, 1864-06-22
GENERAL HUNTERS ARMY.
TIE VICTORY AT PIED
MONT.

THE VGCTORY AT PaED~
MONT.
Rebels Driven out Of their Works
by the Ba, enet.
The New York Tribune Of the 18th contains
the only reliable account Of Hunters splen-
did victory at Piedmont, from which week
tract the following:
Your correspondent was riding with Gen.
Hunter and staf1, and bad proceeded about
two miles On the Gtaunton Rotd, in the d.
rection OF Piedmont, Whrn We distinctly
heard ekirmisbiuE ahout . mie IN the ad-
vance, and in few moments IN orderly rode
TO Gen 4as'1 med ed Gta n ne Of % 1ss t' n
his front, Gen. Hunter Aconicauy replied,
UYerY well, sir, would just a. soon fight
him now as at any other time" :" and immedl-
utcIy proceeded to make the necessary dis
position OF his troops for the coming battle.
In the meantime Major Quinn, who Was
b1a1ey battling v VIII s11 in onp .}9oG 9Ffo e.
danger Of being outaapked; The quick eye
Of Stabl soon detected 1t, and he sent
Col. Tibbits, with the 2lst New York cayal-
~. to his support, and at the same time Or
dered Col Nynkoop with his brigade Into
the woods on tho left Of the road. A sharp
twenty minutes, when Gen. stahl, with the
% brigade under Col. Mere, nolds, advanced
IN line Of battle in splendid style, and charg-
ing, drove the enemy before hlIl, KILN. aud
apturirg quite number; among the c.p-
tured was Capt. lmboden, brother Of Gen.
Ger. Stahl continued to drive the enemy
for about two miles and IL half over IN open
country with woods to the right and left,
until he reached q creek which extended
nctoes his front; then he halted aud CON-
menced 6he}lfpg the woods into which the
enemy had retired. The infantry under
Brig. Gen. Sullivan soon after arrived, and
advance In splendid order: Tho 1st Brigade,
under the command of Col. Moore OF the
2sth Ohio, advanced into the woods On the
right, ana With cheer drove the rebels out
at the point Of the ba1ouet; reforming his
men he steadily nd Tanced through the woods,
and on emerging at the southern extremity
he discovered an open field, and immediately
woods, with q formidable breastwork run.
ming along It's entire 'front.' Behind this
breastWork, and laying down close to tue
ground concealed, was large for:e Of rebels.
Our men fired at the breastworks for some
time without elicitfng any reply. The dis
| the open field was but GOO yards, and Gen.
Sullivan determined to storm them and scer-
| tain whether or not there was any force be-
hind them. He accordingly formed his line
and charged out Of tho woods and ACROSS the
open field. He had not proceeded tar when,
as If BY magic, the rebel battle dag was run
up and the top Of the breastwork ssarmed
| with rebels, who delivered q deadly fire into
our advancing line, which fought with great
| valor and determination, but were eventually
forced to retire to their former position In
| the woods.
Gen. Sullivan had now ascertained thell
precise locality, and, after informing Gen,
Hunter, section of artillery, composed oi
Napoleon guns, belonging to and under the
command OF Capt. Won KleIser, 30th N. 7.
battery, Was ordered to bis support, and
opened murderous fire on the cnemy't
hTeastworks. In the meantime, Capt. Du
pont, Chief Of Artillery, massed hts batte
lies in eligible positions on the left aud cen
ter, 80 as 10 procure an enfladiDg fire on
their position. The artillery thundtred away
for some time, sheiling the woods and firing
solid rifle-shots into the eneuy's breast
works. The rebel artillery were not slow tt
reply: Their batteries were placed IN goo,t
Capt. Dupont determined to silence them
and accordingly. By Gen. Hunters order
| concentrated as far as practicable, his Who'll,
artillery fire on their batteries in detail. Ou
artillery WIS well served; almost every sho
eecmed to take effect; and in short tim'
/ "
Col. Moore's brigade again advanced from
the woods across the open field, and, retir
ing, endeayored to draw the enemy from be
| hind bis breastworks, but he had no idea o
leaving them. In the second attemp
hIoorc's brigade experienced considerable
loss; at the same time they inflicted sever
punishment on the enemy.
The artillery still continued to shell th
woods and concentrate their fire on any Q
the enemy's batteries who came into posi
! tion, while the infantry kept up from til
edge OF the woods continuous volley Q
m1sketry. From the time that Moore's brI
gsde went into the woods, at 10 O'Clock
cover Of hill in. rear Of aiooro's brigade
quietly awaiting their opportunity to act
shortly after Il o'clock he dfsmcunted
portion Of his command to fight on foot, an
| led them into the woods on Moore's rtgh
flank. At tho same time he sent Col. Wyn
koop around On the cnemy's left flank to &c
1t 1t could be turned.
Gen. Stahl had not been long In the wood
before he was wounded In the shoulder b
two musket balls, one striking and grazin
the skin, while the other passed sufhciontl
close to cause confused wound OF paint
| character The General turned over tt
| command Of his division to Col. McReynold
, tho next ranking officer, and went shol
dIstanee to the rear to have his Woun
| c1eesed-
up 10 IL O'CLOCK we Qau ul2At uO ft3l1I
! effect toward breaking the enemy's lines. !.
Ii true We had driven them early In Il
morning for two miles and hall with OF
cavalry, and our infantry had a1so1 drive
them out Of the first line Of woods; but q
r ter they retired behind their breastWorl
= they stubborDly resisted our further advanc
In this emergency, Gen. Hunter displaYt
considerable strategy in ordering Col. Th
burns brigade, which was stationed in Il
woods on our lett, watching the enemy
movements, to rcenforce Col. Moore al
come in on the rear Of the enemy's breas
. works. At 3 o'clock precisely, Col I'll
l. burn moved across from the position he he
e. on the left. marching his command In colun
n Of regiments, and keeping the movement
a. much hid as possible from the view Of U
enemy, until he came within four hundr
l. yards Of the woods skirtpg the enem]
,e hreastworks, when he formed into line
at | the double quick, aud after firing vol
~ charged into tho woods, aud drove the er
IL my at the point Of tht bayonet. To cro'
- ali and make ou1 victory sure and compile
IL Col. EWynko3p dashed in ut the head of
T. | regiment, the Goth Peunsylyania cavalry, O
~ in the aost gallant manner captured
- prisoners, including four Colonels and fif
- s:x officers of minor rank. Without e2ct
-. tlon, this was the most daring and effect
= clafge of the war, considering the fact Il
- Col Wynkoop bud scarcely 20 men in
~ regiment when he made the charge.
=. L1NCOLN IN PHILADE
er FHIA.