Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1864-05-20
SATURDAY THE THIRD DAY.
From tie Philadelphia Inquirer.
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WILDERNESS, Va, May {, 1864
A deep and almost impenetrable mist pervaded
the whole battlefield at sunrise this morning, and
we wese not aS usual greeted with the salute OF
the cannonade in the morning. Beyond some de-
sutory musket firing on the left of Sedgwick po-
sition, nothing happened to disturb the monotony
of the morning until about ten o. clock, when a
sharp musketry engagement took place on the left
of Sedgwick' corps Generals Grant, Meade and
Burnside spent nearly the whole morning in con-
sultation.
The enemy planted battery about II o'clock
in some woods ON the Orange Pike road, about half
a mile from our intrenchments, andaent shells
with visible effect into some camps e%arter of a
mile from headquarters. This fire was replied to
BY our batteries on either side of the road. This
was followed by sharp musketry skirmishing, dur
ing which the rebels were driven in about mile
Some light shirmishing took place about 10
o clock on the left of Hancock $ corps during
which few artillery shots were exchanged, but
without any material result At noon Gen. Meade
and retinue left headquarters and proceeded to
an eminence on the right of the Chancellorsville
road for the purpose of establishing new base of
operations, but after taking brief survey he re-
turned to his original quarters.
The rebels had been all day massing troops on
the right of our line, with the intention OF hankIng
US, and early in the afternoon a moderate cannon
ade was heard in that direction. A few companies
q ".
met by the extreme left of the line of the enemy
soon after passing the ford, and they were driven
in on the Chancellorvile road to within our lines.
Artillery and infantry were placed in the rear OF
Sedgwick s corps, for the purpose OF checking any
demonstration on our right flank. During the en-
tire afternoon with the exception OF an occasional
cannon shot, nothing Of any moment occurred.
At FIVE clock in the afternoon the order was
given for general movement of the whole line IN
the direction of Charlottesville, previous TO which
Gen. Grant, accompanied by his staff, PAID VISIT
around the different corps lines, and was received
with tumultuous cheering
Shortly after five clock the long solid lines OF
the devoted Union army could be seen emerging
from the various positions in which they gave bat
tie to the rebels for the three days previous, and
| gradually they massed on the open, undulatlng
piece of country, directly in front of Gen. Meade
| head-auarters. Column after column broke on
the sight, apparently springing from the ground,
and forcibly reminding one OF Roder5c6 Dhn $
boast to james Fityumes, in " alter SCOTS Lady
| of the Lake
| Gradually the army massed in solid phalanx at
the point indicated, and as gradually did the col
umns emerge from that phalanx and file over the
different roads in the direction of Chancelors-
| vile.
From the woods opposite General Headquarters,
on the east, could be seen the troops OF General
Burnside. slowly winding down the hill and swing
different army corps Hancock 5, Warren S, Sedg-
wick S and Burnside poured in living masses over
the different avenues to the new positions to be
| taken.
| About dark the rebels, who had just been made
aware of the march of the-Union army, ventured
| from the position to which they had been driven
back by our forces, and from distant hill opened
battery on some of our rear columns but without
inficting any injury As the batteries opened fire
the bands performed Hail Columbia, Yankee
Doodle, &C., in defiance and contempt.
| Birney's Division of Hancock 5 corps were de
tailed, by Gen Meade, as a rear guard to cover
the march, or as it was strictly speaking, the ad-
vance of the Union army. This division took po-
session of the ntrenchments Of our troops during
| the movement, and most etfeetualy checked any
demonstrations of proving rebels on our left
The troops were engaged the whole night IN
moving; infantry, artillery, baggage, ammunition
and supply wagons, ambulances and every variety
! of vehicle attendant on a great army, blocked W
all the roads for miles The weather was extreme
y warm, and mpenetrable clouds of dust filled the
air, rendering the march an extremely unpleasant
one.
SUNDAY, THE FOURTH DAY.
As Sunday is a day that has figured 50 consricu-
ously in the great events of the war, 1t was conn
IDENTIFY expected that its advent would record some