Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-06-14
ARMY Of the Potomac.
Tms GREAT BATTLE OF FRIDAY.

hAlIbE VI
Friday, tho al instant, was signalized by gu
attack along the whole line OF the enemy's
wosks. Grant neither sought to turn tho right
Hr left of Lees position, or by q resort to some
brilliant coup-de-mdiR, wrest victory from his
antagonist, but it was fearless, straightfor-
ward movement upon the enemy's work--SaxOn
pittel against Saxon iu a fearful death grRpple.
Our brave boys iecoiled from the shock, but not
Mntil their inpetuosity had carried them into
the very jaws Of DEATH where it was worse than
madness to remain, The lion-bearted men fell
hnck, but it was not to abandon all the ground
80 dearly earned. They rem0ined.--portions Of
Ihe line-within fifteen yards Of the rebel de-
Iences, cinging stubbornly, tenaciously, to the
new foothold, and when the enemy sailed forth
at sightfall for a counter assault, sent them
back Aowliug to their works.
The correspondents at the front tell us, and
it seems very plausible, that Grant designed
making tais assault earlier in the week. When
Lee defantly massed his forces upon the north
bank Of the Chickahominy, such an attack be.
came necessary. and the sooner it was made the
better Accordingly, After securing possession
Of Geld Harbor, which opened up q secure line
Of communication with White House, and ena-
bled him to extend his left wing toward the
Chckahomiuv, he determined upon attacking
Lee before he should complete his defences, then
being hastily constructed.
Thursday morping was fixed for the assault,
and during tue night proceeding, the indomitG-
BILE Hancock was transferred from the extreme
right to the extreme left Of the line, where it
was expected that the heaviest fighting would
occur. But Hancock met with such stubborn
resistance that he was unable to get his corps
into the position designed for it until Thursday
noon. Three o'clock was then designated as the
hour for assault, but the elements where then
uupropitious, and the attempt was postponed
for the day With the first gray dawn OF the
morrow, the soldiers were aroused from their
slumbers, md moved at 43O to their bloody
| work. Hancock's corps swept over the ground
| in magnificent order. Barlow's division--the
brave heroes who made prisoners Of johnson
aud bis command at Spottsylvania-dashed
through the iron hail right up to the enemY's
! works, scaled the parapet, and captured five
hundred prisoners and four cannon. But now
came heavy reinforeements 10 the enemy, and
\ they were compelled TO fall back, though main
! tanning position far in advance of the starting
point, GibbOn and Birney met with a similar
success, aud then check, though McKean's bri-
gade OF the former division renamed all day
within fifteen yards OF the rebel works.
simultaneously with Hancock's assault, the
9th corps, Wrights, Rnd the 18Th, Smiths, com
| prising the lett centre and centre, moved for
/ ward, but, as General Grant says, achieved no
| decisive advantage. The same can be saie Of
the 9th corps, Warren's and 9th, Barnsides, up
Gu the right, though these last mentioned COM
manders ncted subordinate part. and conse-
quenily did little more than keep up heavy
artillery fire. In an hours time the eonnict
was ended.
With the exception of skirmishing, no more
fighting occurred during the day, until between
seven and eight O'Clock, when the enemy made
a fierce assault upon The I'd and 9th corps, but
we're driven back with slaughter. Such, in
brief, was the battle Of Friday. Though Grant
failed to drive the enemy from their works, he
secured several advantageous positions, aud ad-
by the foe.