Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-05-19

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The sun went down red. The smok,
OF the battle of more than two hundred
thousand men destroying each Other
with villainous saltpetre through all the
long hours Of a long day, filled the val.
leys, ana rested upon the hills of all this
Wilderness. hung in lurid haze all
around the horizon, and built dense
canopy overhead beneath which the
grand army OF freedom was preparing
to rest against the morrow. Gems.
Grant and Meade had retired to their
tents. Quiet reigned, but during the
reign of quiet the enemy was preparing
thunderbolt
Darkness and smoke was mingllng in
dim twilight, and fast deepening into
thick gloom, when we We Were startled
out of repose back into fierce excitement.
The forged thunderbolt was sped, and
by master A wild rebel yell away to
the right. We knew they had massed
and were charging We waited for the
volley with which we knew Sedgwick
would meet the onset. We thought it
but night attack to ascertain if we
had changed our position. We were
mistaken-it was more. They meant to
break through, and they did.
On Sedgwick's extreme right lay the
I'd brigade, Sd division of his corps, I'M
der Gen. Seymour, who had been as
signed to it but two days before. The
brigade is new to the 9th corps, and is
known as the Milroy brigade; connect
ing on the left of Seymour by Shaler's
and then Neill's brlgades, the latter be-
ing brigade of Getty's division that
had not been sent to Hancock. These
troops were at work intrenehing when
fallen upon. The enemy came down
like torrent, rolling and dashing in
living waves, and flooding up against
the whole 9th corps The main line
stood like rock, but not so the extreme
right. That flank was instantly and ut
terly turned The rebel line was the
longer and surged around Seymours
brigade, tided over it, and through it,
beat against Shalers and bore away his
right regiments. All this was done in
less than ten minutes, perhaps not five.
Seymour's men, seeing their pickets run
ming back and hearing the shouts of the
rebels, who charged with all their chiv-
airy, were smitten with panic, and
standing upon no order of going, went
at once, and in an incredibly short time
made their way through mile and
half of woods to the plank road in the
rear. They reported in the frantic man
ner usual with stampeded men, the en-
tire corps broken Grant, as in Han
cocks case, did not believe it. But
when three of Sedgwick's staff rode in
to army headquarters separately and
stated how they had ridden from Sedg-
wick's to keep Seymours men to their
work, had been borne back by the panic,
and had last seen Sedgwick and Wright
hard to the front working like Trojans
to hold the wavering line, the situation
appeared more critical No word came
in from Sedgwick. 1t began to be
feared that he and Wright, disdaining
to fly, were prisoners.
Artillery moved quietly to command
ing positions, to be prepared for the
worst, and cool heads felt that were the
whole Sixth corps broken, the army, as
an army, would still be invincible.-
Warren's corps is instantly, but in per-
feet composure, disposed to meet the
Grant, and Meade and War
rem are in Grants tent, to and from
which officers come and go with a GER
tain earnest air that bespeaks urgent
and important cares. So during an
hour. No firing has been heard the last |
three quarters of an hour. The rebels |
must have ceased to advance but how |
far have they penetrated, and what is
the present situation
The Sixth corps flag comes in. Where |
is the Sixth corps chieftain7 A dis
patch received. John Sedgwlck safe
Wright safe, The Sixth corps holds a
strong line only Seymour's and part |
Of Shaler's brigade have been broken
The enemy can do nothing more. The
Sixth corps proper has not lost its pris-
tine glory. Compelled to withdraw, un-
der orders after the detection of it's
right, it is still invincible-is now, and
ever shall be. may not refrain from
mentioning for gallantry, Sedgwick's
staff and Wright's.
Riding in the thickest with rare pres
ence of mind and rare Judgment, they
won and deserved John Sedgwicks en-
phatic commentator. Generals Sey-
nour and Shaler We're captured. 1t
should be stated that both are awarded
by their division and corps commanders
every credit for doing all men could to
recover their troops from panic, commu-
nicated to the latter's brigade, not be-
ginning there.
Our army to-day has certainly achiev-
ed a decided success. 1t has baffied all |
The offensive efforts of the enemy. The |
almost impenetrable woods with which
The battle ground is covered, alone saved |
the rebels from crushing defeat, as I
they enabled them to conceal their
almost perfectly up to the
very moment of their execution. That
Gen. Grant can lay claim to a success
over his adversary will be evident to the
public when it will learn, in day or
two, the ultimate object of the move
ment of our army, which will be real
lied, Notwithstanding the desperate in
reference of the enemy. The nature of
the ground rendered the employment of
artillery almost entirely impracticable,
thereby depriving our army of this
great element of our superiority.
doubt whether half a dozen pieces were
brought into play on our side dnring the