Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-05-18
LATEa FROM THE UNITED STATES.
,ANKEE ACCOUNTS OF THE BATTLES OF TUES
THURSDAYS FIGHT.

dan, and such stuff Toe following is its Washington
despatch, giving the result of
THURSDAYS KGHT.
Fighting wss renewed this morning at daylight by
Hancock. In o most brilliant assault no fell upon A.
P. Hils division 10 its ntrenchments, fge miles below
SDotsylvania Court House. Hancock was in his best
mood and as he led his eager ipto the ARRAY he is
described as being the very impersonauon OF war; NO
flesh and bone could stand up before such charge
az was there made The rebels broke in every dire
on, leaving trophies of victory in our handsome
Major General, two Bngaders, City officers three
thousand prisoners, and twelve pieces OF artillery.
Tn OFFICIAL DESPATCHED.
The following kilograms from Stanton to Dix is dated
Washington, Wednesday, 18th, ll;s0 P. NJ:
Dispatches from General Grant, dated at o'clock
this morning. have Just reached this department. He
says:
ave have now ended the sixth day Of very heavy
fighting The result to this time Is much in our iaver.
Our Losses have been heavy well as those OF the en-
envy. think the l:s of the enemy must be greater.
We have taken 900 prisoners in battle, whilst ne
mas taken from US but few except strsggles. pro-
pose to-6ght il out this line, If it takes all Sum-
/ mer."
The Government is sparng pains to support him.
Another telegram, dated the 18th, at SIS P. NJ,
| gives the following resume OF news:
To Moi Gen Dir:
No dispatches from the Army Of the Potomac have
been received since ll:S0 O'Clock last night
General Sherman has not been heard from, OWING
probably to the damage to the Ices south Of Nashville
| by the recent storm,
A despatch from Gen. Sheridan dated Headquarters
of the Cavalry Corps May To-" states that ne turned
the epenys light and got into their rear had destroyed
from eight to ten miles Of railroad two locomotives and
thee trains and very large quantity OF supplies; and
that since he had got into their there was great
element among the inhabitants and with tie army
The euemy cavalry had tried to annoy his rear aud
o,,d ta had ot,fur Hro
hundred of our men-two of them CJlonels.
No desaacnes have been received for two days from
Gen. Butler.
Dispatches received from Gen Steele report his COM
mand as having arrived at Little Rock. he had fought
/ superior force of the enemy, commanded by Kirby
smith in person, at Saline River, and defeated them.
steamboat from Red River, arrived to-day at Cairo,
reports reinforcements going up to Gen. Banks.
Gen. Candy had passed Cairo on hisway to Red River.
EDWIN N. STANTON.
S cretaIy of War.
PRESS DEsPAroHEs-vARIoUs REPORTS FROM WASHINGTON.
We copy from the Times the following press des-
patches from Washington:
WASHINGTON, Thursday, Nay IL.
Yesterday morning the fighting was again renewed,
and was continued with various until about
o'clock, when our line was somewhat advanced.
The prisoners captured on Tuesday and "wednesday
number over OO0 The rebel dead and wou ided were
found covering almost every foot of ground wherever
/ gave
The slaughter among our troops ras terrific but not
so great that of the enemy, and NJ few captures we're
/ made by the latter.
WASHINGTON, Thursday, May IL.
| Despltches from the Army of the Potomac, dlted
Wilderness battlefield yesterday, say probably the most
de- perate fighting OF the past seven terrible days took
| place on Tuesday.
Believing the enemy to have sent greater part of
his troops 70 Richmond, advance along the entire
| line was determined on early hour.
M hoxr tbo oh IF fha lima Ind
crossed tie Pc River the evening previous and ladmet
with but slight opposition.
In the morning the position of the enemy was found
to be in the chaps Of horseshoe and on Harcock's
troops advancing to attack they we're compelled to aH
back.
attempt TO break their entire was then ordered,
and part of Hancocks men were sent to support War
rem in the movement.
Our right was also advanced, and the move was be-
gun 10 the afternoon.
gallant style, and Uptons brigade Of WrghPs division,
Sixth Corps got INFO the nemys life pits, capturing
IL guns and about 1000 prisoners.
Not being supported by other portions OF the line,
who unable to gam the tier OF works in their front,
tts brigade forced 10 evacuate It's advanced posi-
ion leaving the captured guns after spkng them, but
bringing eff all the prisoners
The enemy suffered heavy losses during the fight.
shells falling into their works. and our Infantry deliver
ing their FIRE Nth remarkable precision.
engagement, and died after his leg had been ampu
tated
Gen. Stevenson was killed lie commanded bri-
gade in Burnsides corps Our losses very heavy
General Gibbons division has lost altogether
thousand men.
Gan Robinson's division after losing both its general
tfcers aud about tloO thousand five hundred men, had
no General to command it, aud il las been broken up
aud distributed among other Divisions Of the FliIn
Corps
A. ~ a.;
The Ninth New York State Militia fought gloriously,
and suffered probably more than any ether regiment in
the field. After The action officers and 10 men
all that was lef OF it, excep; few on detached duty.
About 6 O'Clock in the evening report brought
in to Gen heades headquarters that flank movement
was being made right and the headquarters be-
ing in that direction they packed up and moved toward
the centre in hosy mlDner.
The report turned cut to be FALSE and the officer who
made it s said to have been censurej.
The rebels are in very strong positions bshnd earth
works abetts and woods snd in many places is almost
impossible to penetrate to them
Burr side il re Ortsd to be within mile Of Sposy
vanis Court House about to turn the rebel right.
II he is tuccess ul shsl obtain possession of the
point which the Struggle has been for duriag the past
three days, and then Lee mus. retreat
At o'clock on Tuesday FIRE ragged between the two
armies at a point in the line, and large number OF
wounded OF both parties were lying on the spot.
Our men. in attempting 10 get their comrades off the
field were feed on by the rebel skrui.hers and driven
off and the poor sufferers had be left perish in the
fumes.
Gentlemen prem uently connected with the Govsru-
ment are today in good spirits, in view OF the recent
military events in Virginia. and consider final tr;
umph merely question Of time. Movements are in
progress which soon be publicly developed forming
part of the general an looking to success:
g neral Webb's family heard from him on We'd
nesday night and up to that time he had not been
wounded.
Gen. Burnside directed to have his friends in Wash
iogton tod that everything looked very favorable and
hopeful.
General Burnsdes colored troops were hell in re-
serve but subsequently, brought into action and
fought with desperation.
Their officers expected to have considerable difficulty
in restraning them as they APPEARED esiroua not 10