Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1863-05-13
TWO DAYS LATER
The Great Battle of Chancellors-
vile,
(oorrespOn deuco of the Now York TimeS.)
HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD, NEAR
CHAScELLoRsvILLE, Va, Sunday, 7

Nav 8, 1866 P. NJ.
Another bloody day has been added to
the calendar of this rebellion. Another
terrible battle has been fought, aud more
fields orimsoned with human blood. A
few more such days as this will find no arN
mics left on either side to fight battles.
My last letter brought up the situation
to Saturday morning. 1t was then Ger"
tainly expected that the enemy would YES
gin the attack rs soon as it was day, and
our dispositions were made accordingly.
But the attack did not begin, Events
proved that the enemy did design to at
tack, but he chose to make that attack in
a manner and at poirt different from
what was generally anticipated by us on
Saturday morning. Daylight grew bread
or and yet no guns. Finally, about six
o'clock, a brass Napoleon, looking down
the plank road in front Of the Chancellor
House, saw a regiment come into the road
IN column and attempt to deploy. One
or two doses of canister caused them to
deploy rather irregularly, and more like
skirm'shers on the retreat
Soon after. Gen. Hooker art Staff began
all inspection of our lines, which occupied
full two hours. Every portion was visits
ed, and the work of the night was closely
inspected On the extreme left new lines
were chosen, and the engineer officers
soon mai ked out the line and character OF
the delences to be erected. When the
inspection closed the eentrenchments were
pronounced to be Of the very best characN
te:, especially those on the right, where
the columns of Slocum and Howard wore
posted.
There had been only slight disturbances
during the night, as both forces had been
busy with Their axes rather than then
muskets. From General Howard's front
came a report that the enemy was engaged
all night in cutting a road past his picket
line 10 the right. How much attention
was paid TO the fact at the time | do not
know, but subsequent events proved tha
it was very significant.
The day continued TO pass in a yer!
dull manner for day of battle, and only
here and there was there anything more
even than desultory sKlrmlshing and pick
ct firing.
About 3 o'clock the pickets on th'
right Of Gen. Socum's front reported tina
from a certain position wagons bad beer
seen moving in westerly direction near
ly all day. II was at once surmlsed tina
this might be a retreat, but subsequen
events proved that it was part OF an aiiai
of altogether another nature. TO ascer
tain, however, what it really was, Gen
Sickles, who was still in reserve, was or
dered to make a reconnaissance in heavy
force in that direction. This was done
with great promptness, and the divisions
of Gems. Brney and WhippIe, with Gen
Barow's brigade, from Howard's corps
were pushed out TO the front, Berdan'
brigade of sharpshooters having the ad
vance, and supporting Randolph's battery
Our troops moved rapidly and soon be
came more or less engaged especially Will
the artillery and sharpshooLers as sklrm
ishers. Berdan soon sent in some sixty
prisoners, belonging to the Twenty
Georgia, including one Major, two Cap
taus and three Lieutensrts, Being upot
the ground, examined these prisoners
and soon found that the 'wagon train
which we had seen moving during the da!
was composed mainly Of ordnance wagon
and ambulances, and that StonewaIl Jack
son and staff were at the head of col
umn of troops which the wagons follow
ed.
Nothing more was needed to convince
us that this daring opponent was execu
ting another of his sudden movements
and il was at once resolved TO checkmatC
him. Gen, Sickles was ordered to pust
on, and Gen. Williams division ofSlocum'
column was ordered TO cooperate. bir
ney pushed ahead with great vigol, arc
with Randolph's battery soon sent to tht
rear as prisoners of war the entire rem
nant of the Twenty'third Georgia regi
ment, numbering over four hundred otfi
cers and men. The column OF the enem!
which had been moving up this road wa
now literally cut in two aud Gen. Viii
liams had commenced flank movement
on the enemy's right, which promised th'
mos. suspicious resnlts.
But at five o'clock terrific crash o
musketry on our extreme right, announ
ced that Jackson had commenced his OPP
eratons. This had been anticipated, bu
it was supposed that after his column wa
cut, the corps Of General Howard (former
ly Gen. Sigel's), with its supports, woulC
be sufficient to resist the approach, anC
finding that he was himself assailed in tht
rear he would turn about and retreat Il
escape capture.
But to the disgrace of the Eleventh
Corps 1t said. that the division Of Gen
Schurz, which was the first assailed, al
most instantly gave way. Threats, en-
treaties and orders of Commanders wer'
of no avail Thousands of these coward
threw down their arms, and soon stream
ed down the road toward headquarters
The enemy pressed his advantage Gen
Devens's division, Unaffected by the de
moraization of the forces in front OF hin
soon followed Suit, and the brave Genera
was for the second time wounded in the
foot, while endeavoring to rally Eis men
Gen. Howard, with all his daring and res
olulion and vigor, could not stem the lid'
OF the retreating and cowardly poltroons
The brigsdes ofCols. Rushbeok and Nc