Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1862-04-03

inentS ana UdtteTE Oh tiio Ase Siui"
regiment. The reserves consisted of the
l2th Indiana, the seth Illinois and q
squadron of the Michigan cavalry.
There is a rad which turns 10 the right,
away from the turnpike, and bends forward
in the direction of the enemy-a poor clay
road-and as it approaches the enemy's
lines is covered with thick woods on either
side. 1t was behind these woods that the
enemy bad placed their infantry and cav.
airy, and several pieces of artillery were in
position commanding the road, extending
also, as above described. as far and even
beyond the turnpike. From this position
of the forces, the rebel infantry and cavalry
being concealed by the woods opposite our
right flank, it was evident that most was
ito be feared from the enemy in that quar-
| ter.
THE FIGHT.
The first and heaviest fire was, however,
on our left, they hoping by that means to
draw our attention and forces in that dl-
rection, and by a sudden onset and charge
of the infantry and cavalry upon our right
to outfiank US. The attempt WAS entirely
unsuccessful, and the fire was directed a
gainst the right.
The forces thus placed were under n
continual fire of the batteries of the enemy,
returning the same most vigorously and
constantly, while our men dropped down
one after another, and the groans of the
wounded were added to the roar of the ar
tilIery through five long hours, from half
past ten till half past three. From that
onward until dark the fight was one of
musketry-of close haud to hand con-
ficts, of hazardous charges and of dss-
perate slaughter. The order was given to
the whole right wing to charge, and, led
on by Colonel Tyler, they rushld fearlessly
and fought bravely till the enemy was
forced to retreat.
Gen. Shields was unable to appear on
the field in person, and the command in the
field developed upon Acting Brigadier
Kimble, who led our centre: and our right
was commanded by Acting Brigadier Gen.
Tyler, while Colonel Sullivan directed the
operations on our left. The battle ragged
along the whole line with great fury from
eleven a. m. till halfhalf two p. M, when
General Shields, who received accounts Of
the progress Of the fight on bis couch, Or
dered the right, where the contest ragged
tho hottest, to charge upon the enemy
That was an awful charge. The left of the
enemy prepared to repel our gallant
troops, but their rush was as irresistible as
the tide in the Bay of Fundy.
Previous 10 this time our line of battle
had been somewhat changed. The s4th
Pennsylvania reinforced our right, and al
so battery of artillery. Our whole force
now engaged was about six thousand men,
while that of the enemy was at the lowest
estimate eight thousand. The rebels had
also changed their line, and extending
both their wings, presented a concave front
to our army. They had also reinforced
their left wing, and the charge to be made
by our right was all important in its con-
sequences. On it, at three o'clock, de-
pended the fate of the entire battle. The
gallant Ty yler led the charge, sword in hand
at the head of the line. The rebels fired
from the woods with artillery and small
arms, while our men advanced against
their murderous showers of lead and iron,
returning few shots and reserving their fire.
Up to this time the armies had not been
much nearer to each other than three hun
dred yards, unless in some few instances.
The wood was soon cleared at the point of
the bayonet, our men dischargiDg their
pieces at twenty and even five yards dis
lance from the rebels, aud then dashing at
them with the bayonet.
FLIGHT CT THF ENEMY.
The rebels fought well, however. They
contested the ground foot by foot, and
marked every yard of it with blood. Re-
tlrIng behind their stone wall, on the ridge,
our men jumped over after them and drove
them along in the greatest confusion and
with fearful slaughter upon their centre
The panic communicated. Kimbled Or
dered charge along the whole line, and
for short time the fighting was most
desperate. The roar of the cannon was
no longer heard, unless in occasional
bursts of fitful explosions, and the rattle of
musketry was more boisterous than ever,
and sounded like the noise made by a very
close thunder clap, except that it was
sharper and continuous. The rourof the
rebels had fairly commenced, however, and
two of their guns and caissons were now
ours and though many of them turned and
fired again and again at our pursuing host,
many more threw away musksts and bay
onets without hesitation. Darkness and
] the extreme fatigue Of our troops, however,
saved the enemy for the time, and we re-
tired about two miles and bivouacked till
yesterday morning. At-daybreak General
Shields ordered the rebel position to be
attacked, and the the enemy, after reply
ingly by few shots from his artillery, con-
tinusd his retreat.
Meantims General Banks, who had been
at Harper's Ferry, arrived and taking
command of the troops in person, is now
continuing the pursuit with about ten thou
sand men, and at the latest accounts had
pressed the rebels beyond Middleburgh,
cutting off many straglers and pressing the
enemy very sorely. The object is to cap
ture his whole force, if possible. 1t was
not till yesterday that any of the force of
General Williams arrived on the field, and
then they were too late to participate in
the action. They joined in the chase
The loss of the enemy in killed and wound
=. L L.. l.