The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-05-09

aLtack was entirely successful, communlca-
ton was restored, and in q charge made by
the brigade, a portion of the artillery lost
by Howard was gallantry retaken by Gen.
Hobart Ward. 3se,a
This night attack was the most grand
and terrific thing ofthe war; The moon
shone bright, and the enemy could be seen
at good musket range. The air was very
still, and the roar and reverbation of the
musketry and artillery past all conceptions.
Malvern Hill was skirmish compared
with this, save in the degree of slaughter. =
But it was successful-the enemy were
driven back nearly half a mile, and our
tired men once more slept on their arms
The night work was ended. mIA[sET
Now come to Sunday. It was perfectly
evident, from the position of affairs on Sat
urday night, that there must be change of
our lines, which would throw the enemy
out OF our rear and into our front again.
IL Will be seen by what skillful general
ship the enemy was fought and checked on
front, on flank. and rear while'this was be-
ing done.
Gen. Reynolds First Army Corps arriv-
ed at United States Ford on Saturday after
noon., 1t was Immediately put in position
on our right, which was Withdrawn from
the plank road to Ely's Ford turnpike
This line was Immediately formed by Cen
erals Reynolds and Meade, the latter's po-
sition on the left having been relieved by
Gen. Towards Eleventh Corps, which, not
withstanding its disorganized condition,
was SO far reorganized during the night as
to be fit for duty again this morning. They
were assigned the position on the left,
where it is probable there will be little or
no fighting, and were protected by the
strong works built the day before by Gen.
Meade's Corps. Our new line now assum-
ed the shape of a triangle, prolonged at the
apex, the right of the line being somewhat
longer than the left. AS the portion of the
line on the right was new, time was neces-
sary to fortify- and entrench it, and the
work was carried vigorously on by the
Fifth and First Army Corps.
1t was evident at daylight this morning
that the day would bring forth terrible
battle. We knew that the enemy had been
reinforcing his line all night, at the ex-
pense, undoubtedly, of the strength of his
force on our left. His intention was, evil
IDENTIFY, to fight for the possession of the
plank road, which it was perfectly appar-
ent he must have, as that portion of it
which We then held was subject to the enc
my's assaults in front and on both TANKS
But the possession of this road was not
obtained by the enemy, save at our own
time, at his severest cost, and after one Of
the most desperate, tenacious and bloody
conflicts, for it's short duration, of the
whole war. AT 5 o'clock A. NJ, the rebels
could be very plainly seen up the plank
road, about a mile and half from the
Chancellor House, which Gen. Hooker still
retained as his headquarters, though shell
had gone through it the evening before, and
another had cut down n tree directly in
front Oft.
Our line of battle was formed with Gen.
Berry's gallant division on the right, Gen.
Birney next on the left, Gen. Whipple and
Gen. Williams supporting. An 5! A. NJ,
the advance became engaged in the ravine,
just beyond the ridge where Capt. Best's
guns had made their terrific onslaught the
night before, and where they still frowned
upon the enemy and threatened his des-
truction.
The rattle of musketry soon became a
long continued crash, and in q few mo-
ments, as battalion after battalion became
engaged, the roar surpassed all conception,
of the most terrible nature. General Ber-
ry's division, which had checked the enc
nly's advance the night before, engaged
him again, and if it were possible for them
to add more laurels to their fame, then they
did it thrice over again. The enemy adj
vanced his infantryin overwhelming num-
hers, and seemed determined to crush
our forces. But the brave men of Sickles
and Slocum,r who fought their columns
with desperate gallantry, held the rebels
in check, and inflicted dreadful slaughter
among them. General French's division
was sent in on the right flank OF our line at
about A. NJ, and in short time horde
of ragged, streaming rebels running down
the road indicated that that portion of the
enemy's line had been crushed. AT s
A. NJ. Gen. French sent his compliments to
Gen. Hooker, with the information that he
had charged the enemy and was driving
them before him. sTl 5r5E
aSickles maintained the attack upon his
line with great endurance. The enemy
IL III
immensely of his forces, and, as subse-
quently shown from the statements of
prisoners, five whole divisions of the rebel
army were precipitated upon this portion
of the line, for from these five divisions we
took over 1900 prisoners. d 4 :.
The exploits of our gallant troops in
those dark, tangled, gloomy woods may
fill q hundred volumes. It was deliber-
ate, desperate hand to hand conflict and
the carnage was perfectly frightful. Cool
officers say that the dead and wounded OF
the enemy covered the ground i'll heaps,
and that the rebels seemed utterly regard
less oftheir lives, and literally threw them
selves upon the muzzles of our guns
Many desperate charges were made during
the fight, particularly by Berry's division.
Motifs brigade, made fifteen distinct
charges, and captured seven stands OF col
ors, the 18th New Jersey, Col. Francine,
alone capturing four stands OF coiors anu
five hundred prisoners.
General COUGHS I'd army corps, though
only in part present, did excellent work.
1t was General French who charged and
drove the enemy on the flank, and it was
the indomitable Hancock who gallantly
went to the relief of the hard-pressed
Sickles. .aa @
INA. List of deceased soldiers who have
died in hospitals at st Louis from April
3Oth to May 18th, 1868. Furnished by Thos.
w. j. Long, of Iowa, State Sanitary Agent
at st. Louis, Mo.
April 3Oth.-Michael Boyer, Co. II oath,
4 Iowa, chronic diarrhea. a
g Frederick L. Miller, Co. F,
I4th Ohio.
Casper Monroe, Co. I, Tooth III
inois, erysipelas.
MAY Ist.-Calyin Prye, Co. A, lOSth Illinois,
chronic diarrhea.
/" :" Isaiah w. Bond, Co. ], SD Mo.
" g Joel Blakely, Co. G, Saith Iowa,