Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-05-13

sy with their axes rather than their muSket
From Gen. Towards front came the repol
} that the enemy was engaged all night in cu
ting a road past his picket line to the righ
How much attention was paid to this fact {
the time, I do not know, but subsequer
events proved that it was very significant.
{ /. The day continued to pass in a very du
manner for a day of battle, and only here an
4 there was there any thing more than desult
ory sleirmishing and picket firing.
About three O'Clock the pickets on the rigH
; Of General Slocum's front reported that fror
+ a certain position wagons had been seen NOV
e ing a westerly direction nearly all day.
was at once surmised that this might be re
treat, but subsequent events proved that
{ was part Of an affair of altogether another ma
ture. To ascertain, however, what it reall
was, General Sickles, who was still in reserve
was ordered to make a reconnaissance i
heavy force in that direction. This was don
with great promptness, and the divisions G
Generals Birney aud Whipple, with Genera
BarIow's brigade, from Howard's corps, wer
pushed out to the front, Berdan's brigade 0
sharpshooters having the advance, and sup
porting RandOlph's battery. Our troops NOV
ed rapidly, and soon became more or less en-
gagged, especially with the artillery and thu
sharpshooters as skirmishers. Berdan soor
sent in some sixty prisoners belonging to tn,
| 23d Georgia, including one Major, two Cap
tains and three Lieutenants. Being upon tn,
ground, I examined these prisoners, and soor
found that the wagon train" which we haC
seen moving during the day was composed
mainly of ordnance wagons and ambulances
and that Stonewall jackson aud staff were a
the head of column of troops which the wag-
ons followed
Nothing more was needed to convince US
that this daring opponent was executing an
other Of bis sudden movements, and it was al
once resolved to checkmate him. Genera
Sickles was ordered to pnsh on, and General
Williams division Of Slocum' column was or
dered to cooperate Birney pushed ahead
with great vigor, and with Randolph's battery
soon sent to the rear as prisoners Of war the
entire remnant Of the 23d Georgia Regiment,
numbering over four hundred officers and
men. The column Of the enemy which had
/ been moving up this road was now literally
cut in two, and General Williams had COM
menced a flank movement on the enemy's
right, which promised the most ausPicious re
suits
Bat at o'clock a terrific crash of musketry
on our extreme right, announced that Jack
son had commenced his operations. This had
been ANTICIPATED, but it was supposed That af-
ter his column was cut, the corps Of General
Howard, formerly General Sigers,) with its
supports, would be sufficient to resist his ap-
proach, and finding that he was himself as
sailed in the rear, he would turn about and
retreat tQescape capture.
But to the disgrace of the l1th Corps be it
SAID that the division Of General Schurz which
was the first assailed, almost instantly gave
way. Threats, entreaties and orders of COM
manders we're of no avail Thousands Of
Of these towards threw down their guns and
soon streamed down the road toward head
quarters. The enemy pressed his advantage
General Devens' disaffected by the demorali-
zation Of the forces in front Of him, soon fol-
lowed suit, and the brave General was for the
second time severely wounded in the foot,
while endeavoring to rally his men. General
Howard, with all his daring and resolution
and vigor, could not stem the tide of the re-
treating and cOwardly paltroons. The brig
ades Of Colonels Bushbeck and Mclean only
remained fighting, and maintained themselves
uobly aslOng as possible. But they, too, gave
way, though in good order, before vastly su-
perior numbers.
General Hooker now sent to the aid Of
General Howard, the choicest division of his
army, the creation of his own hand, the fam
Gus ID Division of the Sd Corps, commanded
by Major General Berry. Captain Best soon
moved his batteries on a ridge running across
the road, and after a short, but sanguinary
contest, the further advance Of the enemy was
stayed.
OF course the disaster compelled the recall
of Sicllles and Slocum, who had been pursu-
ing their work with remarkable vigor. Gen
eral Williams division returned only to find
a portion of their works filed with the enc
my. Sicllles' division could not communi-
cate with the rest Of the army at all by the
way they advanced, and only at great risk
by any other route.
This was the position at dark, and it did
not look very promising. But our energetic
commander was more than equal to the emer-
gency. New dispositions to repair this disas-
ter were at once resolved upon. Communi-
cation was at once had with Generals Birney
and Whipple, and a night attack ordered, to
restore the connection of the lines. General
Wards brigade, of General Birney's division,
made the attack at II at night, aided by Cap
tain Best's guns, massed on the ridge in front
of the enemy. Birney's position was on the
extreme left Of this new line of battle, but
Wards terrific attack was entirely successful,
communication was restored, and in a charge
made by the brigade, portion ofthe artillery
lost by Howard was gallantly reiaken by Gen.
Hobart Ward.
The night attack was the most grand and
terrific thing Of the war. The moon shone
bright, and an enemy could be seen at good
musket range The air was very stll, and