The weekly union record., 1864-05-14
News Of the Week.

Potomac has been made. Gen. Grants grand
army commenced is advance on the night of
Tuesday, the 81 inst. crossing the Rapidsu by
Jacobs, Culpepper, Gernania and United
States Fords The crossing was affected with
out serious opposition, LIE being compelled to
fall back from the strong position be has he'd
all winter. The Washington Republican Of May
7th had the following Government has in
formation This morning that on " Wednesday al
daylight Grants whole army was across The
Rapidan. He marched to place little be-
yond and near the old Charlottesville battle
grouud. when Lee was forced out of his works
and offered battle which was a once accepted
The fight became ferce. and lasted until dark
the enemy being forced back With great loss,
leaving most Of bis killed and wounded 10 cur
hands. The two armies lay 90 their arms all
night Wednesday, aud at daylight on Thursday
the battle opened again and ragged with the
greatest fury on both sides until dark, when it
was found that the enemy had baen forced back
n the two days fight about two miles and a
half. leaving heaps Of killed and wounded on
the field Various estimates are made Of the
number slaughtered, but at this moment it is
useless to speculate 90 The subject. On Friday
morning, at FIVE O'Clock. the forces were mar
shaled for another conhict-Grant moving on
Lees works. Up to this time, Burnside 5 Corps,
numbering 10000 men, bad taken no part in
/ the battles but at half past hVe o'clock marched
into position to engage in the bloody contest Of
the third days battle
The following dispatch was sent from the
Secretary of War, Stanton, to Gen. Dix, at
New York, dated Washington, 9Th Intelli
gence has been received this morning BY news
direct from the army to Saturday evening, but
no official reports. The general results may be
stated as a success TO cur arms. The fighting
on Friday was the most desperate known in
modern times. Gen. J. s. Wadsworth was
killed while leading his troops against one of
the enemy's strongest positions Gen. Webb
was wounded. The condition Of our army is
admirable. At the latest accounts, Gen. Han
cock was pushing forward rapidly by the left
for Spottsylvania Court House, aud yesterday
heavy cannOnadIng was heard at Aqua Creek
from that direction. We lost some prisoners.
One regiment Of the Pennsylvania Reserves
charged through an abatlis upon the enemy,
but were unable to get back. aud most Of them
were captured. We have taken large number
of prisoners-it Is supposed more than we lost.
Artillery was not used on either side in the first
two days Of the fight. News has Just been
received from Gen. Bntler In Lees official
report of operations on Friday, be says the loss
in killed was not large, but he has many
wounded He states that our forces attacked
them and caused some confusion. He greved
to announce that Longstreet was severely
wounded Gen. jenkins killed and Gen. PegTam
badly wounded on Thursday. lie thanks
mereIful God that every advance of Gen. Grant
/ boe hoo roDn1-o1 10 hofi Eor -, hot o.,
Grant is achieving complete victory"
The Washington Star says: 1--WE are at
liberty to mention facts within our knowledge
that would demonstrate that Lee has occasion
TO dread the strategy Of our military operations
as well as the vigor with which they have been
pressed. The line of attack by Lee ID the fight
/ ing of Thursday and Friday was nearly at right
angles with Grants line OF advance, Orange
Court House being his base and headquarters
/ The forced march Of day and a night by
/ Burnside from Manassas, by which he got his
/ troops to Grants support on Thursday night,
is said to have even surpassed his brilliant
forced march in East Tennessee, by which be
surprised the enemy there"
/ 4 i>ratch from Secretary Stanton, dated
p NJ, 9th, sass dispatches ist received from
Grant. They are not fully decisive yet but be
is moving on to Richmond We have taken
1000 prisoners" Anotier dispatch from the
same Secretary says: A beares OF dispatches
I from Meade has just arrived. Gen Hancock
passed Spottsylvania Court House at daylight
on Sunday. May 8th. Our headquarters at
noon that day were twenty miles south of the
battle fed. We have occupied Fredericksburg,
where depot for our wounded is established.
4 Washington dispatch dated May l1th
says During the last twenty fonr hours, about
1000 men from the Army Of the Potomac.
wounded in the battles OF thursday and Friday,
have arrived. Comparatively few Of them are
suffering severely. Many viii soon be returned
to the army. Accounts from the Army Of the
Potomac concur that there was heavy fghiing
on the 10th, and about five o'clock 10 the after
noon an attack was made ~ he rebel batteries
After the assault continued some time, it was
found that the rebel batteries could not be
carried without great sacrifice of life, ard The
effort for he time, was abandoned. Artillery
OF heavy caliber was brought into action on
both sides. The result, so far as known. was
10 our advantage. The rebels attempted to
get to the rear of our army to get supplies but
were driven off with loss. It is reported and
generally believed that Gen. Warren, wounded
yesterday, died on the way to Frederieksburg."
/ The Heralds special OF Tuesday says Gibbons
and BarlowS Divisions were withdrawn from the
south bank Of the Fo-the latter Division closely
following by the eacmy. who were checked by our
artillery. posted along the ridge. commanding the
river. Early in the day,the army began to straish
ten ont its line of battle for renewal Of the en-.
gagement, sk'rmishug being kept up between the
advanced lines of both armies the enemy hestir-
ring himself as though he intended offensive oper-
atiors. Our hne formed with the Second Corps on
the right, the Fifth in the center and Sixth on the
lett. with Burnsides corps in the rear of tie lett
for the protection Of immense trains and TO act As
reserve in case OF emergency.
I The country here is quite rolling. studded with
groves Of pire and hardwood aflarding much bet
ter iaciliues Tor handling troops and using artillery
than about the Wilderness During the night
the enemy strengthened their formidable position
with rife pits, breaStwOTks and barbados render
ing II stronger than any line Of defence occupied
by him since leaving his e.rthwoFks on the Rapi-
dan.
Thus matters stood until fav ia the afternoon.
fire being quite sharp At intervals ct different points,
but without anything definite. Five o'clock was
fixed for grand aSsan.t A general order an