, 1864-05-22
FROM GEN. BUTLER'S DE-
:PARTMEMT.
The Great Battle Of Monday.
0U9 FORCES ATTACKED N i F0G--DES-
PERATE FIGNTITC.

PERaTE FIGHTING.
IFrom the n. T. Herald, Mny 1911
HkApQukRrEns TENTH AMY CoRrs,(
NA1cHkEs, Va, May 16, 1864.
To-day we lave had the 1nost sesere battle
that has occurred in this campaign, and We
were somewhat Worsted in the conflict, In
so 1ar Us we were driven from the position
We held last night
This 1ine, which nc eu1ned night before
Inst BY the gallant conduct Of General Tcr1y's
division, under General Gilmore, which
turned the enemy's first line Of defeuees on
their right, md compelled them to eyacuate
most OF it. extended from the RIVER to
point beyond the railroad, and was In every
respect a formidable work, and one not
casily captured by direct attack. Our
forces were drawn up some distance beyond
The intrenchment, and near the second line
.ot their wor6e, which VIC were Constantly
threatening. the Eighteenth army corps,
under General Smith. held the right Of our
line to the turnpike, and to the left OF it the
Tenth corps laid, with TcEry's division hold
ing the lett, and Turner's the right Of tho
corps line.
OPERATIONS or YESTERDAY.
Throughout Light before last and yester-
Gay there was very heavy picket firing along
the entire line, and at times considerable ar
tlliery ire: which occasioned considerable
loss to both sides. The musketry fire at
ttnies assumed battle proportions, bnt wonld
die away into deeultory discharges, With Qc-
casional 1ulls, In which the silence WAS un-
broken BY single Slot During the day the
rebels attcmpttd once or twice to forccback
our lines on the left By charges, but were re~
pulsed on each occasion with heary loss, and
the attempt was finally re1inquished by them
when they found our position SO strong. So
ne day wore away, without any results to
either side.
uEAunE0ARD ATTACKS QUE LINES.
Daylight was ushe1cd in this morning by q
tIeme1uous discharge Of artillery from The
entire length Of the rebel lines, and the shells
came into our position In showers, rudely
arousing the dreaming aud tired soldiers by
their rapid and deafGning explosions. The
men were quickly In their respective places,
and the line was formed in moment. It was
place, and that it Was probable that the Wig
orons shelltng was to be followed up By an
assault UPON. our position; but where the
blow was to to1t no one could conjecture with
any. degree Of confidence. The time was pc.
epllaEi{ favorable for such an operation. A
dense, impenetrable fog enve1oped the coun-
tIy, and wrapped the contending forces in ite
more dusky BY the fog, and objects could not
he discsrnea by the kcenest vision dozen
srds atatant W kgew little Or nothing Of
and comparatively little OF that which laid
about and behind us. The rebels we're lamil-
iar with It, and knew how to move through
sun,e ra1e. This was fhe cnndit,on ~ affs;rs
when the rehcls messinr tba;r tronns ~ st-1,a
our rirht. nnier Cen Hecnmon on,siauea
its flank and tooz # in revenee s"'s'opeo
THH FIRST BLOW
WEE dealt with terrific furce Gen. Heck
rIrht- wns donh1ed m md fnrce,; hans- ~ TN
nsxt hrfra1c ,Eh;rh w.e s1so +hros1 ~ ;eto eto
some coniueisn Our men ,3id not nt,seqre
fhc rrhr1s nn4ii +,,-. hna -, ~ ~ pose.so
the river and falsnr b;n, n 1.n+ a4;3 ~oa nnu
crushed b,m b. twcen thn cn1nmns ana ,, ~. :
timr rrentei1 so1nc cnnfrsfnr fs,n.H ac 49, ~
mnn made a Gallant dsht as 1onc "a he con,d.
but the cpemy come unon him so sndGnn1r'
and with Erch nyrrw whrlm;n1 nntnSars ~
eucceesf1 rse5strnce t,,ea nn;7n -;
the darkness and confueion. Soma of the
brigade were captured. Perhaps The atra,r.
elcrs wit viii report viii atnIpish thc ,ass
someuhat 'Etn Wecrman nIt"on :. .ae i'ss ss
whether he is killed or wounded or pris.
oner has not been osccrt,ined.
A1ter, this operation, having forced back
the right, a heavy attuck was made on The
entire lire OF the 18Th CORPS. with fe,nfs
along The 10Th corps line. and the entire tirht
was forced back some tistance nffer scrfrsi
hours Of most severe aud eaneuinary strug.
glee. Tho battle rnsed WITH une3ampitd
ipe Leayr n,esees nt,on o,tr in:s an5 ans,1r,
forcing il back nearly quarter Of q mile,
Our men fought stubbornly, with few excep-
lions, and resisted every step, and repeatedly
checked the rebel advance, Nth terrible
slaughter, but not Without some loss on our
side, The enemy numbered not less than
fifteen thousand, anil pushed into The rnnr. @
derous fire NTH recklessuess md stcaaiueas
That are 1art1y seen. Some prtsoners We tooE
were evidently under thc inflnsnce Of II lionor' @
which maddcned them and made them injif..
terentto DEATH.
two, and it Is said some iicht nieees-nrn.
cisely how many il is dlt1lc1it to aseertain.
Probably four viii cover the loss in iieht
pieces. Capt, Belrer, Of tbs 1st.Rhode YslanS
Artillery, Is said to have been canttred d an,i
his Lieutenant Killed. ~'N"
Ftnally, after forcing fhe 18Th Corna b,rt
from iis position. aud fcesiuinra a 'nort,on ns ~
their first line Of intrcnchments. thsy 11iassss
their forces On the 10th Corps. to- to driTa i1s Il
back. o''' - o'''' ~
7ur .1r.cx ox rrr rv,.-1 ronn.
They first iur1ed the;r cnlnvnn 1unrs' nrnn TN.