The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-05-10
TENNESSEE. SUNDAY, MAY 10, 1863.

/ center Win yeliS Auu Cheer9, that made
the air hideous with ill-omened sounds.
The Commanding General was, however.
Of all cool men, the coolest Berry 3
Division formed across the plank road.
midway between Chanoellorsville and
DowdalPs Tavern; his right well ia the
wood north of the road and the artillery
massed on hill to his left; in this posi-
tiOn he received and repulsed the attack
of Stonewall jackson, for be IL was who
led this desperate charge.
The giving way Of the Eleventh Corps
made II necessary that new line be
formed and old positions abandoned and
new ones occupied 10 was necessary
to maintain In tact the left wing and to
hold the line from the plank road to the
river at Seotts Dam; il was equally a
necessity TO resist the seizure by the en-
emy of the United States Ford road.
Tde assuming of new position required
a change of front in the face of q bold
and daring enemy The movement was
nevertheless executed in quick time and
without the slightest confusion Bir-
Eey's and Whipplc's Divisions were
drawn in and Joined to Berry's line /;
SlOcum moving round Wiliams's DiVis-
ion TO connect with Sickles on his left /;
Couch's Corps faced about and advanced
TO the Ely's Ford Road; Gen, Meade
joined Couch in the night with his left
at the junction of the United States and
Ely's Ford roads, and bis line extending
down the road TO the river; the Eleventh
Corps reformed and occupied the position
vacated by the Fifth. Though the enc
my had turned the right flank, he was
nevertheless in the face of the new po-
sition. The change of line was eifet ted
partly during he night and completed az
sunrise, In the night The moop shone
brightly from q clear sky and men in
battle could see almost as well az in the
day.
Three desperate attacks were made on
Sickles's line during the night, aud were
resisted with a degree Of calm. deter
minaiiGn that added new honors TO this
veteran corps. The second attack, at
midnight, was one of the fiercest charges
ever made in this country; the roar Of
artillery exceeded that Of the battle of
Aniietsm, Sickles's troops fought it
out doggedly without yielding an inch
to the enemy. At daylight on Sunday
morning, the great battle commenced on
Friday and continued irregularIy
through Saturday and Saturday night,
opened in terrible earnestness along the
left and center. AT this time Slocum's
Corps occupied his original position,
changed only by the reflection Of Will
liams's Division. Williams stood like a
wall of fire against the enemy until every
round of ammunition had been ex-
hausted, aud then yielded only 10 fres b
troops that took his place.
Whipple's division of new troops, join
ing Williams on bis right, won a reputa-
tion that entities them TO the companion
ship Of veterans. In most of these regi-
ments an unusually large proportion of
officers were wounded. The 18th New
Hampshire came out with Colonel, Lieut..
Colonel and Major, wounded, and with
but one commissioned officer fit for duty.
In the 122d Pennsylvania, every horse
was killed, and several officers were
wounded. The 124th New York fought
equally well, and lost severely. Next to
these, Birney fought and further still
where battle ragged hottest, noble Berry
fell, while urging his troops forward in
steady battle. Here, too, occurred the
brilliant charge of Motifs brigade, a
mortal encounter with and a severe re-
pulse of an advancing foe. The dead
lay heaped on the ground, obstructing
the progress of the men, and the carnage
was terrible, even over these heaps Of
dead men. The enemy was forced back
10 his rihe-pits, where he rallied aud
fought with great obstinacy. Weary
with many hours of hard fighting, ex-
hausted with hunger, and with ammuni-
ten expended, Sickles's right withdrew,
and were relieved by the third division
of COuch's corps. M rl
French, moved by the memory Of his
late commander threw himself at, the
head Of his command, and descended on
the enemy's ritle-pits with a momentum
that swept away the rebels like chat be-
fore storm Fresh troops and reinforce
ments were massed against him, but he
persisted in holding his advantage.
Humphreys division was sent to bis
relief. This is another division Of new
troops. The men behaved witd btoom-
ing GOODNESS, and returned from the iield
with exhausted cartridge boxes Col.
Gregory, 9lst Pennsylvania Vols, was
wounded in the leg but remained and
came Off with his command.
Hancock's division fought equally we'll
on the left, with an Obstinate foe, until
a second chpsge was ordered by the com
msnding General, From sunrise till IL
o'clock, the roar Of oann0n and the rat
tie of musketry were almost inoessant ;
at times the thunder, dash, and smoke
rose 10 scene Of sublime grandeur that
for moment forced the observer to for
get the awful in the presence Of so much
that was grand. A whizzing ball, or q
shell howiing through the air close by
his ears, never failed 10 transform the
situation 10 q question Of personal safety
During saturday Gen. Reynolds, with
the First Corps, arrived from Falmouth
and took a position on the Ely's Ford
road. The entire effort Of the enemy
after falling 10 place himself in The rear
of the National army, was one 10 turn the
left flank beyond ChanoelloFsyille, liz
fought desperately, and at terrible sac
rifice, 10 obtain this adVapiage At II
O'clock be had, Rs he supposed, accom-
plished his object and made a desperate
lunge at what he esteemed a sure prize
"Prosto, change" and Hooker's army
presented the conter Of a bold iront "a
the great discontinue Of the enemy.
The Third aud Twelfth Corps woni
rapidly through the lines Of che Fifth
and Second, and a third line Of BATH,
, was formed, with q center Of messed
artillery on The hill south Of the junction
of the United STATES Ford road with th'
I Elv's Ford, the left wing resting Ol