Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-05-22
CALAMITY or sEDGWICKs CORPS.


The various divisions Of the corps (SiNth, Gen.
Sedgwick - moved rapidly forward Con sunday
up the Gordousyilo turnpike TO the distance OF
four miles. skrnishiug a the way. where they
found The enemy in force when another battle
ensucd, IN which Brooks, Ncwtons and the
FLYING division were cngaged--thc first suffering
severely The rebels were in a woods, and as
we advanced 10 IL opened CALLING FIRE Russelrs
brigade composed Of the aud qbth the 18th
PENNSYLVANIA and l2lst New York, made q charge
aud suffered severely, the g5th being hmost ami
lated While the battle was progressing, the enc
my suddenly commenced firing on the left TO the
rear. aud Brooks division was obliged 10 change
front The battle lasted till dark without any de
csiyc results being obtained on either side. Dur
ing the night the woods took fire. and it is feared
that many of the wounded ON both sides persisted
in the laucs.
MONDAY morning the rebels suddenly made their
appearance on the hills 10 the left OF Frcdcricks-
hurgh, and coming down rapidly, occupied the
city. thus getting 100 the rear of the corps. our
respondent happened To- be in q farmhouse at
q point where they descended to the plain. and
you can Judge OF bis astoni, hment ON looking ont
of thc window Co scc this large force advancing On
ihc field no front of the house. Most Of the sup
ply trains. ambuanccs, mules and soldiers in Che
vicinity were taken. fleet horse saved me from
capture A serious hlunder was pcrpctratcd in
pushing on our forces rapidly without asccr-
tanning whether or not there were any rebels on
the woody heights to the left of the city. One
whole corps came down and forming in line OF
battle Immediately marched aitcrsthe corps. The
only way OF retreat lay by Brook ford, hive miles
above the city General ScGgwick was signallcd
from this side of the river Of the condition OF af-
fairs and Immediately turning about formed u line
Of battle facing this way. holding the rebels in
check, and working down towards the ford. The
lines OF battle remained in this condition until n
bout the middle Of the day, when the rebels at
Epd ne sod *
division capturing 500 prisoners. The rebel re-
Inducements had fought nouc while our troops
had been fighting more or less since the previous
Tuesday night
For a time it was feared that the corps could not
make communication at Banks Ford, and that the
whole of it must be captured But by noon a
connection was made and General Scdgwick
sent for supplies Meantime tue wounded in
Fredericksburg were being taken across the pom
toons TO this side, all Of them being got away on
the sudden appearance of the enemy on the out
skirts above. The doctorsf suppOslng of course
that the enemy would Come down and take them,
made all the arrangements for being taken prison
crs but for some reason, either through fear of
forces above, or siege guns ON this side of the
river the enemy did not advance into the town.
The positions of the respective armies were then
as follows Our main force on the north, then
the main force Of the enemy the 9th corps below,
corps of rebels still lower, and our heavy guns
this side-a most extraordinary sandwiching of
opposing forces together.
Skirmishing occurred along the whole line until
l-2 o'clock in the evening, when the rebels at
tackled rs from two ways,
We were arranged in two lines Of battle. The
enemy attacking the Second division of the Second
corps and lotcs at first approaching them dag
onally from fredericksburg and the country di-
rcctly beyond. General Mills brigade. consist
ing Of the SD New York, nth New York, 10Th
New York 10th New York together with the