Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-05-19
MEADE'S ADVANCE.
Details to Thursday Might.
Special pispatch to the Ciucinaua.i Gazette.

The following are full particulars OF the
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 midnight on Tues.
day. Gregg's division Of cavalry led the
way to Ely's Ford. and Wilson's divis.
ion to Germania. The Second Corps,
General Hancock. took the road to Ely's
Ford; the Fifth Corps, General Warren,
marched for Gcrmania Ford; the first di-
visien of both corps breaking camp at
midnight. @
The Sixth Corps. General Sedgwick. fol-
lowed the Fifth at four hours interval
In the afternoon of Wednesday. Hancock
had his whole corps across, and had estab.
lished his headquarters at Chancellorsville,
Warren advanced by the road from Ely's
Ford to the Wilderness and got into DO.
sition on the nights lying over against the
defenscs Of Mine Run. Before the sun was
down Sedgwick got over also. aud went
into position in the rear Of Warren. The
cavalry of Shelid secured the coun-
try on all sides aud succeeded in captur
ing dispatches from the rebel General
Rhodes to Ewell. with the announcement
that Meade was across the Rapilan. and
wanted to know what to do. 1t is sup
posed he did not get the information by
that messenger. Other dispatches were
also taken. Early on Thursday morning
Sheridan went in search of fight with
Stuart. and on a reconnaissance to the lef,
for the main body.
Precise marching orders were issued.-
Warren was to advance to Parker's Tav.
ern, five miles ahead; Hancock to pursue
a road leading southwest from his camp
near Charlottesville. and to go into line
Of battle on the left Of the whole army;
Warren was to put himself in connection
with Hancock's right, and Sedgwick to
occupy the ground in the rear of Warren
as before. The order of battle. therefore,
subsequently stood thus: Hancock, ID
corps. forming the left; Warren 5;h corps,
the center; Ssdgwick, 9th corps, the right
and the reserve.
The first intimation Of the opening oil
the contest came from General Griffin com
manding the LIST division. 9th corps. He
had the enemy close in his front, and the
order to move to Barker's Tavern is sus.
penGed. II becomes evident Lee is about
to repeat his old strategy. and will seek to
strike the head Of Grants colums before
they ere all in position. in order to defeat
them in detail.
General Meade comes up as soon as he
hears The news, and says quietly to war.
ren. "lf the enemy attack. 60 at once into
battle with every man you have" The
columns meanwhile are ut halt. 1t il
for the enemy to say where the fight shall
begin, and he has clearly the chance to at.
tack our columns on the flank. with the
hope to break them in two and divide the
army. General Meale thinks he is vii.
ling that Lee should try it. TO the Rapi.
dan is only six miles. and the columns
moving by the Eank will presently. if need
be. face to the front and offer Lee such 9
line OF battle IS he little expects.
This delicate mancnver Meade will en-.
trust to an army which is quite able to
execute it, for it has been marching ia
perfect order. with precision
and with total want of straggeler,
unknown in its previous history. Th,
roads. too. are good. though on the side d
them is everywhere the Wilderness forest
and amid its huge trees and thick under
growth the battle is mainly to he fought
While the halt continues. we learn that
Burnside is coming mp. and is expected
across the Rapidan to join the main army
before night. Griffin's division. when halt
ed, was deploycd in line of battle at righ
angles to tho turnpike. and stretching
across on either silo. His skirmisher,
soon became engage ]. and It was be yont
doubt Lee had moved ont from his en-.
trenchments to battle. Griffin's advance
the 18th Massachusetts and S3l Pennsyl
vania was well forward on the turnpike
when the first shot was fired. The skir
mish fingered little, as il neither side
was quite ready, when Warren himsel
rode to the front and ordered the line for.
ward. The right OF the road was taker
BY Ayers brigade. 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 hal
a mile further on. A sharp volIey opened
the fight. The two brigades went hand
somely forward. drove back the enemy. and
carried the first hill in front of them but
becoming little disordered by the uneven
ness Of the ground aud the close forest. tn,
line got disconnected in the middle, ant
the rebels pourel into the interval, faukine
both forces. and forcing them to retreat. -
They fell back fighting. Col. Hayes facing
his regiment to the front and flank. Short
ly after he was wounded, but not severe
ly. hN ssl
As the retreat drew slowly back. re-en
forcements began to arrivo. The battle
extended its line on either hand. and agair
the rebels were driven. Before two o.
clock the engagement died away; the enc
my became quiet. and Warren remained
drawn mp, comparatively safe. but anxious
ly waiting to hear of Hancock on the left
General Grant was on the field. The in
evitable cigar is gone. and he is smoking
pipe. His face is undisturbed but b.
knows well that Hancock's quick arrivs
is essential to the safety Of bis line. Unit
Hancock connects with the left of Warrer
nothing is safe. In the anxiety to extenC
Warren's line to the left, Getty's division
of the 9Th Corps, was orered up. and tool
position between the turnpike and th'