Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-05-25
INTERESTING PARTICULARS OF
GRANTS ADVANCE.

GRANTS ADVANCE.
Especial Correspondence of Phlla. Inquirer ]
HEADQUARTERS SECOND CORPS, May 2l-5
p. m.-This corps has made a march to-day of
about twenty miles-an ad dvance further into
the enemy's country. We left the vicinity OF
Spottsylvania at l2 O'Clock last night, marched
east by south to the Bowling Green road,
crossing the Richmond and Potomac railroad
q short distance north OF G uiney's Station, ad.
vanced south to Bowling Green, along the tel.
egraph road, then southwest some two miles
to Milford Station. have crossed the Mats zony
river within quarter OF q mile Of that point
and are now in good position south west of
that stream. As write hear hundreds of
axes vigorously piled, cRopping timber for
breastworks, within half a mile to the front.
ana as many spades are working just as busily,
though more silently.
Milford Station is equidistant from Freder.
lcksburg and Hanover functions; Is miles from
night it has been used by the rebel army as it's
depot OF supplies, but being apprlsed of our
advent in this direction, they succeeded in re.
moving nearly everything away before our
arrival. How they ever got hint Of our in.
tent1ons is profound mystery. Probably not
q dozen men in the Army of the Potomac
knew our destination, yet 1t is stated that the
enemy were fnlly informed ga hours in ad-
vance.
It will be seen by what have alreadv Y stated.
that we are between the rebel army and the
railroad, which has formed its line of commu
nication with Richmond, and at the same time
hold commanding position on its right flank
although skirmishing commenced several
miles before reaching Bowling Green the en-
emy made no serious resistance until our
cavalry arrived in the vicinity OF Milford Sta.
ton. Here Col. Hammond found strong line
OF infantry in his way, formed along road
running ooliquely to the one on which he was
advancing, their left occupying a hill near the
junction of the two roads, and fortified on the
top with rifie.pits. He at first charged them
m. G nish limo
but foun0 their position was too strong He
then sent back to Gen. Torbert for reinforce
ments, and pending their arrival dismounted
his men and formed in line The 10th Pennsyl.
yania, from Colonel Ohamberlain's command
soon found him, and were also dismounted
Our troops then advanced, making their
heaviest attack on the enemy's right, and after
some sharp fighting, driving them back from
the road along which they had taken position,
Our left, driving the enemy before it, was then
swung around, and charged the hill, where
the enemy We're entrenched, from the rear thus
rendering the rifle pits of no avail for their
projection. So suddenly was this manpuvre
enected that we were upon them before they
suspected our approach from that quarter, and
sixty OF them were captured. The troops
engaged on the part of the enemy were por.
ton of Pickett's division, and were sent here
yesterday to guard the depot. .ai-.
MOTLEY HOUSE, NEAR GUINEY's STATION
May 2t-9 p. ma hasty dispatch, scrawIed
npon the before the house ct half past
four p. m, and sent off the moment affer has
announced to you the great march of TO-DAY
Your correspondent with the I'd corps will
send you the full details of its progress, and it
only remains for me to give you some general
idea OF the movement in hand.
LOOK at the map, note the relative positions
OF Spottsylvania Court House and of Quincy
and Rowling Green, and thu mind can at once
perceive the wonderful military genius that
has ffanked the rebel army and advanced far
to the rear of its position in the little space of
tWenty-four hours 1t is the magnificent move
ment over the Rapidan repeated on a grander
scale and under more difficult circumstances.
There the enemy was over a river and beyond |
a chain of mountains; to-day he was within a |
nunorea ~ yaras or our picket line. in al open |
country, with roads ey.eEgg did not touc n the |
road, and to. night we have leaped |
both End o the ne od and
from Fredericksburg to Richmond, that is east |
of and near parallel with the railroad.
What next! Lee cannot fight us here. His |
next chance is at Hanover. Court House, on |
the line of the North Anna, winch has always |
been considered formidable. Bat Lee beware. |
1t is now diamond cut diamond. Grant, aided |
by such subalterns as Meade, Hancock and |
Burnside, has been more than his match so |
far, and will be to the end.
A word as to the country. The scenery
around Quincy is beautiful. From Motley's
house, which stands on an elevation half q
mile from the station, the whole valley Of the
Upper Mattapony is map unrolled at our
feet. Far Off on its outskirts is belt of timber
IL again rises the circle of hills, on which the
sturdy boys of the 5th corps lie dreaming of
home.
MOTLEY HOUSE, May %, ION a. m-The
headquarters or the 9Th corps were established
here at daylight. The corps is about leaving
and will proceed to-day TO Bethel Church.,
miles beyond. The 9Th corps is now passing
down the road in the direction taken by the 5th
corps last evening.
The affair last night indicated by the can
nonading was the holding in check OF the enc
my's strong rear guard by Burnside and
Wright, which was handsomely done.
The headquarters of the army are still here,
but will move in the course of the day.
From all present indications, we will have
no battle this side of the line OF the North
Anna river.
HEADQUARTERS SECOND CoRPs, May %,
A Mp to this hour all is quiet. Warren
has crossed the Po River at q Guinea's Bridge,
on his way to form connection on our right.
If Lee has not already fallen back from
Spotsylvania we shall soon, if successful in
com mpleting our lines, be IN position to cut
him off from Richmond. -
This corps is already within few miles of
his direct line of march towards Hanover
junction. We can cut off his supplies from
this point at pleasure, and compel him to fight
us ON ground OF our own selecting. II is just
possible, however, that he may have taken the
alarm yesterday, and already given us the
slip by a timely retreat with the main body of
his army