Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-05-06
A Glorious and Decisive Victory Won by General
SsdS|ick and the Sixth Corps.
THE STORMING OF M4RYE'S HILL.
Summers "StOnewal Position" Carried
at the Point of the Bayonet.

FIELD OF BATTLE ABOVE FREDERICKSBURG
Sunday, May 3.-When Gen. Hooker. with
the 9th, llth, and 18th corps, moved to the
right to get upon the rear of the enemv's
army, he left in front of that army the lst
3D. and 9th corps, with one division of the I'd.
Such was the general distribution of our forces
on Tuesday night, April %. Two days later
the Sd corps moved to join General Hooker's
column, and on Saturday, May 2, the LIST
corps was also Withdrawn from the position in
front for the same purpose. Thus the whole
| torcedeft on the enemy's front on Saturday
noon was the 9th corps and one division of
the I'd corps. This force covered our COM
munications, and by its pontoon bridges
threatened the enemy with an advance, and
thus prevented the march of his whole force
against Gen. Hooker, for in this little army
we ''magnIfed ourselves"-we moved contin-
ualiy i'll all directions at all hours, and looked
as much like a hundred thousand men as we
possibly could.
Meantime the enemy's position was this -
Threatened by Gen. Hooker on his rear, he
mad changed his 'front.' and moved the great
DulK OF his army, so that it faced Gen. Hook
er at Chancelorville. And this brought the
9Th corps upon his rear But that rear was
covered by the entertainments behind Fred
erlcksburg; and these entertainments were
the very works before which the whole army
OF the Potomac had been beaten In December
last Very justly the enemys men had CON
ndence IN that position, and our men, not to
mlnce matters, were afraid of it. Now that
THESE entertainments covered Lees rear, they
were OF even greater value to him than when |
they covered his front, and consequently he |
occupied them with ten thousand of his best
troops.
Between four and five p NJ, on Saturday. |
May 2, the light brigade was thrown forward
The 3lst New York in the first line, as Skin
mishers. Brlskly received by the enemy's |
pickets, our line still went on, and in twenty |
minutes had possession OF the road. As soon
as the hre begun on the south side, all of our |
troops VINO remained at this point on the north |
side OF the river, were sent across and begun |
to take up positions. 1t was midnight be-
tore the men had chance to eat their sup |
pers
1t was at half-past twelve in the morning,
on Sunday, May Sd, that we left the green
PLAN on the rivers bank and marched to and |
up the Bowling Green road On we went
through the town in a direction nearly north
until we came to the railroad track, and then
we turned to our left and went far west: again
we went to our right in a northerly direction.
AT this time no one knew, perhaps, exactly
where we were. But here was Skaters brig
AIDE massed in the road; in the same road
Buffers battery, men all mounted, caissons
up, &c. We we're on the march. Shaler
was ordered to the left to feel, and discovered
that we were IN dangerous proximity to the
enemy III position, and to what else it was i'm
possible to make out in the dark. Gen New
ton. wisely cautious, stopped tins advance.
After carefully and thoroughly reconno-
terlng the position, the rebel Notifications
were attacked. "a distinguished officer said |
it was impossible to capture them; but the at
tafSwas made at three points, by Gen Howe
Gen. Newton on the center. The troops un:
der Gen. Newton first penetrated the line, and |
their success being assured, it was all over
with the rebels, some of whom fled, while
others were captured. About 1000 prisoners
were taken, and besides, the rebels suffered
great loss in killed and wounded. Our loss
in killed and wounded is about 1000. Thus
were captured the famous heights at Freder-
ericksburg before which General Burnside's
army was repulSed.
Before this fight Gen. Hooker and the rebel
Lee were face to face, near Characteristic,
which is on the plank road that runs directly
west from Fredericksburg. Down this road,
and consequently toward the scene of the |
fight between Hooker and Lee, the rebels fled |
in Il disorganized rout. They probably reach
ed Lees army on Sunday night. Such a body
of men in such a condition could be no access |
sion to any ones forces. But close on the
heels of these men, and Consequently upon the
rear of Lees army as it fights Hooker, goes
the victorious 9th corps-the gallant divis-
ions of Newton, Brooks, and Howe. And |
this pursuit and onward movement was al
ready begun in one hour after the enemy po-
stion was carried; for Brooks division,
which had slept on Saturday night, and was
not engaged in Sundays battle, was conse-
quenty fresh, and this division was in the
advance and went forward in the highest spir
its. Hooker was only ten miles away, and
Lee was between, and this was at two p. ii. on
Sunday, with the roads in good order.