THE SIEGE OF RICHMOND.
No Change in our Lines up to Sunday—Head-quarters of the Army still near Cold Harbor—Movements of Troops—Our Pickets attacked near Old Church—The Colored Pickets Repulse the Enemy—Matters unchanged at White House.
Special Dispatch to the Inquirer.
WASHINGTON, June 13, 1864. Information is received from THE INQUIRER’S Special Correspondent up to yesterday morning [June 12, 1864]. Up to that time no immediate change had taken place in our lines, and the front was unusually quiet. Head-quarters of the army were still in the vicinity of Cold Harbor.
There were various movements of troops going on, but your correspondent says the moving of troops yesterday may have been only to relieve a portion of the men lying in the trenches, and give them an opportunity to wash, change raiment, &c., which they very much needed.
Our pickets near Old Church, on the right flank, were attacked by a body of Rebel cavalry, on the morning of the 9th [June 9, 1864]. The outer cavalry pickets were driven in, and the pickets of FERRARO’s Division (colored) [4/IX/AotP] attacked. These latter, however, repulsed the enemy. We lost about two hundred horses, stampeded and captured, which were grazing at the time.
Yesterday morning [June 12, 1864] matters were unchanged at the White House. The tearing up of the Rails on the Richmond and York River Railroad was said to be in consequence of the impracticability of establishing a depot of supplies of any value at any point beyond White House.1
Reported Fight at Bottom’s Bridge.
The REPUBLICAN of this evening [June 13, 1864?] has a report that HANCOCK had a fight at Bottom’s Bridge, carrying it at the point of the bayonet. The rumors are not credited.2,3
SOPO Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Jackie Martin.
Source:
- SOPO Editor’s Note: In reality, Grant was tearing up the rails because he was preparing to change base to the James River and supply his army by water. ↩
- SOPO Editor’s Note: I am not sure if this is the start of news reaching Northern cities of Grant’s movement to the James, which started the night of June 12-13, or if this was truly just a rumor. ↩
- “The Siege of Richmond.” Philadelphia Inquirer. June 14, 1864, p. 1 col. 2 ↩