Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-05-19
IMPORTANT REBEL NEWS
What the Baltimore Secessionists say Of ht
Battle of the PO.
The Topography Of the next Battlefield. d.-Rebel
Account Of the RepuIse Of the l1th instant
--coniedsrste Admission that Lees
Army is the Rebellion-n that
Army is Destroyed all is Lost
Correspondence of The World.l


In view of the facts which have learned
to-day, and which you will find below, it Is
| to be greatly regretted that General Grant
has determined ito fight it out OH the line"
of the overland route, if indeed, his dispatch
to that effect has been correctly deciphered
at the war office. Costly and difficult as has
| been his march of fifteen miles from the
Rapidan to the Po, it is as nothing compar-
ed with what lies before him in the sixty
| five miles that lie between Po and Rich
mond. If our army has succeeded in fore
| ing the passage of the Po 1t is not likely
that they will encounter much very serious
opposition at the Mat river. But it will be
very different when the North Anna is
reached.
| TYPOGRAPHICAL FEATURES OF THE NEW DE-
| FENsIvE LINE.
| The position which the rebel army is now
assuming, or will soon occupy, on the right
| bank of that stream, is great deal stronger
than any which they have held on the north
of iU. The stream itself is one of consider
able magnitude, both as regards depth and
width, and its banks are in most places
high and precipitous. In ordinary stages
of water it may be forded, but it is subject
to sudden rises, and a heavy rain of few
hours duration always swells considerably
the volume of its waters. And, it will be
remembered, that up to the morning of the
| 18th, very heavy rains had prevailed for
thirty-six hours previously. The topo-
] graphical features of the country between
this stream ard the Pc are such as will offer
but few obstacles to the advance Of our ar
my; and unless Lee makes stand on the
Mat river our troubles will not begin until
we reach the North Anna itself. There,
however, besides entertainments of the most
extensive and formidable character, COM
manding all the fords we will have to en-
counter the serious obstacle of rapid and
swollen river. At some point this river
must be crossed. The lower down the
crossing is attempted, the wider and deeper
will the stream be found; while at all
points between Frederick's Hall and the
junction of the South Anna river, the rebel
General is said to be prepared to dispute
our crossing.
REBEL DEFENsEs ON THE NORTH ANNA.
If we have been held at bay on the COM
! paratively insignificant Po. where the reb-
! els had only few insignificant intrench-
ments, and those hastily improvised for the
occasion, for four successive days. whatm may
we not expect in the way of resistance
when we come to the formidable and care
| fully constructed works on the right bank
of the North Anna?
|
| P0.
The particulars which have received of
the battles of the 9th, 10th, 11th and 18th
inst, at Spottsylvania on the river Po,
prove them to have been fercely contested
and sanguinary beyond description. On
the 9th, to say nothing Of our losses, we
suffered the great calamity of the death of
Gen. Sedgwick, who might well be called
Gen. Grants right arm. On the 10th, al
though Gen. Grant had telegraphed to the
Secretary of War that he did not intend to
renew the conflict on that day, yet the ma
neuvers of the rebel General in the MORN
ing were so threatening that Gen. Grant al
tered his mind before noon, and at IL O'Clock
issued orders for the resumption of hostili-
ties at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. In this
contemplated attack, however, he was an
ticipated by Gen. Lee, who himself assum-
ed the offensive before o'clock in the af-
noon. This of course deranged Gen. Grants
plans to some extent, and made some mod
ifcation in them necessary. The whole of
the Fifth corps, as am informed, and the
divisions of Gen. Birney and Gen. Gibbons,
of the Second corps, were ordered to assault
the center of the enemy's position. There
are no better troops in the army than these.
The assault was made. 1t was led by the
officers in person.
The regulars took part in it, and it was
beautiful to see the steadiness with which
they moved to the attack and the GOODNESS
with which they formed and reformed un-
der the CALLING fire of the enemy. But the
assault was repulsed with frightful loss on
our side, and the enemy still held their po-
sition. The enemy did more than that
When this assault was ordered, Barlow's
division of the Second corps had been left
alone in an exposed condition on the ex-
treme left, across little rivulet that flows
into the Po. Observing this, and knowing
their ability to repulse the assault of the
Fifth corps, Gen. Lengstreet sent two divi-
sions and some field pieces to attack Gen.
Barlow's division. The latter although un-
supported, and although it could not ex-
pect support, made most gallant resist
ance, and did indeed hold position which
they had been ordered to maintain for some
time. But they were outnumbered more
than two to one, and were literally pushed
back upon the main body of their corps.
Further than that; the rebels, seeing whole
Union division in full retreat, and having
by this time repulsed the assault Of the
Fifth corps, followed up the advantage
which they had gained with such vigor,
and pressed back our lines so far, that Gen.
Meade's headquarters were considered In
danger, and were removed without cere-
mony to considerable distance in the rear.
General Grants o'clock attack was made
an hour later. Itmay be said to have been
made by the whole army, for q good portion
of all the corps were engaged in it. Hwas
repulsed, the same as the assault of the
Fifth corps had been repulsed, but with
even greater slaughter, and the enemy, at
nightiall, held their position unshaken. On
the llth the terrific conflict was renewed,
the heavy rains began, and Gen. Grant tel
egraphed his determination ito fight it out
all summer on that line" sUls ss4
On the 18th both armies were still on the
north, side, of the Po. Drenching rains
poured down, which made the mud knee
deep. But a battle, in many respects the
hardest fought battle Of the whole cam
paign, took place on this day also; and In
this engagement not only was y necessary