Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1862-05-16
SPLENDID ADVANCE OF TIE ENEMY.


Still the fire grew hotter in the woods, anu
in few minutes, at point fully half mile
away from The battery, the enemv's men be
gan to file out of the cover and form in the
opon 6Uid. twas hold, and proved al ex-
peasive way to handle men. Wheeler opened
his guns On the instant, and the swath Of dead
that subsequently marked tho course of the
brigade across the open 6eld began 1T that
spot, At tho same moment also the skirlnish-
ers in the fold began their fire. Still the cne-
my formed across the opening with ad-
mirable rapidity and precision, and ns coolly as
il the fire had been directed elsewhere, and
tAen came on at the double quick step. in three
distinct lines firing as they came. All sounds
were lost for few moments in tho short roar
Of tho 6eld pieces, and in the scattered rattle
and rapid repetition Of the musketry. Natu-
rally their lire could do us, under the circ I'M
stances, but little harm, aud thus wo had them
at fair advantage, ard every nerve was
strained to mako the most Of it. Still they
came or. They were dangerously near. Al
ready the skrmishers to the loft had fall
en- back to their line. and tho skirmish~
ers to the right had taken cover be-
hind the rail fence that ran from the house
to the woods; but from thence they blazsd
away earnestly az cvor Yet the guns are out
there, and thoy are what ;hose- fellows want
and in tho next instant the guns are silent
For moment, in the confusion and the smoke,
nne might almost suppose that The soemy had
than bnu in a moment more the guns emerge
from the safe side of the smoke cloud, ard
away they go across the fold to point near
the upper rsdouot There again they are IN
limberod, and again they play away. Farther
back also 90 tho skirmishers. AMI now for
a few moments the rebels had tho partial cover
of the farm and outbuildings; but they Rrw
that they had all their work to do over,
and 30 they came on again. Oncs more
they are in n lair open Hsld, exp 1scd both
to artillery and nusketry but ths time the
distance they have got to 90 wa rot SO
great. They move rapidly, there, how
ever, is another dangerous line Of infantry
they arc near to US; but We also are near to
them. Scarcely hundred yards were bo-
tween them and the guns when our Ekirmish
fire becalue silent tho lines Of the Fifth Wis.
consul ard tho Forty Third New York formed
I'D in close order to the right of the battery,
tho long range of muaket barrels came to one
level, and one terrible voiley tore through the
rebel line. In moment more the same long
range of muskets came to another levcl--the
order to charge with the baJonet was given,
and away went thu two regiments with one
glad cneer. Gallant ss our foes undoubtedly
were, they couldn't meet that. But few bri
gades mentioned in history have dono better
than that brigade did. For space which was
generally estimated at three. quarters Of a mile
they had advanced under the tire of a splendid
ly served battery, asd with cloud of skirn.
ishers stretched across their 'front.' whose FIR,
was very destructive; and if after that, they
had not the nerve to meet limo of baynnets
that came towards them like the spirit Of de-
struction incarnste, it need not to be wondered
at. They broke and fed in complete panic.
One hundred and forty-dTe were taken
prisoners. Nearly Eve hundred were killed
and wounded.
At daylight this morning it was discovered
that the enemy had left during the night, and
taken all their guns and baggage, and OUT