Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-05-06
1900 Prisoners Captured.
SATURDAYS FIGHT.

SATURDAYS FIGHT
Saturday morning dawned. Daylight grew
broader and yet no guns. Finally. about 6
o'clock, Il brass Napoleon, looking down the
plank road IN trout Of the Chancellor House,
saw regiment come into the road in column
ana attempt to deploy. One or two doses of
canister caused them to deploy rather irregu-
larly, and more like skirmishers on the
retreat.
There had been only slight disturbances
during the night, as both forces had been busy
with their axes rather than their muskets
From Gen. Towards front came report that
the enemy was engaged all night in cutting a
road past his picket line to the right The
day continued to pass in very dull manner
for day Of battle, and only here and there
was there anything more even than desultorv
skirmishing and picket firing
About o'clock the pickets on the right of
Gen. SlOcum's front reported that from Ger.
tain position wagons had been seen moving in
westerly direction nearly all day 1t was at
once Surmsed that this might be a retreat
but subsequent events proved that it was part
OF an affair OF altogether another nature To
ascertain, however, was it really was Gen.
Slcklts, who was still in reserve, was ordered
to make reconnaissance in heavy force in
that direction. This was done with great
promptness, and the divisions of Gems.
Birney and Whipple, with General. Bar
lows brigade, from Howard scorps, were
pushed out to the front, Berdans brig
AIDE OF sharpshooters having the advance
and supporting RandolphS battery. Our
troops moved rapidly, and soon became more
or less engaged, especially with the artillery
and the sharpshooters as skirmishers Ber-
dan soon sent in some sixty prisoners be;ong-
ing TO the Z3d Georgia. including one major
two captains AMI three lieutenants.
Word now came from Sickles that the
wagons seen were an ammunition train in the
rear OF Il force CUnuanuUd ~ c4-------.t-J :
son. Nothing more was needed to convince us
that this daring opponent was executing an
other Of his sudden movements, and it was at
once resolved to checkmate him. Gen.
Sickles was ordered to push on, and Gen.
Williams division of Slocum'S column was
ordered to cooperate. Birney pushed ahead
with great vigor, and with Randolph's battery
soon sent to the rear as prisoners of war the
entire remnant of the 23d Georgia regiment,
numbering over four hundred officers aud
men. The column OF the enemy which had
been moving up this road was now literally cut
in two, and Gen. Williams had commenced
flank movement on the enemy's right, which
promised the most suspicious results. But at
five o'clock terrific crash of musketry on
our extreme right announced that jackson
had commenced his operations. This had
been anticipated, but it was supposed that
after his column WAS cut the corps of Gen.
Howard Formerly Gen. Sigel's,) with its
supports would be sufficient to resist his APP
preach, and finding that he was himself as
sailed in the rear, he would turn about and
retreat to escape capture.
But to the disgrace of the 18th corps be it
said that the division of Gen. Schurz, v hich
was the first assailed, almost instantly gave
rHbraots az,
mauders were Of no avail. Thousands of
these towards threw down their guns, and
soon streamed down the road toward head
quarters. Gen. Devens' division, disatfected
by the decentralization of the forces in front
of him, soon followed suit, and the brave gem
era was for the second time severely wound
ed in the foot while endeavoring to rally his
men. Gen. Howard, with all his daring, and
resolution, and vigor, could not stem the tide
of the retreatng and cowardly poltrOonS.
The brigades of Coils. Bushbeck and Mclean
only remained fighting, and maintained them
selves nobly as long as possible But they,
too, gave way, though in good order, before
vastly superior numbers.
Gen. Hooker now sent to the aid of Gen.
Howard the choicest division of his army, the
creation Of his own hand-the famous second
division of the third corps, commanded by
Maj. Gen. Berry. Capt. Best soon moved
his batteries on a ridge running across the
road, and after short, but sanguinary con-
test the further advance of the enemy was
stayed.
Gen. PleasantOn, too, succeeded in turning
back dozen pieces taken from the flying
corps and planted them in favorable posi-
ton, while he drew up his little brigade Of
cavalry, consisting of squadrons of the sixth
= New York, eighth and seventeenth Pennsyl-
vanla, with drawn sabres to protect the guns
Ga novel sight in battle.) Directing all the
pieces to be double-shotted with canister, he
swept the position occupied by the enemy
with amurderous fire. The successful check
OF the advancing foe is in no small degree
owing 10 the lhdomltable energy Of this gallant
soldier.
OF course this disaster compelled the recall
of Sckles and Socum who had been nursn.
ing their work with remarkable vigor. Gen.
Williams division returned only to find n nor
ton of their works filled with the enemy
Sicke's division could not communicate with
the rest of the army at all by the wav thew
advanced, and only at great risk by any other
route.
New dispositions to repair this disaste,
were at once resolved upon. Communication
was at once had with Gems. Brney and Whip
pie, and night attack ordered, to restore the
connection Of the lines. Gen. Wards brig.
AIDE of Gen. Birney's division, made the attack
at IL o'clock at night, aided by Capt. Best,
guns, massed on the ridge in front of the enc
my. Wards terrific attack was entirely sue
cessful, communication was restored, and in
charge made by the brigade, u portion of the
artillery lost by Howard was retaken by Gen
Robert Ward.
This night attack was the most grand ant
terrific thing Of the war The moon shont
bright, and an enemy could be seen at goot
musket range. The air was very still, ant
the roar and reverberaton of the musketry
ami artillery past all conception. Malvern
HILL was skirmish. compared with this
save in the degree of slaughter. But it wa
successful; the enemy were driven back near
ly half mile, and our tired men once NOR