The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1864-05-14
Eastern News.

paign has suddenly opened with desperate
and stubborn fighting on one of the most
sanguinary fields of the war; All other war;
like operations lose significance in the alb
sorbing interest felt in the grand Potomac
drama that is now being enacted, perhaps
for the last time. Thousands and tens of
thousands have already been killed and wonn.
ded, and the lnournful list is yet unfi lsd as
we learn that powerful armies are yet left
from the conflict.
General Grant, with bis army, crossed the
Rapidan on the 4th, without interruption
and came in front of Lees army near the
old battle ground of charlottesville The
first fighting Of Importance commenced on
Friday, the 9th, and resulted in hard fought
and bloody battle. The advantage remained
with the Federal side, as the enemy were
forced back several miles. General Wads
worth of the Federal. and General jenkins
Of the Confederate army, were killed. The
Confederates killed were left on the battle.
field. On Sunday there seems to have been
no general battle, but considerable manoul
vering for the best positions. The result of
this seems to have been the evacuation of
Fredericksburg by Lee, and the falling back
of he right wing of his army to SpotsyI.
vania Court House; while Grant seems 10
have abandoned Calpepper as his base and
depot ofsuppIies, and occupied Fredericks
burg in conjunction with Acquia creek fl
that purpose.
II Is impossible, In our space, to give de-
tails Of the fighting, but it was terrible
The next fighting Of consequence appears
to have been at Spo,tsylvana Court House,
on Monday 9th inst, in an attempt to drive
Lee from his position. Here Major General
Sedgwick, commanding the Fifth Corps
was killed-being shot through the head by
a sharp shooter. The fi3bt Of this day was
severe, and although both armies gave
ground at times, AT nightfall as ne;r as we
can make out, they occupied their respective
positions Of the morning
On Tuesday, the 10th, another grea: bat
tie took p ace at Spottsyvaoa Court House
or It's immediate vicinity, the heavy Fighting
commencing late in The day Grants amy
was drawn mp to commence the attack, at
about o'clock, p. NJ, when the rebels mads
IA determined attack en- the Federal right,
aud for a time forced it back-but being re-
nforced the rebels were checked. At6l
o'clock, M, the Federal forces attacked
Lees position in force The movement is
said to have been indescrbably grand-ihe
troops moving to the attack both in column
and line The rebels opened with a mur.
derous fire but were forced slowly back, los
} inc 1000 prisoners and three guns but they
subsequently recaptured them. The battle
lasted until O'Clock, when the Federal
troops remained in possession of tie rifle pits
held by the rebels upon the opening of the
battle. The losses on both sides were very
severe, and accounts class it as the blooliest
fight of the war. 1t was expected that the
battle would be renewed on the morning of
the lth, Wednesday, and the Federal troops
were confident of victory. At the close of
the fight Lees forces are represented to have
been concentrated in the form of horse
shoe, in and about the town of Spottsyya-
MIA Court House.
In the battle of Tuesday, General Warren
corps commander, is reported wounded and
died while being conveyed to Ere ericks
burg.
Longstreet is reported dead from wounds
received in the battle of the 9th.
Some 1000 wounded soldiers of the Fed
eral army have arrived at Washington; and
E some | 5000 wounded are reported at Fred
ericksburg. A portion of whom are rebels
General Butler reports landing column
of troops on the south side of James River,
cutting the railroad between Petersburg and
dividing Beauregard's army by burning a
railroad bridge.
AS auxiliary to the operations in Virginia
Gen Sherman has been operating against
} Gen. } oe Johnston, near Chattanooga, and
heavy diminishing hal taken place for three
days previous to the 18th.
There is nothing recent from Banks de,
partment. At last accounts from Alexandria
the rebels under Magruder, Kirby Smith and
Tayl or, confronted him in strong force and
had demanded Banks to surrender
General Steele has returned to Little Rock
closely followed by General Price. No gen
eral engagement seems to have taken place
between these commanders.
} The price of gold has t1uctuated RAPIDLY at
the East this week. Falling as low as l6S
and rising to l78s on Wednesday,
"A correspondent of the World says Nor
folk has not improved under General Buffers
reign His rule has became emphaticalv
reign o! terror The palmy days of the In
} QUESTION seems almost revived in the want
of confidence existing among the people
The city is filled with spies of the most des.
picable character. Detectives, with 'cut-
throat distinctly marked upon their visages
as Gods mark upon the brown of Cain,
swarm the streets and frequent every place
of public resort.
There was quite an excitement in Cincn-
natl recently. A body snacher' WAS dis
covered making off with corpse, when POI
icemen, tiremen, soldiers, and civilians took
after the offender and chased him for nearly
an hour before overhauling him,