Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-04-24
n. n. Herald Army Correspondence
HEADQUARTERS 4TH ARMY CoRPs, }
w q IL ALL 2

The Comma nding General, on the night
of the 18th, made further reconnaissance of
the enemy's position to our extreme right
and after full elaboration with the General.
in-Chpf it was determined to attack tn
enemy's position near to the dam above
Lees Mill, and there to shell large working
parties that the enemy had out, and if cir
cumstances were favorable to push the at
tack and obtain foothold within the enc
my's line.
Yesterday, at about eight o'clock A. NJ,
therefore, one Of the Generals of Division
threw out a party of skirmshers from the
Fourth Vermont (of the Vermont Brigade,
near to the enemy'5 one gun battery, at the
point named, and also advanced New York
battery. Opposite the enemy's works at
that place, there is considerable space clea,
of large wood, but surrounded IN every dI
rection except towards the enemy by dense
forest, and overgro"n with low shrubs and
yong pine. Warwick Creek-from four to
| five feet deep and about twenty rods wide
separates this field from the rebe! battery
In the low shrubs and young pine the Yer
monters made their way right up to the edge
of the stream, and poured upon the enemy
ram VI IIn6 ohOt thdI nc cOUu lOuuu III lulpOS-
sible to withstand, After few moments of
this fire not man was to be seen within the
enemys lines Working parties, gunners,
officers with glasses, al disappeared and
''cover" was the one thing in g.reat demand.
High praise is awarded to the Vermont re-
giment for their craftsmanship and spirit.
Two pieces OF the above mentioned battery
-ten-pounder PARROTS, under Lieut. Flynn
then took up position in the edge of the
wood, at one thousand yards from the enc
my's line, and opened fire, when the enemy
ordvely came up to the business and respond
ed with the large gun in his one gun battery,
and with two others in a battery behind it.
Lieut.. Stewart, with the second section of the
same battery-two twelve-pounder Napoleon
guns-was ordered up, as was also the left
section, under Lieut. O'Donald With this
reinforcement the fire became very heavy
between the artillery On both sides: our
skirmsbers and numbers of the enemy's Skin
mishers also blazed away whenever they
saw chance, and the fight promised to
spread until it should become general all
along the lines. Our fire was very accurate.
Many of our shells burst to nicely at that
very point IN their air-drawn line where il
seemed they could serve their dangerous pur
pose best; and The srtillerymefl roared with
delight. Meantime the remainder of the
Vermont Brigade lay In the woods all around
in easy distance to support the Fourth: aud
ano her brigade, under arms, lay in the field
upon the left Three brigades had gone for
ward from their camp at this point, and were
held in the woods at about two miles from
the scene of the fight,
While the firing went on briskly, the Com
manding General came up, and soon after
Gen. Mcclellan arrived upon the gro nd and
made his h headquarters at house behind the
position of the battery.
AT about ten A. NJ, after two hours sharn
firing, the enemy ceased entirely to respond,
not, it was thought, because his guns had
been disabled, but because our ri1emen had
his position so entirely under fire that it was
about certain death tor bis men to be seen,
Yet, after a short interval, he threw several
shell toward where body of our infantry
was posted, but they fell without effect.
Gen. Mcclellan at this time went down to
the battery, and was received with great
enthusiasm. He congratulated the Captain
upon bis accurate fire, and complimented the
battery as tone that could be depended
upon
Two or three men had been wounded
among our sklrmishers, and the battery had
lost in killed and wounded seven mem
When our guns took their first position, the |
enemy had the exact range, and in three |
shots cleared gun No. l of all but a sergeant
and corporal. Three men we're killed and
four wounded at this place.
Though the two rebel batteries, which had !
thus far been active, were now virtually
''silenced,' no one, as we have suggested. !
deemed that they were permanently so |
and it appeared to lie well enough under
STOOD that the enemys game was to play |
"possum" and draw US on. Yet il was now |
deemed necessary to know with some degree |
OF certainty the enemy's force at this point
and his disposition to fight. Upon consulta-