The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-05-11
EVANSVILLE, IND. MONDAY MORNING,

all cool men, the coolest Berry's divis
ion formed across the plank road, mid
way between Charlottesville and Dowd
alfs Tavern; his right we'll in the wooc
north of the road, and the artillery mass
ed on hill to his left; in this position
he received and repulsed the attack o
Stonewall jackson, for it was he who lee
this desperate charge
! The giving way of the Eleventh Corps
made it necessary that new line be
formed and old positions abandoned and
new ones occupied. 1t was necessary to
maintain intact the left wing and to hold
the line from the plank road to the river
at SCOTS Dam; it was equally neces-
sity to resist the seizure by the enemy OF
the United States Ford road. The as.
suming of a uew position required a
change of front in the face of a bold
and daring enemy. The movement was
nevertheless executed in quick time and
without the slightest confusion. Birney' S
and Whipple's divisions were drawn in
and Joined to Berry line; Slocum NOV
ing. round Williams division to connect
with Sickles on his left; Couch corps
Ford Road; General Meade joined Couch
in the night with his left at the junction
of the United States and Ely's Ford
roads, and his line extending down the
road to the river; the Eleventh Corps re-
formed and occupied the position vacated
by the Fifth. Though the enemy had
turned the right flank, he was neverthe-
less in the face of the new position. The
aho of off lxy 1,,r
ing the night and completed at sunrise.
In the night the moon shone brightly
from a clear sky and men in battle could
see almost as well as in the day.
Three desperate attacks were made on
Sickles line during the night and were
resisted with degree of calm determi-
nation that added new honors to this vet
eran corps. The second attack, at mid
night, was one of the fercest charges
ever made in this country; the roar of
artillery exceeded that of the battle of
Antietam. Sickles' troops fought it out
doggedly without yielding an inch to the
enemy. At daylight on Sunday morn
ing, the great battle commenced on FRI
day and continued irregularly through
Saturday and Saturday night, opening in
terrible earnestness along the left and
center At this time Slocum's corps
occupied his original position, changed
only by the reflection of Williams divis-
ion. Williams stood like wall of fire
against the enemy until every round of
ammunition had been exhausted, and
then yielded only to fresh troops that
took his place.
Whipple's division of new troops, join
ing Williams on his right, won reputa
ton that entities them to the compan-
ionship of veterans In most of these
regiment an unusually large proportion
of officers were wounded. The 18th
New Hampshire came out with Colonel,
Lieutenant Colonel and Major wounded,
and with but one commissioned officer
fit for duty. In the l22d Pennsylvania
every horse was killed, and several Off
GERS were wounded. The l24th New
York fought equally well, and lost Sc
verely Next to these, Birney fought,
and further still, where battle rageu nor
troops forward in stead SlIe 6atplg tpplEglng gr1fs 1hfls
too, occurred the brilliant charge of
Mott's brigade, mortal encounter with
! and a severe repulse of an advancing
foe. The dead lay heaped on the ground,
obstructing the progress of the men, and
/ the carnage was terrible. even over these
/ heaps of dead men, The enemy was
/ forced back to his rife pits, where he
rallied and fought with great obstinacy.
/ Weary with many hours of hard fighting,
! exhausted with hunger, and with ammu-
nition expended, Sickles' right withdrew
and were relieved by the third division of
/ Couch's corps.
French, moved by the memory of his late
commander, threw himself at the head
of his command and descended on the
enemys rifle pits with momentum that
swept away the rebels like chaff before
storm. Fresh troops and reinforce
ments were massed against him, bnt he
persisted in holding his advantage.
Humphrey, division was sent to his
relief This is another division Of new
troops. The men behaved with becom-
ing coolnessr and returned from the field
with exhausted cartridge-boxes. Col.
Gregory, 9Ist Pennsylvania VOL, was
wounded in the leg, but remained and
came off with his command.
Hancock's division fought equally well
on the lett, with an obstinate foe, until a
second charge was ordered by the com
manding General. = From sunrise till
} ii o clock, the rrar of cannon and the
rattle of musketry were almost incessanti
: at times the thunder, flash and smoke
, rose to a scene of sublime grandeur thai
for moment forced the observer to for
: get the awful in the presence of so mucf
; that was grand. A whizzing ball, or 3
: shell bowling through the air close by
: his ears, never failed to transform the
situation to a question ofpersonal safety
, During Saturday, Gen. Reynolds witt
tho aasra--a.ri.aAi-f -f-4A.'A 4, ,alnaantl
and took a position on the Elys Fort
t Road. The entire effort of the enemy
1 after failing to place himself in the rea
=. of the National army, was one to turf
!, the left flank beyond Chancellorsvllle
: He fought desperately, and at terrible
sacrifice. to obtain this advantage. A
t IL o'clock he had, as he supposed, aC
n complished his object, and made a de'
perate lunge at what he esteemed sur
q prize. "Presto, change" and Hooker
e army presented the center of a bold from
e to the great discontinue of the enemy
The Sd and 18th corps went rapid
,f through the lines of the 5th and I'd, an
!. a third line of battle was formed, with
Il q