The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-05-11
Ohe 1airn 5uurttar.
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
Further Details of Saturday and
Sundays Operations.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va, Monday morn
ing, May 4.-On Friday, at two o clock
IN the afternoon, the army was drawn
up IN battle line, having the Fifth CORPS.
commanded by Major-General Meade. on
the left, the Second Corps. commanded
by Maj or-General Couch, next on the
right, the Twelfth Corps, commanded by
MaJor-General Slocum, on the right of
the Second, the Eleventh Corps, COM
manded by Major-General Howard. on
she extreme right, and the Third Corps.
commanded by Major-General Sickles'
held IN reserve. The center and head
quarters of the Commanding General
were in the large brick house known as
charlottesville, at the junction of Ely's
Ford Road with the Fredericksburg and
GGSSEg5a9lTF6BHHil GSE5 lF6H fhe FfSG;e fSrmsre city.
Soon after the army had taken this
position, General Sykes, with his divis-
ion of regulars, advanced on the Banks
Ford road, for the purpose of feeling the
er emy, and also to secure the left of
Hookers army. The enemy resisted
stubbornly, but was driven back about
two miles. Sykes was ordered to dis
allow himself to be driven back.
Gen. Slocum made like demonstra-
tion down the Fredericksburg plank
roads. On both the roads the move
ment was we'll executed, and at least
partially accomplished the object of the
Commanding General 1t was first
necessary to ascertain whether the
enemy had abandoned his stronghold
on the heights above Fredericksburg;
if he had not, he must either be induced
to come out, with the expectation of
crushing a smaller force, or the position
must be outtianked or taken by direct
attack Gen. Hooker attempted the for
mer, and how well he succeeded the
sequel will show In the event the
enemy came out to give battle, it was
Hooker's determination to receive and
resist the attack purely on the principles
of defensive battle. until such time as
the conduct of the attacking party would
indicate that his force was greatly spent.
aud the hope of success was fast dying
out, when he would boldly march out of
his strong position and astonish, con-
found, and conquer the audacious
enemy. With this view of the plan of
battle, the reader will readily compre-
hend the connection of the several move
ments, and will be able to reconcile the
otherwise incongruOus changes made in
the progress of the battle.
At five clock on Friday afternoon,
the enemy made a reconnaissance in
force, feeling the entire line of Hooker's
army, from center to both right and left
extremes. The fighting in front of Cen
eral Geary's position, and opposite the
headquarters of General Hooker, was
for a short tirnaa quite energetic Wheth-
er, from what he had learned by the
reconuvioos-..~-1 II o-,o.-s. --~-rr1 = =
duced to become the assallant, remained
to be seen. The extra pressure made
against the center of the line developed
the fact that the rebel commander well
understood the key of the position.
The topography of the country and the
direction of the roads made it necessary
for the occupying army to hold and de-
fend certain points, the most prominent
and important of which was the inter-
section of the United States Ford and
Scott Dam road, with the Elys Ford
road. With this point as the center,
Scots Dam on the extreme left and the
Ely's Ford road held by the right wing,
made line difficult to overcome. This
doubtless the enemy knew and made his
plan OF attack accordingly.
Early on Saturday it was discovered
that the enemy was moving his trains
westward on the Spottsville c. Il. road.
General Slocum was ordered to push his
line forward on the Fredericksburg plank
road, and Sickles to move forward on
Slocum' right and occupy the road on
which the enemy was moving. Geary, Of
Slocum's corps moved down the plank
road until he came upon the enemy
rife pits, from which his new regiments
were repulsed and withdrew short dis
tance in good order and engaged the en-
emy until Gen. Williams moved his di
vision on the right and outhanked the
position. Meanwhile Birney and Whip
pIe, of Sickles' corps moved forward or
SIocum's right and seized the road tt
Spottsylvania c. II. Gen. Whipple
ri ght being somewhat exposed, Gen. Bar
lows brigade from Howatds corps wa
pushed forward to protect the right flank
1t was now about o clock in the after
noon. and thus far all the movement
undertaken had been successfully execu
ted. Suddenly most firm and heav.
charge was made on the right flank ant
rear of Howard's corps. Regiments
bripades and divisions broire cs'.d fed il
the most terrible confusion. One brig
ade alone fought bravely until to attemp
longer to hold position would have bee
madness. then it stubbornly withdrew
To Col Buschback, with his brigade
comprising the 9th and I'D Pennsyvs
: mia Volunteers, and the 29th and lot
New York regiments, is due the cred
of having saved from capture the tral
and artillery of the corps
The causalties among the men wer
slight Thirteen pieces of artillery wer
= left to the enemy; most of them by som
d unaccountable accident were splke'
g The retreating train, the withdrawal
{ the artillery, and the jumbled and col
fused mass of stragglers and frightene
soldiery that blockaded the road and o
cupied the. fields and woods, produced
2. degree of confusion that was truly alarr
d ing. Hooker's line was broken and d
ranged; the advanced position of Beri
and Whipples division and Barlow
hrigade. made the situation even mo
complicated The enemy, flushed wi
br;IEapt success came rushing