The War News.
In front of
Petersburg everything continues quiet, and, so far a present indication go, is likely to remain so for some time to come.
On Thursday the enemy opened on the city with heavy guns, to which our batteries promptly responded, and for two hours a brisk artillery duel was kept up. We are informed that the enemy's guns ceased firing first, which indicates that they got the worst of it Nothing of especial importance occurred yesterday.
A report was brought by the train from
Petersburg last evening that about 11 o'clock a body of the enemy's cavalry, having taken a circuitous route from their main army, dashed down upon
Dearing's camp, on the road to Dinwiddie Courthouse, intending to surprise and capture the whole command.
Dearing's men, however, were fully prepared, and repulsed them with ease, driving them back to their lines.
A number of prisoners were brought over last evening and assigned quarters in the Libby.
Colonel Thompson B. Lamar, of
Florida, who was wounded on the 20th ultimo on the Weldon railroad, died in
Dinwiddie county on Tuesday last.
He was a brave and gallant officer.
We have news of fighting near
Atlanta, but the accounts thus far received are confused and unsatisfactory.
It is stated that on Wednesday last the enemy's entrenchments were attacked and taken by
Generals Stephen D. Lee and
Patrick Cleburne, with
Hardee's corps; but the enemy having received heavy reinforcements, no decisive advantage was gained by our troops.
We are not informed whether this attack was made upon the enemy's right, on the West Point railroad, or on his left, on the
Sandtown road.
The
Yankees, in their change of position on the 26th ultimo, abandoned the Georgia railroad and swung around until their right rested on the West Point railroad, south of
Atlanta, with the view of interrupting our communications.
The attack on Wednesday may have been an effort to dislodge them from this position.
That the engagement was not general along the entire length of the lines is manifest from the fact that only a portion of our forces participated; but the confused nature of the accounts thus far received renders it impossible to give any intelligible idea of the situation.
The action was still in progress on Thursday, but we have thus far no account of the result.
The people of
Atlanta were gainers by the change in the enemy's position, inasmuch as it relieved them from the severe shelling to which they had been subjected for four weeks previously.
The works abandoned by the
Yankees were found to be very strong, consisting, in some places, of five lines of fortifications thrown up, one in the rear of the other.
The batteries bearing upon
Atlanta were not so formidable in appearance, but they occupied positions from which almost every building of prominence was visible, and afforded the artillerists the most desirable targets.
Nothing of importance has occurred in the vicinity of
Mobile since the surrender of
Fort Morgan.
The people are making vigorous preparations for the defence of the city, having resolved that it shall be held to the last extremity.
A New York paper, speaking of the chances of
Farragut's trying his heavy artillery further up the bay, says:‘"It is well that public expectation should not be too exacting.
The achievements thus far are of incalculable benefit; but the demand for the presence of a portion of the fleet at the entrances to
Wilmington become hourly more pressing."’
There is work here in store for our fleet, we take it, even more urgent than the immediate capture of
Mobile."
The truth is, that the
Yankees are so dumbfounded at the proceedings of the
Tallahassee, and the apprehensions that "more of the same sort" are to follow in her wake, that they now call upon
Farragut to relinquish his present hopeless task and aid in the rescuing of their commerce from certain ruin.