Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1864-05-18

terday. who advanced on his front, with FIVE
lines of battle. The Yankee loss.is terrible,
especially in Early's front. Ewell's loss is
very small. 81
About 12 o'clock, yesterday, the enemy hav-
ing previously attacked Heth and Wilcox and
driven them -hack5.Longstreet planned and
was IN the act Of executing flank movement
on the enemy's left wing, when, by the mis-
take of our men, he was fired upon. Lieut..
Gen .Longstreetand staff wereseVerely, though
not mortally, wounded. GensLongstreet wss
wounded in the shoulder-so saNthe surgeons
with whom the press correspondent conversed,
and who examined his wound. Brig. Gen.
Jenkins, of South Carolina; was killed at the
same time. Our troops continued to press
the enemy, until about 4 o'clock, driving back
their left and centre some two miles-our
left standing fast in its position.
Last night our men held possession of the
enemy's battlefield on the left and centre,
capturing number Of the encmy's wounded
and some of the dead. The enemy fought
yesterday most obs6nately on all parts of the
line. Our success was very great, thoughnot
deemedTdccsive.
Just before day light, some picket firing
wss heard in front. of Hll's corps, and about
). In. cannonading, lasting half hour, was
head on Ewell's line.
Oc:, loss thus fer is about 5000, of whom
4 large proportion are slightly wounded The
proportion Of officers to priyates killed and
wounded, is very much larger than iu any
previous fight.
The Yankee Gen. Hays is reported killed,
and a dead Yankee General, with initials H.
c., supposed 70 be Couch or Casey, as found
on EwelPs front.
The fight occurred in densely wooded
country. Little or no artillery was brought
into action.
At one time, yesterday, when the enemy
where heavily pressing Hills men, Gen. Ker-
shaw, oppsrtunely, BY double quicking with
his troops, arrived on the field, checked, re-
pulsed and pursued the enemy; thus turning
the fortunes Of the day at that end of the
line. ~zs
The battle field extends overa space of
eight miles in length.
Rosssr's cavalry fought the enemy yesterday
all day on our extreme right, losing heavily.
Eweil captured two pieces Of artillery in
the fight of Thursday and 1900 prisoners.
The wounded are arriving here and recey-
ing every attention..
Gen. R. II. Anderson is now commanding
in place ofLongstreet.
= Two thousand well and wounded prisoners
have been captured thus far.
The ground extends from the Rapi-
dan River to the plank road, and is about
twenty five miles East of Orange Court House.
The battle is not yet.ended. The weather i.
hot and sultry.
Gordon's Georgia Brigade and Johnston's
N. c., Brigade,o Of Ewells Corps, turned the
enemy's extreme right flank, about four miles
above Germanna Ford, last evening, between
sunset and dark, capturing 400 prisoners,
including Brigadier. Generals Seymour aud
Shaler. Tho enemy, completely surprised,
hastily 1ed on finding their breastworks turn
ed and stormed. Our loss very slight.
Stuart was yesterday engaged with the enc.
my On our right, and it was reported he was
compelled to give back until Hampton joined
him, when he forced the enemy to retire.
Tho enemy's losses thus far are estimated
ct $4,000; ours will reach 1000. The Yam
kee Gen. Hayes is certainly killed. Wadsworh
is wounded and prisoner; he may recover.
Oglesby is reported killed. 2,400 pgivGtes
and 100 commissioned officers Thus far have
been registered here, not including the Yam
kee wounded, Of which we captured some
1900, chiefly in front Of Hill and Longstreet,
on Friday.
Our mon began Saturday evening to bury
Our own and the Yankee dead.
THE nATFLE NEAR PORT wAIrHiL1.
On Friday evening, May G, the sne8y com.
menceA to advance from Port WaltLall against
Port Walthall junc.iso, the point where the
branch meets the main stem Of the Peters
burg railroad-a distance Of some three
miles. There was some sharp skirmshing in
which the enemy was repIIsed with loss Of
ahundred to q hundred and fifty in killed and
wounded On Saturday the enemy, after be-
ing reinforced, renewed his attempt to ad- /
vance. and about twelve o'clock, after some
sharp skirmishing along the lines, o battle
was joined by the opposing forces, and con
tinued With great fury for some four orfve
hours. The enemy fought with grest stub
bornness, and showed resolute purpose to
reach the railroad. Our forces, under com.
mand of General Bushrod Johnson, resisted
their advance most gallautly, and about six
o'clock, after spirited engagement, drove
back their infantry. The srtllery continued
to FIRE slowly, but the enemy made no attempt
to recover the ground they had lost. During
the night, for prudential reasons, General
Bushrod johnson fell back upon Swift Greek
bridge, most important structure on the
railroad, mile and ahslf from Petersburg,
and about tb2rsame distance from Port Wal
thall junction, against which it is we'll known
thet this advance CT the enemy is directed.
The enemy's strength was not known, but
the best informed sources estimate it at not
less than ten thousand. The prisoners taken
report that this whole movement up the
James river is under the direction of Gen
eral Butler, and that he accompanies the e1-
petition in person.
sScosp DAYS FIGHT AT PORT wALruALL
JUNCTION,
On Saturday, at ID o'clock, the enemy hav.
ing been heavily reinforced, the fight was
renewed, and continued with great dospera-
ton for threeor four hours. About f o'clock,
the enemy was driven back with considerable
loss. During the night, our forces fell back
to Swift: Creek Bridge. The enemy is sup
posed to have been about 10000 strong. Our
troops were under command of Gen. Bushrod