Through the courtesy of Major R. G. Mosby, of the Fifty-ninth Virginia regiment and another attentive friend, we have been placed in possession of New York papers of the 9th 10th instants. We give below a summary of their contents:
The fighting around Richmond — the official dispatches.
The following are the official dispatches giving an account of the assault by the Confederates on the enemy's works on Friday last. It will be seen that the Yankees keep very quiet about the loss of the nine guns which were captured. They claim to have handsomely repulsed us; but the contrary must have gotten out at the North, as we find the following soothing telegram from Lincoln: "There is absolutely no news here from the Army of the Potomac not published in Stanton's bulletin of yesterday and before. The line is open, and mere business dispatches are passing over it. Have no alarm on bogus dispatches. A. Lincoln."Here is Stanton's official dispatch:
from Secretary Stanton to General Dix.
This department has received the following reports of the enemy's assault yesterday upon General Butler's line, their subsequent repulse, and general Birney's brilliant action, driving the enemy to their inner line of entrenchments around Richmond:
"Headquarters Department of Virginia. "and North Carolina, "Friday, October 7, 6:30 P. M.
"Lieutenants General U. S. Grant.
"At 6:30 A. M., the enemy having moved Fields's and hoke's divisions from the left at Chamn's farm road round to our right at Dabytown road, they attacked with spirit Kantz's cavalry in then entrenchments, and drove him back with small loss of men but with the loss of his artillery
"The enemy suffered very considerable loss in his attack
"The enemy then swept down the entrenchments towards Bney, who, having thrown back his right waited their assault, and repulsed it with very heavy has on the part of the enemy.
"The enemy in the meantime advanced towards Newmarket but were met by a force at the Signal Towe.
"At 3 P. M. I took the offensive, sending Buney, with two divisions, up the Dbytown road.
The enemy retreated as he admeed, and Birney had reached and occupies the enthments which the enemy took from Kutz and were fortifying for themselves.
Our loss has been small — not one-eighth that of the enemy.
We have about one hundred prisoners. It E. Btler, Major-General."
"Lieutenants General U. S. Grant.
"headquarters Department of Virginia, "and North Carolina, "12:20 P. M, Friday, October 7
"B-General Rawgs
"The following has just been received: "B-General Rawgs
"B. B. Butler, Major-General."
"Headquarters Tenth Army Corps, "10:15 A. M.
"We have repulsed the attack of the enemy on our right flank with great sghter The troops seem to be Fields's and Pickett's divisions.
I send you a batch of prisoners.
I am extending my right thank.
The enemy seem to be entrenching on the Darby road. D. B. Birney, major General."
"Headquarters Department of Virginia, "and North Carolina, "October 7--10:30 P. M.
"Lieutenant-General U. S. Grant:
"Birney has regained Kauts's old position, and holds the enemy int he inner line of entrenchments around Richmond, extending from the Darbytown road to connect with Weitzel on the left, near Fort Harrison.
"There has been no movement at Petersburg today.
We have much the best of this day's work"a thousand at least of the enemy killed and wounded, a hundred prisoners, and a bloody repulse.
"General Gregg, commanding Fields's division, is reported by a lady, who saw the body, as killed. "Lieutenant-General U. S. Grant:
"B. F. Butler, Major-General."
No dispatches have been received from the commands of Generals Sherman, Rosecrans or Sheridan later than were reported in my telegram of yesterday.
The following account, written by the correspondent of the new York Times, is rather more explicit about the losses: Quite a severe engagement took place this morning between a force of the enemy and our troops, on the north side of the James river, in which we suffered considerable loss in men and material, including two batteries of four guns each, besides being driven back from the advanced position gained ten days ago. A force of cavalry, under General Kantz, co operated in all the movements there, and was reported at one time as being within a mile or two of Richmond, but had to fall back. Since then he has been protecting the right flank of the army, his me being so strung out that they presented rather a weak line to the foe. About 6 o'clock this morning a sudden attack was made on this cavalry force from nearly every direction, and although they were completely taken by surprise, it is said they made every effort to hold their ground, but were finally forced to retreat, leaving two batteries without support, the entire guns of which fell into the enemy's hands. They were the Fourth Wisconsin and Battery B, of the First United States. The latter was commanded by Lieutenant Hill, who is said to have fired all his ammunition, and then, finding he could not get his guns off, spiked them. The engagement commenced on the Darbytown road, and was continued on the Newmarket road, near which the right of the Tenth corps reaches. The assault on this part of the line was so desperate that it also was forced back some distance, but the ground was afterward recovered, with heavy loss to the enemy. This ended the engagement, although picket skirmishing continued all day. Our loss is not known, but must have been considerable, as some of our cavalry were completely surrounded. General Kantz is said to have been captured, but succeeded in making his escape. The enemy's loss was severe. We took about seven hundred prisoners, mostly belonging to Longstreet's corps.