Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-08-11
BY GALES & SEATON.
THURSDAY, AUGUST IL, 1864
GEN. GRANTS CAMPAIGN.

1t was on Tuesday, the Sd day of May, that the
Army of the Potomac broke camp to, enter on the
new campaign against Richmond under the con-
duct Of Gen. Grant. A portion Of the army cross
ing the Rapid-Ann at Ely's Ford and another por-
tion crossing the Rappahannock at Germania Ford,
both divisions con ,erged towards the region Of
Charlottesville and the Widerness-place which
had already acquired a mourpful celebrity in our
military history from their association with the
disastrous repulse which just one year before had
there overtaken the same gallant army under the
command of Gen. Joseph Hooker.
On Thursday, the 5th of May, occurred the first
shock of battle between the contending hosts AT
ter series of stubborn and bloody conflicts, re-
suting from Gen. Lees attempts to interpose him
self between the right wing of the Army of the
Potomac and the Rapid-Ann or to pierce its Gen.
tire, both forces rested over night on the ground
which had been the scene Of their preliminary
struggle Our loss on the left was about one thou
sand in killed and wounded, including Brig Gen.
Alexander Hayes, commanding the second brigade
of the third division of the Second Corps. We
also lost two pieces Of artillery, and the enemy
claimed to have taken nearly one thousand pri-
soners Our forces in turn took about three hun
dred prisoners.
On Friday, the 9th of May, hostilities were hot
ly resumed. A succession of fierce attacks, made
now by the enemy and now by our own forces, on
the right, the left, aud the centre, filled up the
history of this bloody day. The Sixth Corps was
called to bear the brunt Of the enemy's assault as
night began to fall. Gen. Seymours second bri-
gade of the third division of this corps, the ex
treme right and most of Gen. Shaler's brigade,
but the enemy was finally held in check by the
strenuous exertions of Generals Sedgwick and
Wright. Our losses in this wing alone were about
six thousand men, ,and the total losses of the army
at all points during the day were estimated to be
about fifteen thousand General Wadsworth was
mortally wounded At the close of the day both
armies held substantially the same line as on the
preceding evening.
At daylight on the following day Saturday,
May 7th) a series of brisk skirmshes ensucd,
which soon disclosed the fact that Gen. Lee was
retreating in good order with his main force to-
wards Spotsylvania Court House, having left his
chain Of entrenchments on Mine Run for his Sc
cond defensive line on the North Anns. During
this day and on the following Sunday he several
times turned to deliver severe battle to pursu-
ing forces.
On Monday, the 9th Of May, there was compa-
rative quiet, but the country and the army were
called to depore the loss Of the gallant Gen. Sedg-
wick the able commander of tho Sixth Corps, who
was killed by sharpshooter.
On Tuesday, the 10th Of May, the surges Of
furious battle again eliminated in the most terrific
carnage. An attack on the centre of Gen. Lees
army was made by the Fifth Corps and by Glib
bon's and Birney's divisions of the Second Corps.
The attack was most vigorous and gallant, and our
losses were in the repeated charges by which
the enemy was driven to his rife-pits Brig. Gen.
Rice, omuandng the second brigade Of the fourth
division Of the Fifth Corps, killed at this time
In the mean time the insurgents had attacked and
turned Barlow's division of the Second Corps on
our right, but it was fnally extricated without
great less. Towards the close Of the day most
energetic assault was made along the whole line,
in which the enemy's works we're scaled and more
than thousand prisoners taken, with several guns,
by Gen. Upton's first brigade of Wrights first d-
vision Of the Sixth Corps, which was in the ad-
vance of this gallant onset Gen. Upton's position
being too far in advance of the residue Of the army
to be held, he was compelled to fall back with the
prisoners he had taken. Our losses throughout
the day we're estimated to exceed ten thousand in
killed and wounded.
On Wednesday, the lth, there was some skr-
mishing, during which our line was slightly ad-
yanced. The great battle of the preceding day
substantially closed the week Of hard fighting which
had thus far marked the progress of the army in
its campaign. Our losse, during this week were
set down at not lees than thirty-fve thousand men
ip killed and wounded while our loss in brave and
skillful officers was irreparabc, The enemy was
still portinaciously holding SpotIsylvania Court
House, which our troop, were as pertinaciousy in
vestipg.
On Thursday, the 18th Of May, Hancock's s
Second Corps, vtied by the twilight Of the morn
ing and by a dense fog, moved quietly from its
position against the enemys line and surprised an
entire division, which, with two Generals, (Msj.
Gen. Edward johnson and Brig. Gen. George III.
steuatt,) was surrounded and c,ptured The first