Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1864-05-12

Gwo fragments, meant to 2evour the Army Of
the Potomac at leisure. E!o mistooz his men.
Our army was always ready - light uo0n
either flank and he soon discovered this 70 Be
the case. Grant 10 doubt desired &c keep be
tween Richmond and the Army Of Northern
Vireiuia, and, if fair battle was offered CULVER
ize and break into pieces che Army Of Lee: -
Wadsworths S 41ll division Of lbs 5t:3 corns,
first rne tie e,latny about one mile yqe5v J the
road leading from Wilderness Tavern 10 Par
ker's Store EveI wa3 moving his CORPS
down the turnpike when he was fa1oely at
tackled on the flank, The rebels were moving
down the turnpike to Wilderness T2~acIl, with
the design Of cutting Our ill.9 II tEso at that
place.
Our skirn,isIlers 7gere too t:::r III ad7auce. and
betrayed the manner Of our approach, giving
him sufficient time 70 make 2 longer aod
stronger line than We bad. We drove III tieir
si,irmisters and advance ii12a, add to,,i1li the
main body II, strong posltlo1l on III crest o.
hill. with il caorass and raYlne IL front. Alter
9oundering in the former and clalnoering oct
Of the latter, the men were tatlgUed. and their
ranks confused and decluateCl. T. !lno had
scarcely been formed beneath E;1e re1e2 o1i>Eets
before they received = vo]}ey which started
lhem back in confuson A large NUMBER OF
the 7til Pennsylvania Reserve w18 here o2p-
tured, aud two pieces OF t5att2rE i, ist y. (.
artillery. :
Wadswortl held the centre. &nd Crawford
on the right, Griffin on the left, & Lille Nooln
SOD was IN reserve.
Thus ve were obliged to fill bacl to the
house Of Mr. Lacey: where The cocps laattoi
for brief season. About I. III: severe
engagement was IN progress On Jho orange
and Fredericksburg plank read, hetTeen the
rebel General IIill and Getty 5 division ot II19
5ti. corps and portion Of the ID corps. baz--
ters brigade. Of lSohlnson ; dlVlS!on, and
Col. Stores of WadsWorth sdi7jsIon 5th corps,
entered fhe melee in good siue Over three
quarters Of mile they pushed the rebels az
the noint Of the i,ayonet, driving them from
tree 70 tree and from height and hoiLcy, unrlt
thav were but three hundred yards 5ror} the
road. Night closed the contest. Uur4: aspect
was not encouraging.
From the peculiar ior1,ation of the ground,
the swamps, and th:ckets, and Tavnes, it was
ifnnossioIe TO make artillery sert lceabc. Two
or thlee Of the fights before Ylcksturg must
have been fought on similar ground. But
there was no lack in maSketEy, which was pro
Ionced and fierce, aud destructive. The mus
kef nractico in the Wilderness has no equal
except it was at Pittsburgh Landing: where it
vas very severe.
Long before sunrise or Friday, akirmisbing
hegap OF the right Of Hancock oovrs. Bar
low brigade ot lst division formed. the ex-
freyre left. TIE lire was soon blaze, 4 brigade
y7as sent to flank the rebels. Ii The night they
had rassea Hills and Lonestroet.'s corp: IN
front Of Hancock and for 4 short time, he had
'v,r yery trying position soon tie 2*ukizg paT-
~ vas heard iron. the rebels were driven over
two miles and sought shelter with their
second line Of defence. Things assumed
cheerful and prosperous aspect Soon they
charged. We, in turn, were oatHanked; aad
the 3d BRIGADE, 1st division, ID corps driven