The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-06-01
F86a ealsT8 a5iDQrAgIsgs.
Operations south Of ,be Sorlh Anna.
Sharp Engagement.
The Destruction OF the Virginia
Central Railroad.
The Movement Across the Pamunlley.
4 Sharp Engagement.


day, that only the 9Th and 5th Corps,
forming the right center, advanced
their lines from the immediate vicinity
Of North Anna River for about two
miles This morning the right of the
5th Corps rests south of and along the
line Of the Central Road, within half q
mile Of the Little River. Three di.
visions Of the 5th and 9th Corps were
engaged all day yesterday in destroy
ing the track Of the Virginia Central
Railroad, for about ten miles, by burn
ing bridges, ties and cllyerts, and bend
ing the rails.
The road was ablaze for the stated
distance al the afternoon Only one
division (Crittenden's, Of Burnside's
! Corps( crossed at Oxford Ford This
one Joined on Warren s, resting its own
left on the river. Potter's division eros
sed at Chesterfield Bridge and Joined
Hancock. Wilcox's division remained
on the north side Of the river. The
enemys lines strongly intrenched in
the form of a az, extended close to
the river between Warren's left and
| Hancock right-a position which would
| be dangerous if General Grant had con
templated an advance directly to the
South Anna. General Crittenden's di-
vision, after crossing, had q sharp en-
gagement while securing 4 position on
the south bank.
The advance consisting Of General
Ledlie's brigade, forded the river about
BEN Toe several regiments imrae-
diately climbed up the bluffs, went into
line, and advanced with slSirmishers in
front They soon met tho enemy s
skirmishers and rapidly drove them
upon their supporting brigade Contin-
uing on up hills and down rayines at
the double quick, the skirmishers firing
all the time, they drove the rebel bri-
gade before them for nearly q mile into
the in re- 1chments, covering their main
line They approached to an open
cornfeld within hundred yards OF the
latter, when several batteries opened
upon them with grape and canister.
General Ledlie ordered his men to
lie down and shelter themselves as well
as they could, and sent back to General
Crittenden for support; the brigade
maintained its position under most So
we're fire. for nearly three hours. when
General Ledlie received orders to retire
toward the river, General Crittenden
having ascertaineS, from General Craw-
ford, whose division had moved over
from the center and was in line close
to the point Of crossing. the heavy force
and strong position Of the enemy. Gen.
Ledle had intended to attack the
enemy as soon as he should receive as
sistance. lie had hardly commenced
falling back when he discovered the
enemy advancing upon both tanks, in
two strong bodies formed in three lines
each, and consisting as stated by pri-
soners, Of the whole Of Wilcox's divi-
sion Of Hills corps
The enemy advanced rapidly, firing
yolley after volley, and our brigade
barely escaped being enveloped on both
sides. 1t reached the position selected
in the meantime, close TO the river, b
General Crittenden, about sunset, when
the enemy Withdrew. The loss in the
brigade in killed, wounded and mis-
sing, is as follows
4th United States Infantry forty
three; 10Th United States Infantry,
nineteen; 18th Massachusetts,, fifty
seven; 18th Massachusetts,, ffty-eight
Total, two hundred and fifty-two, in
Guiding three stafFofficers and two or
derlies attached to General Ledlie.
The following officers are among the
casualties Colonel Chandler, 57th
Massachus o It's, wound 4 severely by
grape shot, and missing Lieut. Bur
rill, 59th Massachusetts,, killed Capt.
Monroe, and Lieut. Swords, seth Massa-
chusetts, wounded; Lieutenant Boyce
OF the 57th Massachusetts,, wounded
Lieutenant Absen, of the 4th Infantry,
wounded; Lieutenant Creary, of the
18th Massachusetts, and Lieut. Clarke
and Cross, of the seth Massachusetts,,
all three missing. Major ST. Clair Nor
ton, Chief of Engineers happening to
be with General Ledhe at the time the
brigade advanced, placed himself gal
lantlv in front Of one Of the regiments,
and led it toward. Major Cushing Of
the 45th Massachusetts,, pretended to
be sun-struck during the advance Of
the brigade, although O thunder storm
was raging at the time, and had him
self crrried to the rear.
He had behaved IN q very cowardly
manner on a previous occasion, in front
Of Spottsylvania Courthouse, and the
officers OF his regiment made him re-
sign this morning
There were lively skirmishing along
our line in front, and considerable can
nonading on our right during the lat
ter part of the afternoon, but our total
loss today viii not exceed fifty, inclu-
siye Of few officers, General Sheri-
dan reported with his cavalry COM
mand about four o'clock. 1t is very
evident that the enemy are in force,
and VIII intrench along our entire front,
but they will not be allowed the adj
vantage of the defense, in q position Of
their own selection.