Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1863-05-15


brsas'wotks having been thrown up, rifle pits
jug aud abtatiiT formed 10 the wOods, our forces
afterwards eusconced themselves, aud felt their
pecutity and their ability to whip the enemy
should he attack. Our Regimen, the two To-
lowing days, remained behind their rough furti-
hcaiohs, conscious VI their strength nnd ready
tor anything They hal but little opportunity
To prepare their foo L and received their sleep in
very small installineuts There was no very
general engagement. but almost every hour night
nnd day, the batteries would open on some pnrt
ct the field, Or the skirmisheis along some Dor
IN oil tue liue would commence II fire, and all
would ut once anticipate IL renewal of the en-
S'gcmHnt ut once. How learluly loud aud
resonant are those night attacks One instuc-
Uvey jumps to his feet, for the whole wood is
iull OF the sound. The smoke becomes dense
hnd the smell Of powder is observed. Some
portions OF the fores. are in flames. fired by the
shellsi it burns md crackies and lights the
country around. AZ once ther1 will b. an omin-
Gus sedce, aud suddenly 1t will be broken by
the sharp crack Of n rhA, or the explosion of a
shell, or the yells Of the rebel infantry AS IL
makes dashing charge.
Such WAS the course of affairs up to Tuesday
night la the morning. all the wounded from
the many hospitals, had been sent over the river.
| Az the anbulanccs wera not suffered TO come
across in sufficient numbers, hundreds of wouud.
I'd were carried to the RIVERA distance of ilrec
miles-by band. They were placed On stretch.
ers or blankets, aud thus conveyed by men d,
tailed for that duty ambuauces were in rcndi.
ness on the opposite bank to transport them To
Potomac Greek
At dark, tho medical officers at the yariou,
hospitals received orders to ieiou their respeo
tive cnmmands, aud all ut once iustinctiyely re
called one very expressive word" retreut'' A
lew minutes brought us to our Regiment. W,
found few shelter tents in tho woods aut
mauy Of the men, after their exhaustion irwin,
to snatch short nap. 1hu rugged breastwork,
and rifle pits hard by, ware barely peruepiibl,
in the darkness. The rain was falling, render
ing the saturatiOh Of the ground more uumpletc
No fires were allowed, lest it might attract ,
stray shell occasionally picket wouI fire
knots Of officers who were Ia the secret. wer,
talking together in au undrrtolc everything
looked gloomy indeed in that deep wood
la lew minutes an order came TO he in ron
dlness To move Mt moments notice, aud iht
preparations 10 be made without the least noise
The officers Weakened their mtn noiseless1y AM
ordered them into limo. There they stood m til,
forest in the deep mu |, with the rain patcrinl
down upon them, shiyeing with cold and
depressed with the knowledge TINT "A relrnVrad,
movement ha been determined upuu. for the,
had believed in the security Of their Notifications
AT about Two o'clock in the morning, the orde
to march was given; not u man smoke ab1ve Il
whisper; scarcely brush undcr the feet wa,
suffered to snap. The column marched in q nc v
road which had been built that day through III,
wood. The rebel pickets we've scarce two hnn.
bred yards distant from US, and it was necessar,
10 INC aCcouhpI'sn'nent OF 'h' feirograle move
l'un', III II ., .ne noS' Per'ec' shehcn should 1t
pIes'ieu t"'ous"out' consequently not wor'
u uo'u'hanu was gwen tnrfe was not a soun,
nearu sNEo Tue t'aWp,ne ol 'he slices IN ihe mud
rue toau vas 'hro"sh wilderness nearly tn
enure Instance 10 ms RIVER. The mud wa
almost kuee ucgp AMI tne ram was still falling
anu ,he moon u'u nor give us ngli sufficient
ehao'e US ~ "Np'u Nle s'ouShs ana Tie stunp'
oul We uuugSi On rcsH'u'ess oil the siumps
n'ro n,'" 'he "'P'h vi se'eral slnall streams tina
we u"u W Gross
pay ilsue ulsooYv'eu us on Inc bank OF til
nappnnH"uuoA a1u ~ Tue emu OF the pontoons
Sueh spectacle ihey were full OF men cross
ing. Those in advance were climbing up
winning roau up tue mountain On the other side
4 Whist thousands upon thousands were llin
uoWh tue hii oeh'nd US as lar as we could see
anu there were mhhy VINO then remarked tia
mere "ete e"ouB" uooPs now III elsht TO WIN
tne oo"'herii Oohieuer"ey Out oil his boots,
-, thry were ohiy properly disposed
nttiVhe the road after crossing, we neve
A haiteu' exceptio very lew minutes, in whic
4 to prepare niue eoiiee' until We reached GU
! former camping grouni. Many had not sleI
ah nonr OF even minute through tue night, au
we n"u '1afcheu Instance OF thirteen miles
ueep mud Of wh'eh you eau have no conception
> a ,! Ia ulsasreeanle RAIN But maybe "
u l ge' our anpt'neh. Oh sleep lnst night! :
Z Every man confessed himself pretty we
4 played out Your correspondent approxima