Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-11-03

distance to reform their shattered ranks the enemy moan
time keeping up heavy FIRE the field from their
sharpsh0oters and artillery.
In the mean time division Of rebel cavalry which had
been cut of from joining Hills Corps had been operating In
our rear and at about i've o'clock NJ while the Second
Corps holly engaged made an attack on our rear on
the Boydton and Quaker roads, which caused good deal
Of alarm among the immense number Of non combatsnts
who always follow the Of an army Gen. Gress's
cavalry protecting the TANKS, and he dsmounted
force and sent them out to meet the attack Skrmshng
was kept up for several hours the enemy seemingly afraid
to persevere in their intention of inviting fight.
Soon after this it began to rain and get dark and some
regiments, having expended their ammunition with sght
chances of replenishing account OF the bad roads,
withdrawal was determined on. This would no doubt
have been thought of had the Fifth Corps succeeded
in forming junction with the Second But It seems that
this corps had really become lost and staff oiosrs were
seen riding in different directions inquring to it whore
abouts and that of it, commander But being found that
the two corps could not be joined owing to these oausos
well as that tho enemy occupied tho ground between
them, withdrawal Of the Second was about the only
left to pursue and during tho night the movement
was accomplished with less loss than might have been
expected. Only narrow road was left for them to
return on and this lined for three miles with dense
woods Offering every facility to attacks by small parties Of
bushwhscer and which, had they been made with spirit
and determination, would have undoubtedly proved very
disastrous. As it was army withdrawn from its
advanced position with very slight los except tho casual
Ties on the ground where the engagement took place
The houghtof being compelled to leave thousand
brave lying the field exposed to the ruthless hands
of the enemy, indeed saddenng and that too whom
by management the greater portion might have been
brought away To be very small number Of ambu-
ances accompanied the troops but had these been loaded
up rapidly and carried mile two to the rear unloaded
and sent back for Others very few need have been left be-
hind. But when one considers how large number Of
wounded heroes have been deserted the battlefield in
the manner it is not surprising to that such unlee
ing conduct is still continued ~
At daylight Fridsymo the entire army had fallen
back the Duncan road the enemy following up closely
and at times endeavoring to break through the lines
good deal of diminishing took place during the forenoon
between cavalry who protecting the retreat and
the rebels but by the last of tho infantry reached
their old position in the entertainments and the fighting
was at an end number Of stragglers picked up
in the rear by the enemy adding to loss largely More
Of this class have rarely been since Popss memorable
campaign than this OCCASION and it would be well il
commanders would adopt such vigorous would
put stop to the evil.
Our losses during the day foot up nearly two tiou,and
about third being prisoners That of the enemy was
not so large in killed and wounded they were behind
works and in woods most of the time while our men wore
ground Their loss prisoners counts up between
eight and nine hundred among them being many officers
Such are the results Of this longooked fer movement
which to strike the Soutbsde railroad and Gu off the
supplies passing this route to Petersburg but which
has proved amentable failure Gen. Grants despatche.
will show the careful reader the aborsd efforts put forth
to disaster and lead the country believe every
movement is matter how unfavorable to our
Neither the Fifth Ninth Corps performed their part
of the programme satisfactorily, which to attack at
daylight and keep the enemy actively engaged all day.
to give Hancock clear path to their flank This
may be attributed the part of the Fifth Corps to the
nature of the ground which they had to advance a.
we'll the order to keep the rum which was very
crooked and to follow which would and did prevent their
connecting with the Second The latter corps did not an
tcipate meeting with any formidable opposition hence
they had only sixty rounds of ammunition to the man. and
train following.
BUTLERs BATTLE ON THE NORTH SIDE.
win close with paragraph 10 regard to Buffers ope
raons the James at the time, the details of
which have been meagre and long 10 getting to
the public.
The army Of the James moved from their works on the
north side of the river before daylight with the intention
Of assautng and if possible carrying the enemys works
in their 'front.' and in Lee had sent troops from there
to resist Meade it thought would attend the
movement. But here, the south sde the advance
met by the enemy in their works. who it seems drove
our troops back easily and with heavy loss No actual
statement of the casualties are given 10 papers, but
have it good authority that Gen. Butler acknowledges
loss Of twenty two hundred men, and that the Rich
acla.r, abo
be far from the truth But to prevent details Of the
they really existed reaching the public In due
course, order issued that correspondents should
send of nothing about the affair the following day. which
accounts for the total absence Of any thing about the battle
in Sundays New York papers and Washington papers.
MILITARY EXECUTION