Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-05-12

out.maneuver the other. The enemy had now
learned with sufficient certainty that large
force was In their rear In the direction Of Cham
cellorville, and that Stoneman's cavalry was
greatly endangerlng their railroad communica-
tlon, and they were moving accordingly away
from Sedgwick toward the rear OF Hooker, be.
tween Chancellorville and the Rapldan, by the
roads at the south Of the plank road, which was
In our possession.
FRiDAY, May l.
While the First and Third corps were moving
from the left wing to join General Hooker at
Chance llorville, and, while jackson was taking
a crcuitous route 10 reach the rear Of General
Hooker's line between Chancellorvilie and the
Rapidan, two divisions--Sykes's Of the Fifth
corps, and Williams's of the Twelfth pushed on
nearer TO the rear OF Fredericksburg, skirmish.
ing and fighting with the enemy, who showed
| slight resistance in that direction. The enemy
were thus driven before them for four miles
| when General Hooker, for some reason. order
ed them to fall back and rejoin his lines al
Charlottesville. By night his army was oil
concentrated except the Sixth corps, and ready
for forward movement TO the rear Of Fred
ericksburg heights. The main body of the
enemy had nov moved away from their wofks
at Eredericksburg, and we're preparing to attack
| our army on the right In q diracton from which,
If beaten, they could successfully retreat, and
from which 1t was hardly expected they would
meet us.
SATURDAY, May 2.
General HOOKER occupied the day in awaiting
an attack Of the enemy which was expected In
font. But In the afternoon SToNEwALL JACK.
SON was found uToa our extreme right and rear
between ChsncelIorviIle and Germania Mills.
most furious aud desperate attack was made,
and the right Of our lines which was held by the
Eleventh corps, was broken, and the men, panic
stricken, fed In confusion. But little ground
was Loaf by this event, yet II hads bad effect
upon the entire army. Saturday closed the
operations of the first week with doubtful pros
poets as to the flu Il result.
SUNDAY, May 3.
The assault of General Sedgwick upon the
heights Of Fredericksburg was commenced on
Sunday morning. A more determined and des-
perate attack has not been made. To almost
certain death the men charged up and carried
the works, drove the artllleriets fom their
guns, captured twelve pieces of the best and
heaviest artillery, and may prisoners of vat in
their trenches. With the heaviest losses, Sedg-
wick followed up bis success with the boldest
energy, and pursued the enemy toward CtanCel-
lorviIle with the purpose of uniting with Gen
Hooker at that place.
But this brilliant success came too late, for
the enemy held the plank road which the rbut
Of the Eleventh Corps lad yielded to them on
the previous night, and the enemy wss enabled
to throw any sufficient force against him to pre-.
vent his junction With Hooker. This was
speedily done, and soon Sedgwick's fine corps,
the largest and perhaps the best Of the army,
was cut off from communication either with
Hooker or with Fredericksburg, and, thus isola-
ted, was compelled to fall back upon t6e river at
Banks Ford, where bridges had been thrown
over, by which, If severely pressed he could
make safe his retreat across the RappshannOck
again.
But another repulse was sustained on Sunday
morning by the army near Chancellorville. The
enemy renewed the attack and again drove back
our lines fer half mile, From the large brick
house which gives the name TO this vicinity the
lines of the enemy could be seen sweeping slow.
ly, but confidently, 'determinedly, and surely,
through the clearings which extended in front
The rebel troops delivered their FIRE with pre-.
cision snd were apparently inAexible and i'm
movable under the storm of bullets and shell
which thew were constantly receiving, Our men
-, %
iousus "e"' '0ey sno"su w ia'A VI 'ou'"se'
they only seemed to want tho earnestneas in
upiFed by an unfailing confidence Of success.
O'D' way
Aost sS0o n.td u - hsfcrs ,S. o0 ooo.an ;n so,ce
came down upon the detachments which had
been thought sufficient to hold the works upon
the heignes o. rreaeiic1soa .S piss of;gaue
on % them. and after strongly coutestinp tbe posi
tion they were compelled to yield and fall back
under the protection Oh the town. Inc enemy
loameu ,ne. ne tha ~ ~" SsaaSos ~ snS 81
Gibbon held them in check as long as could be.
Many wounded men were here in the hospitals,
and the position Wss maintained as long as
Ss .noc,. nv rora Stbdr. .sn tho Sr;Ssss taken
mo. and Fredericksburg was given back to the
enemy.