From the Southside.
Saturday was an extremely hot and dusty the even the usual sharpshooting and picket firing between the armies in front of
Petersburg were indulged in to a very limited extent.
There were a few casualties from these causes.
The breastworks of the two armies are now only about 300 yards apart, and it does not require very sharp shooting on either side to bring down the object armed at. The Petersburg
Express, of yesterday, has the following:
‘
About eleven o'clock Saturday night there was a sharp fire of musketry on the centre of our lines, and it was reported yesterday that the enemy made an assault upon our breast works, but inquiry at headquarters did not confirm this report.
Yesterday like Saturday, was very warm, and one men suffered greasily in the trenches, without shade along a greater portion of the lines, and on account of the watchfulness of sharpshooters, unable to raise their heads above the breast works to get even what little air their was. There was one consolation with the many disagreeable features of our situation, and that was, that the enemy suffered equally from like causes with ourselves.
Last evening the sky became overcast with clouds and there was a slight sprinkle of rain.
This was the first fall which has visited this action for nearly a month, and it was most gladly welcomed by all.
’
There was heavy cannonading on our centre yesterday about 11 o'clock, and for a while the impression prevailed among our citizens that a fight was brewing.
But the firing was discontinued in less than thirty minutes, and matters remained unusually quiet during the balance of the day.
The Southern railroad is still inoperative, the enemy being within the vicinity of the Six site
House in large force.
But this does not place the city nor
Gen Lee's army in a state of siege.
We are still in communication with many portions of the
South, and can stand such a siege as
Grant thinks he has estabitioned for twenty years to come.
The raiders.
As the raiders advance upon their line of contemplated operation and become nearly further removed from us, we hear less of their movements.
There is no doubt that they contemplated the effectual destruction of the Danville Railroad and at the time this is written the latest we get from them is up to Friday night, when they were scattered from green
Ray to the . The latter locally is about six miles from Parkville Junction, and the former a station on the
Danville Road, distant ten miles from the
Junction.
Our cavalry who went in pursuit, labored under sertious disadvantages.
The raiders having the start, stole all the fresh horses they could find, while our men were impelled to do the best they could with the horses up in which they started.
We are pleased to hear, however, that the and house burners, have not been allowed to go thus far altogether unpunished.
Our force, by great exertion, succeeded in reaching a portion of the vandale hear Nisttowar Court House on Thursday, an immediately gave them battle.
A hot fight , which was continued from two o'clock until dark, when night closed the contest.
The enemy was seventy punished, and retreated under the cover of darkness.
We were greatly outnumbered, and short of ammunition, but these for qualities were made up for by a consciousness of the justice of our cause.
At one time, we hear that the enemy gained the advantage and had possession of three pieces of artillery, but not
Barringer's gallant North Carolinians, aided by a few companies of
Virginians, under
Gen Dearisy, proved equal to the emergency, and by a broad charge resealed the pieces.
We killed and wounded a large number of the enemy, if prisoners to be believed, and captured thirty-four; all of whom have been received in
Petersburg.
They represent the 3d New York, 22d New York, and 5th Pennsylvania.
We regret to hear that Col
Anderson, of the 2d North Carolina cavalry, was killed.
The enemy, we hear, made diligent search for
Thomas if
Campbell,
Esq.; the Receiver for this district, with resides near the
Court House, but railed to find him.
The raiders stole a large quantity of bacon in their route.
Our of their wagons was filled to overflowing, and a gentleman residing in the vicinity of
Ford's Depot picked up fourteen names after the vandals passed, which had jostled out.
We understand from a gentleman who came down from Northway last evening that the enemy select about 2,500 of their best men, who remain behind to do the fighting, while the remainder go ahead to do the stealing, burning, and other pusillanimous work, in which they so much delight.--For the first time they have killed all the horses which gave out from exhaustion.
Our informant states that the entire route of the enemy is with dead horses.
They have also abolished the practice of shooting the poor animal, but out their throats.
All are found with ghastly gashes, severing the jugular vein, and producing in every case a speedy death.
From Prince George.
A couple of ladies, (
Mrs Armstrong and daughter,) who resided on the farm of
Mrs Anna Dumsden, near the Plankroad, some seven miles from
Petersburg, reached here Saturday.
These ladies tell their desolated home on Friday morning, and were compelled to make a circuit of twenty five miles to get within our lines.
They walked every foot of the way, and, between the hear and dust were well nigh exhausted.
They represent that a large body of the enemy visited their house on Thursday, and stole every dust of meal, every pound of bacon, and every fowl on the plantation.
They even took a pipe out of the mouth of an aged negro woman, and seemed to enjoy a smoke from it with high satisfaction.
Our informants state that the people of Prince George have been stripped of everything, and must unless aid can be secured from some quarter.
The invaders have established a cattle pen in that section, and squads go out daily in every direction, bringing with them cows, oxen, and calves.
A good Samaritan.
Mrs Armstrong and daughter acknowledge their indebtedness to a member of the
Yankee cavalry who, upon visiting their house, and seeing their totally destitute condition kindly brought them a middling of bacon and some bread.
He also guided them around the
Yankee lines and into ours, and then surrendered his horse and revolver to our pickets having resolved to leave the company of such vandals as he unfortunately found himself associated with.
This man reached here Saturday afternoon, and was turned over to the
Provost Marshal by the ladies he had befriended.
