Litchfield enquirer., 1864-05-26
Our Army Correspondence. HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF PoToMAc,
 May l2th, 1864. {

pleasant camps last week. Eight days of con- stant vigilance and activity on the part of its leader, and of patience and bravery by the rank and file, have " orked achievements almost marvellous. The bold and cunning Lee has been outgeneraled every day, and obliged to come out of his intrenchments to fight. Gen. Grant has been executing flank movement on the enemy's right, that was mysterious as it was irresistible. ' -.s-S --
 Lees communications are cut his position imperilled, and more than one third of his Ar my undoubtedly destroyed. Gen. Meade, with Gen. Grant at his side, here, from the begin- ming. are 'masters of the position" With the Commander-in-Chief, every days experience has, believe, been a repetition of the first when he fixed his quiet eye upon me, and talk ing his brar wood pipe from his mouth, said /: " Euerything has gone swimmingly-I Aaue made my oson scay today." We just begin to "see through" the Lieut. -General-he is not a fighting man," but stubborn, patient, calm strategist. But there has been some heavy fighting done? Yes, but always at an advan- tage over the enemy, and with some strategic design. And our actual loss, notwithstanding newspaper reports, is not great. Of the "3O,- 900 killed and wounded" that are said to fill the Surgeons lists, not one. in ten, dare say, is permanently disabled. A Division Surgeon told me to-day that of 1000 wounded in his hands but 20 will not probably be returned to service. This accounted for by the fighting having been chiefly in the woods, and with musketry, many wounds being thus by spent or glancing balls.
 The Rebel loss has been enormous. Their casualties cannot have been less than ours, and we must have taken twelve or fifteen thousand prisoners. What motley crowd that was which the 2d Corps "gobbled up" this morn ing before breakfast-a Major General, trying to appear calm, two Brigadiers, looking as sur prised as owls, about 400 commissioned officers. and 5000 or 5000 frank (very rank) and 6le." Here they are now, in a 20-acre lot, eating Uncle Sans hard-tacks, and certainly appear ing quite resigned to their fortunes. They will tell you (these common soldiers wil) that i've might ha' got away if We only had hi' runned, but we didn't keer if We was kotched." Long street only left the position taken by General Hancock about l3 minutes before the capture. These soldiers are poorly clad, have been poorly fed, are discouraged, and dissatisfied with the rebellion. Even the officers have no uniform, and many of them are even shabbify dressed. They are dirty and impudent to the last degree.
 do not like the society of these men, who, in their filth and profanity, are allowed to curse our brave men as thule drivers" and 'mud.sills." I had rather spend my time upon the battle field or in the hospitals, where con- stantly receiving incidents of bravery and pat riotism bring the flush of pride to my cheek, that we are countrymen, either by birth or in stinctive choice.
 This morning, coming out of Fredericksburg, l drove aside, and passed over the fields where Sumner fought his Corps in the battle of Dec. l3, 1863. Ploughed and planted by Rebel hands, the fields are green with the outcropping grain. The fences have been rebuilt, and ma ny of the buildings repaired, and leaving but little to remind us of the occasion that hallow- ed and enriched the spot by the life and blood of thousands. Yet easily identified the place where the 2nd Corps, under the then glorious and now immortal Hancock, led the wild charge upon the Rebel works, and held position under galling fire for seven long hours. l fingered where fell the Zone hundred and thirteen" martyrs whom Connecticut, that day, laid upon our Country's altar. The blood of these brave men speaks to us from the ground, to prosecute the cause made dosbly sacred by their sacrifices. Taylor, Thompson, Fowler, hush q cannot name you alD Immortal dead over your memory, and such as you, with up lifted hands, the people of this Nation swear eternal punishment to usurpation and rebel lion.
 The wounded in the battles of the past few days are being we'll cared for. Many are sent to Washington to be distributed among the hospitals there.
 l have not seen or heard of from the 1st Cavalry since the movement.
 The Army is in splendid spirits, and General Grant is bound to win. HE.w. <~ >>>----