The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1863-05-06
PROGRESS OF THE GREAT FIGHT.
Our Right Meet with a Check.
Disgraceful Conduct of the German
Corps.
1aIlantry Of Howard and Sickles.
An Entire Rebel Regiment Captured.
The Gibralter Brigade Turn the Tide
OF Battle.
Terrific Slaughter of the Rebels.
Rockers Headquarters Burned
Our Present Position Impregnable.

New York, May 5.-The Times and
the Herald contain long and interesting
accounts of the proceedings of Hooker
army.
The ZImeSs correspondence states
that, after three days skirmishing on
both sides, the rebels on Saturday after
noon attacked our right fank-Jackson,
with his whole corps of 10000 men,
throwing himself impetuously on How
ards Eleventh Corps But the move
ment was only partially successful, and
reinforcements being promptly sent by
Hooker, the rebels were handsomely
checked Towards corps consists of
Schurz s, Steinwehr' S, and Owens divi-
/ sions.
The same correspondent states that
! this corps disgracefuily abandoned their
! position behind their breastworks, and
! rushed panic-stricken toward headquar-
/ tiers. Our right was thus completely
! turned, and the rebels in q fair way of
doubling us up. Hooker was imme-
diately in the saddle, and turning to the
commander of his own old corps, Gen.
! Berry, shouted, General, throw your
men into the breach and receive the
/ enemy on your bayonets, and don't fire
a shot They can't see you. They
rushed gloriously at dou6le-quick to the
rescue, pressing forward horrid array
of glittering steel. The enemy were
checked, and retired to the breastworks
just abandoned by our men. Batteries
were Immediately massed on the crest of
a hill, and poured in terrific fire until
far in the night i...-.
Gen. Plesanton also checked flying
battery Of adozen pieces, and drew up his
little brigade of cavalry with drawn sa-
bres to protect the guns. He had them
| double-shotted with canister and swept
the enemys position murderously. In
this charge OF the rebels, they took from
the "cowardly Dutchmen," as the Times
correspondent styles them, IL pieces of
cannon. The Germans fed past Hook
er's headquarters in panic Many
members Of the staff, with pistols and
sabres, vainly endeavored to stay their
flight Sykes regulars are picking them
up The artillery combat continued
fiercely till midnight. Hooker and staff
were all the time under the severest fire.
Another correspondent, dating Sunday
evening, says it is reported from How
ards front that the rebels were engaged
all Friday night in cutting a road noe;
his RIGHT but not mucn attention was paid
10 .he fact. On the aiternoon of Satur-
| day it was reported by pickets on-Slo-
| cum front that wagons were seen NOV
ingin a westerly direction all day Sickles
with a heavy force was sent to recon
noiter, when hisradvance fell on the rear
of Jacksou's army. Sickles pushed on
to checkmate jackson and soon captured
the entire Odd Georgia regiment, of 400
men and officers. This move of Sickles
cut Jackson's force in two, and Viii
liams commenced flank movement on
the enemy's right with good prospects of
success. 1t was supposed that Howard S
corps, formerly Sigefs, would successful
ly resist Jacksons movement. But the
first division, assailed was Carl Schurz
which almost instantly gave way, thou
sands throwing down their guns and
streaming towards headquarters.
General Devin's Division, by the de-
moralization of others, was unable to
stand against the rebels, and Devin was
second time wounded in the foot while
endeavoring to rally his men. Howard
with all his daring and resolution could
not stem the tide, and the brigades of
Colonel Bushbeck and Mclean remained
fighting as long as possible and retiring
in good order Of course this disaster
compelled the recall of Sickles, who had
been vigorously at work. Gen. Williams
Division returned to find the position of
his works occupied by the enemy.
/ Sickles could not communicate with his
army by the route he came, and Hooker
ordered night attack to restore com
munication. Wards Brigade, aided by
Best's battery, made the attack at ii
o'clock at night, and it was entirely sue
cessful, and in charge made by the Brig.
ade portion of the artillery lost by
Howard was calamity retaken. The
enemy were driven back nearly mile
that night. On Saturday night our men
slept on their arms. On Sunday at a
m. the rebels could be plainly seen or
the plank road about mile and a hal
from Rockers headquarters at Chancel
lor House, which house had been pene
trated the evening previous by she'll
Our line of battle was Immediately
formed, and in half an hour our advance
became engaged Soon after battalion
after battlion became engaged, the enem,
advancing his infantry in overwhelming
! numbers, seeming determined to crust
ours. -t la
S Sickles' and ,Slocum brave men, how
ever held them in check, inhicting dread
full slaughter upon them. French
: division was sent on our right flank ah,
soon crushed that portion of the enemy
: line, and at 8 O'Clock French sent hi
n compliments. to Hooker, stating he ha,
S charged the rebels and was driving then
before him. Bias -rajr ~
Five whole rebel divisions were throw
upon Sickles, but he and his gallant so
diers held the traitors in check, taking
during the day, an aggregate of 200
:. prisoners. The fight was a desperat
81 hand to hand conflict, and The carnag
!. was perfectly frightful Officers say tn
u dead and wounded rebels covered tn
, ground in heaps, the rebels -literali
e throwing themselves upon the muzzles c
. our guns, Is e
!, Motifs brigade made fifteen distinC
charges and captured seven stand {
rebels colors. The 7th New Jerse
alone captured four stand of colors an