The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1863-05-13

IL.
Ell Was battling " III incomplete success. Soon.
however, our hopes were somewhat stayed. II
WAS found that the rebels had rallied. and were
approaching toward our extreme left. Brooks
Division which had heen comparatively inactive
during the dav was ordered o. attack them.
and "a sharp action occurred which continued
I'LL after dark. The Divisions OF Howe paused
upon their march toward Hooker. and rendered
efficient assistance Brooks ID .Fl~ion however
bOre the hrunt OF thr engagement a-d lost
greatly tA0agA the enemy were driven back.
losing heavily In killed. wounded aud prison
r.
Fatigue and darkness closed lhe l-ht Which
may he renewed In the morans
Tee Head correspondents SAWS.
l. would apoear that after the struggle Of
SUNDAY Gen Lee detached q large body oi bis
main army 10 81 down aad meet % >ctg
wick. l. s a'so kaoRn thar Geu- lor -str,et
was rapidly getting into ti rear 90 t.at line
Early Monday morl.a- large masses So rebels
appeared 90 the he'-hth~ % iAe Easi Of Fred
ericksburg, which hal been partially evacuated
bv our forces 10 order 20 strengthen SeiEw ick :
column. Those remaining made but d bret
resistance and relinquished the uo>iiiou 90 the
enemy, having 0rsi rehr pushed al. their guns
Some fighting occurred above Fredericksburg,
I
bat il Is supposed 10 have been az effort 10
/ bold she rebels from moving up GO reinforce the
/ body engaged sg4inst SedgNick Ia las, how
ever. Ne were unsuccessful. lt J. generally IN
iersiOod that this force was Longsireet's col
ana iUs, arrived from Suffolk
/ On Mondas Gea Ssdswck VAS holly engaged
/ throughout he entire DAY, D. enemy prcs-i, <
hin Al al points aud cutting him up badly. lis
men We're obliged to give way before the over
uhelming masses OF the enemy constantly, and
| his discontinue seemed certain, when the ga
laat Vermont brigade made a noble charge re-
pusing the rebels in fine style, and securing the
safety Of that portion Of the army. The sAug'
ter OF the enemy ia this action, which occurred
in close proximity 10 Banks Ford, IS without
parallel in the history Of warfare, considering
the number OF men engaged Whole brigade.
Of rebels were literally wiped out, but thoii
force WAS 80 msLy times greater than that ~
the command OF Gen Sedwick. that il vas INA
possible that ao could hold his position and IL
therefore concluded to eKtficate hiaseii by re-
crossing the river.
This hazardous eIpedient wa attempted and
successfully carried out betweea midnight ans
Two O'clock yesterday morning. The enemy
held positions with their artillery, rakiug oul
bridges over which SedgEick vas obliged e
move HE men, necessarily creating some cOniu
sion IN our ranks as the columns moved over
and causing considerable los OF lie They alse
pressed notlv upon bis rear when they discov
cred be vas retrcating, and harra-sed him inces
santy But be succeeded in getting his fore,
over As above stated il wonderful good order
aud marched Immediately ia the direction Of "a,
United States ford To join the main arm, snde
Hooker.
THE WITHDRAWAL.
New York. May = $50 \ M-The Hc,aL
has just issued the following extra:
USmED STATES Ford. May &. S A. Nj
Yesterday morning the trains were all ordere,
back 10 camp. and by dark the whole cxtr.
caissOns, pack mules. &c, were at Falmouth
The wounded were hastily removed from th
hospitals and sent To Washington leaving moth
ing on the other side except infantry and ar
tillery. About O'Clock a. commenced raining
deluging the roads. tearing up corduroy
sweeping away bridges and threatening IN
destruction of the poutoons. The river roa
with great rapidly. and soon overlooked %,
ends Of the pontoons. rendering crossing i'm
practicable The upper pontoons was taken IA
aud used % Tightening ont the others and ai
Ter several aours very hard labor the bridge
were once more ready. Pine boughs wcr'
spread upon the pOntoOns 90 prevent the nOi~
Of crossing. and about midnight our troop
commenced falling back The first corps va
the first To cross and is now nearly all over
The third corps remained la the entrenchment
to cover our retreat.
Ii is hoped the army will reach this sid
before the enemy discovers the retreat hu
cannonading has commenced quite iiercely "A
the front. and "a desperate battle is not an inn
probable event We can doubtless retire acres
the river without seriou, loss. but Il discoyore,
in oar attempt the struggle will be fierce Un
molested the troops can Get over by noon
The roads are IN terrible condition. almost a.
bad Is when Burnside fOundcred here last win
ter. Our sick are lying in the roads hui am
balances are coming up 10 remove them
There was no fighting yesterday Of anl
consequence. The shaTpshooters were quite
active. aud artillery opened occasionally bu
the results are unimportani. Tho enemy cvi
IDENTIFY mas-ed his army on oar right Hith o..
view. IL is lieved. OF eros ing above and at
tackin- us on flank and rear. The high water
however. viii Illustrate that movement Thre.
pontoon trains are down near Hamilton eros
sing, and some fears have been cntertainec
that the rebels would make a demonstration
across the river below Frederick burg.
4 great many of our wounded have falleT
INTO the hands Of The enemy. Oar dead on The
battle field Of Sunday are still uuburiod. AND
the wounded undoubtedly dying ia great Ium
ber- for want OF attention. DI Johnson, Med
ical Inspector OF the Army. bias volunteered 6,
20 over with corps Of -urreon- and TAX
/ charge OF our wounded. H. VIII az lhahly hs
sent across az soon as possible
4 Washington dispatch Of the 9Th says.
/ is a-certained from the front that the army
has arrived with an its mai rial the old camp
at Falmouth. The demonstration by Hooker
proved n0 disaster. bat simply failure owing
10 the impracticahility 81 The position which
the army had gained with 20 much kill aud
energy Less thsn three eighih- OF the
whole force was engaged OF could be- engaged
the ground being covered with a forest and
being without any practicable roads.
Our entire los. killed. wounded and missing.
doe not exceed l0.000- honorably 10 the army
but lamentahy 10 The country the greatest
proportion o. them 90 killed and wounded. -
our loss Of prisoners does not exceed LOO
W. have captured 2 400 prisoner from fhe
enemy. We io-i eight guns and to0h t.c ..m.
number from tie enemy. The enemy lo-s in
killed, wounded and missing must have been
double ours.
The REIMBURSEMENT o. our position wa made
simply because ID afforded no field for naneu-
vering an army, and not from any reverse or
injury sustained hy it. The General and entire
army are IN excellent heart. and ready for a
Dew movement We will probably not know
whore IL is 10 BE- made until after II has been
conn elced.
The Washington Morning Chronicle 81 TIE
sth contains the following:
Time only can developc the prec So ?. aso1-