The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1864-05-19
.pETAlLsoF THURspAY,s FIGHT.
WAsalxaToN, May 10.

The general summing up Of ysstef.
days brilliant success, the dispatches
from IngatlE, Grant; Hancock and 9th
srs. announcing il; the statements ofths
! prisoners, the guns and collars We have
captured, and the inspiring news from
Butler and Sigel, that completed the
circle Of our triumphs, and mSde this
the happiest day that Washington has
known for many a month--all this may
be left the associated Press to .ell,-|
MEANWHILE the following details Just 70.
ceivedi at this bureau, from correspond
snlS on the battle fields, pOseSS a spe'
cial interest: 91' ga.H-o.1asT sy! a
The altle'ofTbWsday weS the most
decided success which the Army Of The
Potomac has YET attained, as well 5sthe
most desperate struggle Of the eight
days lighting. % ss y it'F ~
Early in The morning 'Hsncoek made
most brilliant charge on the enemy's
right. sweeping theirtwo lines Of breast.
works, capturing 40 pieces Of artillery
and 5000 prisoners. Following this a
general attack began and continued fu-
riously for some four hours, when there
was aluiiup to late hour iofths night
Wednesday passed IN quiet. The bat.
lies Of the two preceding days had ssrV.
ed TO show the enemy's line in front Of
Spottsylvonia Court House, was so for
titled that to attempt TO carry it by as
sault would have been madness, but
one point in It had been found wbeIo
the works did not seem to defy our al
tempt at charging upon them, ond by
singular coincidenoG that was APPOINT Of
lines where there was elmost a. gap in
our own lines, between Wright'S (ate
Sedgwick's corps and that Of Burnside.
Hitherto the enemy's policy had been
to mass his forces and attack usin over.
whelming numbers. 1t was resolved,
in partial least, 10 give him q taste Of
his own tactics. Shortly before mid
night Wednesday night, Hancock began
moving. During the day he had held
the extreme right. By hard marching
he passed in the utmost silence 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, remgm.
bering that on Wednesday they had
suffered none from any fire OF this point,
were giving it no attention, and had no
expectation of any attack from this
quarter, Their latest reconnaissance had
found Hancock on our right, and from
Burnside they expected the brunt Of the
mornings assault. The morning broke
slow and dim; Q heavy mist overhung
the field and concealed our movements.
The enemy were stiIl waiting for the at,
tack on our right, when, to their utter
and complete surprise, hell. FIRE burst
out from this unexpected point. where
yesterday they had found no opposition,
and in an instant Hancock's corps char,
ged with triumphant cheers and in mag
nifcent style over their outer row Of
breastworks. Though stunned by the
sudden and unexpected onset, they were
still true to their oft proved bravery
Rsllying on the instant, they made the
best defense they could and desperately |
contested our further advance. Il was
splendid but in vain. Their lines melted
away before our resistlsss charge; broke
into eddyiug fragments, and were swept
back in the fierce tide of the attack, -
The outer line OF the breastworks had
been carried by the first rush. This
brief fight ended in our sweeping over
the second and tapping our TANKS around
the last and bravest Of its defenders.
Five thousand prisoners-a whole d.
yision-with its commander, Major Gen.
Johnston, a! its head; forty pieces of ar.
tillery, battle flags without number
Such were the trophies with which Gen.
Hancock thus began the day. Among
the officers captured, besides the major
general commanding the division, was his
brother, another General job nston, and |
General G. H.. Stuart, formerly of Bal
ImOre, both commanding brigsles.
Our brilliant success aroused the
highest enthusiasm in the army, and the
men seemed as eager for The battle as
they had been on Inc first day in the
wilderness Houcock's gallant stroke
was made just at the right time and
place, for al every other point the enc
my's works were very strong and well
guarded, To have made this attack in
front would have been most disastrous.
The news from Sheidun's cavalry
expedition, is ofths most satisfactory ma.
ture, He has Torn up ten miles Of the
Orange and Gordonsville railroad, the
principal avenue Of supplies for Lees ar.
my. He reSaptured 500 prisoners on
their way to Richmond, and took four
cannon. a .-a-...
After Hancock captured johnson and
his division. q highly interesting inter-
view took place, when Johnston was
brought to headquarters, Meade and
Johnston had been chums in the old ar