Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-05-17
THE BATTLES IN VIRGINIA.
FRIDAYS BATTLE,
FRIDAY BAl ILE'
Speciai Dspatch 10 The ~ Y. Trilme

still nothing decisive. The position this morning
was that Of lat night, substantially. Gen. Sedg
wick, with two Of his divisions, Ricketts, and
Wrlghts, has fought upon the rlghtj Gen Han
cock, with the four divisions Of bis corps, viz,
Blrney's Cars BsrIows and Gibbons with Get
/ tys Division Of the 9th Corps, has fought upon
the left and Gen, Warren, with his full corps
and Stevenson division Of the 9th Corps (Burn.
sde'., has fought in the center. Barosde's corps
has constituted the reserve, and has marched aud
countormarched necessarily, and gone in by brig
AIDES at the center and on the left
Sedgwlck was u advance at ) a, M, but Ewo.I
who commands opposite him, attacked at 10.
Sedgwick says Eves watch N ist be - mInute'
ahead Of his. This action On our right was spirit
ed and well fought Attle expIra ion Of an hour
The rebels were handsomely b5rre bac', the firing
ceased, and each s de held the ground they had
biyouacked upon. Our loss was severe, AID the
enemys could not have been less.
Gen. Selgw.ck's staff were brilliant and ubiq.
uitous throughout, While the old General was the
man of AnIeam and Fredericksburg repeating
himself. This action birey over and suddenly
we heard from the extreme lef. that peculiar
monotonou4 swell and volume u sound which telIs
Of hrge numbers en1oged-so many that single
shos and even yoIleys Of long lines are not dis
tinci, but are merged 10 the mighty noise Of .
great battle Hancock was engaged.
The details Of bis two hours struggle | do not
know, but | know that he did bis work ceauly
and completely LongstTee. had joined the rebel
rghL aud this was a second determined attempt
to turn our left, and scold utter discontinue
Oaly 10 o'clock and Lee had tried each wing
and had met IN each case more than be C u.d over.
come, and We osked ourselves what next All bis
movements were silent and invisible and unknown
uat.I be developed them 10 the event. We can
deliver blows over 10 the direction whence blows
are dealt us--not against an enemy advancing in
bold sight, bat against one who has mysterousy
gathered and posed himself Tor deadly spring.
But the suspense is not Iong Both combatants
are too eager 90 compel the issue for either TO de.
lay another and still another encounter. Shots
begin to ring al. along The six miles Of front.
AT ! O'Clock the enemy press close upon War
rem and Sedgwick, and train d number Of guns
exactly upon the latters headquarters. A man
aud three horses are killed within 20 feet Of the
General, and 10 the very center Of his grouped
stsH. Finding the enemy disposed to renew the
eug cement Of ths early mornrg. oedgwcA &C.
cept, TIE challenge, and advances bis whole line
The men 20 10 with more dash and hold on more
sturdlly than in the morning. Eve. is driven
back to bis second line where bis guns are in po
Nlion and there makes a stlnd.
AT thi. Junclure, Warren, who connects with
Sedgwicks le't, is extremely anxious o 60 10 with
all his might but the enemy's position in his front
seems too formidable.
see a troop Of borsemen riding rapidly up to
B. fl.4 az md
and bis white horse, as Jehu was recognized by
tie Prophet Of old, for they came furously. With
MN are Gems. Griffin and Hunt, and officers Of
Gen Grants iud Meade's stats,
Hating at tie ttsl line they dismount aud wak
more than half mile in front o. the men, who
are fiat upon their breasts, and firing rapidly. We
nod the woods 90 one side Of 40 open space per-
hays one.lourth Of mile across and the rebels
ay along the trend Of the woods upon the other
side. Their lntrenchments are plainly visible, and
lhe open mouths Of their artillery peer over.
No; il will not do to charge across. 1t we're
stark madness. The sharpshooters may continue
to reply to this, but no uan shall start across the
plain and live. Wau'n had perhaps hoped that
bic own judgment would be oyerruled by the oh
eers with him, but all declare that no advance eau
be mad, here. But more to the left, where
Wadsworih's and Robnson's divisions Of War
rens corps lay up 10 Hancock the prospect is
better, and there an assault Is ordered.
It is noon, and Sedgwlcks second fight is over
md he again rests on the line Of bis last nights
byouac Wadsworth advances and finds the cue
my--A. =. Hills corps strong and prepared.
The divisions on bis right aud LEFT become engaged
with him, and the work is warm. Here, ss,ese
where the contest i, in a tangled Jungle, and the
soldiers push aside the bushes and hud monal
enemies bursting through the adjoining growth OF
bushes, and face TO face with them.
Half or three iour,hs Of an hour oi alternating
success and repuse, and Gen Wadsworth orders
charge to recover his commtd from slight
vayerng. He is cheered lougly by his men who
love the gray haired cheftaln. One horse ssh9i
under MIN. He mounts second aud spurs 70
the 'front.' hat iu hand and we should have won
then, but his men saw hun i,lL lie was shot
through the head, killed instantly snd his body
fell into the hands Of the enemy
/ Ills command fell back TO their original position
with comparative order Wadsworth's death Is
heavy loss-scarcey an officer in the army but
could hsye been better spared and none would
have been more deeply regretted. iesIeTday
and to-day he tad displayed such marked ability
and ealIanlry as to compel bis recognition on all
hands as an able soldier, who now that be is
gone, can hardly be replaced. lie was true
man. beloved, high-toned gentleman, 10 be re-
spec,ed, an unshrInk,ng patriot to be emulaIed,
An accomplished soldier, dead on the held Of honor
to be mouTned
/ But this battle does not pause for hero slain.
I From noon until 8 o'clock, a number OF saarp as
s,ults at various points were made nnd invariably
repul,ed, whether made by u, Or by the enemy
/ Each one of these affairs were material for long
letter. but | find It impo' lb.e at this time to as
certain aud write out oorrec y the ile.s in feta.
Prisoners came in At the rate Of loo per hour
/ The day was excessively hot, and the meu were
muchexi austed We mad eether gained nor los,
ground. but continued this thing long enough, and
ye hoped 10 finally wear them out. At l-2
O'Clock Hancock was preparing Tor grand move
ment Of our entire en. lie dld not make It, lor
lnp enemy anticipated HIM, aud he had to repel
perhaps he most wicked assault thus far encoun.
ter,d-buei in duration, but terrific in power and
superhumau momentum.
Inc first few minutes We we're staggered. Sttag-
,ers for The first time in all this 6ghuog streamed
70 the rear in large numbers ehosng the roads
and causing a stampede aud ncoherent tales Of
risht,ui disaster. Twas even reported at general
headquarters that the enemy had burst entirely
through and supports were hurried up. Grant
and Meade seated their bicNs against the came
tree. quietly listened to the officer who brought
the report, and consulted a moment in low tones,
rbe orders Tor sending reiniotcemsnts wers given,
aud far a htJle time not word was spoken in thu
gtoup of more than twenty officers. The, hut
looked into taoh othtl', faces
At length, Grant say', - III lac mic emphla
81 dou't beheyrit" lie WAS right, Long before
that llauoeck had recovered from the hrst shock
hod his own awhile and bow was gaining ground.