The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-05-24
THE WAR In VIRGINIA.
THE BATTLES OF THURSDAY AND FRn,v
NAY 9TH AND 6rH

| ~ NAY 9TH AND 9Th. i
| - Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch
On Thursday evening as the enemy were mo-.
ing across from Germanna Ford towards the no,I.
road, Gen. EwelPs corps which was moving don
the turnpike road, struck the head of their couua
as it was passing the pike. Heavy skirmisb;na
at once 'ensued, and soon the enemy finding tbens
selves much pressed, turned and attack n,
Johnson's division occupied the left of the turn
pike, and stretching over towards the river. n.
right resting on the turnpike road, and Rodes a.
cupying the right with his left, joining johnson,
right on tho pike, whilst Early was held in "a.
serve, About one, p. m, the enemy made fur.
Gus onset upon Brig Gen j. M. Jones Virgin,
brigade, who held the advance and the extremitv
OF Johnsons division by Battles brigade, and tia
ether three brgades of Rodes' division Tbs fob,
which ensued was contested with great obstinScv
until about three, p. m when q lulf ensued, on,
men having repulsed the enemy most Handsomely
During the attack on Battles brigade, and Just a.
a time it was being rapidly forced back, Gordop's
brigade was ordered forward, and made one of thu
| grandest charges of the war, forcing the epenv
back at all points. Later in the evening. abon,
o'clock, they again made q desperate assault pron
Johnson's lines, but which was most gaIIantIv and
handsomely repulsed, our troops remaining MASTER
| of the field and the Yankee killed ana wounded
being piled up in great numbers before our breast
works: The enemy not knowing that we had auv
breastworks, charged us, and were terribly cut 70
pieces. $500,
| In this engagement Brig Gen Pegram was So.
verely wounded in the thigh During the first Of
these engagements the gallant j nj Jones, of Va
was killed under the following circumstances
| His brigade it seems, except the 2lst Va, under
Col Witcher, was fatering and rapidly firing, when
Gen j., In nothing dauntedj rode to the front and
called to his men to rally around him AT the
~. Il. A ~
| Moore, his A. ID. c.; rode to his side and emuh
ting the courage of their noble leader, were max
ing Intellectual efforts to rally their men, when they
then becoming prominent marks for the enemyis
sharpshooters were quickly picked off, Capt Early
| fell dead, and Capt Moore fellseverely wounded
The conduct of the brigade has been and doubtless
will be much animadyerted upon. In extenuatiOn
it may be mentioned that this brigade has made
some splendid fights dnring thewar, that the enc.
my advanced in heavy forces and very suddenly,
| and that this brigade afterwards reformed and
fought most courageously.
Whilst matters were thus progressing on Ewell's
front the enemy in heavy force advanced to attack
Heth and Wilcox A warm and desperate fight
ensued lasting from O'Clock until shutdown The
result was that the enemy were held in check, and
repulsed this part Of the line well in front
of Ewell. During the night Lanes pckets sue
ceeded in surprising the enemy and capturing
about 300 prisoners.
Ewel 10 the fights on his front during this
evening, captured about 1000 prisoners, including
80 or 40 commissioned officers, besides good
number of Yankee wounded who fell in our hands.
Gen johnson, of Ewells corps, also captured dur
ing this evenings fights, two pieces OF artillery
including horses, harness and gear We also lost
about 200 prisoners from Brig GEM. NJ. Jones
brigade in the first engagement in the early part
of this. day. Altogether, the result of the first
dave Aan 1n1 a.,
us, especially along Ewells lines. Indeed Ewell,
who is always up to time and action, covered him
self all over with glory, as did his gallant Major
Gen. johnson, Rodes and Early. Gen Lee, when
he heard of their success, said 81 always rely up
on the second corps for hard fighting. Give them
my thanks"
Whilst the infantry were thus engaged the CIV
airy were not idle. Rosser with his single brigade
fought Wilson's formerly Kirkpatrick's) cavalry
division all day Thursday, and finally succeeded in
forcing it to give back. His loss about 200
| as well as I can ascertain.
CoMMENcEMENT OF THE FIGHT FRIDAY.-0n
Thursday night the enemy began to move slightly
around to our right, and early on Friday morning
they advanced in heavy force on Ewells front,
with six lines ofbattle, and fought most obstinate
ly. Ewelps boys, and especially Early's, remem.
bering the advice Of the sage Of Bunkers Hill,
watched until they saw the whites of the enemy's
eyes, and then poured into them such volley Of
leaden missiles caused them to reel and stagger,
and finally to give back, not, however, until the
| dead on Ewells front were strewn thick around
One advance upon and reconnaissance Of Ewelrs
position, which was strongly fortified, seemed TO
satisfy them, and they made no further assault
during the day. Gen H. simply held bis ground
and so there was no further fighting on our LETT
wing. Simultaneously. with the advance upon
Ewelps lines, the enemy also made a move against
our centre, engaging Heth and Wilcox, for some
time without any result, when the enemy, becom-
ing very strong in front of these divisions, began
| to force them rapidly back. At this opportune
moment the gallant KershaR and his heroic braves,
| first checking their onset upon Heth and Wilcox,
then repulsing them, and finally driving the enc
my before him. So. ~.
About Ii O'Clock, Lieut. Gen Longst-eet having
planneda most brilliant flank movement, was ad.
vancng at the head of his column to the right OF
the plank road, in order to be certain of its sue
cessful consummation, when, by mistake growing
out of the fac: that our troops mistook him and
| his staff for Yankees, he fred upon The re.
suit was that Lieut. Gen LongStreet was wounded
painfully, but not dangerously, in the left shout
der, the ball entering obiqaely and passing up
wards '-H =. sa.
The same FIRE which thus deprived the country
temporarily of one Of its ablest, purcst and most
gallant officers, robbed the country, by death, OF
Brig Gen jenkins, of South Carolina who was In
stantly killed. Gen Fields temporarily took Lieut.
Gen LUngstrect's place and kept up the movement,
from which Longstreet very justly expected the
happiest results. The enemy began gradually TO