Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-05-20
The Great v.ctOry-HOw It was Won.

WASHINGTON, May Is.
The battle nfThurstlay was the most decid-
ed success uhich the Army of the Potomac
has vet attained, as we'll as the most desperate
struggle of the eight days lighting.
Early in the morning Hancock made q
most brilliant charge on the enemy's right,
swpeping their two lines Of breastwuIks, cap
turing 40 pieces of arti Iery and 5000 prison
ers. Following this general attack began
and continued furiousIy for some four hours.
when there was lull up TO late hour of the
night. Wednesday night passed in q1iet.-
The battles of the two preceding days had
served to show that the enemy's line IN front
Of Spottsylvania Court HUuse, was so fortified
that TO attempt 10 carry it by assault would
have been madness, but one point 10 1t bad
bpeH found where the works did not seem to
DEFY our attempt at charging Hpon them. and
bv a singular coincidence that point
where there was almost a gap in cur own
lines. between Wright's Gate Sedgwick's)
corns and that of Burnside. Hitherto the en-.
emyis policy had been TO mass his forces and
attack US IN overwhelming numbers. 1t was
resolved, in parts at least, to give him taste
of his own tactics Shortly before midnight, j,
"Wednesday night, Hancock began moving
During the day he had held the extreme right
By hard marching he passed in the utmost ST.
lence along almost the entire length Of our
lines, and reached the point between Wright
and Burnside where our lines were SO thin
Meanwhile the enemy, remembering that on
Wednesday they had suffered none from any
fire at this point, were giving it no attention
and had no expectation of any attack at this
quarter. Their latest reconnaissance had found
Hancock on our right, and from Burnside they
expected to meet the brnnL of the mornings
assault. The morning broke slow and dim;
heayy mist overhung theft field and conseaed
our movements. The enemy were still waiting
for the attack on our righI, when, TO their Ut
ter and complete surprise, ,hel-fre burst out
from this unexpected point, where yesterday
they had found no opPOsiIion, and in an in
slant Haneock's whole corps Was charging
with triumphant cheers and in magnificent
style over their onier row of breastwnrks.-
Though stunned by the sudden and unexpected
onset, they were still true to their oft proved
bravery. RAllying on the instant, they made
The best defense they could and desperately
contest our further advance. l. was splendid
but it was in vain. Their lines melted away
before our resistless charge: broke into eddy
ing fragments, and swep back in the fierce tide
Of the attack. The outer line of the breast
works had been carried by the. first rush.
This brief fight ended in our sweeping over The
second aud tapping our fanks around the last
and bTavest OF it's defenders. gss.
Five thousand prisOners-a whole division
with It's commander, Maj. Gen. Johcslon, at
its head; forty pieces of artillery, hattie flags
without number Such were The splendid tro-
phies with which General II ancock thus be-
gan the day. Among The officers captured,
besides the Major General commanding the
division, wss his brother, another, Gen. John
son, and Gen q. H. Stuart, formerly of Bal
timore, both commanding brigades.
Our brilliant success aroused lie highest en-
thusiasm in the army, and men seemed as eager
for the battle as they had been on .he first day
in The Wilderness. HancOck's gallant stroke
was made just at the right time and place, for
at every other point the enemy's works were
very strong and well guarded. To have made
this attack in front would have been most dis
astrous.