Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-05-10
THE GREAT BATTLE.
DETAILS 10 THURSDAY NIGHT.
Especial Dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazettel


movements across the Rapidan, beginning
with Tuesday night of last week, and down
to Thursday night the end of the first days
great battle.
The march began at midnighto on Tuesday
| Gregg's division of cavalry led the way tC
Ely's Ford, and Wilson's division to Ger
mania The I'd corps, General Hancock
took the road to Ely's Ford; the 9th corps
Gen. Warren, marched for Germania Ford
the first divisions of both corps breaking
camp at midnight.
The 9th corps Gen. Sedgwick, followed
the 9Th at four hours interval. In the after
noon of Wednesday, Hancock had his whole
corps across. and had established his head
quarters at Charlottesville. Warren adj
vanced by the road from Ely's Ford to the
Wilderness and got into position on the
nights lying over against the defenses OF
Mine run. Before the sun was down Sedg-
wick got over also, and went into position
in the rearof Warren. The cavalry of Sher-
idan secured the country on all sides and
succeeded in capturing dispatches from the
rebel Gen. Rhodes to Ewell, with the an
nouncement that Meade was across the
RapidQn, and wanted to know what to do.
1t is supposed he did not get the informa-
tion by that messenger. Other dispatches
were also taken. Early on Thursday morn
ing Sheridan went in search of fight with
Stuart, and on reconnaissance to the left
for the main body.
Precise marching orders were issued.-
Warren was to advance to Parker's Tavern,
five miles ahead; Hancock to pursue a road
leading southwest from his camp near
Charlottesville, and to go into line of bat
tie on the left of the whole army; Warren
was to put himself In connection with Han
cocks right, and Sedgwick to occupy the
ground in the rear of Warren as before
The order of battle, therefore, subsequent
ly stood thus: Hancock, Second Corps,
forming the left; Warren, Fifth Corps, the
center; Sedgwick, Sixth Corps, the right
and reserve.
The first intimation of the opening of the
contest came from Gen. Griffin, command
ing the First Division, Fifth Corps. He had
the enemy close in his front, and the order
to move to Bakers Tavern is suspended. 1t
becomes evident Lee is about to repeat his
old strategy, and will seek to strike the
head of Grants columns before they are all
in position, in order to defeat them in de-
tail.
Gen. Meade comes up as soon as he hears
the news, and says quietly to Warren, If
the enemy attack, go at once into battle
with every man you have" The columns
meanwhile are at a halt. 1t is for the enc
my to say where the fight shall begin, and
he has clearly the chance to attack our col
umns on the flank, with the hope to break
them in two and divide the army. Gen.
Meade thinks he is willing that Lee should
try it. To the Rapidan is only six miles,
and the columns moving by the flank will
presently, if need be, face to the front and
offer Lee such line of battle as he little
expects.
This delicate maneuver Meade will trust
to an army which is quite able to execute
it, for it has been marching in perfect or
der, with a precision and with total want
of stragglers unknown in its previous his
tory. The roads, too, are good, though on
the side of them everywhere the Wilder
ness forest. and amid its huge trees and
thick underground the battle is mainly to
be fought.
While the halt continues, we learn that
Burnside is coming up, and is expected
across the Rapidan to join the main army
before night. Griffin's division, when halt
ed, was deployed In line of battle at right
angles to the turnpike, and stretching across
on either side. His skirmishers soon be-
came engaged, and it was beyond doubt
Lee had moved out from his intrenchments
to battle. Gritfin's advance, the Eighteenth
and Eighty-third Pennsyl-
vania was well forward on the turnpike
when the first shot was fired. The skirlnish
fingered little, as if neither side was quite
ready, when Warren himself rode to the
front and ordered the line forward. The
right of the road was taken by Ayers brig
ade, Bartlett on the left. The underground
and the low pines were so thick that the
officers dismounted and went forward with
their men on foot half mile further on.-
A sharp volley opened the fight. The two
brigades went handsomely forward, drove
back the enemy, and carried the first hill in
front of them; but, becoming little disor-
1ered by the unevenness of the ground and
the close forest the line got disconnected
in the middle, and the rebels poured into
the interval, thanking both forces, and fore
ing them to retreat. They fell back, fight
ing, Colonel Hayes facing his regiment to
,he front and flank. Shortly after lie was
but not severely.
As the retreat drew slowly back, REIN
orcements began to arrive. The battle eX-
ended its line on either hand and again
he rebels were driven. Before o'clock
he engagement died away; the enemy be-
;ame quiet, and Warren remained drawn
Up, comparatively safe, but anxiously wait
ng to hear of Hancock, OH the left.
General Grant was on the field. The
Inevitable cigar is gone, and he is smoking
/ pipe. His face is undisturbed, but he
inows well that Hancock's quick arrival is
.ssential to the safety of his line. Until
Hancock connects with the left of Warren,
lothing is safe. In the anxiety to extend
NarreI's line to the left, Getty's division,
# the 9th corps, was ordered up, and took
position between the turnpike and the
flank roads. Very soon came the 18th
livision, General Carr of the I'd corps, and
loosely following were Hancock's other
hree divisions. They had scarcely reached
he front, and gone into line, not an easy
operation in such forest, when the attack
# the enemy burst upon them. 1t fell
leaviest on the left flank, where the troops
we're longest in coming up, and was so i'm
,etuous that for while it was doubtful if a
teady line could be formed. Quick requests
or aid went back to the rear, and General
Meade heard from those hurried messengers
hat the enemy had massed again, as so Of
EN- before, in one solid body against his
inc, and was striving as never before to
break through, but the line still held. Fresh
,roops came up, and went straight into the
light, and brigade after brigade opened its
hick volleys. 1t seemed as if the rebels
must desist from their attack, but still they
)ersevered. On line of not more than
i mile, the struggle went on for three hours.
Not less than twenty thousand men were
nassed against the extreme left wing. 1t
was impossible to use artillery on either
side, and equally impossible to maneuver.
The fight was all musketry, and twas long
before any ground was gained or lost
Early in this action Alexander Hayes brig
ade had become hOtlv ENGAGED and Gener-