The war News.
There is not much news this morning from the various points threatened by the enemy.
Yesterday passed off quietly, without even a rumor of magnificent victories or disastrous defeats.
The people, having been furnished with full accounts of Sunday's battle on the Weldon railroad, became satisfied that it was not so bad as they had supposed, and one and all took a more cheerful view of the situation.
In short, events settled down into their usual current, and each individual citizen, undisturbed by "war's alarms.," pursued his customary avocation with the most perfect confidence as to the result of present military movements.
Nothing of importance has occurred since the battle of Sunday last.
The enemy still maintains his entire lines on and across the Weldon railroad, no further attempt having been made at his dislodgment.
He is still engaged in fortifying, his works having already assumed formidable proportions.
The
Yankees show no disposition to depart, but are rather endeavoring to advance their lines and approach as near
Petersburg as possible.
The occupation of this road, it cannot be denied, is an unfortunate event, chiefly on account of the inconvenience to which it subjects the
Government and the people; but it is believed that matters will shortly assume a more promising aspect.
In the three recent battles, (Thursday, Friday and Sunday), the enemy's loss, including prisoners, could not have been less than eight thousand; probably more.
Our loss has not yet been stated officially, but we are assured that it is much less than that of the enemy.
The Petersburg
Express relates an, incident of
General Hagood, in Sunday's fight, which adds another to the laurels previously won by that gallant officer.
During the thickest of the fight on the
Vaughan road a Yankee colonel captured one of the colors of his command.
General Hagood, witnessing the act, and not wishing to lose even one of the flags which had been borne so nobly and gallantly on many bloody fields, confronted the
Yankee officer and demanded its restoration.
A refusal was given, and the two officers became engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter, the result of which was that
General Hagood slew his opponent and bore off the flag in triumph.
A son of
General Finnegan, of
Florida, was wounded in this engagement.
The following is a list of casualties in the Sixth regiment Virginia infantry in the engagement of Friday, the 19th instant: Wounded--
First Sergeant William Bass, company I, slightly in arm;
privates Richard Fuqua and
R. J. Sadler, of the same company; the first severely in head and the latter slightly.
Missing--
Privates A. Ashbury, company B;
L. Fredericks, company C;
E. H. Bradley and William Pass, company D;
Josiah Joyner, company E;
A. Eisell, company F. Wounded 3, missing 6; total 9.
The regular train from
Petersburg had not arrived up to a late hour last night; but passengers by the ambulance train, which got in at 3 o'clock reported all quiet at the time they left.
The reported raid.
Nothing more has been heard from the raiding party said to have started out from
Grant's army on Monday.
The report that they had struck the Danville railroad, so freely circulated yesterday morning, was without foundation.
Grant Refuses a Pass to the French Vice-Consul.
We are reliably informed that
Grant has refused a passage down the
James to the representative of the
Consul of
France at
Richmond, with dispatches for the
French Minister at
Washington.
It appears that on Sunday the
Vice-Consul proceeded to
Varina, and in accordance with a privilege heretofore freely accorded, secured his passage by the flag-of-truce boat, was assigned a
state- room, and made every arrangement for the journey.
At night the boat was visited by
Grant in person, who, without the knowledge of the
Vice-Consul, had an interview with
Major Mulford, and instructed him to refuse a passage in the boat to that official or any one else.
The consequence was that the
Vice-Consul had to return to
Richmond with his dispatches.
We are utterly unable to comprehend this proceeding on the part of the
Yankee Lieutenant-General.
He might be carrying on some operations down the river that he wished to conceal, it is true; but that does not excuse an act of discourtesy towards a representative of the
French Government, and we can only account for it by the supposition that
Grant had indulged rather too freely in old
Bourbon on Sunday and became vindictive under its effects.
The news from
Atlanta relates chiefly to the operations of a raiding party, under
Kilpatrick's, sent out by
Sherman to destroy our railway communications.
There is a wide discrepancy between the two dispatches, the first estimating the raiding force at twenty-five to thirty thousand, and the second at two thousand five hundred.
The latter is, doubtless, nearest the mark.
Fairburn, the point at which they met with some success, is on the Atlanta and West Point railroad, nineteen miles from the former place.
Lovejoy's, on the Macon railroad, is twenty- nine miles, and
Jonesboro' twenty-two miles from
Atlanta.
Between these two points the raiders seem to have been routed and driven off, though from the small number of killed and wounded on either side, we infer that the fighting was not very desperate.
Late Northern papers inform us that
Sherman considers it of the highest importance to gain a foothold on the Macon railroad, as by that means, it is added, the investment of Atalanta would be complete.
Failing in that, he undertakes, as the next best thing he can do, to destroy the road, and has made a miserable failure.
Wheeler is undoubtedly operating successfully in the enemy's rear, though the accounts of his movements are vague and uncertain; as the
Yankee papers say, they are "all in a muddle. " We hope, however, soon to have a clear and concise statement of his doings, such as will make
Sherman wish he had never sat himself down in front of
Atlanta.
