Editor’s Note: This article was transcribed by Jackie Martin.
SIEGE OF RICHMOND.
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Latest Official War Bulletin.
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GRANT’S ARMY IN MOTION.
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Warren Attacks Lee’s Extreme Right.
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ENEMY’S LINE CARRIED BY STORM.
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A Number of Prisoners Taken.
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MEADE MOVES FROM HIS LEFT.
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The Rebels Driven Before Him.
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ATTACK ON ORD AND BIRNEY.
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The Enemy Assaults in Three Columns
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HE MEETS WITH A BLOODY REPULSE.
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LATEST FROM SHERIDAN.
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Rebel Reports of His Movements.
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A Cavalry Brigade Ambushed.
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FROM GEN. SHERMAN’S ARMY.
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Exchange of 2000 Union Prisoners.
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 30, 1861—9 10 P. M.—MAJOR-GENERAL DIX, New York:—A despatch from General GRANT, dated at half-past three o’ clock this afternoon, at City Point, states that WARREN attacked (illegible) enemy’s line to (illegible) from the extreme right, capturing a number of prisoners.
He immediately prepared to follow up his success.
General MEADE moved from his left this morning, and carried the enemy’s line near Poplar Grove Church.
A later despatch, dated this evening, at five P. M., reported that the enemy had just made an assault in three columns on his line near Chapin’s Farm, and had been repulsed.
No report had been received from General MEADE since he carried the enemy’s line near Poplar Grove Church.
No intelligence of General SHERIDAN’S operations has been received since Sunday night, except through the Richmond papers, and the latest report from that source which has reached the Department was the advance of his cavalry to Staunton, as heretofore mentioned.
The Petersburg papers of to-day mention a rumor, which they say as not confirmed, that one brigade of SHERIDAN’S Cavalry was ambushed at Swift Run Creek.
EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.___________________
THE PRELIMINARY MOVEMENTS.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30,—Early on Wednesday night General ORD’S Corps, the Eighteenth, began to move from their old position to Jones’ Neck, on the James, where a pontoon bridge had been thrown across the river, and immediately began to cross.
By twelve o’clock the advance guard succeeded in affecting the crossing in safety, and before daylight the whole corps got over. An advance was immediately ordered and the intrenchments on Chapin’s farm were carried with but little show of resistance on the part of the Rebels.
There appeared to be but few Rebel troops in the intrenchments, but it is thought they had been previously withdrawn either to be sent up the Valley to check SHERIDAN, or to the Weldon Railroad, fearing a blow from GRANT in that direction. We, however, captured between three and four hundred prisoners and fifteen pieces of artillery, as already stated.
The Tenth Corps, under General BIRNEY, advanced from Deep Bottom about the same time that General ORD did. General BIRNEY moved up to the New Market road, and carried the intrenchments with ease, the Rebels showing but little disposition to contest the ground. They appeared to be completely surprised by the appearance of our troops in that direction.
On the subsequent movement of our forces nothing was known at City Point when the EXPRESS left there, and there was nothing to indicate that the advance of ORD or BIRNEY had been checked. It is confidently believed at City Point that the Rebels have withdrawn large numbers of troops from the defenses of Richmond, and sent them up the Valley to aid EARLY. This being the case, ORD and BIRNEY can make considerable progress before the Rebels can concentrate their forces.
On Wednesday night 1 the Rebels made a furious attack on our advanced earthworks in front of Fort Sedgwick, on the Jerusalem plank road. These intrenchments were held by a portion of the Second Brigade, Third Division, Ninth Corps. The Rebels were handsomely repulsed with considerable loss. These are the works which were captured from the Rebels several weeks ago by our troops, and this is the second unsuccessful attempt the Johnnies have made to take them. The troops attacked were commanded by Colonel RUSSELL of the Twenty-eighth United States Colored troops. Fort Sedgwick opened fire on the Rebels and accelerated their movements on their retreat. RUSSELL had his men in line of battle in two minutes after the attack.
The steamboat EXPRESS arrived here this morning from City Point, which place she left yesterday, at ten A. M. She brings up forty-two sick men of the Engineer Brigade, under charge of Assistant Surgeon BAUM. These men were immediately placed in the hospital here.
FORTRESS MONROE, Sept. 29—The United States hospital steamer GEORGE LEARY arrived here this afternoon from City Point, with about two hundred sick and sixty wounded soldiers from the Tenth Army Corps Hospital.
They report that heavy firing was heard on our left at seven o’clock last evening until one o’clock this (Thursday) morning.
No results were known at the time the steamer left.
The removal of the patients from the front hospitals, as well as other movements now going on, indicate immediate activity with the Army of the Potomac.
HEAD-QUARTERS ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, Sept. 28.—Five deserters came in last night in front of Colonel RUSSELL’S brigade of the Ninth Corps, giving themselves up to the colored pickets on the line. These men had been conscripted and had served out their time, but could not obtain their discharges.
As soon as they found that they could not be forced into our ranks they made up their minds to desert, expressing their intention to their comrades. This they accomplished, and are now on their way north under the terms of General GRANT’S proclamation.
The Rebels seem to have got over their noted antipathy to the colored soldiers. Some time ago they made it a rule to keep up a continual fire wherever these soldiers made their appearance; but now they remain as quiet on that part of the line occupied by the colored troops as at any other point.
When deserters come in, many of them being Virginians, they are always willing to accept food from whatever source it may come, and they can often be seen sitting on the ground eating with the negroes, and acting towards them as though their skins were as white as their own.
Lieutenant AMES2, of AMES’ Battery3, was killed on Monday by a Rebel sharp-shooter. The ball entered his side, and he died almost instantly.
A great deal of firing has been indulged in by both sides to-day along the entire centre and right.
Quite a lively skirmish occurred at dark last evening while the pickets were being relieved on the centre of the line.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30.—The news brought to-day by passengers from City Point, who left there yesterday, has been anticipated by the official bulletin.
They mention that on Wednesday night the Rebels made an attack on our advanced intrenchments in front of Fort Sedgwick, near the Jerusalem road, but were easily repulsed.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 30.—Passengers by the boat from the front this morning state that GRANT’S whole army is in motion. He has been in readiness for some time, and only awaited the development of SHERIDAN’S operations to proceed. Thanks to Rebel enlightenment, he was enabled to seize the favorable opportunity, and is now calculating his plans.4
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