Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-05-20

CT IN.
E Tho army. The rebels were strangely
;,enf Now and then struggling hre
vonld break out along or line, dying ous
: Suddenly as it began, while the troops
oupeed in the shadow of the oaks, ana
uoudered at the omincus silence. was
lee retresting and Gen. Hooker hurrying
10 supplies to enable him to follow AFTER
u was the rebel army crossing the river
above to pounce upon our rearf some
expected a fierce attack upon our right
near Ely's Ford. some believed that our |
with Aqua would be cut |
off. others looked for orders to pursue |
fiyine enemy-all had faith in Hooker
Monday wore sway with no excitement
after that occasioned by the shelling OF
our pontoons at the United States Ford,
and Tuesdays sun rose upon the scene
with our army still waiting in its earth
works. Then the troops looked more
earnestly for something to do, and moved
uneasily to and fro, chatting with imPa-
thence. At Falmouth the hills were
crowded by anxious listeners TOR the nrsI
gun of the expected battle, and at noon
lett the old headquarters confident o. Wit
Messing another engage and the rout OF the
rebel army.
To nv establishment met the wagon
trains hurrying down from the river,
crowdinq and overturning In the woods,
and rushing frantically on wherever the
condition of the roads would allow. Long
PROFESSIONS of ambulsnces full of wounded
men streamed away towards Potomac
creek and Falmouth, stragglers swarmsd
like ants in the byways. and everything
betokened retreat. But that was I'M
possible. Fearing that the army had cut
loose from its base and pushed on after
the enemy, | hurried on to accompany 1T,
but found all quiet at the lords, and the
hospitals on the other side empty.
About five O'Clock in the afternoon it
commenced raining. The water poured
down in torrents cascades leaped from
the hill sides rivers rushed through ev-
erv ravine. The teams, blinded by the
driving storm, staggered like drunken
men. Pack mules turned their backs to
the tempest and refused to move, and the
soldiers crouched beneath their rubber
blankets, and behind the trunks of oaks.
By and by the storm abated, and, reach
ing the front, the problem was solved
All along the road, from the earthworks
to the ford, there stretched line or
troops, their arms stacked and cartridge
boxes hspging on them. Wagons. pack
mules, stragglers-all were gone. Gen.
Hooker, surrounded by a group Of Gen
erals, talked low and earnestly. His staff
wandered to and fro around him, with
their horses saddled, and their orderlies at
hand. Twilight deepened into night, and
in the gathering darkness l rode back to
lhe hospitals, found them deserted, and
pushed on to the ford. The river was
rising rapidly, and fears were already en-
tertained that the pontoons would be des-
troyed. The water came up above the
banks, swept away portion of the
bridges, and spread out over the flats,
while the Engineer Corps labored zeal
ously to save q portion OF them, and final
ly succeeded.
Arten O'Clock the scene was most i'm
pressive. The moon was just coming up,
aud shed through the clouds dim, gray
light, while the campfres on the river
bank, the bon6res and the torches flared
IN the wind that swept in fitful gusts
down the rock ribbed gulches. The pines
waved restlessly with a sobbing sound,
the rain pattered dolefully on the leaves,
and the river toamed and dashed lis banks,
" h1e the logs and hoodw uod driited by
like spectres. There wac no noise or con-
fusion of any kind. Occasionally there
was sound Of falling boards, and hurried
shouts down where the lanterns fitted to
and fro, and sometimes strange voices
seemed to be whispering in the tree tops
ON the bluffs above; but the work of pre-
paration for tbs retreat went on, and at
midnight it was done. The storm kept
on, pelting pitilessly upon the faces of the
dead upon the battle field, chilling the
wounded, and drenching the troops.
The gloom and sinking of the heart &C.
casioned by the retreat was soon forgot
ten In the fear that the enemy would dis.
cover our movement and fall upon our
rear. Pine brush were Strewed upon the
bridges to prevent noise, and every pre-
| caution was taken to secure safe removal
| of our army. Sykes division of regulars
was detailed to bring up the rear, the col
umps nled out into the road aud sorrow
| fully marched down to the river. Steadily
| and IN silence the dark mass surged on,
| stretching In one unbroken line from the
| intrenehments, through the woods, ont
| upon the hills, down across the river, and
| up again into the almost Egyptian dark
ness of the goTges among the pines and
| cedars. Daylight came and still the en-.
| envy was quiet. Six o'clock, seven, eight
I ana stiil NESTo was no SuOC 10 indicate
that We were discovered, nothing but the
| tramp OF the soldiers and the rush of the
| swollen river. Nearly all of the army
F., had crossed before the enemy found out
| that we were leaving, and then he fol.
! lowed Us with few pieces of artillery.
| Our cannon on the bluffs drove back his
guns, the rear guard FASTENED over, the
/ pontoons swung around in the current
and the other side was abandoned. 1t is
| painful to reflect upon the sacrifice OF lives
ard treasure, humihating to contemplate
the enormity of our disaster; but the Ar.
my Of the Potomac still liues. It is not
crushed. Its sparit as not broken.
/ There is no replning, no desire to give
up the struggle, no thought of aught but
/ ultimate success. Rest, full rations, and q
word of cheer from their commanders and
| tie people, will nerve them again. The
corps are very little broken, and few
| days viii suffice to put them in first rate
condition. Gen. Hooker has already com
meuced the work OF reorganization, and
we may soon look for encouraging intelli-
gerce from the Army OF the kappaban.
| mock.
| Our losses are extremely difficult to de.
| teTmine. Sutficie ut time has not vet
/ elapsed for correct reports of casualties to
/ be nade out; but it is evident that the