Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-05-17
The Battles In Northern Virginia.

Army of Northern Virginia, VIC have received
tho following letters, which VII! hc read with
interest
TsrEcIAL CORRESPONDENCE Of the ENpClEEe.
NEAR SpoTsyLyANiA Co:Rr LousE,
Tuesday, May ~ ?. ".
7 have written several letters. bcsidcs teln-
grams sent, but the communication is 80 pre-"
oarious on account of the distance 10 tho rniI-
road and telegraph Office, Iliat they may not
reach their destination. The country inter
venins between this point and the railroad
has baen 80 infested by the onoiny'a cavalry
that no courier has been sent III that dircc-
ton recently. The counter operations Of orr
cavalry, however justify the belief that the
country will so0n be cleared, il il has not nj =
ready been done. :.
/ teleg.aphed to yen That yesterday evening
Gen. Ssuar: encountered the euemy's cavalry
near Msssaponax Church. and Tough: them,
at intervals, Tor the remainder Of tbs day,
un.l they arrived in ths vicinity of Beaver
Dam. The enemy, however. succeeded in de-
stroving our stores at that point, but the raid
crs were finally checked, Gen. Hampton has
been oparaling with SUCCESS Tn 1he enemy
right, watching their movements aud keeping
the cavalry in check. Up to tbs time our
cavalry have rendered moat efficient service.
the details Of which, in justice TO them. must
b. postponed until this pru:ractad ish;!pG
and skirUishing is ended, and opportunity Is
afforded for o connected history Cf the whole.
In abiding to tho cavalry and Infantry
Sight near this point on Saturday, omitted,
in nv last communication u refer To very
brilliant fear on the part Of SsnG-ts ii-rac ar
tillcry. The horses attached u IL section ci q
battery Of three pieces OF artillery having
been killed or wounded, ths pieces were IN
imminent danger OF being captured by the
enemy, who were advancing and near hV
with heavy infantry reipfor2cmcrts Under
| the circumstances, many would have Justified
the abandonment Of tie pieces, but Capt. Bar
rett, determined 10 save them mt every hazard,
succeeded i'll bringing them or by hand sai1iY
within our lines.
Today has been eignalized by the heaviest
and most continuous cannonaiing u the
weeks fight, and very heavy skrn:siDg along
tho whole line, with slight l,sr on cur side.
In our centre tho Yankees advanced and m.d:
| three or four successive chargos on "rISh; :
! brigade of Andc5son's Division, but each time
were driven back with heavy loss Of killed
aud wounded. Their officers behaved with
bravery, and exhorted the mer 10 another
trial, but threats and persuasion proved equal
IT, upavailing. Our artillery was dircdtec
with admirable precision, and the effect Of tn
missiles of death could, by the aiA ct l. glass
be seen in the openings made in tho enem}'
| columns. One Ct their batteries Was a!:'
| silencel
About ten o'clock this morning tho cannon
aiding about the fight Of our centre Was very
brisk. The enemy fired wildly, their sho
and shell Il Ting over among the wagon tram
in the rear, creating considerable cXc!tcmrn
among cur corps aAfrGIue, and nccessitatIm;
the removal OF the trains further T. the rear
Cen. Anderson being in command Of th
First Corps, Gen. Msh0ne il in tempuTaT,
command Of the Division. Gan. Early's g IN
manl of tho Third Corps is rornp!e.a sue
cess, and has demonstrated his fitness irr tn
responsible charge. lie is cnnfrssed;Y an abb
officer, and ~ such :"ss3s,cs Tie G3hl enca :,
officers and men.
since the fight began, Major Ilmi!:nu
Commissary Of Gregr's. Tcxa. Brigade, am
Captain Fountaino Barksda!s, \. q NJ Q
the 18th Mississippi, were killed, both haTir!
volunteered and gone into the ranks with III
uusket Captain A. G. Morton, A Q. NJ. c
the 20.h Georgia, snndcred his s:rvccs %
Sunday as Aid to Colonel Di BJ-e, c9nininnd
ing Jennings Brigade, and rendered yalu
abe assistance on the field. "Parson Overs,
uhaplaiu of ths 18th MISSISSIPPI was severcl.
wounded II the arm on the same day Will.
F exposing himself attending 20 our wounded
He suffered the dangerous operation q rcscc
zion to save his arm. "Pirson Owens" par
sinipated in the battle Of Lccsburg and wa
the messenger who carried the intelligence t
General Lee at Charlottesville, of the takini
of the heights at Fredericksburg, in sutiirlen
time TO enable General Lee 10 hurl two disis
ions upon Sedswick and drive him across th
Rappahannock, at Banks Ford
The weather continues excessively wa7U'
and it il thekcning up for rain: HE 'iel
has been very oppressive to cur men, and
Yankee prisoner dropped dead !'om enn
ct.okc, q day Or two since. \.
WEDNESDAY MORNING, May |, :. A. VI.
Yesterdays operations and events tnrn.She'
a gooQ illustration of Grants peculiar htra
tegv. aad how IL was anticipated and Irua
rated. His lines extended from the =
River on the right, to the upper waters of ID
Ny On the left, the Pc and Ny forming tn
Matapony by their c2rhucace. Gcner1
Lee, il must be prehumcd, arranged his lin
! 20 correspond with the encmy's dispositions
At On curly hour Of the morning, tue en2m
moved anu extended his Ines TO the right, wit
tho view of turning our lett hank and crosse
he bridge of tho Po between this point III
Shady Grove Church. Bat General lie an
ticipGting the movement, sent lietli's D:risi'
that had been held in roser'e, which, undo
command of General Early, met tho flankin
party and hurled them back acrDss- the Pc
pursuing to the opposite side. The enem
. being driven from this side of the river
d planted a battery on the opposite side, alto
their return, 80 az to play upon lieth's Di
vision, and bear on the ground in which the
. were likely to operate. 1enoral E.riy, hay
ing returned to this side Of the river, cou
not charg, it, but, later in the afternoon, dc
termined to cross for the purpose AT abou
half an hour before sunset, the latest infor
nation from the left stated that our men wer
charging on the Yankee battery, and tina
afterwards the battery was silent and ha
ceased firing. Whether we sucaecded i
taking it, or whether it WAS drawn OFT by IL
retiring enemy, has not tram irsd up to til
hour Of sending this to tho railroad Tor trans
mission to Richmond.
The enemy falling in his effort to turn GU
left flank, determined to try next the effs,t o
direct ASSAULT. have alrcaiy given abov'
the result of the charge On that portion O
Anderson's Division occupied by Wright
Brigade. They next made direct assaults o,
the front Of Fields Formerly Hood's) Di
vision, repeating it six times in succession
and being US often repulsed and driven bacl
whence they came. They next tried direc
assault on tho position occupied by Ro9ea
Division, and after repeating it four times
and being repulsed each timo, abandoned tn
attempt. omitted 70 state, that in orc Of tn
assaults on Folds Division, about two hun
dred Yankees were taken prisoners and, som
suy, gave Themselves up voluntarily.
IL il not known, Of course, what vii! y
Grants programme for the day that has hu
fairly begun; whether lie will essay anotfe
attempt to turn one Of our i.nks Or make
direct assault IN our centre, o. some othe
| 1n-.;nr e .La linn TrnI,s flr liz r,nnrrill-