battle-flag.
General HANCOCK has also captured a number of prisoners, who are on the way to the rear.
Our guns now command Petersburg, and we can shell the city at any time.
Among the wounded are Colonel EAGAN (sic), commanding the First Brigade, Third Division, Second Corps. He was struck by a piece of shell in the back, but the wound is not of a serious character.
Colonel TANNATT, of the First Massachusetts Heavy Artillery, was wounded, and Major HAMILTON, One-hundred-and-tenth Pennsylvania, killed.[SOPO Editor’s Note: Major Isaac T. Hamilton was not killed during the Second Battle of Petersburg. He was presumably wounded at some point in June, probably during the Second Battle of Petersburg due to the presence of this newspaper mention, or was away from the regiment, because the commander of the 110th Pennsylvania on June 30, 1864 was Captain William Stewart. More research is necessary.]
General GRANT returned to head-quarters from City Point last evening, and this morning has gone to the front.
Our loss is said to be about one thousand yesterday, while that of the enemy was equally as large.1
Source:
- “Associated Press Accounts.” Philadelphia Inquirer. June 20, 1864, p. 1 col. 4-5 ↩