The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1864-05-26
TIPTON, IOWA. MAY 26, 1864.

Only . small force got over aud va.
speedily driven back, and then the Who'll.
mass finally retired before the unrelent
ing bravery Of our men, leaving his dead
and wounded upon the field. Il was il
this fght, on our left, that the brave, the
noble, the ch;valrous Wadsworth fell, il
the thickest of the contest, after having
two horses shot under him.
While the enemy we're thus pushing
Hancock, Burnside, with two divisions
Of his corps, was striking him in bis
flank and rear. Warren was also fight
ing in the front, and the heroic Sedg gwick
was attacking on the right So all
around there was the most desperate and
determined fighting, but the enemy fail.
ing to get any advantage till just a,
night, they surprised and drove brigade
which held our extreme right. This
misfortune was soon repaired BY the
prompt and soldiery action of General
Wright, who stopped the advance Of the
enemy and drove him back, capturing
quite number of prisoners. This was
the great day of the battles of the "Wil.
derness," only very few Of the incidents
Of which I have touched upon. Our
troops, as q general thing fought with
unsurpassed bravery, and our immense
losses of officers told how much they had
exposed themselves and what prodigies
of yaIor they displayed.
On Saturday there was not so much
fighting, but yet quite heavy on some
parts OF the line, kept up by the enemy
to conceal his movement. Unable to
drive us back or to stop our progress, he
found that unless he started, We should
get ahead of him aud get between him
and Richmond.
Whether the enemy started or not.
Gen. Grant was determined to move his
army towards the rebel capital, and get
in Lees rear. His army was to move as
soon as dark Saturday night, bu. the en-.
emy fearing this, it appears, had started
many hours before. Warren's corps took
the advance for night march on the way
to Spotsvlvania Court House Sedg.
wick's corps took another road further to
the left, and Burnside still another one
upon which was our vast army train.-
Hancock came last, as the rear guard
accompanied Gen. Grant and staff on
this march, and We arrived at "Todd's
Tavern" about or 2 O. clock in the morn.
ing, where We hauled up and remained
till about 8 o'clock, and then went to
pinau Rropoh (NL..~k
headquarters. @-. ..-a-s
About two and half miles south of
spotsylvania G. H., Sunday morning,
Warren encountered Longstreets corps,
which had got ahead Of him. Ho i'm
mediately attacked. but rebel reinforce.
ments came in faster than ours. There
was heavy fighting all day, and our losses
were very severe. We were not enabled
to get ahead much on Sunday. On Mon.
day there was much skirmishipg along
the line, but the main fighting was done
by Hancock, who crossed the river Po,
and obtained what he supposed to be q
strong position, but which, from an uu-
known bend 10 the river, turned out not
to be so valuable.
On Tuesday morning, heavy skirmish.
ing was begun by our troops from one end
of the line to the other. A little after
midday, thinking that Hancock had got
himself into bad position by crossing
the Po, Lee massed very superior force
to attack him. Hancock, seeing what
was coming, quietly retired to this side
of the 70, and took UP new position.
Here the enemy made one Of his most
terrific charges upon him, which was not
only repulsed, but, in return, charged the
enemy with unsurpassed veh hence, pi-
ling up his dead in heaps, and nearly an.
Initiating Heath's rebel division. Or
ders had been given early in the day for
ageneral a.tnck at Eve o'clcck in the af-
ternoon, but the attack on Hancock de-
layed this grand movement till about a
quarter to seven.
Then begao tho assault which old Off
GERS and soldiers tell me was without a
parallel 10 this war. No language can
give any idea Of that dreadful charge By
our forces on the enemy's line of defence
The salvos Of artillery, tho terrible roll
of musketry, the shouts of our own brave
hearted soldiers, as they rushed to the
deadly breach, rising above all the din of
battle, made an impression on the centre
and part Of our left, till darkness closed
in upon the bloody soeno. Our troops
had driven the enemy, and carried bis
FIRST line Of works, and as We turned tn
ride back to the headquarters, the shouts
of our victorious heroes we're still ring.
ing in our ears. 10 this charge Wright,
on the left, had captured an entire rebel
brigade Of prisoners and three guns; but
in the melee and confusion some of the
prisoners got away, and We could not
bring off the guns.
But after the battle had closed 10 the
front, Burnside was moving his forces
upon our extreme left upon the right OF
the enemy, pushing him back vigorously
, till ten O'Clock at night, when lie found
himself within one quarter Of mile OF
Spotsylvania Court House. Thas ended
the great work of Tuesday, a real and
substantial victory, inspiring our officers
and soldiers with rsDewed confidence. -
The enemy was not only beaten and driv.
| en-, but his losses were vastly heavier thar