Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-07


the Eleventh corps.
Batteries were Immediately sent up in
thundersus clamor to the 'front.' and Capt.
/ Best Chief Of Artillery Of Slocum's corps,
massed twenty pieces on the crest near
Gen. sickles' headquarters and a terrific
FIRE was opened on the enemy, and kept up
far into the night.
Gen. P~lesssnton, too, succeededin turning
back q dozen pieces taken frem the flying
corps and planting them in q favorable
position, while he drew up his little brig
ade Of cavalry, consisting Of %squadrons Of
the Sixth New York, Eighth Pennsylvania
and Seventeenth Pennsylvania, with
drawn ssbres to protect the guns a novel
sight in battle.) Directing the pieces to be
double shotted with canister, he swept the
position occupied by the enemy with a
murderous FIRE. The successful check of
the advancing foe is in no small degree
owing to the indomitable energy Of this
gallant soldier.
While this is going on, the panic-strick-
en- Dutchmen are sweeping past us, and
round by headquarters into the road lead
ing to United States Ford. Many mem
bers Of the staff Of Gen. Hooker and
other general officers placed themselves in
the road, and with drawn sabres smote
and slashed the coWardly retreating ras-
Gals. It was all in vain, however. The
road for two or three miles down toward
United States Ford is now crowded with
their shattered fragments. Gen. Hooker
has, however, already sent Sykes regulars
after them. As to the loss sustained by
this corps, either in killed or captured, it
could not have been great-they ran too
fast for that. have the modification to
add that they allowed twelve pieces of
cannon to fall into hands Of the enemy.
What makes this retreat not only dis
graceful, but well-nigh disastrous, is that
it completely foiled a splendid maneuvre
which Gen. Sickles with his corps was en-
gagged in executing. He had gone in on a
branch road leading off from the main
pike, pierced the enemy's centre, penetra-
ted for a mile, cut them in two, and would
have secured the key to victory, when the
turning Of Towards position compelled
him to make good his retreat, though he
brought out with him four hundred rebel
prisoners.
This was the position at dark, and it
did not look very promising. But our en-
ergetic commander 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, and a
night attack ordered, to restore the con-
nection Of the lines. Gen. Wards brigade,
General Birney's division, made the at
tack at IL at night, aided by Capt. Bests
guns. msssed on the ridge in front of the
enemy. Birney's position was on the ex-
treme left of this new line of battle, but
Wards terrific attack was entirely sue
c%eseful, communication wa restored, and
in a charge made by the brigade, a por-
ton Of the artillery lost by Howard was
calamity retaken by Gen. Hobart Ward.
This 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
still, and the roar and reverberation Of
the musketry and artillery past all con-
ception. Malvern Hill was a skirmish
compared with this, save in the degree Of
slaughter. But it was successful,-the
enemy were driven back nearly half a
mile, and bur tired men once mere slept on
their arms. That nights work was ended.
SUNDAYS BATTLE.
Now 1 ZONE to Sunday It was per-
fectly evident, from the position Of affairs
on Saturday night, that there must be a
change Of our lines, which would throw
the enemy out Of our rear and into our
front again. It will be seen by what
skillful generslship the enemy was fought.
and checked on front, and flank, and rear,
while this was being done.
General Reynolds First Army Corps ar
rived ct 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, lie latter's position, on the left,
having relieved by General Towards
EleveIR Corps, which, notwithstanding
IT'S dis lnized condition was so far re-
organized during the night as to be fit for
duty again this morning. They were as
signed the position CT the left where it
was probable there would be little or no
fighting, and were protected by the strong
works built the day before by Gen.
Meade's corps. Our new line now as
sumed the shape of a triangle, prolonged
at the apex, the right of it being some
what longer than the left. AS the por-
ton Of the line on the right was new,
time was necessary to fortify and in
trench it, and the work was carried on
vigorously by the Fifth and First army
corps.
It was very evident at daylight this
morning that the day would bring forth q
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
tenticn 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 in front and
on both tanks.
But the possession Of this road was not
obtained by the enemy save at our own
time, at his seTerest cost and after one of
the most desperate, tenacious and bloody
conflicts, for its short duration, of the
whole war. At 5 o'clock A. N. the rebels
could be plainly seen up the plank road,
about o mile and a half from the Chancel-
lor House, which General Hooker still re-
tanned as his headquarters, though a shell
had gone through it the evening before,
and another had cut down a 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 General Williams supporting.
At 81 Al N. the advance became engaged in
the ravine, just beyond the ridge where
Captain Bests guns had made their terrific
onslaught the night before, and where they
still frowned upon the enemy and threat
ened his destruction.
The rattle of musketry sOon became a