The war News.
The situation of the opposing forces near
Petersburg remains about the same as before reported, matters having been comparatively quiet since the engagement of Sunday.
The
Yankees still hold the Weldon railroad, and are using all the appliances of engineering skill to strengthen their position.
Our forces having abandoned the ground which they gained and held on Sunday morning, and fallen back much nearer the city, the enemy advanced his skirmishers, and on Monday occupied the recent battlefield, threw his pickets forward to
Johnson's farm, some distance this side, and
Davis's farm — the scene of three battles, in each of which the
Yankees were pressed back — is now within his lines.
Thence westward across the
Vaughan towards the Squirrel Level road, his lines are established and undisputed.
The
Yankees, as they advanced, have thrown up earthworks, which are only concealed from the view of the Petersburgers by a thin skirt of woods on the
Davis farm, while their pickets are within seeing distance of the city, though not themselves visible.
So far as fortifications are concerned, they have improved the time with an energy worthy of a better cause, and are now well protected in front, flank and rear.
The object of the
Yankees, after they shall have rendered their present position secure, will be to raid upon our railroad communications, and gradually extend their lines in that direction.
They would, if possible, invest the city of
Petersburg from the cast, south and west, and compel its evacuation.
The left of their line, as they would have it, should rest upon the river above, and the right upon the river below the city.
It is a fine plan, and would probably half starve the poor of
Petersburg if allowed to be successful; but
Grant has to consult some one else before he carries it out.
It is our opinion that no further advance around the city will be permitted.
If
Grant persists, he will find unexpected and powerful obstacles in his path, which will make him pause if not retreat.
An incident.
The
Express relates an interesting incident of the battle on Friday afternoon. During the progress of the fight, two privates of the Twelfth Virginia infantry--
George W. May, company A, and — Miles, company B--started from town to join their command, having their rifles with them.
On nearing the scene of action, they were compelled to advance through a thick skirt of woods, when, to their surprise, they observed a party of Yankees coming towards them.
The two men hastily concocted a plan for their capture, which was entirely successful, as the result will show.
May acted the spokesman, and Miles the part of a whole regiment.--When the
Yankees were within speaking distance, May stepped forth from his place of concealment and boldly demanded their surrender, backing his demand with a statement that a regiment was in his rear and another around on their flank.
Some of the men at once threw down their arms, but the commanding officer showing some hesitation, was soon silenced by the threat of overpowering numbers being soon upon him. The whole party then surrendered, and May, placing himself at the head of the column, and Miles at the rear, marched them in double file to a stronger guard.
The prisoners numbered twenty-seven--one captain, one lieutenant and twenty-five privates.
Their chagrin was indescribable when they discovered the deception that had been practiced upon them.
It is stated that one of our sergeants recognized in a Federal major, captured on Friday, his own brother, whom he had before confronted on the
Peninsula.
The Latest.
Passengers from
Petersburg yesterday report everything quiet, with the exception of the usual artillery and picket firing.
Our scouts report that the
Yankees have not done much damage to the Weldon railroad.
They have settled themselves down with the apparent intention of holding the position; but they will do well to remember the adage about "the best laid schemes of mice and men."
Colonel Robert A. Caskie, of the Tenth Virginia cavalry, was wounded — not dangerously — in a slight skirmish with the enemy on Tuesday, near Reams's station.
Forrest Attacks Memphis — captures prisoners, horses, mules, &c.
The telegraph, a day or two since, announced that
Forrest had made an attack upon
Memphis; but the public have been so often misled by dispatches from the
Southwest that little importance was attached to it. The news, however, in this instance, turns out to be true, as the following confirmatory dispatch, received yesterday at the War Department, will show:
[by telegraph from Mobile, August 23, 1864.]
"The following dispatch was received from
General Forrest, dated
Hernando, 21st:
"I attacked
Memphis at 4 o'clock this morning, driving the enemy to his fortifications.
We killed and captured four hundred, capturing their entire camp, with about three hundred horses and mules
Washburne escaped in the darkness of the morning, leaving his clothes behind.
My loss is twenty killed and wounded.
D. H. Maury, major-general.
We do not know that it was the object of
General Forrest to capture
Memphis, though we suppose he could have done so had he pushed his advantages.--
Memphis is
A. J. Smith's base of supplies, and the fact that it is menaced by a Confederate force may, perhaps, induce the
Yankee column now in
North Mississippi to return.
The Yankee raid in Tennessee.
A body of Yankee cavalry, numbering three hundred, dashed into
Rogersville, Tennessee, on the 21st, and captured "
Hon. J. Heiskell" and other civilians and soldiers.
We do not learn that the raid had any other object in view; for after effecting the captures, the enemy retired in the direction of
Bean's station.
The
Mr. Heiskell referred to is doubtless
the Hon. J. B. Heiskell, representative in Congress from the First Congressional District of
Tennessee.
Rogersville is the court-house of
Hawkins county.
Atlanta papers of the 18th report that, on the previous night, a heavy cannonading and musketry fire commenced along the centre and continued for several hours.
It is stated that the enemy made a pretty general assault upon our advanced lines, but was successfully resisted in all his efforts.
Rumors from
Sherman's rear are to the effect that our cavalry, had destroyed the railroad at
Acworth, burn the bridge at
Etowah, and badly damaged the track from that place to
Adairsville.
These points are on the Western and Atlantic railroad.
Acworth is thirty-five miles from
Atlanta, Etowak forty-six and
Adairsville sixty-nine miles. Rumor adds that one thousand prisoners and six thousand head of beef cattle were captured — which is, doubtless, an exaggeration.
The sale of all intoxicating liquors within the limits of
Atlanta, except upon an order from headquarters, has been prohibited.
The
Appeal, upon information derived from an engineer, scouts the idea that
Sherman is endeavoring to mine one of the prominent works of defence at the outer end of Marietta street. The distance between the lines is eight hundred yards, and it would take months to perform the work of burrowing thus far.
Brigadier-General John C. Brown, of
Tennessee, has been promoted to a major-generalship and gned to the veteran division of
Bate.
Lieutenant-Colonel James Kinard, Confederate States Artillery, late
chief of ordnance for the Army of Mississippi, has been promoted to that position for the Army of Tennessee, and
Colonel Frank Beckham to that of chief of artillery, that position having become vacant by the assignment of
Brigadier-General Shoupe as chief of staff.
Colonel Beckham is well known to the Army of Northern Virginia as founder of the famous light horse artillery, under the lamented
J. E. B. Sturt.
