Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-05-28
battle Of Thursday.
BEFORE SPoTTsYLvANIA CouRT.HoUcI
May 81, 1SG4-S A. NJ.

BEFORE SPoTTsYLvANIA CoURT.HoUcE, l
May 81, 1s64-S A. NJ.
The engagement on Thursday night was
OF much greater magnitude than was sup
posed at the time of writing our dispatch.
We engaged the whole of General Ewells
Corps, which was led by Ewell in prison.
lhe troops principally engaged on our side,
as formerly stated, were those of General
1ylers Division, now forming the Fourth
Division of the Second Corps, Kitchens
Brigade of Heavy Artillery, attached to the
Filth Corps, also participated in the fight.
These troops previously named, held the
enemy in check until the arrival of General
Birney with his division, who came to their
support. The fighting was very severe. and
our loss much heavier than was at first sup
posed. The fighting lasted nearly five hours,
from half-past five o'clock until after ten
O'Clock. The enemy were finally repulsed,
and driven back distance of about one
mile General Birney finally held the front
for the night
This line was formed thus Cookers
brigade on the right, Mott in the center and
Egan on the left, having the brigadcs on the
lett and right formed so as to come in upon
the enemy's flank. Yesterday morning, as
was intended the night previous, at about
half past three o'clock, General Birney ST.
u
gun and captured greater portion of the
enemy's pickcts, and pushing rapidly on
| after their main body, which was retiring,
came up with them at the Ny River and
cut off a portion of the rear of the col
umn.
The total number of prisoners captured
by him amounted to between four and five
hundred. Among the prisoners was Rebel
major and large number of line officers.
The prisoners state it was supposed in the
Rebel army that we had retreated to Frede-
ricksburg, and that by an attack on our
right wing they would be able to capture
| large numbers of stragglers, together with
supplies.
In the fight of Thursday night the enemy
! left Il large number of dead and wounded
| upon the field. The former General Birney
! had buried, and the latter were taken to
our hospitals Yesterday morning, upon
examination of the battlefield, the dead
and wounded of the enemy were found in
every direction, scattered through the woods
and lying by the road side. The latter com
! plain that they have for the last sixteen
days been marched from point to point, and
j allowed scarcely moment for rest.
General Ewell had horse shot under
! him during the engagement. Yesterday
!
from the enemy, together with the prison
! ers.
In regard to the fighting of the troops
mew ones) engaged in the fight of Thurs
day night, the following orders have been
issued. The order was read to the troops
this morning. and elected the most vocifer-
Gus cheering -
lIEADQuARTERs ARMY or PoToMAC, s A
NJ, May Goth 16G4.-OrdGrs.- Major.
General commanding desires to express his
satisfaction with Tyier's Division and Kitch-
ems Brigade of heavy artillery in the affair
of yesterday evening.
The gallant manner in which these com
mands, the greter portion being for the first
time under fire, met and checked the per.
sistcnt attacks Of corps of the enemy, icd
by one of his ablcst Generals, justities the
commanding General in his Communications
of troops who henceforth will be relied
upon as were the tried veterans of the
Second and Fifth Corps at the same time
engaged. By command of
Maior-Gencral Meade.
S. Williams, Asst Adit Gen.