, 1863-06-06
Late Eastern News.
News of Nav 05th.


Hill, 81 miles east of Vicksburg; On the
10th, early in the morning, McClernand' s
Corps was put in motion, and Hovey's di-
vision was on the main road from jackson
to Vicksburg, but the balance of the Corps
was few miles to the southv ard, on a par
aliel road, and McPherson's Corps followed
Hovey's division closely. At 8 o'clock
lIovey discovered the enemy in front on
Champion HiA to the left of the road near
Bakers creek, apparently in force. Skir-
mishcrs were thrown out, and the division
advanced cautiously and slowly, 10 give
McPherson's advanced division, under Lo-
gan time to come within supporting distance
Gen. Hovey's division advanced across the
open field at the foot of Champion Hill, in
line of battle. Alto o'clock he commenced
the battle The hill itself is covered with
timber, and Is, in fact, but an abrupt ter
minus Of the high ridge running north and
south, tlanked on both sides by deep ra-
vines and gullies, in many places covered
with almost an impenetrable growth of
scrub white oak bushes. The rebels ap-
peared deficient in artillery throughout the
battle, but opened with rather heavy fire
fom 4gun battery of rihed 6-pounders,
planted about 400 yards back from the brow
of the hill. The woods on both sides of
the road leadius ap in face of the hill and
winding back on the idge mile or more,
were filed with sharpshooters, supported
by infanuy Here the battle began in earn
est, and as our men entered the large tim
Der it ragged terribly from IL o'clock till
] hot 4 l. /.
vision carried the heights in gallant style,
making a dash on the first battery, and
driving the gunners from their posts. cap
turing the pieces. The rebels lay thick in
the vicinity of the guns. More than half of
their horses were killed and the gun car
riages and caisons broken and overturned,
while knapSacks blankets, small arms and
other debris, attested the deadly struggle
for the ground. The colors of the 3lst
Albania regiment, were captured there. At
this juncture the rebels appeared to be re-
intorced with fresh troops on that wing, and
they redoubled their efforts to hold the po-
sition and disodge our troops on the hill.
Hovey was slowly driven back to tie brow,
but brigade from Gen. Quimby was Or
dered to go and support him, and the
ground was speedily reocupied by us and
the rebels were finally repulsed. At the
commencement of the engagement, Gen.
| Logan division marched past the brow of
the hil, and forming in line of battle on
the right of lIovey, advanced in grand style
sweeping everything before them. At the
edge of the woods, in front of Logan, the
battle was OF the most desperate character
imaginable. The rattle of musketry was ia
cessant from the first moment of the en-
gagement, and kept in continuous and dead
y roar, in which the reports so blended
that single discharge was rarely heard
Not man finched or wavered in this di-
vision. All behaved like veterans, and
m oved to new positions with the conscious
tread of victory Two batteries we're cap
tured by this division, and enough hard
fighting done to immortalize it Besides
this it captured large portion of the ene-
my small arms. Between and 5 o clock
Gen. Osterhans and Gen. McArthur's di-
visions came into action on the extreme
left, and completed what had Teen so sus-
pciou,ly caI4 -lorward. They were both
miles away wien the engagement began,
but were brought forward with all dispatch
possible TIE enemy were in full retreat
soon after. and the varions Federal divisions
pursued untik9 o'clock, and are now en-
oamped at Edwards Station, miles be-
yond the battle ground,
From rebel prisoners we learn that Penn
berton commanded in person. Fitzhugh
Lee, Gregg, who commanded at the battle
near Raymond and others of note had su-
bordinate commands We also learn that
great dissatisfaction exists towards Gen.
Pemberton, he being accused by many of
selling out 10 Gen. Grant and also of plan
ming the military operations for the last four
weeks so as to insure the latters su cess.
1t is too early yet to do more than approx
innate our loss, which we think will be about
l 1000 killed ana wounded, and may prove
less, but cannot be much more. But a
few officers Of distinction are injured. The
oath Indiana regiment lost 100 men; Lieut.
Col Swain commanding was killed. Not
General or staff officer on our side was hurt
This has been the hottest and most bril-
liant fight of the Southwest for several
months
Furious canonading continued all day, from
the batteries on the other side of the river
They fired the bridges to prevent our cross
ing; but pontoons have been sent to Sher-
man corps, and he will probably cross a
few miles above here and attack in flank
the force opposite, though they number %,
600. Our army is in excellent fighting
condition AMI think themselves invincible
AS Gen. Grant rode through the field the
al,
dous shouting and cheering. This morn
ing two 25-pound howitzers, two 2 pound
ers- and one 6-pound rfed gun were sur
rendered, with horses, harness and ammu-
milton complete, without shot. A few
miles back of the road these guns became
separated from the main body of the rebel
army Yesterday, and in the retreat were cut
off by our advance. The loss in to-day S
fighting is not heavy on our side The
rebel killed and wounded is unknown
Their troops didn't f5ht as obstinately to-
day as yesterday, and seemed to expect de-
feat on this side of the river. The wonder
is that they were not wholly withdrawn
to the other size without an engagement.
Gen. Ostcrhaus was slightly wounded, but
rode on the field again in a carriage
CHICAGO, May 25.-The Times special
telegram from Memphis the 23d, Uia Cairo
oath, says: AS soon as it was known that
Jackson was taken, a movement was made
on Haines's and Chickasaw Bluffs, the Fed
erals being under the command Of Gen.
Sherman. The rebels were throughly en-
trenched. and determined 70 dispute the oc-
cupation of the Bluffs to the last. Gen
! Sherman made his attack in brilliant man
ner, and after a severe fight, with heavy