The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-05-09

NOSSA NNNOu III WulCn JtleI
was one large howitzer. Both fanks c
this hill were completely swept by tn
tre of works of the same character o.
either side.
THE APPROACHES.
To the left (our left) of this position
was an open ploughed field, on the fur
| ther side of which were the stone walls
10 the right was an open green plain
and here there were no pits at the foo
OF the hill; so the way was clear to tht
crest, though of course every inch of il
was under fire. Worst of all, perhaps
was the central approach, which was the
road. Though, at its exit from the town
this road is covered by few houses, il
is falrly under fire all the way. and at the
ascent of the hill it is a mere gulch
broken and stony, and an awful place
stor men to be packed in under plunging
hre OF grape and canister. in addition to
the musketry FIRE.
WHO SToRMED THE HILL.
The right column was formed of the
6lst Pennsylvania regiment, Col Spear,
and the 4Sds New Yotk, Col: Baker. 1t
was supported, as we have said, by two
regiments IN Epss 1tlha-} -}Hese two regi-
ments were part of Shaler's brigade,
and Shaler went with them.
The left column of attack was formed
of the 1th Massachusetts, Col. Johns, and
the Both New York, Lieut. Col Welsh.
This column was supported by two regi-
ments in line of battle and regiment of
skirmishers in the open field to the left.
These skrmishers were the 43d New
York. The regiments in line were the
9th Maine and the 9th Wisconsin. These
two columns and their supports num-
bered in all about 5000 men. They
moved out of the town to the assault at
about ii a. m.
As soon as they came well into the
enemy's field of fire the terrible fusillade
began. Col. Spear, at the head of his
regiment. was one of the first hit, and his
fall affected his men, so that they
wavered and fell into confusion and dis
order, and communicated it to the Forty
third, behind them, and much of the
ground already gained was lost. For
this column it was, so far, fair repulse.
But in this critical juncture Col. Shaler,
with magnificent gallantry, rallied the
column, brought it up to the work once
more, and took it on up the hill.
Meantime, in the left column, matters
were somewhat the same. The Colonel
of the Massachusetts Seventh was hit,
and his regiment faltered also, but was
rallied handsomely by Col Walsh, of the
Both New York, and with those glorious
fellows it went on once more. The sup
ports in the open plain drew the enemy's
fire heavily, but they went on steadily
from the first, and went into the work
with the rest Indeed Col Burnham, of
the 9th Maine, claims that the colors of
his regiment were first planted on the
hill
Many of the enemy men were slain
in their places in the pits where they
eFeff a5 il 6hhf ;hhf lffs ffen 'caffnbered over the
wall.
Colonel Spear, of the 6lst Pennsylvania
Volunteers; Major Basset, of SD Penn
sylvania Volunteers; Maj. Faxon, of the
36th New York; Major Haycock, of the
9th Maine, with Captains Ballings, Young
and Gray of that regiment, were killed
in this assault Colonel Jones, of the
7th Mass, was wounded here
By this success the place was ours; the
enemy s line gave way precipitately; our
men entered at several points at once,
and we captured eight guns and from
eight hundred to thousand prisoners
Part of the force that occupied Mary's
Hill was Barstows brigade, esteemed an
excellent one in the rebel service, COM
posed of the 18th, 18th, 18th, and 2lst
Mississippi regiments.
Troops were brought from the differ
ent localities in which they had remain
ed under cover, and formed at once
There were to be two columns of attack,
supported as the nature of the ground
required, the right column by two regi-
ments in column; the left column by a
line of battle and skirmishers, in the
open field to the left (our left) of the po-
sition.
Our loss will probably reach a thou
sand in killed and wounded.
AFFAIRS IN THE NEW SITUATION.
Before this fight General Hooker and
Charlottesville, which is or the plank
road that runs directly west from Fred
ericksburg Down this road, and con-
sequently toward the scene of the fight
between Hooker and Lee, the rebels fed
in demoralized rout They probably
reached Lees army on Sunday night
Such body of men in such condition
could be no accession to any ones forces
But close on the heels of these men, and
consequently upon the rear of Lees army
as it fights Hooker, goes the victorious
Sixth corps-the gallant diYHiSiadpsf hiad f5Hss 5Hf
pursuit and onward movement was
already begun in one hour after the enc
mys position was carried; for Brooks s
division, which had slept on Saturday
night, and was not engaged in Sunday $
battle, was consequently fresh, and this
division was in the advance and went for
ward in the highest spirits. Hooker was
only ten miles away, and Lee was be-
tween, and this was at two P. m, on Sun
dav with the roads in good order