Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-05-18
THE GREAT BATTLE
CONNECTED ACCOUNT
-DDITIoNAL PARTICULARS
SUCCESS OF OUR ARMY.

/ l.
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FRIDAY, MAY 6, 9P. M.-Night has ms
put an end TO another struggle between the
ARMY or the Potomacand the whole of Lee
FORCES, much more severe, protracted and ex.
tended than that OF Thursday. but hardI,
with any more decisive results The battlt
was opened at 4. 30 q. M, by an attack OF
the enemy IN great force on our right and
center, by PIcket's division A portion Of
wright division, OF Sedgwick' corps, and
part OF w arren' S division became engaged
The attack was successfully repulsed and
the enemy forced back by an advance Of our
force. About six 0 clock a. n, Major Gen
erai Hancock advanced with his own corps
ana the troops that had been sent TO his as
slstaIlee from the center and right on Thurs
day evening. After an obstinate contest of
an hour 5 duration, he succeeded in driving
the rebels from their breastworks forcing
them back on both sides Of the Orange and
ChancellorsvilIe plank roads TO point with
IN TWO miles and half Of Parker's store
In this advance several hundred prisoners
were taken by cur troops. At halfpast
elght o clock, an advance was made by our
right and centre. They moved with the
right forward for about quarter of d mile
under shower Of fire from the enemy. when
! Gney were brought TO a stop by a marsh in
tervenlng between them and the eneinv S
entrenched position on a high ridge Find
ing 1t impossible TO push across it, they fell
pack to their former position. Another at
tempt to drive the enemy from the ridge was
maze from this part OF our line about
halt-paSt ten, but 1t also failed. Gen. Burn
SIDE expected to have his command in posi-
| ton on the right Of Hancock by daybreak,
| and join the advance Of the latter but it was
now noon, and before he was able to place
his troops where they were wanted the en-
emy percelylng the exposure of Gen Han
COCK position, IN consequence of this fail
ure, immediately abandoned the hope of ma
KING an Impression on our right after the
repuise early IN the morning. We had been
harrassing their forces all the forenoon in
front OF Hancock and about eleven o clock
they made furious assault upon all points
OF his line. The rebel line outreached Han
cock s left and brought them around his left
flank. Col. frank brigade OF Barlow di- |
VISION, was thrown back in confusion upon
his line, causing a break ana retreat towards |
his first entrenehed position, along the |
Brook road. The centre and right of his |
line, also upable to Withstand the vigorous |
attack OF the much stronger enemy, likewise |
tel back to the Brook road. Gen. Wads- |
worth, while riding in front OF his Division, !
trying to keep his line steady, was struck By |
IL. u.
mortally wounded into the hands OF the en-
emy. The attack Of the enemy was check
ed by vigorous defence Of cur cntrenched |
line. They fell back about l23 O'Clock.
Our loss ln-thls hot contest was very great
AS soon as the efforts Of the enemy to over
whelm our left were discovered, concentra-
ton OF our own troops on that part Of the
line was ordered About the time the enc
my abandoned the attack on the left, Gen
burnside had succeeded in placing all OF
his troops in position, thereby securing a
continuous formation of our Battle front.
At about half past four, the enemy return
ed to the ATTACK on our left, now supported
on Its right by Burnside. Their attacking
forces consisted Of the command of Long
street. which, 1t was ascertained by inteTcep-
ted dispatches, arrived on the ground from
Orange Court House only in the morning,
and Hills corps. They struck the left.
which had again advanced some distance ON
the left center, with great vigor, and forced
It again back to the Brook road. Mott S di-
vision iell back in confusion The attack of
,he enemy extended to the part of the line
held by Burnside division, and Crawford S 5
iiVlSlon, OF Warren corps, that rested on {
5he formers left. Stevens division that
vas next to Hancock 5 right gave way con {
usedIy, compelling the remainder of the {
cit center to fall back some distance Craw- S
ord division suffered severely; one of It's !
'eglments, the 7th Pennsylvania Reserves, i
vas captured almost in a body. The army i
ueceeded in erecting breastworhls, and there /
vas imminent danger OF a general break but c
Ten. Hancock ordered Col Carroll brigade t
Q form at right angles with his line, and il
weep the whole front Of it, so as to take /
he enemy by the flank. This movement C
vas well executed, and resulted in the re- S
lulse OF the enemy with great slaughter. a
After this repulse the enemy did not disturb .
he left any further. Perfect quiet prevail a
d IN front of our center and right through /
he whole Of the afternoon Towards dark Y
owever, the enemy having again shifted ri
rom their right to their left suddenly fell &
pom the extreme right Of our right. Itcon- p
Isted Of Nlilroy's old brigade, whose COM I
land had been assumed only the night be- a.
're by Brig. Gen. Seymour. Our men ii
ere engaged in throwing up entrenchments d
the time. The enemy managed to rush fo
pom them before they had time to form and lii
most the whole brigade was swallowed up ra
the rebel line. part of Shaler's brigade 81
2 Seymour left, shared the same fate tt
the latter. Both these Generals were We
lptured. This successful fanking move to
enf threatened great peril to the whole ar W
y, but Gen. Sedgwick succeeded, by per- m
nal exposure and energetic efforts of him in
1T and staff in confning the rout to his hi
itfeme right. There was grave apprehen- in
ons at general headquarters that this sue sh
SIS might enable the enemy to strike our ca
ar, and orders were issued for change of G
,sltion during the night. The enemy, how of
'er, did not follow up their advantage, but nc