The New York herald., 1864-05-17

enc time n the bands o. tss enemy. Ihsy ns1s sud.
den dash upon our ins temporarily driving se back and
leaving the General prisoner Dot Captain ihonas OF
his sta seeing his critical condition. rallied squadron
and charged, bringing the General saisly out.
4 xurAxE-ANornm yJaM-Tm Lo9w.
Through misapprehspsion that Longstreet had
eeeded turning tho right wing Of General Hancock,
and thereby exposing his 1ank ordered q three
O'Clock Of the 9th, TO abandon our position and i back
some four miles 70 Adrcbs corner The enemy at
occupied the position left, but did not atempt 10
annoy in failing back. In the morning the
discovered and AGAIN ordered forward occupy
old position.
The enemy had done oil In hr power 10 strengthen his
position during absence, and fought us with great
sfubborness The First division bad the left, and the
Second the right and Both sides fought dis
mounted consequence Of the dense timber. the
hardest fight We had YET bad but our deter.
mined 10 win.
The rebel loss Of officers wss very heavy Col Green,
OF The Sixth Virginia. killed. and also Col Cons OF
Philadelphia who graduated st West Point four years
ago aud sides the South There were many OF
our regular officers present who had known him intimate
ly They buried him and marked the place OF his In.
terment.
The osses OF the First New YORK draeoons Sixth Penn
AZ vana and First regular cavalry were quite heavy
Here ALSO the gallant Captain Joseph Ash Of the Fifth
United States. killed He died 10 the thckest OF the
fight and If deeply amented by all who knew him. By
night we had driven the enemy four miles and bad
taken their first line Of breastworks-
JHE ARrliiERy-TBE CONSULTATION GENERALS AT roDDs
TAVERN.
The artillery practice Of Captain Martins Sixth New
York Independent battery we'll the other batteries
Of the corps, Of the most brilliant character The
Sixth New York has the reputation Of being Of the
best light horse batteries the service They certainly
did great execution during the succession OF fights In
which we were engaged The sections commanded
2y saeoss % srewn Slsrk ana wilson while Frs. sergl
Sunday the sth the Fifth corps arrived front and
marched toward Spottsylvaoia Court House while the
Second corps relieved the cavalry.
Many OF distinguished generals in consultation
at Todds tavern including Generals Grant Meade Sher
dan and Others II decided TO send the cavalry
10 the Of Lee. hs limo OF
destroy his supplies and do him all the damage possible
For this purpose we were quietly Withdrawn on the
afternoon OF Sunday the Sh and marched back TO within
about eight miles OF Fredericksburg the plank road
Her we bvonacked and made all the preparation we
could for the coming trying march We had already been
four days without much sleep and with very little TO
Our forage for the horses had been reduced to day
utmost eohnsiasm prevailed and all were apxieus 70 par
teipste 10 The movement
ouR Start FOR IHr GREAT ExrrnToNTBF REEt1s ON OUR
We moved at daylight marching in the direction Of
until mad arrived within four miles Of
the city when struck Off the left OF Spottsy
Court House 10 Hamons cross ing and teok the tee-
graph road TO Richmond.
We had not advaDced many miles before began to
be annoyed the flank and by rebel
The First division had the advance the Second the rear
and the hrd the centre We paid very little attention
watching movements We had 1apkers thrown out
each sice o the road, while the Sixth Ohio regiment Col
william stedman commanding were the rear guard
RfBEt CHARGE ON OUR REAR GUARD ny rTz HUGH LEE.
About the middle Of the afternoon the First North
Carolina cavalry made curious charge npon our rear
guard breaking clear through the Sixth Ohio who were
somewhat uuprepared Tor such . vigorous movement
used both pistol sabre good advantage. and cap
tured quite number OF prisoners.
incident CONNECTION
ths charge section OF the Sixth New York Indepep-
dent battery IN the supported by squadron OF
the Sixth OHIO rebel captain cut his way through 70
the piece. and putting his hand upon IT, cried out
''Ibis my piece" sNos by damned sight,
gave him blow under the a Ia Heenan, knocked him
from bis horse and took him prisoner Considerable
comInoon was created in the column for few minutes
brigades was IN the roar Of ne. The First New Jersey
Lieutenant Colonel Kester commanding. was at once
ordered 10 assist the Sixth Ohio and from that time TIL
dark both small and artillery IN constant
Captain Walter r. Robbins was at one time completely
cut OF from the balance OF the command but. placing
himself al the head OF his squadron he gaautly cut his
way through, bringing 10 several prisoners
GENERAL GUTTER TIE ADvAScE-IBK AFFAIR At BEAVER
While these exciting events were transpirng in the
advance composed OF General Custcrs brigade.
u the First DIVISION was doing glorious work In tho
'front.' They forded the North river charged into
Beaver Dam station, recaptured three hundred and
majors, captains and lientenants belonging 10 the
Fifth corps, and taken prisoners while charging the
r6Oe AN
when they the flashing blades Of the Union cavalry
approaching, knew bounds. They set up deafening
cheer nile the rebel composed mp % Of hs Tnsx
bad inkliug Of our approach, and the transition from
state Of dependency to hope and JOY vas SO sudden
that they could hardly realize it,
Reaching the station General Custer found three long
trains loaded with commssary stores with two splendid
engines which ne at once destroyed, together with
large warehouse ed with immense quantity OF -four,
bacon and whskey II is said that not less than one
million and half OF rations were destroyed at this
lncsr fnr
miles burnng tho ties and bridges bending tho rails and
damaging II In everv conceivable manner The road
VIII ch passes here the Virginia Central running from
Richmond 10 Gordopsvile.
Tle mvouAc--ouR CAMP sHn,gp.
The Fret division bivouacked the south side Of the
North Anna river while the Second and Third were on
tho north side strong picket guard was thrown out
in the rear, and sSrmshing kept up a night. At
daylight in the morning the enemy succeeded in getting
one piece OF artillery in position commanding camp,
and opened vigorous fire. The first shell passed al
rccty over an ammunition wagon. under which your
correspon dent sleeping Our regiment was nc once
ordered into line and crossing OF the river was eectod
under heavy hre
We moved south, in the direction of the South Anna
river the First division In advance The rebels during
ana were annoying our column The First Maine charged
them and Lieutenant Colonel Boothby received severe
wound 10 the shoulder shattering the bone TWAS drst
thought that the wound fatal: but nr. W. W. l.
phlips Surgeon inChier OF the Second division, per.
formed skiu operation. cutting out the fragments Of
be bone and strong hopes are now entertained
rHx sorp ANNA oRoesxp--THr AFFAIR At ASHLAND.
Al four r. NJ crossed the South Anna, and. after
marching miles bvouacked for the night. Az three
O'Clock the morning of the 11th, the First brigade
second DIVISION sent, under Brigadcr General II. f.
Davies special expedition 10 Ashland distance OF
miles for the purpose OF destroying the railroad
supplies Great caution snd haste essential
was known that General Stuart with his rebel cavalry
was rapidly making f,r that point Our forces arrived
in sight OF the ut daylight and formed IA lire Of
battle The irst Massachusetts, cavalry Ma.r Sergeant
commanding selected TO charge through the town.
which the did in gallant style. driving regiment OF
virginlans under Colonel Aumford OF Ftz Hugh lees
division. before them They theu dismouned, set Ore
the railroad depot destroying rolling STOCK stores and
supplies in great qpantities also tearing mics OF the
track OF the Fredericksburg and Richmond Railroad.
r1pySc rros Tur ror-Es-o,rcrRs WOUNDED CAP
A thew left the town they several Of the enemy
make their appearance, and II decided 10 mako
another charge into the town 10 drive them or Tho
rebels retrcacd into the houses aud as our men passed
through poured a murderous volsy into their ranks
woundiug Captain Motley. Lieutenant Smith and Lieuten
r. Payson Hopkins, of Professor Honkins, of Will
N1ft, No. Stn