The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-23 00:00:00

[Stamped, Id. Additional.)

arrayed in an arc, both winp restieg on the river, the right
at Banks' Ford. They were arrayed an follows :
Flying Diviaioa. Brooks'.

Rowe's.

Newlce's.

sod Div., Zed Corp.. -
- Together with the Vt. Brigade.
River. River.

We were stringed in two liner of battle. The enemy
attacking, the second division of the second carps and
liowe's at Ant approaching them diagonally from
Frediricksbuly and the country directly beyond. ge-
neral Mills' brigade, consisting of 33rd New York,
77th New York, 20th New York, and 49th New
York, together with the Vermont brigade sod 7th Maine,
bore the brunt of the charge, repulsing the enemy hand-
somely. The Vermont brigade were on the left of Genera
Mills. General Mills' brigade and other troops made a
counter charge ; bat reinforcements coining op to the seem
we were not able to drive them in. The 77th acted nobly,
the 20th New York behaved very disgracefully, es it did
White Oak Swamp, and falling back, brought a croffue
the 33rd. Their colonel, however, conducted bias&
bravely. The other lines of battle were new attacked by
o►erwhelming 'umbers, sad obliged to fall lack to the river.
While the battle was raging terribly our siege gene on
this aide of the river opened a rapid fire on the enemy
from behind, bat Ow Advanced so far in driving our
forces that the shell, OW a short time, failed to reach
than. Oar forces were punned back steadily, musketry
and artillery firing continuing all night. Our guns made
tenible havoc among the enemy, u they charged re-
peatedly upon them in solid column. The artillery re-
served their fire until the charging parties ume within a
few rods, and then poured the shut and canister into them
at a fearful rate. Hung broken the column they would
fall back to a new position, and prepare to receive another
column. General Hayes, of Louisiana ; Gamest Berry, of
Early's division ; and Colonel McDowell, of the
frith North Carolina, were killed, among many other
rebels. General Brooke, on our side, was wounded.
General Mills is killed or wounded, and Wooed Taylor has
command of brigade. Lieut.-Cutout Corning —, 33rd
New York, wounded. LieuL•Colonel Martindale, 26th
New Jersey, killed. And many other valuable officers
lulled and wounded. The Vermont brigade suffered very
severely, as well as many other commands. An officer from
Banks' Ford this morning informs me that the god corps,
together with 20 pieces of artillery, croesed over the pos.
tooas et Beaks' Ford early this morning, and covered
the retreat of the 6th carps on it cams bask
over this side of the Rappahannock. But the srlil•
lery firing which is now going on in the rear of near
ricksburg, inclines me to doubt the statement, and believe
that the corps is still on the other side, trying to fight in
way to the river. lam evening the rebels opened artillery
on the bridges, and damaged one of them considerably, but
it was repaired by oar engineers. One bridge cannot, I
think, be reached by their guns. Our artillery on this side
kept up a rapid fire on the rebel mum daring the night. The
ambulances have been bringing in the wounded all night.
It is reported that Gerund Sickles has been killed on the
extreme right.

Falmouth, Va., Wedeteday Morning, May 6.
The Sixth Army Corps succeeded io cutting its way
through the enemy. reaching this side of the river yesterday
morniog. The rebels made herculean efforts to surround it, but
were foiled in their endeavours. They had succeeded an
getting on three sides of the forte, and thea opened •
battery on the bridge which served for • retreat. Bow
it got away in so good • condition is • great mystery to
all of us. Yet the cove suffered severely, having bees
subjected to the ordeal of four heavy battles within
36 hours, fighting the but two against overwhelming
odds, and when hope of maps seemed well nigh gone.
Prior to this disaster, the Sixth Corps was the finest in the
army of the Potomac. During them seven days' battles, it
has dome the work on the left, from the very first, construct-
leg three of the 'std.'s, &lag all the skirmishing, storming
the Fredericksburg heights, and rushing to the support of
the right. Who is responsible for this successful flank-
ing of the force lam nosh!. say. One thing is true, how-
ever. After taking the heighta, the corps pushed rapidly
on up the river, regardless of heavy firing from guns planted
TERRIBLE FIGHTING. in the wood crest at the left of the city, and as we moved
The following letter is from the correspondent of on in our rear, the road from this crest was unguardedly
the New York Times : left open, and when the overwhelming force of the enemy ap-
MOVEMENTS ON THE LEFT. peithed there was not • corporal'. guard, 10 COMparDlol2, to
resist them. Up to this time everything was working ad-
Falmouth, Virginia, Tuesday, May 5.
mirebly. We ware both in the front and rear of the enemy,
Yesterday two terrible battles WWII fought by the sixth and had we been content to rest on the Fredericksburg
corps, General &killers, reeniting in fearful carnage on heights without pushing on we should have had
both aides. Owing to the suddea appearance of the enemy the rebels in • tight place. All this advintage '
in rear, 1 was unable yesterday to complete my account of is now loot. The heights have been recovered, and
Sunday's operations, and will now go back and refer briefly operations
suspended by us 00 tb• left. The hi.-
to them. After the charge of the flying division on the tory of Sunday, Mooday, and Tuesday would f.uoish volumes
Washington artillery, portion. of Howe's charged up of incidents. The wounded in Fredericksburg, medical
the bill further to the right, under a meet galling fire, sides, dc., were saved by some one organising the stragglers
.capturing four guns. They were taken by Mills's brigade in the streets into • picket line facing the heights taken
and the Vermont —, which suffered the most. One brass pomerion of, thereby causing the enemy to think we had a
12-pounder was charged and taken by the 33rd New York, considerable force both in the city and on this side, which
Colonel Taylor, which afterwards, together with the 77th was far from the case. Dr. Foot, of the 82101 Pennsylvania,
New York, pushed on after the fleeing rebels, who, getting left a wounded man be was dressing, snatched •
under the protection of woods, returned a boo fire. They 0,00k04 and rallied several of the men. These
stood, however, but • short time, and then fled. The earth. pickets, or skirmishers, kept up • firs on the rebels
worts were stormed, twelve guns captured, and the stars
and stripes planted. until all our wounded and stores were got scrod
the river. The remains of Capitals Strong, sth Wiscon-
The various divisions of the corps (6th, General Sedg. sin ; Captain Knickerbocker, 43rd New York ; Captain
wick's) moved rapidly forward up the Gordon.- Robinson, 61st Pennsylvania; Lienteuoms, 43rd New York,
vale turnpike, to the distance of four miles, were interred in the yard of G. H. Rowe, and Sergi Hinman,
skirmishing all the way, where they found the of the 65th New York, together with several others of
enemy ia force, when another battle ensued, in which Brooks, Newton's division, in Robert T. Hunter's yard. The bridges
Newton's, and the Flying division, were engaged—the opposite the city were taken up st daybreak yesterday. The
first suffering severely. The rebels were in a wood, soda last soldier to leave the city vow Alex. Camel, of the 23rd
we advanced to it opened a galling fire. Russell's brigade, Pennsylvania, who delaying, or being left until after the
composed of the 96th and 117th Pennsylvania and 121st bridges were taken up, stripped off his clothes and pushing
New York, made • charge, and suffered @evenly, the 95th them on • boat before him, swain across, Sergi. Frank E.
being almost annihilated. While the battle was program- Holmes, of the 6th Maine infester, • nephew of Vice-Presi-
Mg, the enemy suddenly commenced firiug on our left to the dent Hamblen, was killed in the charge on the enemy's works
rear, and Brooks' division was obliged to change front. The on Monday night. Companies P and C, of the 43rd New York,
battle lasted till dark without any decisive results being ob- Colonel Baker's, were taken prieouers while onpicket, and
tamed on either aide. During the night the woods took fire, ! if I mistake not, all of the picket line of the Flying Division.
and it is feared that many of the wounded on both stelae i The 43rd has only about 200 men left. Lieut.-Colonel
perishedin the flames. Monday morning the rebels suddenly , Hamilton, moo of Dr. Frank Hamilton of New York, distio-
made their appearance ou the hills to the left of Fredericks- ; guiabed himself by the gallant rummer in which he led the
burg, and coming down rapidly occupied the city, thus 62nd New York, in the absence of its colonel. The grape
getting in the rear of the corps. Your correspondent bap- shot taken from the foot of Lieutenant-Colonel Newman, of
mined to bin • farm-house at the point where theydescended • the 31st, is full an inch and a third in diameter—one of
to the plain, sod you can judge of his astonishment on look- 1 the most remarkable pmes on record that this
lug out of the window to see this large force advancing it ' large ball or missile should have remained so loos
the field in front of the home. Moat of the supply trains, ;in his foot without making its presence known. It was
ambelancen, mules, and soldiers in the vicinity were taken. I not removed until Monday afternoon, the wound having
A fleet horse saved me from capture. A serious blunder I been received in the Suodey's charge. He im now
was perpetrated in pushing our fames on so rapidly without doing well. The 16th and 121st New York
asoertetioing whether or not there were any rebels on the . have suffered very severely ; in (net both the
woody heights to the left of the city. One whole corps !Lt and 2nd brigades of General Brooks's division are badly
! came down, and forming in line of battle immediately ' cut up. The 62nd New York has lost very heavily, both
marched after the es cps. The only
way of retreat lay by ii in officers and men. Had our forms not been so outnum-
IBrooke Ford, five miles above the city. General Mil- I tiered by those of the enemy we should have seLniuistered
wick was signaled from this side of the river of the ooadL , a terrible punishment to them when they attacked and
• tioo of affairs, and immediately turning about formed • line drove us towards the river, since we bad the advantage of
of battle facing this way, holding the rebels in check, and , position, being on higher ground. We had such • long
I working down toward the ford. The lines of bade remained • line, however, to defend, that the various regiments had
in this condition until about the middle of the day, when ' to be shifted from point to point to resist fresh attacks of
the rebels attacked us, and were gallantly repulsed—Howe's ' the enemy. We captured • large number of prisoners,
division capturing 300 prisoners. The rebel reinforcements though compelled to leave most of our wounded
bad not fought, while our troops had been fighting more ar :on the field. Nearly one whole brigade, consisting
lam since the previous Tuesday night. For a time it was ,of one general, 20 captains, 30 lieutenants, sod
!seriatim, the corps oould not make communication at Bankie 2,000 privates, which charged upon us, were, lam
Ford, and that the whole of it must be captured. But by moos informed, ensnared into our lines and taken prisoners. I •
a oounexiou was made, and Gen. liedgwick sent fur supplies. trust the information may not prove untrue. We certainly
Meantime the wounded in Fredericksburg were being taken killed the colonel, lieutenant-colonel, and major of the 7th
arrow the pontoons to this side, all of them being got away ' Louisiana, and the lieutenant-colonel and major of the
on the sudden appearance of the enemy on the outskirts sth Louisiana. There is no question as to our having
shove. The doctors, suppcsing, of course, that the enemy ' mowed the rebels down by whole regiments when they
' • would come down sod take them, made all the an augerneuta charged upon our batteries. They lay in heaps upon the
for being taken prisoners ; but for some reason, either battle-field. Not • gun was taken, though so malty charges
' . through fear of our foram above or siege guns on this side of upon them were made. The corps retired in good order
the river, the enemy did not edemas into the town. The ' across the river, saving their camp equipage, mule trains,
positions of the respective armies were then as follows. he., with the exception of • few which were gobbled up in
: Our main force on the north, then the main force of the the monientarypanicwhich er.sued whim theenemy Grit made
' enemy. the Sixth Corps below, corps of rebels still lower, their appearance in our rear ahoy* Fredericksburg. The
• and our heavy inns on this side— a most extraordisary road was filled with ambulances (which had been conveying
siadvrithing of opposing faeces together. Skirmish• the wounded all night to the city from the battlefield of
log occurred along the whole line until half-past five • Sunday evening), pick moles, and vehicles. A part of them
i ' o'clock in the ensuing, when the rebels attacked us Awl back to the city, and • part on to the faros beyond.
• firm two wags. The Union forces were at the time 1 While storming the heights a shell from one of our siege

[TWOPENCE

guns planted on this aide of the river exploded • rebel
cantos behind the redoubts, and killed 16 home. netball
struck the first two in line behind the caisson, after explodbig
it, and burled the 14 others down the steep precipios in the
rear, into the deep yawning chum beneath. They preemie&
a hideous night u they lay at the bottom deed and dying.
Colonel Taylor, of the 33rd New York, reported killed
in the fight of Monday evening, is unharmed.Liewtenent-
Colonel Coning was wounded in the arm. Major Planet
had both of his horses shot. Captains Cole. sod Root sad
Lieut. Porter, of the same regiment, were wounded. Sun.
day morning it numbered 500 meet ; it is estimated that
not more than 200 are left. Too much praise cannot be
awarded to this regiment, the 31st, Colonel Jones, and
other two years' regiments, whose time is up within
two weeks, for the gallant manner in which they
have conducted themselves in the various fights. The
brave boys were beginning to count the days which
intervened between the period of their departure far
home. Yesterday considerable picket-firing took piste
ir.
ye,filmoutly and heavy fighting on the extreme right.
our heavy siege guns commeseed shelbog the
ye the city, and kept it up at intervals during
' . A fearful rainstorm set in shout four o'clock

VlErafterecoa, which meat have ceased the river to rise
rapidly. A hots curs which I stepped over easily at
three o'clock I was compelled to wade three hears later, es
rotundas, doffing my wearing apparel and carrytog it in my
Mad. The storm cautioned all eight, and the weather is
very add mad chilly this mere*, eiessioning wine disease-
fort to the worlds& Very heavy artillery firing has been
I pies ea at the right, ter the Lit hqpr, and if there is a
corresponding amount of musketry another fierce battle is
Ping 00.
Another letter from the same correspondent,
dated Falmouth, May 7 (Thursday evening), gives
an account of the recrossing of the Rappahannock
by Hooker's troops. The movement was effected
in the most orderly manner, he states, and without
the loss of a man. The troops were in the beet
possible spirits and welcomed their officers with en-
thusiasm. The report of General Sickles' death
was incorrect.