Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-05-13

| throw your men INTO the bfeach-receiVe
the enemy on your bayonets-don't fire a
shot-they can't see you"'
Pressing up in their horrid array of
Il t.ering steel, the enemy's advance was
quickly checked, and he had to Withdraw
to his line of breastworks.
! Capt Best, of Slocum's corps massed
twenty pieces on the crest near Sickles
headquarters and a terrific fire was open
ed on the enemy, and KEEP; up far into
Saturday night.
| Gen. PleaSanton, too succeeded in turn
ing back a dozen pieces OF cannon taken
from the flying corps and planting them
in favorite position, while he drew up
his little brigade of cavalry. .swith drawn
sqbres to protect the guns IA novel sight
in battle.) Directing the pieces to be
double-shotted with canister, he swept
the position occupied by the enemy with
murderous fire.
SUNDAYS BATTLE.
Now | come to Sunday 1t was per-
fectly evident, from the position of affairs
on Saturday night, that there must be
change of our lines, which would throw
the enemy out of our rear and into our
front again. 1t will he seen by what
skillful generalship the enemy was fought
and checked on front, and flank and rear,
while his was being done.
General Reynolds First Army Corps ar
rived at United States Ford on Saturday
afternoon. 1t was Immediately put into
position on our right, which was with
drawn from the plank road to the Ely's
Ford turnpike. This line was immediate
ly formed by Generals Reynolds and
Meade. the latter's position, on the left,
having been relieved by General Howard's
Eleventh Corps, which, notwithstanding
its disorsanized condition, was so far re-
organized during the night to he fit for
duty again this morning. They were AS
signed the position on the left, where it
was probable there would be little or no
fighting. and were protected by strong
works built the day before by General
Meades' Corps. Our new line now as
sumed the shape of triangle, prolonged
at the apex, the right of it being some
what longer than the left. As the por-
tion of the line on the right was new.
time was necessary TO fortify and en-
trench it. and the work was carried on
vigorously by the Fifth and First army
corps.
1t was very evident at daylight this
ludl Ah
terrific battle. We knew that the enemy
had been reinforcing his line all night,
at the expense, undoubtedly, of the
strength of his force on our left. His in
tention was evidently, to fight for the pos
session of the plank road, which it was
perfectly apparent he must have, as that
portion of it which we then held was sub
ject To the enemy's assaults i'm front and
on both fianks.
But the possession of this road was not
obtained by the enemy save at our own
time at his severest cost, and after one OF
the most desperate, tenacious, and bloody |
conflicts, for its short duration. of the |
whole war. At ) o'clock a. N. the rebels |
could plainly be seen up the plank road. /
about a mile and half from the Chancel |
lor House, which General Hooker still re. /
tanned as his headquarters, though shell
had gone through it the evening before
and another had cut down tree directly !
in front of it.
Our line of battle was formed with Gen /
eral Berry's gallant division on the right. !
General Birney next on the left, General
Whipple and Gen. Williams supporting. |
At 81 A.M.the advance became engaged in |
the ravine, just beyond the ridge where
Captain Best's guns had msae their terrific !
onslaught the night before, and they still |
frowned upon the enemy and threatened |
his destruction.
The rattle of musketry soon became a !
long continued crash, and in few mo- .
ments ,as battalion after battalion became |
engaged, the roar surpassed all conception I
and indicated that the fight would be one .
of the most terrible nature. General |
Berry's division, which had checked the /
eaemy's advance the night before, engaged /
him again, and if it were possible for
them to add more laurels TO their fame,
they did it thrice over again. The enc
my advanced his infantry in oyerwhelm-
ing numbers, and seemed determined to
crush our forces. But the brave men of
Sickles and Slecum, who fought their
columns with desperate gallantry, held
the rebels in check and inflicted dreadful
slaughter amongst them. Gen. French's
division was sent in on the right flank of
our line at about A. n, and in u short
time horde of ragged, streaming rebels
running down the road, indicated that
that portion of the enemy's line had been
crushed At o'clock A. NJ, General
French sent his compliments to General
Hooker, with the information that he
had charged the enemy and was driving
him before him.
Sickles maintained the attack upon his
line with great endurance. The enemy
seemed determined to crush him with the
immensity of his forces, and as subse-
quently shown from the statments Of pris-
oners, five whole divisions of the rebel
army were precipited upon this portion
of the line, for from these five divisions
we took during the day an aggregate of
over two thousand prisoners.
The exploits of our gallant troops in
those DARK, tangled gloomy woods may
never be brought to light; but they would
fill hundred volumes. 1t was a deliber- /
ate, desperate hand-to-hand conflict, and |
the carnage was perfectly frightful. Cool
officers say that the ground was covered |
in heaps by the dead and wounded of the |
enemy, and that the rebels seemed utter
ly regardless of their lives, and literally |
threw themselves upon the muzzles of
guns. Many desperate charges were
made during the fight, particularly by |
Berry's division. Moore's brigade made
IL distinct charges, and captured seven |
stand of colors, the 18th New Jersey, Col.
Francis, alone capturing four stand of |
colors, and five hundred prisoners.
General Couche's second army corps, |
though only in part present, did excel
lent work. 1t was General French who |
charged and drove the enemy on the
flank, and it was the indomitable Han
cock who calamity went to the relief of
the hard pressed Sickles.
the engagement lasted without the
slightest intermisSion from 81 A. N. to 81
A. NJ when there WAS a temnorary cessa-