Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-06-03
BArTER OF TnR wELDlERNEss.

along line Of twenty miles Loaestrest, having I
turned some time ago from Eastern TsnEeEsee, Oee
pied he country sround Gcrdonsvilis- thirteen mIl
| southwest OF the position on the RspidIn. Such b.
been the disposition Of ths army Of Northern Virgin
during the latter part OF april.
/ Grant having declined 10 Essail LeeiI 'front.' dete
mned to turn il by movement that officers rigt
lie marched eastwsrdly from canionmsnts IN u
] county cf Ouipeper; sad having reached the riv'
/ seven miles lower down. at Gernanna ford and al
seven miles still i)yer down, Eiys ford, crossed Il
R4pidsn The campaign ia Northern Vh'giuia fraugi
Il Il with tie fate OF the Coufedstate States and ID
United States, took thus is initial form the %
/ Kay
From Orange Court House two roads--the surnpik
and the piankrosd-run 4 iIns somewhat North
east to fredericksburg Those two routes IN Renerl
parallel The plankr0ad consists Of one track Of wor
paaking aad another Of earth s coarse, very irregt
lar Fbrztes il and ts soatA side Of ths genet
ally straight line known the turnpike. A plank wa
runs from Culpepsr Uoart House to Gsrmanns forc
E2tsndag southsastsTy It cr0sses the turnpike, aEd
sf.er route OF four ave niles beyond that term
nAtes the Orange and Rre6erieksbufg plaakroad
Besides these main lnes several oihsTs traverse ID
country around the batehed Of the Wilderness, som
Pursnirg course parallel with these one crossing
then more or less trsDsyerseiy.
GrsEt'5 c0ltmRs ady9uce1 from the Rapidan On tn
Sd Of Nay. That which marched from Ely's ford foi
lowed an earthern uay ieadng to the junction th
Orange snd Frederieksburg plankroad with the blank
road extending froia R-pePrE1ogft House. by ssy o
Gsl mama forj, While tAs lssf column moved deyyr
the latter route to tas pti1s That iaucou oncS
gained not only had de poitan Of Lee on she Espiss
been tarnea bat several roads 20 Rcsm nd vsod have
been laid open
EHel.s c0rsz havIne been sneRrBpsd on Lees rfght
moved esstwardly olt the b. A few of bis brigadei
remained behind fo- day guarding some OF the ford
across tee Raqidzn. JohnsBn's diFisiO1, having fht
sdygroe, followed the turupae; and encimped for the
night within three miles Of 4 stresm towing north
wsrdly-Wilderneza run R-dss, next In order o.
march, lay his reag along the same route and EarlF
who lad moved from EsFslls iefE 1t Ssmsrvle ford
encamped for the liEhs little behind place called
Locust Grove The I'd corps had thus rtached on the
night OF the 4th, position from which II stood ready
10 srike on he faloEing morning The flank Of Grauts
co umn Of advance
johnson moved with bis aiYIion at the had of Ezvsru
e3sps the 9th. Having thrown skirmishes out into
tbs woods either side Of the turnpike be discover ed
those OF the ensmy about SIX clock the morning.
The musker on eseh side deepening he pressed f5r-
" ard with Gen J. II. Jones' 0Tigsce % gam hBl IN
lis 'front.' and having after brief Struggle driven
back heavy line Of shsrpshooters from that post n
proceeded 10 forn bis troops in stray Of battle.
The tkieksT all sides OF the armies excluded
the Of artillery, only for the Width Of the turn
pike, Jones' brigade had been formed but a moment
ACROSS that road whsn the enemy advanced In what OF
order Is practicable IN tangled forest He approached
with heavy line Of skiTmshers followed by solid
column exSpling across the whale Confederate 'front.'
four lines dsep. Stewards and Saf0rds bngades pro
eeedsd to form rapidly On Jones left. To guard
sga3nst the danger Of overlapping breadth Of at
tack, the brigade OF Gen. Wakar, ahiea, hsVirg
wall" formed ST some distance from Staifsrds left
flank, covering it by front right angles 10 that of
GERS line. in this position the division Of Edward
Johnson CT EWels corps zood the morning Of the
6h TO receive the enemy's onslaught.
JOhns0n'5 skirmisbsrs driven in. Those Of the
enemy took posi- ion in the advancing column The
9TH corps Of the Federal army, accompanied by two
pieces Of artillery that came thunderng along the
turnpike assssd the Confederate line at the n.e-sec
ton OF that road Receiving it advanced terrible
usiaae without gsy sign Of watering tas rear ranks
pressing frUsTd those OF the 'front.' the attacking mass
delivered from forest Of rifles fast and furious FIRE
upon Johnsons line. Closing In upon it with great
spirit in front and threatening envelope iisiiEht
they succeeded sfter brief struggle, forcing back
part Of the brigade that had bssn formed across the
turnplke-that Of Gen. J. NJ Jones. Two r. gineats-
the 2sf Virginia Commanded by Col Wlteher and the
25th by Col Observation-Disclosures their ground reso
iutey Jones srOve n PeTati0n rally his broken
troops. Thre atenng, sntreatng Shsmibg were of 40
avail in arresting their dsorersd fight and as he saw
bis men rushing rom The field in hopeless confusion he
fell from ks saddle bleeding corpse Capt Early OF
bis staH, unwilling to desett him, had but few mo
suts previously wheeled his horse from iIs retreat
but only 10 share with his gallant chief while in the act
he Same red burial
Stewart moved from bis position in the ns Of battle
20 close the gap ist IN by the brigade Of Jones' As
the Federal masses poured through his ussed for
ward with chssr; and, driving them back by the i'm
etus Of Ais charge captured thelf guns
A mDst simultaneously with the first signs Of weak.
ness in res hne Daniels brigade u Nsrth CaroIaans
2d Gord0ns brigade Of GsOrgsus, both Of Rodss divs
on were placed rapidly in line upon the right Ordered
edis tsiy afterwards by Gen Ewen 70 charge Cor
loa hold ng command Of toe movement crushed through
he enemys first lines and captured he went forward
a whole regiment, men, officers and co0rs Driving
forward fUriOusy be struck he Federal front in apf
ii5n upon It's suPports ana scattering both Ike leaves
before storm forced them of the ed II utter rout for
mile ard half His front thus cleared Gorden found
he ensmys lines hrm both bis wings Dividlag bis
men into two bodies he formed them al right angles 10
the line Ct his original advance; and seniinE them both
forward back TO back toek the his right and
On mis- left in tank Pressing on them SO energstesv
as TO n2ve prevented their fraon either Of his
lines Of movement be swept them IN sorder from the
Confederate frant for width Of miIe
Al the moment OF Gordon's brilliant charge the enc.
my attacked The brigade OF Gsusrsl Stafford deadly
confet that part OF the field rsged Tor some time
dOubfally. Tbs msrksmanship Of StAifords I,oujE-
sniaus however gho truly the buckles Of The Feda-
Keeling under It's deliberate ire, the enemy finally asd
narkin his route with his killed aud wounded ana
sddug TO his other disasters the loss Of six hundred
prisoners Il this rspulse shewever the Consderates
have to the loss OF Br gadieF eneraI Stafford
He fsl ulortsly wousdsd. he had been a planter of
LOnis6ns bat having gone through most Of the battles
in Northern Virginia bad become su excellent Officer;
aud beloved bv his men for his ReaIeusss
ihsn he 1as admired by them for bis daring
Soon afsT the onslaught upon the Confederate 'front.'
he o eorps Of the Fedsi al army advanced upon It's
Ell hznk. Coming up at right angles to the line Of
movement OF he oh corps, ITS skImshers
ounte7ed by these tarou out IN anticipation Of attack
II that direction from the StonsWsn brigade Sedg-
Tick. Commanding this HOvemsnt On JohDs0n's flank
oon Afterwards threw he whole weight Of bis dense
0lumn upon those stout sous but though hrs stenng
o envelope t the lef IA led TO force baek the men
who had learned heroic eonsancy from Jackson Sorsly
'rsssed however Pegrams VirgiEians and Hays Lon
sa1tan8 1eqioYed rapidly their lcf Charging TN.
q 1edfsteiy the Fedarsl right thoie Ersuh truops
rovc Il back The furious 0nsiaugbt lsys' uaauis
lot expend Essf until they hRd forced the enemy 70 re-
hers thstace efthe attack these splendid troops
be heroes you will rscolecs Of Wlnehester-haVing
eft nearly one-third OF their number the field fsi
'aek with Pegrsls gallant fellows to the general line
# battle.
The enemy routed with gress slaughter from all
onts Of bis advRnea EWe proceeded to select ground
o. the morrows battle. Assisted by Gen Smith, ef
he engineers be reviewed his position aud procaed "a
once 70 cover his front with liae Of dsGworks and
alla laff
erOdsY outside the nes but the battle Of the SIN Of
fay, Lees left appeared to have been lost and won
immediately before the close of the evening The skiF
nishers Of Gen. Pegrsm Johnson's left came run
ing In; ana Afterwards bis shsrpshooferg sprAaa
,sck from their ridep3ts Ia his immediate front CO.
umn three izss deep moved upon him from depths
Il the forest; and firing heavily as they caule en-
pressed towards his works f1fiously His sauneh Viz
Snisns, however, met the attack resolutely aud COW
red partially by their works, hurled voley sfsr vo1ey
Wliherng oHSs breast high, into its BeTried ranks
Slaughtered by this terrible e the assaiants paused
eeled ID ed. The M0lech OF the North had however,
,0 yet been sated In Eve lines column rene ed the
ttsck after nightfa; but did without other result
han 70 increase terribly the hundreds Of men that
lead or dying ouialde the Confederate works. lay vel
ering IN tier gore. Pegram-who holds in bis veins
Hood which gallant member Of his family declared
'e thicker than watsf-fe In this ss attack severely
Wounded A dsshing officer his accident is deeply re.
,retted BY his brigade. but am happy 10 add Is NOT
opposed 10 involve saY danger to his e The repuse
which be guided he fell closed the work Of war for
he day on the ief and witnessed the Cenfedsratss still
= PAohooeAeA
ines, flushed with undoubted victory.
Hill was ordered to march on the 4tb from Lees left
Andersons division having been left behind for the time
guard some fosd3 IN its 'front.' Heth, followed BY VIII
OK, moved esstwsrdly, through ofaage Court House,
long the Fedora plaukrcsd- P1s divisions Of thoze
Ulcers biyouaeked for the night near place -csiled
erdiersvile. Heth in advance, they resumed their
asreh on the following day, stA pursuing the line Of
he plRnkWay.
The ring Of small arms the right announced, ln the
curse Of he morning OF the 5th small cavalry STAR
ear therouts Of Hfs column The march still, how
yer, continued until encountered at IL O'clock, some
smounted csvslry but, sfier q moments pause, |
rushing those from It's way, still wenk forward At
oOck mnsketry was agan heard Ia ircnt, and, though
Il rst thought to indicate the presence Of merely
,srty Of horse, proved after skirnlshng 20 have
oms FROM large body Of Infantry. Krtlsnd's bri-
'ade Of Hetlfs DIVISION dspcyed immsdistey both
ss Of tbs pankrosd, aud the whole column prOeeeded
torn in hne Of battle its hsnks. while the sharp
hooters of both armies kept up Ia front desaltory
somewhat languid IRE.
HIS advance followed, Il win be rec0llected the
blank road while Ewelfs pursued tie turnpike PRrsl
el ines in their general direction, these movements
tood at the time Of ths depOymsnt Of ksrtRnds bri-
eE~ 80