The War News.
The heavy boom of big guns was heard in this city throughout yesterday, giving rise to the belief either that a battle was going on below the city or that an uncommonly lively time was being had in the vicinity of
Butler's canal.
It, however, turned out that all the noise was made by our guns, at different points on
James river, practising to obtain certain ranges; trying to see how they could have knocked the Yankee monitors into cocked hats if they had been there.
The result of the practice is said to have been entirely satisfactory to the parties engaged.
With this exception all was as quiet as usual on the north side yesterday.
If all we hear be true,
Grant has made a most important movement on our extreme right, south of
Petersburg.
A gentleman from
Petersburg informs us that, on Thursday morning the enemy, with a large force of cavalry and two divisions of infantry, struck the Weldon railroad at Stoncy creek, twenty miles south of
Petersburg, and having burnt the railroad bridge at that place, started south, towards
Weldon, destroying the railroad and laying waste the country as they advanced.
The Petersburg
Express states, on the information of passengers by the
South side road, that
Stoney creek station was seized by a large force of Yankee cavalry, who held it at last accounts.
We fear the account above given by us is the true one, and that the movement is more serious than a cavalry raid.
It is proper to state that we have been unable to obtain from the War Department any information in regard to this important event.
Gunboats in the Rappahannock.
Last Thursday, two Yankee gunboats came into the
Rappahannock, attended by a flotilla of oyster boats.
The gunboats fired on our oyster boats in the river, and drove them off to make room for the
Yankee fishermen.
In the course of the day, some barges from the gunboats attempted to land in
Essex, but were fired on and driven off by our local troops.
It was reported last night that
Mosby had found another wagon train, and burned it after some fighting with the sword.
He lost two men in the engagement.
The precise locality of the affair is not certainly known, but is supposed to be on the ill fated Martinsburg pike.
Successful expedition against the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
Major-General Rosser, on Monday last, made a successful descent upon the Baltimore and Ohio railroad at
New creek.
Except the fact that he captured five pieces of cannon, the particulars of the affair are contained in our extracts from the
Northern papers, published in another column.
We have previously stated that the enemy were landing troops from fourteen gunboats and transports at
Port Royal.
An official dispatch, received at
General Bragg's office, in this city, on Thursday night, states that our forces had engaged and routed the
Yankees at Grahamsville.
South Carolina, driving them five miles; the
Yankees leaving their dead and wounded on the field.--The force here mentioned as routed are believed to be the same who were landed at
Port Royal.
Their object, doubtless, was to march into the country and either effect a junction with
Sherman or produce a diversion in his favor.
The Yankee in command of this expedition was, we think,
General John H. Logan, formerly of the Tenth corps.
Though the dispatch above mentioned does not mention the fact, we are inclined to believe that
General G. W. Smith commanded our forces.
Grahamsville is thirty miles northeast of
Savannah.
Later from the fight at Grahamsville.--the enemy badly whipped.
The following official dispatch was received last night:
"The following has been received from
General Hardee, at
Savannah:
‘
"I have just returned from the front.
The enemy was badly whipped and has retired.
"Coosahatchie, another point on the Charleston and Savannah railroad, is threatened, but I do not apprehend a serious attack."
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