Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Jackie Martin.
THE WAR NEWS.
Public attention during the past two days [SOPO Ed.: Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10] has been fully occupied with the news furnished us by Northern journals, which news was made public on Saturday by bulletins posted in front of the different newspaper offices, and voluminous extras issued by some of the city offices. This gush of Northern news had the effect, for the particulars of which we refer our readers to another column, had the effect of smothering any rumours that might have been ready to start up in our midst.
It was not until last evening that anything like a full blown rumour came to hand. People who came over from Petersburg at three o’clock, P. M., yesterday, said they had heard there that Burnside had made his appearance before Charleston, and by a sudden attack had taken James Island, Fort Johnson included. This is merely a wild story gotten up by some one who has been most unnecessarily puzzling his brains as to where Burnside has gone. Despatches received from Charleston late Saturday night announce all well at that point.
On the lines in this immediate vicinity the usual quiet reigns.
There was a little idle shelling by the enemy at Bermuda Hundred at noon yesterday, caused by the accidental explosion of a shell in our camp.
FROM PETERSBURG.
We announced in Saturday’s paper that Grant threw no shells into Petersburg from three o’clock Thursday [SOPO Ed.: July 7] to the same hour Friday [SOPO Ed.: July 8] evening. If we are to judge from the accounts given us by the Petersburg papers of Saturday morning, this quiet was suddenly broken at five o’clock that evening. They state that at that hour the enemy made two heavy assaults on the Confederate left and centre, but “were each time handsomely repulsed with severe loss.” The same papers state that they were unable to obtain any information in regard to the fight, except that we did repulse the enemy with ease, inflicting heavy loss and suffering very little.
From passengers who came over yesterday we could learn nothing of the affair, except what is stated above. They seemed disposed to regard it as a mere skirmish, as we have no doubt it was.—One of our generals whose troops repulsed the enemy, was heard to say yesterday that he did not lose a man in the fight.
At seven o’clock last evening no official report of this battle, fight, skirmish, or whatever it was, had been made publick.
Persons who came over in the train from Petersburg late last evening reported that at two o’clock yesterday morning the enemy had made an assault on the Confederate extreme right, and were beaten back as usual.
THE ENEMY REPORTED ON THE PENINSULA.
We mentioned on Saturday that a force of the enemy, numbers not known, was landing at the White House on Friday. Yesterday morning the rumour was circulated that the same force had made their appearance at Old Church, Hanover, a point ten miles north of the White House. This report was not confirmed during the day, and we attach not much importance to it.
BURNSIDE’S MOVEMENTS.
The movements, real or imaginary, have been bothering a great many people who had no particular business with the matter. The idea being started that he had left “our front” at Petersburg, these said people at once set to work to account for him. Some said he had gone to Washington; others to Wilmington, and others again land him on James Island, Charleston harbour. We feel sure that our Generals know where he is and all about him; but for the relief of those of the publick who are so deeply interested, we will mention the last seemingly authentick news we have of him. Very trustworthy gentlemen, who reached here yesterday from Prince William county, state that on the 30th ultimo they saw a large number of transports going up the Potomac. Persons who came from Alexandria the next day (July 1st) reported that these transports bore Burnside and his corps to Washington city.1
Source:
- “The War News.” Richmond Examiner. July 11, 1864, p. 1 col. 1 ↩