Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-05-19

leg Eafyt DIVISION was in reserve and swept 10 the
rescu In manner that excited the admiration Of every
behoder, including Gen. Lee. The enemy swarmed |
over the hill and rushed against the lines to the right
and lef, but RodeH AID Gordon, and Wilcox were |
there 10 meet them.
The battle was coon fully joined and for nine houra Il
roared aud Kissed and dashed the bloody angle and
along the brstlng ntrenchments like an angry sea
beating and chatting against rock bound coast. Tho
artillery FIRE the most sustained and continuous
have ever heard for long time, averaging thirty
shot to the minute 800 10 the hour f% six hours.
The rattle OF uusketry not less furious and Trees
cessaut At 10 o'clock, when the din and uproar were
at the highest, angry storm cloud swept over the
field and thus TO the thunder Of battle was added 1.-THE
dread artillery of the skies IL wasnow manifest that
Grants real assault as General Lee had believed, would
be LAUNCHED against our right wing, and 20 that point
the opposing forces gravitated from all paris OF
the field Just as when cloud sircharged with lectric
forms in the heavens, all the lesser clouds and racks
drift to it, and swallowed up in the swelling, angry
mass.
Grant stroye hard to held US to other parts Of the
field and prevent this concentration OF force, and for
that purpose he engaged Anderson on our left and Early
who had been sent to the extreme right. he made
three separate assaults against the former but was re-
pulsed each time with frghtfu loss by Fields division,
orms " Hoods. Early, at the head Of Hills corps,
hurled him back as a n ad bull would incautious
masi caught upon bis horns, as often as ne advanced
upon him.
But il was against ETell, who held the right of The
and made his most desperate assauts. Having gined
oothold in the angle centre of Ewels position, he
brought up liue after line and hurled it with trench
dous VOL ,nce at one time against Rodes, at auoiher
against Gordon, and then against both. Wilcox was
brought up aud paced on Gordons left, and wpford
and Humphreys Of Kershaw's division, and Jehknss
brigade OF Fedsp Andersons corps, were sent TO the
Assistance OF Rodes. Additional batteries were sent in
the same direction. Heth went to the right and all OF
Audersoh's old division but Wright followed him Aud
thus the whirling, remoseess maestrom drew every
thing into its 'sngry vortex The enemy exhibited a
courage aud resolution worthy Of better cause Grant
seemed 10 have bIesthed into his troops somewhat of
hi own spirit and indomitabe energy. But the Fed
erals fought we'll the Oonfederaes fought better From
ca l. "a En until far in the Afternoon, with
and unbla ehed cheeks they fac he leaden hail that
was rained upon them without intermisso0. At some
points the armies fought on opposite sides OF tAe
iutrenchments The distance between them not being
more han the length OF their muskets. Again aud ogan
would Grant marshal his for the oDeet, and tight
vaianty did they respond but often as they rsurned
10 the assault so often they repufed, as they
had rushed against wall Of iron At no point OF the
line aud at time during the lorg AMI terrible and
exhau ting conf co. did the heroic children OF tue South
falter or Wayer for one moment Each man knew that
he was fighting the battle fer the possession of Rob
mond-he battle indeed for the independence OF tie
Confederate Sates-ad the thought OF yielding to the
foe never once enierod his mind
During one of the assaults Gordon iDAicsed very
striking the assaultDg column in the aink The enemy
was thrown into great confusion, and retired rapidly
70 the rear, leaving many dead and wounded on the
ground.
The most important movement against tina elemy's
flank however was executed by Mahones and Lanes
briqades on the txrsme right under the direction OF
Gen Emly. TIE expedition was INTENDED 10 operate,
not gaiust the link Of the assau'tng column, but
against the nk of the Federal army and thus sHyrd
rehef to our centre and LETT wing, bo OF which
MI -.
we're hard pressed TIE two origaoes were placed un-
der command OF Malone, who passed around to the
Fredericksburg road ahd was about to engage tho en-
emy when he the latter coming out probably TO take
US ia flank. IA engagement ensusd imnleGs ely, and
resulted in the defeat OF the enemy, who retired back
to the ma n army, where considerable mnoton vas
produced By the fresh danger with which it hrsaa d.
division operating against our Left eupPos TO belong
10 Blu nsdes corps Withdrawn and double qu.cked
across the d to check Malone Just before t reached
the scene Of action II CAME within full view OF Pogues
and PeTrams guns and no. than twelve hundred
yards distant. Twelve pisces we're brought TO bar
upon it in less time than it requires to describe this
brilliant episode 10 the battle. TIE enemy stood Their
ground for moment, then staggered back, aud hoay
broke in the widest disorder What with Mahone's
FIRE In front aud the artillery poughing great gaps in
their flank, their loss WA terrible shell explsd4d
just as IL struck the ground right in their midst, and
hurled into the air several feet above the heads
OF his flying comrades. This movement afforded in-
etantaueous relief to our left and from this time the
the whole line and haa!y they ceased altogether at
Pm.
Our men were anxious to follow up the enemy when
he was repulssd, but Gen Lees plan to the
defensive and to strike untl the right time came.
The Federal army far exceeded his in numbers they had
intrenchtd themselves his had done, and common
sense a. we'll military science would teach the pro-
prely OF patiently awaiting rather than rathly making
the attack The result has shown the wisdom OF the
policy adopted GIANT has already VIII nigh exhausted
ady
to assume the offensive TO continue to act on the de-
fsnsive, as occasion may require.
Our loss in tho rank aud file is rema kably SIN M the
men being well protected BY the intrenchments. The
casualties however, has been unusually heavy among
Geld officers, who unprotected, and had to move
frequently IRON point another under the terrible
infantry and artillery ere Of the enemy, which SWEPT
every part of the field in Of our intrenchments-
The ground s toEn and poughed up by the direct AID
cross Are OF the Federal guns as If had been prepared
by The farmer for the reception of spnrg seed Three
aut surgeons we're killed 10 the discharge OF their
duty on the field and Chaplain sen, of Texas, who
carried he to GEO. Q a; Charlottesville that
Sedg WICK moving his from fredericksburg
severely wounded early in the morning whilst
is way to the Richmond HoWitzers to bod prayers
Including the bate Of The Wilderness we have 6s
the following general officers:
Killed: Brig Gems afo;d OF Louisiana, Jones of |
Virginia, Jenkins snd Perrin of South Carolina, aud |
Daniel of North Carolina.
Wounded Lieut. Gen L1ngstrees of ALBANIA, and |
Brig Gems Hays of louisiana Benning of Ga MCGOWAN
o O. Ram ,eur and johnson Il O, and James |
Walker (S,oneWall Brigade) Walker, and Peg; am |
OF Va.
Gap ured: Maj Gsn EiWsrd Johnson Of Ga, and Brig |
Gen Geo 81 Stewart Of Nd.
Z Gen Lee mAde moro than one narrow escape his |
clothing being covered with mud thrown upon him by
bursting shells. He II persist 10 staying near the
nt of greatest danger. The whols country with
voice, should protest against such rash exposure of
IN, all nlv infar al
the preservation of which much depends. Col. Tay
lor, his Afjuant General had his horse shot, General
.mseur's wound is slight Many valuable field oic rs
we're killed and wounded, but their names will appear
10 the lists Of casualties ia their several commands
emitted to mention above that Major Hamilton, Com
m sary of Gregg's Texan brigade and Can; Batksdale