, 1864-05-23

t*11cn. came on the donblo-quick Robfh5on
hrtgagc. who advanced to the assault wit
cold columns Of tho enemy, and save tn
= army from disaster. Nobly they met th
enemy, and when the shock cana, rtelin
like drunken men, the line Of the enemy VI
broken and sent back, smartlng under th
shock. The contest was OF short duration
the roll Of musketry told thnt this Eas one {
the mcst critical moments Of the day
period wbeo the heHrt Of the listener SCENE
to stand still In suspense The 4th Corp
will never forget Hooker and the noble brl
gade which, ct q moment when the fate {
Tie army, and pcrhaps of the nation, hnn
upon slender thread, which the enem
wonld have severed, came up and turned til
tide Of battle. A natfon's thanks are du
Joe Hooker, and may 1t never forget Robin
cons brave brigade, whose gallantry to-nigh
Is On every tongue.
SUNDAY.
During laSt night quiet reigued along tn
whole line, the enemy being very quiet, ana
rarely firing shot Tho falling Of trees IN.
The sound of fa1men, however, CONVINCED on
commanders that the rebels were crectin!
stronger Notifications upon the innumer&bl
bills that rise ont Of the valley. At half pas
seven In the morning our ekirm,ehers openet
fire Upon the rebel line, which was as vigos
ousl5 returned on the LETT and Ieft-center
I
to attack with their main line, after tho fear
ful slaughter and repnlse that Hooker admin
tstered 10 them last night It was not unit
nine or ten o'clock In the morning that ths
So.h corps arrived from the right, and go1
wne Immediately withdrawn from the right
nf tie line and thrown In on the left. Az oul
line was nearly fourteen miles long these
necessary. changes occupied nearly the en-,
tire morning. 20 that mid. .auy arrived ere We
were ready 10 maLe the
ASSAULT ON TIE ENBMI's WORKS.
Hooker threw forward Bnttcrtield's dlvis.
ion against the cnenly's strongest position,
supported By williams and Gcary's d,yis.
ions, and the tattle opened vigorously on
both sides. Hooker fought for three or four
hours and mode steady healway, carrying
line after line of rifle pits until Bntteraeld' 8
division encountered luncttc OF formidable
size. Several attempts were made to carry
1t, and capture its four guns which were
| pouring destructive 1lrc into our lines, bur
The attempt was futile. The troops fought
| with greet desperation, but Is often a. they
| advanced upon the lunette the terrific vol
leys Of musketrS from the enemy iu tho for
jhcaticn hurled them hack in confusion. At
| last Brtteti1cld charged forward uud took a
| position under the protecting works of the
tort, 90 close to the Euns within that they
could be touched with the mems hauds. In
tue effort to gain this uuexposed position,
the confcet WAS hloods one, Geary's divis-
ion supporting ButterEcld. WArd's brigade
Which were p3rticputlog in the first battle,
fought with marked determination, and con-
tnbuted much TO secure thuspositton.
HOOKER CARRIES THE LCSErTE py STRATEGY.
Af.er win efforts to capture the lunette
from which the enen,E poured into our ranks
grnEc, canister AMI shr1pncl, uouaer's forces
balance of the day lay under the treast!works
protected from the enemT'B fire, and picking
of every rebel who showed himself .Gore
the works. Darkness found him in th,s po-
sitloD, and he ut once matured rlans for cap
turipE Tie n works lty strategy, under cover Of
dark The pioneers wero brousht up;
tie eli dug ont Of tbs worlss, aud tho guns
drawn out b. the aid Of ropes, uEder dcs~
trneiiEe firc from tho occupants OF the works,
y ho were driven cut or captured. rs our
troops swarned IN through The openin. in
over" Eelning numbers. The guns we're four
twelve rount! hrues pitces number Of bat
tic tags. Including those OF the 3sth and :s5th
Al~hnn,a, were cnpti7ei, wit oysr 200 pris-
entres Triscne1s rtport Gen. Wnithall
(rtIsD killed. aud Gen. Tucker ooanled.
ahE LOSSES II Hoo1rR's CORPS
acre very hea.y. especially in the repeated
Charges uInn tie cntmy'E works Bulterfleid
lost about eco: Gcary l6o. and N'illiams' d.
'S0 III tic battle Of tue afternoon. The SD
corEs, which Eas moved around from the
right, as support for Hooker, lost slightly.
GLORIOUS VICTORY BT HovEr'5 INDIANA
DIVISION.
About o'clock the enemy, learning from
prisoners taken fro1n us, that Hoyey's IudIuua
division OF @ra~ recruits" held position in
The line, und s1naFtlpg under their successive
repElses on oth;r portious of the linc, hurled
4 Etavy force upon Eoyey, convinced that tue
recruits would run. Not go. however. I,he
rrnels held strong position in gorge OF the
hills, and out Of their breastWo.Es they
s*arned In large mum befs and made furious
pulsed them sitter short and bloody contest
ct fftten minutes The assault was rene wed.
Wien the raw Hoosiersn charged upon them
on TIE doable~qufck under heavy fire Of grape
and literally nowee them down. They did
not assault tho 1nd:antans the third time To-
nlgLt % the u enconinrns Of the whole corps are
oclDg showered upon Hovey's division, who
have written glorious Introductory chapter
in their history.
DESPERATE NIGHT EATTLE.-
About 10 P. IN. Hookcr's command COM
Herced throwing MP breastworks to
strengthen their position, and to'cover their
movements, 1t WAS found necessary 10 ad-
vance their sEirnstsh line. In doing SO the
skiznishcra ran against the rebel line, In
u,tdia:ely heavy artillery and musketry
IRE o!#ned from both contestants, which
listed until o'clock in the morning. The
Dght batt1e was desperate and losses on
both sides heavy, prob.bly three hundred
Killed ind wounded. at the rebels werc
rtpuleed along the whole line; deaienins
cheer ran out IN the night air, aud all wss
stu cave tie ptteous moans of the dying,
Who lay upon the bloody field, awaiti1E
With anxiety the early dawn, when they
were gathered Into the hospitals and every
care bestowed upon them by our hard work
lug surgeons.
MONDAY, MAY 6.
The morning WIS very bright, but the
whole valley Was filed with smoks and fox,
At day light not gun was heard. Newton
immediately advanced to feel the enemy. and
discovered that they had disappeared
l1hE RETREAT ACROSS THE oosTANAuLA.
Immediately upon being informed OF the |
evacuation OF the valley, General Howard in. I
formed General Sherman, and onr lines at
once advanccd 1t was discovered TINT tho |
enemy lad made good Ills retreat, carrying |
oH all Ills artillery, but destroying bis wagon |
trains by Tire lest they ehould fall into our |
lands. have just made,a tour OF The field |
o. On !; t2s lsft, snd IND Il covered with rebel
our Lands for ouslsl aud treatment Prisou-
tfF at the hour l write, 4. IT,, arc being |
brought in by hundreds. The victory Is i
csu.Ilcte sp far, but would have been more |
so had
M'ruERsoS's conrs.
CCen able to ctO tthe river and take = post-' |
lion In the rebel rtar. Mcpherson made sew
tiul attempts to throw down the pontoons
r .crofe lis corpe, but the encmY poured !
such raking fire iuto bis poptoons tllat the !
" ORE Lad to be Abannoncd. aave no mar |
tlculars of what was accomplished by Nc |
Fbtleon's command, but 1learn that tbs 18Th !
corEs under Logan lest IS killed and 415 I
wolnded.
OUR TOTAL LOSSES |
$u1 x.& fzn 4 mn 4
fully 3CG0 are so slightly wounded ia the
hspds and feet that they will be 1T for duty |
in 1Wo or three weeks. The kill ID viii |
amount TO about 500, among whom are many !
have officers, who hare LEFT behind Them |
brilliant records.
THE PRISONERS II QUIZ HANDS.
We have taken nearly four Thousand prls-
oEers aDa desertcre, includiug many Colo
nels, Lieutenant Co]oncls, Majors, and line |
md stptf officers. Many OF them weru Will |
Ing prisoners, who remained In the rebel /
wolls and surrendered when we advanced in
pursuit.
THE PURSUIT OF JOHNSTON.
On the evacuation of the valley, the enemy
crneftd all his cars and locomotives and |
burned five spans of the railway bridge.
which can be required, however in one or
t. o days. At nine this (Monday) morning,
Eooker's corps threw down pontoons and |
crossed near Resacca, while Schof1eId is
crossing On the lett near Pelton. The cavsl-
r. under stopenan and McCook. commenced
the pursuit tarlJ in the morning, and at the
pl efet writing they are engaging the enemy
viii artillery. Brisk firing can be heard and
The rebel rear guard are evidently meeting
With.a warm parting salute from our cavalry,
lit oh = To- L.. |