Evening star., 1863-05-06
THE GREAT BATTLES OF SAT-
URDAY AND SUNDAY.
A GRAPHIC ACCOUNT,

scription of the great battles of Saturday and
Sunday
At o'clock on Saturday it became apparent
that Stonewall jackson with heavy force was
executing sudden movement on our right,
and II was at once resolved to checkmate him
Gen. Sickles was ordered to push on, and Gen
Williams division Of Slocum's column was or
dered to co. operate: Birney pushed ahead with
| great vieor, and with Randolph's battery soon
| sent to the rear as prisoners ct war the entire
| remnant OF the Twenty. third Georgia regiment,
numbering over four hundred officers and men
The column of the enemy which had been
moving mp this road was now literally cut in
two, and Gen. Williams had commenced flank
movement on the enemy's right, which prom
| ist d the NEST aus picious results
JACKsON's ATTACK ON OUR RIGHT
But at O'Clock a terrific crash OF mnsketry
on our extreme light announced that Jackson
had commenced his operations. This had been
anticipated. but 1t W as supposed that after his
| column was cut the corps of General Howard
| fosmerly General Sigel'sl, with its supports
wouid be sufficient to resist his approach, and
| finding that he was him self assaled In the rear
he would turn about and retreat to escape cap
| ture.
| But, to the disgrace of the Eleventh corps
| be it said, the division Of General SchurZ,
| which WAS the first assaiied, almost instantly
| The brigades of Co.'s. Bushbeck and Mclean
only remained fighting, and main tained
| themselves ncbly as long as possible. But they
| too gave way, though In good order, before
vastly superior numbers.
General Hooker now sent to the aid of Gene.
| raj Howard the choicest division of his army
| the creation OF hi. own hand, the famous second
| division OF the Third corps, commanded by
| Major. General Berry. Captain Best sson
moved his batteries on ridge running across
the road. and alter a shcrt but sanguinary con-
test the 1urther advance OF the enemy was
stayed.
OF course this disaster compelled the recall
OF Slckles and Siocum, who had been pursuing
their work with remarkable vigor. General
; tkIn n l,-tr
ton OF their works filled with the enemy,
Sicklrss division could not communicate with
the rest OF the army at all byshe way they ad-
vanced, and only at great risk by any other
route.
NEW DISPOSITIONS BY GEN HOOKER
This was the position at dark, and 1t did not
look very promising. But our energetic COM
! mander was more than equal TO the emergency.
New dispositions to repair this disaster were at
once resolved upon. Communication was at
once had with Generals Birney and Whipple,
ard night attack ordered TO restore the con-
nection of the lines. Gen. Wards brigade of
Gen. Birney's division, made the attack at II
at night, aided by Capt. Besrs guns massed on
the ridge In front OF the enemy. Birney's po-
sitiOn was on the Extreme left of this new line
OF battle, but Ward S terrific attack was en-.
tirely successful, communication was restored.
and IN charge made by the brigade, q portion
of The artillery lost by Howard was galiantly
reraken by Gen. Hobart Ward.
This night attack was the most grand and
terrific thing of the war. Malvern Hill was a
skirmsh compared with this, save in the de.
gree OF slaughter. But it was successful-the
enemy were driven back nearly half a mile,
and our tired men once more slept on their
arms. That nights work was ended
THE BATTLE OF SUNDAY.
Now come to Sunday. It was perfectly
evident, from the position OF affairs on Satur-
day night, that there must be a change of our
lines, which would throw the enemy out of our
rear and into our front again.
Gen. Reynolds First army corps arrived at
United States Ford on Saturday afternoon. 1t
vas immediately put into position on our
right, which was Withdrawn from the plank
road to the Ely's Ford turnpike. This line
was Immediately formed by Generals Rey-
nolds and Meade the latter's position on the
lett having been relieved by Gen Howard's
Eleventh corps which, Notwithstanding its
dlsorganiZed condition, was SO for reorganiZed
during the night as TO be fit for duty again this
morning They were assig gned the position on
the left, where il was probable there would be
little or no fighting, and were protected by the
strong works built the day before by General
Meades corps. Our new line now assumed
the shape OF a triangle, prolonged at the apex
the right OF the line somewhat longer than the
left. As the portion of the line on the right
was new, time was necessary to fortify and IN
trench it, and the work was carried on vigor-
ously by thes First and Fifth army corps.
1t was very evident at daylight this morning
that the DAY would bring forth 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
tfntion was, evidently, 10 fight for the posses.
sion of the plank road, which it was perfectly
apparent he must have, as that portion of it
which we then held was subject to the enemy's
assaults in front and on both fanks.
But the possession OF this road was not OBJ
tanned by the rnemy save at our own time, at
his severest cost, and after one of the most des-
perate, tenacious and bloody conflicts, for its
short duration OF the whole war. At o'clock
a: m. the rebels could be plainly seen up the
plank road. about mile and a half from the
Chancellor House. which Gen. Hooker still re.
tanned as his headquarters, though 4 shell had
gone through 1t the evening before. and an
other had cut down tree directly in front
of it,
Our line of hattie was formed with General
Berry's gallant division on the right, Gen. Bir.
ney next on the left, Gen. Whipple and Gen.
Williams supporting. At 5]S q. m, the ad-
vance became engaged in the ravne, lust be.
yond the ridge where Capt. Best's guns had
made their terrific onslaught the night before,
and where they still trowned upon the enemy
and threatened his destruction.
The rattle OF musketry soon became long
continued crash, anu in few moments, as bat
talon after battalion became engaged. the roar
surpassed all conception, and Indicated that
the fight would be one OF the most terrible ma.
ture. Gen Berry division, " hich had checked
the enemy's advance the night before engaged
him again, and If 1t were possible for them to
add more 1aurels TO their names, then they did
il thrice over again The enemy advanced his
infantry III oyerw heming numbers, and seemed
determined TO crush our forces. But the brave
men of Sickles and Slocum, who fought their
columns with desperate gallantry, held the
rebels in check, and inflicted dreadful slaughter
among them. Gen. French's division was sent
in on the right flank of our line a. about "a. M.
and in short time horde OF " : ed, stream.
ing rebels running down the Toed indicated
that that portion OF the enemyS line had been
crushed. AT O'Clock a. m, Gen. French sent
his compliments to Gen. Hoob +, with the ia.
formation that he had charged the eneiay and
was driving him before him.
Sickles main tanned the attack upon his line
with great endurance. The enemy seemed de-
termined to crush him with the immensity of
his forces, and, as subsequently shown from
the statement of prisoners, five whole divisions
of the rebel army We're precipitated 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 TROOPS.
The exploits OF our gallant troops in those
dark, tangled, gloomy woods may never be
brought to light; but they would fiji hundred
volumes. 1t was deliberate, desperate, hand
to hand conflict, and the carnage was perfect
ly frightful. Cool officers say that the dead
and wounded of the enemy covered the ground
in heaps, Ind that the rebels seemed Utterly re-
gardless of their lives, and Literally threw