The weekly union record., 1864-06-11
Late Battles in Virginia.

artists picture 90 canvas 1t NAV be that
the story of the battle Of the Wilderness will
ueyer be fully told Il was so diverse. so e1-
tended 10 It's character, every regiment having
q volumne of incidents to Itself, that the com
plete narrative would exhaust even the folios
OF the War Office.
Gen Grants headquarters were located in
q field between the plank road and small
road leading to little hamlet known as Par
ker's store Daring the fight. he was princi
pallv with Gen Meade, whose head quarters
were on piuy knoll in the rear of Narren's
corps | bad seen Grant at Nicksburg and
in Tennessee. and his appearance was familiar
but as strolled through the group ot officers
reclining under the trees at headquarters l
locked for him some time in vain, such was lis
insignificant, unpretending aspect and conduct
while the battle was raging in all lis fury. \
stranger to the insignia of military rank would
have little dreamed that the plain, quiet man
who set with his back against tree, apparent
" heedess and unmoved, was the one upon
whom the fortunes of the day, if not of tie
age or country, were hiDging. 1t was only
when some aid or orderly rode up in hot haste
with with q communication from some portion
of the battle field that his eyes upturned to
seek 10 those OF the messenger the purport OF
the message. The consultation with General
Meade or the direct suggestion OF cOmmaud-
all took place with that same imperturbability
Of countenance for which be has always been
remarkable. No movement of the enemy
seemed to puzzle or disconcert him. Fertile in
resources the petition for reinforcement was
speedily answered. And while all this trans
pred be stood firmly in the group, at times
smoking his layorite cigar or pipe-a more
vigorous or a more frequent putting only indl-
eating the inward working of the mind. If
something tran>pired which he deemed needed
his personal attention, away he darted on
horseback to the immediate scene, the one or
two Of his aids ard an orderly exerting their
utmost 20 keep up with him. Arrived on the
spot he calmly consinered the matter requiring
his attention, with ready Judgment communi-
Gated the nece= sary orders, and then galloped
away to auoiher part of the field or 10 his seat
beneath the pine tree, there to enter on the
order book some record of the battles progress
Ii was amusing again at times to see him-the
Commander in Chief--Whitting away with
his knife upon the bark of tree, pauSing now
and then to throw in a word or sentence in the
conversation of those grouped about and then
going to work with renewed vigor upon the
iDcisi0n of the pine. The contemplation Of
this by those who were with lin at Nicksburg
will recall an incident OF similar character in
that memorable siege. When the columbadS
were mounted in front of Logan line. General
Grant was desrous Of experimenting the ope-
rations. During the preliminary work Of cut
ting the embrasures, be mounted the epaule-
ment, and, while the rebel bullets struck all
around him, deliberately whitfield a rail uutil
the guns were placed in position.
\ correspondent Of the Chicago Times, under
date Of Washington. May I ljh. gives the fol
lowing resume Of the six days operations up
to that date:
The battle of Thursday last, fought partially
in the Wilnerness near Charlottesville, four
miles from the Rapidan and ten east of Orange
Court House, by two corps of our army. was
what may be Justly termed drawn battle.
Neither side gained anything IN ground or pc
sition that they did rot lose so that at dark on
Thursday both armies were in the same line of
battle that opened on each other in the morning.
Friday morning, Lee opened the attack instead
OF Grant. but was handsomely fuiied during all
the forenoon; bnt during the afternoon the
enemy gained some advantages but not Of
euongh Importance, except on the right for
short time, to cause any fear. temporary
success over the extreme right of the Sixth
Corps was repulsed by desperate fighting of
Wrlght's division
FRIDAY night showed that we held consider
able of the enemy's line Of battle of the morning,
but it was not doubted, as Lee seemed to remain
in position as late as nine O'Clock of that night,
but that Saturday would witness another battle
In the morning Grant did not attack. and the
rebel line on our left seemed weaker, but in the
afternoon Hill appeared in heavy force on our
right, as if intending to turn it, but, seeing
that if he did SO, it would be at great risk,
he fought briefly and retired
1t then became evident that Lee had com
meuced to move eastward in semi circle, the
righ, end of which woul1 have brought him up
near the Ny river aud give him rot only the
advantage OF a railroad to Richmond, but one
Of the very best positions for another battle
that could be well selected.
The battles in the Wilderness were fought
most of the time in The woods, where officers
could not ride their horses, nor where any ar
tillery could be used. 1t even excelled the
fight in the woods at the first battle of Pitts
burg Landing.
On Sunday our movement commenced, and
with the exception that Lee had gained some
time with Ewell'S corps little ahead both
armies were moving almost parallel, our army
moving in a straight line toward Spottsylvanis
while Lees marched toward our left. The
result was that on Saturday afternoon Warren
on our left, and Ewell on Lees right, had
very severe skirmish, both corps fighting close
y and stubbornly. II was too late, however,
for it to merge into general battle, though
between The two corps very hard fighting oc
Cured.
Monday morning both armies faced each
other, but not near enough for general battle
unless one or the other advanced. Eweil took
possession Of ridge at the north cast Of
Spottsylyania ani Hancock attacked him,
Tits was about three o'clock in the afternoon.
10 the forenoon sharpshooters were rapidly
firing at our artiilerymen. who had been bro't
up for action for the first time since Grant
emerged from the Wilderness, aud It was du-
ring this that General John Sedgwick was
shot by rebel sharpshooer. He was killed
instantly. In the meantime Hancock and
Ewell had terrible musketry fight, lasting till
after dark.
RirnevS division on The rirht Cibson's in