Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-05-23


Especial dispatch TO the New York World
HEADouARrERs ARMY or THE PoroMAcl
BATrLE-FIELD NEAR SPorTsYLvAsIA,
May lis A. NJ
The battles of the Wilderness were continued
yesterday in the most sanguuary of the bloody
engagements which have distinguished this cam
paign. The army wss disposed at early morning
as follows, slightly in advance of the position
occupied the previous day. The % corps on the
right. west of the river Pc, and nearly in line
with the road running from Shady Grove Church
to Spottsylvania Court House; the 9Th corps in
the center, east of the river and facing south
westward of Spottsylvanis, and the 9th corps on
the left, facing toward Spottsylvana. Batteries
were posted in the rear at all available points
Burns, Arnold's, Sleeper's, Rodgers and Ayelps
batteries supporting the right and protecting the
bridge across the Po river. formed of three pom
toons
| Meade's and Stewart's batteries we're disposed
| toward the left of the 9Th corps. in front of
wood. The country is quite as wretched and
barbarous for fighting purposes as that beyond
the old Wilderness Tavern, on the Germania
plank road.
There are a few scattered openings across
which our lines Of battle could be seen at inter
walls, but the main position of our own army and
that OF the enemy was concealed as heretofore
by the dense forest which made the battle almost
a mystery. Desultory fighting began early in
the day. Our artillery at from eight O'Clock
A. Nj. until after dark, was never silent. From
every position wherever the enemy's lines were
at all exposed the guns belched forth upon them
a tempest OF shreking shot and shell.
Mink's battery, attached to the 5th corps, and
posted on the edge Of the forest mentioned, evil
IDENTIFY did terrible execution; and about eleven
o'clock in the day charge Of the enemy. in
tended to effect its capture, was repulsed. Mus
kerry firing by sharpshooters and fierce skrmishes
continued at different points during the fore
noon.
The enemy had evidently massed the greater
portion of his troops on his left and left center
| Ii having been determined to assault his center
| the divisions of Gibbons and Birney belonging
to the % corps. were Withdrawn across the Pc
river to assist i'm the attack The lst brigade.
| Robinsons, and the % brigade of Cutters divi
sion. 5th corps. General Rice, commenced the
| fighting. Griffins division and the main portion
of the 5th corps, and Gibbons division of the I'd
then advanced. driving the enemy into their rife
pits after several hours of battle. during which
the roar OF musketry was louder and more con-
tinuous than at Getty sburg. The works were not
| taken.
Gen. Rice was killed early in the fight, while
getting his column into position.
| Meanwhile BarIow's division of the second
corps, left across the Po river, and facing in
line nearly perpendicular to our general line was
attacked by a heavy body OF the enemy in flank.
and forced to swing round A second charge OF
the rebels in overwhelming force drove the
right of the division still further around. its rear
in line with the river. Holding its own for a
time. it finally withdrew across the bridge, still
fighting
Officers returning from the right exaggerated
the occurrence into position very dangerous TO
army headquarters. tents. &c, which were sud-
denly struck, and the iorce evacuated at double
quick.
The loss in all this fighting was very severe,
both in men and officers.
General Barlow. being still pressed after re-
tring across the river, kept on fighting until
dark
Meanwhile the dispositions for general as
sault by our whole line, which had been made in
the afternoon to take place at o'clock, were
postponed until nearly dark. At six O'Clock a
withering fire upon the enemy's lines was opened
by all our batteries in postion-the roar and
shrieking of shell and grape shot awful.
Gems Grant and Meade, with their stats. took a
position on a hin overlooking the woods. bui
from which very little OF the battle itself could
be seen.
At 6la CLOCK, precisely, the engagement be-
gan with vindictive vigor. A portion of General
Upton's brigade, of the Sixth corps consisting OF
the One Hundred and Twenty First New York
Fifteenth Maine, Ninetv Sixth and Ore Hun
! dred and Nineteenth Pennsylvania. the Filth
} Wisconsin, sixth Maine aud Forty Ninth Penn
! sylvania, OF General Russeil's old brigade, and
the Seventy Seventh New York. Forty Third
J Wisconsin. Second. Fifth. aud Sixth Vermont
with the Ninety Fifth Pennsylvania, Sixtiett
!. New York, aud Second New Jersey, partially
tfn reserve, moved against the enemy's rifle pits
some three hundred yards in their front. por
tion OF the route was across an open space, where
the lines were subjected To deadly fire OF grape
aud canister. They moved steadily forward
however, without firing shot until they reached
the breastworks which they scaled with their
hands and knees. driving the enemy out and cap
turing nine hundred prisoners. The assault was
at the same time made by the Fifth and a por-
tiou of the Second corps to the right and center
in the following order: Wards brigade, of Bir-
news divirion, in on the right Craw ford 5
division. Pennsylvania Reserves, in two lines in
front of the right; Gibson's division next on the
left: the Fifth corps troops in the CENTER Grif-
in's division on the left. The assault was un-
dertaken with varying enthusiasm, but failed.
Our men were nearly exhausted, and fell back
We did not take any position of the enemy.
General Upton, whose achievements on the
left are described. finding himself so far in ad-
vance of the main army. hard pressed and un-
supported. retired from his position / cannot
perceive that the days fighting has brought us
any substantial advantage. We had not ad
vanced beyond the line occupied by US the previ-
Gus night. Our right wing at least, had been
forced from its position; the enemy still hold
their own, and we rest on our arms this morning.
having suffered since the same hour yesterday, a
loss which to estimate is now quite impossible.
1t is noteworthy that in Yesterday engagement.
il which we suffered SO severely, the enemy did
not employ much artillery We bad the ad vantage
of position for artillery, from the fire of which
the foe must have greatly suffered. but in posi-
tons for troops they held that dreaded advantage
which the formation OF the country enables them
TO maintain. believe we shall get Richmond
in time Not General Grant quite
overcome the difficulties of this route The
enemy retiring before our troops. select their own
fighting ground, are covered by the woods and
protected by sbattis and entertainments, while
our own troops. during yesterday, are forced
to expose themselves in charges across open fields.
where both artillery aud muskery DO tremendous
/ execution.
L SOB General Grant.
| During Grants late movements south OF the
Rapidan he has shown the possession of a most
marvellous tenacity. Daring his first battles az