Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-05-16

! BA-oNANA1s AOAAeHAAb NAAo . 6CAOAeA ~
tack began and continued furiously for
some four hours, when there was lull up
to late hour of the night Wednesday
night passed in quiet The battles of the
two preceding days had served to show
that the enemy's line in front Of spott-
sylvanis Court House, was so fortified that
to attempt to carry it by assault would
have been madness, but one point in it had
been found where the works did not seem
to defy our attempt at charging upon them,
and by singular coincidence that was
point lines where there was almost
gap in our own lines,
between WrighFs Qste sedgwiok's) corps,
and that Of Burnside. Hitherto the enc
my's policy had been TO mass his I, roes
and attack US in overwhelming numbers.
1t was resolved, in part at least, to give
him taste Of his own tactics. Shortly be
fore midnight, Wednesday night, Hancock
began moving. During the day he had
held the extreme right. By hard march
ing he passed in the utmost silence along
the entire length Of our lines, aud
reached the point between Wright and
Burnside where our line were so thin.
Meanwhile the enemy, remembering that
on Wednesday they had suffered none
from our FIRE at this point, were giving it
no attention, and had no expectation Of
any attack at this qnarter. Their latest
Reconnaissance had found Hancock on
our right, and from Burnside they
expected to meet the blunt Of the
mornings assault. The morning broke
slow and dim; heavy mist overhung the
field and concealed our movements. The
enemy were still wsitingfOr the attack on
our right, when, to their utter and com
plete surprise, hell-fre burst out from
this unexpected point, where yesterday
they had found no opposition, and in an
instant Hsncock's whole corps was
charged with triumphant cheers and in
magnificent style over their outer row of
bresstworks. Though stunned by the
sudden and unexpected onset, they we're
still true to their oft proved bravery
Rsllying on the instant, they made the
best defense they could and desperately
contested our further advance. It was
splendid, but it was in vain. Their lines
melted away before our resistless charge;
broke into eddying 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 fanks around the last and
bravest Of its defenders.
Five thousand prisOners-s whole di-
vision-Wiih its commander, Major Gene
raj Johnston, at its head forty pieces Of
artillery, battle-fsgs without number
Such were the splendid trophies with
which General Hancock thus began the
day. Among the other officers captured,
besides the Major General commanding
the division, was his brother, another
General Johnston, and General G. d. Stu
art, formerly Of Baltimore, both command
ing brigsdes.
Our brilliant success aroused the high
est enthusiasm in the army, and the men
seemed as eager for the battle as they had
been on the first day in the Wilderness
Hsncock's gallant stroke was made just at
the right time and place, for at every
point the enemy's works we're very strong
and well guarded. To have made this
attack in front would have been most dis
astrous.
The news from Sheridsn's cavalry ex.
pedition, is Of the most satisfactory ma
ture. he has torn up ten miles of the
Orange and GordonsvilIe railroad, the en-
emy's principal avenue for supplies for
Lees army. He recsptured 500 prisoners
on their way to Richmond, and took four
pieces of artillery. After Hancock cap.
tured Johnston and his division, highly
interesting Interview took place, when
Johnston was brought to eadgusrters.
Meade and Johnston had been chums in
the old army in other days, snd they read
lily recognized each other. Johnston was
introduced to Grant, and friendly chat
ensued, in which the fact was mentioned
that he and Grant once occupied positions
in the same brigade 1t was ascertained
to certainty from prisoners that General
Waisworth is dead and buried inside the
rebel lines, and General Seymour and
shaler prisoners at headquarters. They
pronounced LOngslreet badly but not NOR
tally wounded. johnson was known to
nearly all Mesde's taft officers, and there
we're many reeognitions and anxious in
quiries, Gen. Hunt, Chief of Artillery,
greeted him with, ed, am glad to see
you" to which johnson, half fscetiously
and half seriously, replied; Well, Hunt,
under the circumstances, 1 am not glad to
see you look at the matter very philOsoph-
ically; assured US We would have a hard
time of it, although he admitted that we
had dealt them heavy blow. His dress
is the faded, dilspidsted suit that rebel
Generals wear; his slOuch hat was much
the worse for wear, and in no part Of his
dress was there anything like style. He
put on no airs whatever, unlike the OK
ney Stuart, who, when General
Hancock, his gallant csptor, offered
his hand rafnand nnuinn hin fool-