Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1863-05-07


Another use was also made of tina bridg-
ss; for in a short time after the Sixth
corps occupied the town Gibbons division
OF the Second corps crossed TO participate
in the struggle, and that also was in the
streets in the lower part of the town.
Brooks division Of the Sixth corps had
not come with us. We had here Newton's
division, Howe's division, the light division
and Gibbons division of the Second corps,
all massed in the town and fairly in front
Of tn very position that Sumner had vain
ly eudeavored to carry last whit err.
WEAK POINTS SOUGHT.
After skirmishing and feeling for COM
paratlvely undetended points in several
directions, supposed pregnable place was
discovered, for which Gibbons infantry
was put in motion
Far away to the right, across the green
plain and towards the hillside, they moved
in column, and at them also the enemy
began to throw shell. As Gibbons line
thus advanced to the,right bad place in
the road caused the Twentieth Massachu-
sets to become somewhat massed, and the
enemy suddenly opened upon 1t fire of
grape and canister, which proved very
destructive. As General Gibbon went to
the right, the enemy's anen were sent in
that direction to meet them. AS they had
the shorter lines, the same men could be
employed at whatever poiat we might
threaten. Thus ten thousand men should
have been equal to at least fifty thousand
and we did not have more than fifteen
thousand on the field.
Away on dhe left Howe did Just what
G,bbon did on the right, and Newton did
the same IN the centre; yet, with all,
though men were killed and wounded
plsntIhlly, there was nothing done. Every
battle has these periods of indefinite en-
deayCr, from which some one fact epertu-
ally shapes itself out, and becomes the fact
of the occasion. So it was here, and
while in every direction the artillery
Buffers battery, Heximer's, McCarney's,
Harris's, Hazards, Adams and some
others - Numbered at the enemy while
Howe felt for a chance on the left and
Gibbon fonnd every point equally difficult
on the right, plan Of assault was deter
mined upon, to be made by the Third and
Eighth divisions under General Newton
against the enemy's centre.
Yet, distinguished officer had said,
only short time before, that 8" 10 attempt
to carry the place by storm would be a
waste Of life"
ATTEMPTS to storm were to be made SIM
ultaneously by Gibbcn on the rlght, HoWe
on the left, and Newton on the centre, ana
were so made; but inasmuch as Newton's
was the successful attempt-as he was the
first to penetrate the line, and as when the
line was once penetrated at one point it
was no longer tenable any where - New
toms assault appears to deserve the espe-
cial honor.
WHERE THE ASSAULT WAS MADE,
IL was mace on the cen'. - against Ma
ryes Hiii Direct. west, out Of the town
% N.sonrg, runs road that finally
reaches Ch.ancellorsville. Just in the out
skirts of the town, at mnch less than a
mile fropa the main street, this road as
cends a hill that, while it is sufficiently
steer, to render the ascent tollsome, is not
Sc, steep as to render any the less effective
. the fire of artillery and musketry. This
is Marye's Hill (the name is pronounced
Marcel, and at the summit of this hill is
Marye's House. Near the hill road
leaves the Charlottesville road, runs to-
| wards the south across the front and right
| of the hill at It's base. The latter road
has a substantial stone wall on each side Of
it, and these roads, with little assistance
from the spade, had been converted into
excellent breatworks. About the centre Of
the first wall was little house which
made the position the stronger, and this
was only the base of the hill. No artillery
fire could touch those walls, for it was a
sunken road, and, though the walls were
four feet high in the road, in the fields
their tops were level with the surface.
Thus, as seen by our batteries, there were
actually no walls there. Behind the Sc
cond line of pits rises the hill, and arounc
its whole crest runs well constructed
earthwork, in which there was one large
howitzer Both TANKS of this hill were
completely swept by the fire of works o
| the same CHARACTER Oil eltucl oluc-
THE APPROACHES.
| TO the left (our Left of this position
was an open ploughed field, on the farther
side of which were the stone walls. To
the right was an open green plain, anc
here there were no pits at the foot of the
hill so the way was clear to the crest
though of course every inch Of it was I'M
der 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, it is fairly I'M
der fire all the way, and at the ascent Of
the Hill it is mere gulch, broken and
stony, and an awful place for men to be
packed in under plunging fire of grape
and canister, in addition to the musketry
| fire.
WHO sToRMED THE HILL.
The risht column was formed of the six
ty-frst Pennsylvania regiment, Colonel
Spear, and the forty third New York, Col