The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-12

ed 10 and Sedgwick by charging and
clearing the ground, but a personal ex-
amxination of the ground showed that
it would have been folly to attempt it
over the long exposed space swept by
their artillery. so the interchange Of
infantry and artillery were continued
till noon, when Sedgwick again silenced
the enemy, and for the second time
rested upon his arms. Warren, mean
while, finds point further to the left.
where be thinks the enemvs line vul-
nerable, and orders an assault by Wads-
wOrth's division The rebel lineis here
held by A. ?. Hills corps. The ground
is covered with a dense undergrowth
A wavering fight RACES, for three-quar-
tiers Of an hour. Finally Wadsworth
orders a charge. With loud cheers from
the men, he leads the charge. One
horse is shot from under him; he
mounts another, and but for his untime-
ly fall, we should have been entirely
successful Wadsworth was shot
through the head, killed instantly, and
his body fell into the hands of the en-
envy.
On the left, where Robinson's divis-
ion joined up to Hancock, an assault
was ordered, and with better hopes of
success. At noon Sedgwick is no longer
engaged, and his line again rests on
the same ground as on the previous
night
The enemy now showed a disposition
to renew the battle in the morning
Sedgwick was in his short line, and our
part is done better than in the former
charge Ewell is forced back to the
second line of works, where he makes
a desperate stand. Warren, who was
on Sedgwick's left, endeavors to assist,
but finds it impossible At IL o'clock
the enemy press hard on Warren and
Sedgwick, and their heavy guns pouring
volley after volley into our column, es-
pecially into Sedgwicks. One man and
three horses were killed within twenty
feet of him.
The enemy again came forward with
terrific impetuosity, and, for a time,
lifted up and bent back our lines.
Stragglers broke back and the road
was soon filled with panic-stricken
crowds The story was carried to head
quarters that Gen HancOck's line was
broken through Grant refused to be-
lieve it, but sends reinforcements. He
was right in both. Hancock had brave
ly and skillfully rallied his men, and
now, steadied by the advancing sup
ports, pushed forward again. In less
than an hour from their first onslaught,
he was driving the rebels. Several hun
dred prisoners were taken, and their
loss in killed and wounded was terri
BILE By sunset the action was over
Perfect silence reigned along the line.
We held our ground everywhere, and
all supposed the work over. 1t might
be briefly reckoned up. Everywhere
the enemy's attack had been repulsed;
but this heavy massing for attack is
the enemy's strongest game, and it is
not ours. The conclusion then, was in
our favor, and suppOsing it were only a
drawn battle, all felt that we could
stand that sort of thing longer than the
rebels could The troops began pre-
pairing for the night Dispositions for
the watch were made. The general re
tired to consult for the next day work
The soldiers composed themselves and
talked cheerfully Of the chances. Sud
denly amid the darkness, the old and
too familiar rebel charging yell was
heard ringing out on the right IT. was
a fierce, sudden, Fesistless onslaught on
Sedgwicks interpreting lines. The
troops had been at work throwing up
hasty intrenchments for the night
Seymours, Shaler's and Neill's bri-
gades, thus taken at a disadvantage,
gave way. The rest of the corps bore
brayely up, but the extreme right was
turned Our men fed in the widest
confusion, utterly stampeding. Sedg-
wick, however, did his best, and As is a
stubborn fighter SeymOurs and Sha-
ler's brigade having been broken, he
was compelled to draw back his whole
line, but the enemy failed to break it,
and after half an hours fierce fighting,
abandoned the attempt Seymour and
Smaller were taken prisoners, and by
nine o'clock silence once more reigned
on the field