Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-05-16
FROM GENERAL GRANTS ARMY.
The Battle on Thursday.
HEkpQUARFFRs FIFrH Army CORPS,

-
HKADoUARFERs, FIFTH ARMT Corps, /
In THE FIELD, May l2-6 Pm.
There Is lull in the battle storm, which
has ragged with fearful and unprecedented
fury since daylight. It may be lull to
another storm Of wilder ferceness. Mean
time send by special messenger leading
outline Of the battles progress since my
dispatch Of this morning.
General Hancock captured, in his bril-
liant affair Of this morning,it seems, seven
thousand prisoners and thiFty-two cannon,
instead Of the number 1 Isent you as taken.
Ny statement I received at army head
qusrtets from Captain Meade, son of Gem
eral Meade, which was corroborated by
other staff officers. At this time the pris-
oners had not been brought in, nor the ae-
companying report Of General Hancock.
It is correction am glad to make; for
it is seldom that the reports Of captures
do not place the figures too high, and COM
pei their reduction afterwards.
The victory Of the brave commander Of
the Second corps fought four hours-a
long, severe and deadly strife. In the
field lie large numbers Of our gallant dead,
whom mourning nation, when they come
to read how nobly they Fought and fell,
will mourn as hslloWed heroes.
Superhuman efforts has been made to
turn this flank: but our columns Of in.
fantry stand firm, and by their continu-
Gus musketry, and the steady streams ol
shot and shell from our cannon, pushed
the enemy back, covered the disputed
ground with piles Of rebel dead.
At length the Sixth corps went to the
relief Of the Second, and, in addition, hiss
taken large number Of prisoners and
twelve cannon. With like stesdiness snd
heroism they have withstood the desper
ate assaults Of the foe, and pressed upor
them in two cases with muskets bay
onetted, forcing the enemy st this poin
two miles back OF the position they held
this morning. Our troops hold the road
and rising ground on which is LsDde
mans house, where the enemy had severs
batteries stationed and parallel lines o
strong esrthworks Losing this point is {
severe loss to them, for it was the bes
point slong their entire line.
The attack here Was simultaneous will
that made on the left. The first division
Of the Fifth corps, in Obeying the order
to push forward the enemy's skirmisbers
went forward half 8 mile in advance o
their earthWorks. Fixing bayonets, the!
we're ordered to advance further, hre on
volley, and then take the enemy's work
/ st the point Of the bsyonet
They pressed up to within fifty yards o
the enemy's intrsnchment', when the enc
my fired on them with grape and cannis
ter.
Multitudes fell in the onward struggle
and still our men did not yield in their at
tempt to storm the enemy's works. Re
inforcements came to the assistance Of thI
enemy, and, TO avoid being fsnked, on
troops were obliged to fall back, watch
however, they did in the best order
This division, commanded by GeneTa q
Griffin, never showed greater courage thai
in this sttsok; as also did Genera
Wright's, General Coulter's and Genera
CraWford's division Of the corps.
The enemy attempted afterwards t.
drive them from their position, but hav
been unable TO do so.
Our losses thus far have been heavy, bu
it is believed the enemy's losses are mucl
heavier.
1t is rumOred that General Wright com
manding Gener WHdswOrth's old divis
ion, is wounded, but the rumOr is net sub
stsntiaL