The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-05-13
Ho0KEB,s sREAT RATTLEs or
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, WAY
ed And I'D.

? -
lc-rrespondense tf The SeueYork lines
HEApouARrKBs n THE FIEID, NEAR cHAs-
cELLoRsyII1.E, Sunday, May 3, 6 Pm.
~ BATTLES OF SATURDAY.
The military situation OF, Saturday morn
ing stands as follows. Our main force holds
the position at Chancellorsville, confronting
the main rebel army now nlassed opposite u.s.
Howard's corps has the extreme nght-then
a division Of SickleS' corps--then Slocum--
then Couch-then Meade on theleft, Hum
phrey's division of Meade's corps holding the
extreme of the left. Working parties have :
been employed during the whole night IN
throwing mp breass works, ard the woods have
resounded with the strokes ef a thousand AK
men telling trees for the purpose of construct
ing abattis. We hear the rebels, not half
mile distant, at work with the same view, 3
and in the morning both armies are well en-
trenched 1t viii now be who viii come out
and give battle. Hooker is determined to
put forth all resources of the craft of which
| he is a eonsunlmate master to tempt them
out.
| Here follows minute detail of the dispo-
sition of Hookers forces, indicating the col
lossal plan which Gen. Hooker had marked
out for the campaign. The fight commenced
in the morning. and was continued with spir-
it and bravery on our side, and with d spera-
ton by the rebels. The correspondent gives
the 70 lowing account of the disgraceful aban-
donment Of their ground by the German
troops, and the cool bravery, and fertile mill
itary resources Of Gen. Hooker in meeting
4 and retrieving the terrible disaster The bay
onet charge that followed was as magnificent
as it was successful. The correspondent gives
4 the following details:
All 4 P. NJ the rebels are moving down in force
\ on the plank road, where we had little be-
| fore made the reconnaissance. Geary's divis-
! ion OF =SioeunI's corps is sent in on the doub-
/ le-quick othewoods--their bay onets FASH
/ ing in the7sunhght A sharp contest ehsues.
! andin few minutes theyco back in dis
order. Abortion of Kane's brigade, compos-
ed of raw troops, had broken, and thrown the
| column into confusion.
I An aid from Sloeum comes to ask Gen
I Hookerif if he can have reinfoTcements sNo.,
he must hold his own. Howard viii. Of
Ecourse, support him from the right. Let
/ Geary's division, however, BE- thrown te the
right of the road, so that the artillery may be
able to sweep-the enemy on the. LETT This
| treatment presently repaired the damage, aud
checked the hope of the rebels being able to
/ pierce our center. II s#g sf @
| Folied IN this, they BOW repaired to make
a ysiH more desperate dash on our right faIikt'
| We were aware that they had been Ins ssing
against that point all the afternoon, and the
terrific treble of the demoniae yell with which
| the rebels always rush into battle announced
| their approach from the woods by the Cui- z
pepper plank road Jaeksen's whole eofis.
reinforced by NJ. b. Hills division, number
| ing in all forty Thousand men, had prccipita-
/ ted themselves eon HowaFd'S corps forming
our extreme right wing Phiss corps is COM
| posed of the divisions of Schurz, Steinwcbr,
and Devin, and consists in great part of Ger
man troops Without waiting for a single g
voIley from the rebels, thiseorps disgraeefuI-
! llyl' abandoned their position behind their
breastworlzs, and commenced coming, panic
/ stricken, down the road toward headquarters.
/ Our right was thus completely turned, and
/ thesrebels in the fair way of doubling as up.
1t was a critical situation, and ebroueh cut
/ the superb resources Of Gen. Hooker He
was IN the saddle in a'monIent, calm and cool
the master of assituation it to overnlaster
the most. The first thing was to check the
rebel advance, which must become fatal If
! allowed to go Oh much further.
/ It was terrible. animated scene. The
whole open plain presented such spectacle
as the simoom might make in the DESERT
! Through the dusk of nightfall a Tushing 2
| whrlwind of men and artillery swept over
7 the plain. The shattered, fleeing columns of
men were rushing down aud over as at head
quarters 9s9i s
Hoofers dispositions were made in mo-
ment. Whom, of all others, should he send
in at this fearfuliy critical monent, but the
I darling child sof his own ereation-hs own
4 old corps, now commanded by Gen. Berry.
General '' shouted the Commander,
] ''throw your men into the ebreach-.eceive the
enemy on your bayonets--dob't fire shot
I they can't see tyou.,' 9siss5F s. sslss
I . OH 1T was sight bosee that glorious band
rush at the double-quick to the rescued Press
ing up in their horf;d array of glittering steel,
1 the enemy's advance was quickly checked,
and he had to withdraw to the line of breast
works just vacated by the eleventh corps.
i Batteries were Immediately sent up in
thunderous elamort to the front, and Captain
Best, Chief of Artillery of Slocum's corps,
massed twenty pieces on the crest near Gen.
Siekles'{ headquarters; and a terrific fire was
opened Jon the enemy. and kept up far into
the night. e .0E zgatg.ftl 4 a.
Ifa ss- sUNpAYss RATTLE.
= NowI come to Sunday It was perfectly
evident, from the positionof affairs ON Satui-
day night, that there must be a.change of our
/ lines, which would throw the enemyaout of
our rear and into our front again. 1t will be
seen by what skillful generalship the enemy
4 was fought and checked on 'front.' and flank >
and rear, whilesthis was being sdone5a
| Is Gen. Reynolds First Army Corps arrived
at United States Ford on Saturday afternoon
4 It was iuamediatey put into zpositiois on our
4 fright, which was withdrawn from the plank
4 road to the Ely's Ford turnpike. This lire
was immediately formed by Generals Rey-
nolds and Meade, the latter's position. on the
/ left, having been relieved by Gen. Howard,s
4 Eleventh Corps which, notwithstanding its
! disorganzed condition was so far reorganized
duripg the light as to- be fit for duty again
this morning. They were assigned the posi-
7 ton on the left, where it was probable there
would be little or no fighting, and were pro-
tected by the strong works built the day be-
fore by Gen. Meade,s corpse. Our new line
now assumed the shapeof a triangle rFe
lonsed at the apex, the rghtiof it being sosae- :
what longer, than the left As the portion
] of the line on the right was new, time was 2
z necessary to fortify and intreDch it. and the
4 work was carried on vigorously by rhe Eff h
and First army corps. s95.sa s ~ salst3 .ss
i Itwas very evident at daylight this morn
ing that the day wonld bring forth aEterrific
battle. We know that the enemy had l,een ).
reinforcing his line all night at the exlssilse.
undoubtedly of the strength of his force oil-
4 our left. His intention was evidently. .so.s
fight for the possession of the plank road.
which it was perfectly apparent he must have,
q as that portion of;it which xvethen held, was
4 subject to the eneray,s assaults, in front ard