ARMY OF THE JAMES.
BATTLE BEFORE RICHMOND.
October 7, 1864.
The enemy under General Anderson, on this day, attacked the extreme right of the army of the James, their object being to distract the attention of General Grant from his intended operations against the rebel left. The attack was made at about daylight, and lasted till noon. Kautz’s cavalry, posted on the Central road, was first assailed, and a simultaneous charge was made against the line of the Tenth corps, commanded by General Birney, who took the field on this occasion, although ill, and suffering severely from malarious fever. The rebel divisions engaged were those of Field and Hoke.
Their first movement was, in a measure, successful. They succeeded in almost surrounding Kautz’s cavalry, and driving it back, in a sort of panic, to the rear, where however, it was immediately rallied.
The artillery in this fight,—Battery B of the First United States, and the Fifth Wisconsin Battery,—did efficient service, and was handled with great skill and courage. Colonel Sumner’s New York Mounted Rifles also distinguished themselves by a bold stand, to cover the confusion of Kautz’s retreat, and enable General Birney to seasonably perfect his line of battle. At ten o’clock the rebels made a determined assault on Birney’s line, and the battle became general. Artillery was employed with great effect, and the loss in this branch of the service was uncommonly severe, attesting the fury of the rebel attack. Battery E of the Third United States Artillery, lost three men killed, and nine wounded, and fourteen horses killed. Battery D of the First United States lost one man killed, and four wounded, and ten horses killed. Battery C of the Third Rhode Island, and the Fifth New Jersey Battery also suffered severe losses. But the brunt of the battle was borne by the Second Brigade—in the centre—upon which the rebels made their most desperate and pertinacious attack. They were met by a destructive fire from a line of carbineers, which, falling back, gave place to another line, from which the fire was even more deadly. Still the enemy pressed over piles of his own dead and wounded, and still the fire of the carbineers continued, the woods being resonant with the continuous rattle and roar of musketry. At last, baffled and utterly routed, the rebels gave up their enterprise, and retreated—only stopping when safe within their works along the James river, and in Richmond. General Grant computed the Union loss in this engagement at about three hundred; and the rebel loss at upwards of one thousand. In effect, the Union forces repulsed a formidable attack, which, had it succeeded, would have cost them the loss of very strong and important works, and an advanced position beyond Deep Bottom. But the rebel movement utterly failed, nor was General Grant for a moment deterred in his proposed operations against the rebel left. The Confederate General Gregg was killed in this battle, and several other rebel officers of distinction were wounded. About one hundred and fifty prisoners were captured by the Union forces.