Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-25
GEN. BUTLERs SATURDAY NIGHT
BATTLE. -----

We give the fubjoined account OF Beaure-
CARDS midnight attack upon Butler on satur-
day, by the correspondent Of the New York
Herald. II confirms the report we gave Of the
affair Monday afternoon, gathered from an
officer who witnessed the fight. Perhaps the
"secesh" hereabout will, bye and bye, believe
that Beauregard attacked Butler last Saturday
night and was whipped "thunderlngly.n y
Beaurcgard belevesit-Butlor believes It. The
B's agree on that point, and why should WASH
ington secesh dispute it,
Correspondence Of the New York Herald
MAJ. GEN. BuTLER's HEADauARTERs
In THE FIELD, May q, 1864
MIDNIGHT ASSAULT.
Shortly before midnight, after nearly eyerv
one, worn out with the fatigues OF the hard davis
work, had gone to rest, a volley OF musketry,
resembling the distant rumbling of an earth.
quake, startled all hands, and before the echo
died away the heavy booming OF cannon toolC,
utes. 'l'"-
Some time before ten o'clock, Gen. Butler
received message from the front that the
enemy was massipg on our centre, and he, in
his cool manner, replied, I" Let them mass, but
guard against surprise" This message some.
what prepared us for what was to come. and
also kept our valiant troops, thus menaced, on
the alert. Sure enough, as was expected from
the enemy, he did mass his forces for one
grand assault to pierce our lines, and, had we
not discovered his intention, the attempt would
probably have succeeded. As 1t was 1t re.
suited In a most disastrous defeat TO the foe.
Our pickets In front Of Gen. Ames' line re.
ceived the rebel FIRE with great steadlness, and
never ninched. They returned volley for vol.
ley, and gradually retired on the reserve.
THE ARTILLERY OPEN PIRR,
When the rebel cOlnmn aDnroaohaa
received with a most whitening fire, and our
men dropped to allow the artillery To NAV on
the enemy. The siege guns and light battSrIpa
commenced their work then. The advance Of
the rebels was moved down like grass bnt ma
usual, they came up To the breach like yete-
rams, hling up the gaps as the men fell. An.
other and another murderous fire from our |
batteries at last halted them, and the confident
Zoe at last paused In his mad career.
REBEL cAIssoS EXPLODED.
Captain Langley's battery, the lst United
states artillery, played on the rebel fort with
great effect. About twenty minutes after the
nght mad commenced, 20-pounder Parrott
shell struck and exploded a rebel caIsson scat
tering death and destruction all around. Al
his sight the most deafening cheers went nm
rebuls. - '"'
THE oUNBoLTs.
The gunboats on the James and Apporn aitoY
rivers also opened their batteries and sbelIed
.he WOODS around, making 1t decidedly uncom.
Portable for the rebel reserves.
AT last, when the enemy found that Wa rero
wei prepared for his advance, and having al
ready lost very heavily, he thought IL hest to
which he did, after giving our metal
fair and impartial test. |
TIE LOSSES. {
Inc light lasted about thirty-ive minutes, I
'hd as soon as 1t was over our men proceeded |
o bury the rebel killed left on the field, Ilearn s
rom good authority that two hundred and
lxty-three were inferred by our forces, c
Our loss VIII not be more than about ten {
,illed and about fifty wounded, as we had ali ,
ne advantage on our side-constantly on the {
o our entertainments. Z
Our defences are almost impregnable. Con-
tructed by such able engineering talent as Mai.
zen. w. \. Smith, Gen. Godfrey Weitzel. and I
Iapt. 7. W. Farquhar, United States army,
hey cannot be otherwise. Should Lees entire
eoel horde pounce upon Gen. Butler, the latter @
ould still hold his own. +
The fleet In the James and Appomattor
lyers Is great auxiliary to our army. t.
between the respective chief commauders-I n
iaor General Butler and Acting Rear Admi- r
al 3. p. Lee-the very best UNDERSTANDING o
Iists, and the latter at all times heartily r
eSonds every wish of the commanding general. U
The sortic OF the enemy on our lines last
ight Is by no means the first instance of the 7
IND made by the willy rebel Gen. Beaurcgard.
Is his style Of doing business; but il has
ever as yet succeeded. Thus far, in every en-.
agement be has fought with our troops, he c
as been Worsted, aud will be again. '
GENERAL BUTLER. G
Gen. Butler, although overwhelmed with =.
reat care In conducting the operations on the
outh side, which he superlntends In person, 81
'oks remarkably we'll. Day and night he ia VI
work giving directions, and how he manages a
obtain rest Is puzzle TO everybody. Yet y
bor agrees with HIM without It his active
am would be more OF torment to him, and "
scome restlve and dull. Every morning sur. IA
'unded BY his able staff, he rides to the front
1d remains until dark, and II there is the S'
ightest show of battle he never leaves the re
eld until 1t is over. n
During the sortie OF last night, mentIoned =
Dove, the horses OF the General were at once ~
added, and he only waited ta hear from W
le front to what extent the attack might am of
roach, and II general engagement resulted +,
iereirom he would at once assume COM =.
and' However, the punishment inflicted tu
Gen Ames on the enemy and his subsequent
'llrement made Gen. Buffers presence at the
eng OF action unnecessary, and as no retired
ulu al the stan, and for the first time In a th
liet. "'''o W
THE WEATHER. st
Inc pleasant weather of four or five days has re
orked wonders on the state of the roads bc
W more days without rain will dry M the ~
nd completely. The troops are in the best of 10
'irits and full of confidence in the Com, re
ander-in-ChIe Whenever Gen. Butler rides ps
ong the lines he Is greeted with the most yo. a.
ferrous cheers by The soldiers. Generals VI
NTH, WeltEel, Brooks, and others, are also ca
ry popular and highly honored BY those to
der them. = '"'''
IN. steele's CongTRtulatorY Addr.ss In so
his Troops. "a
EADouARTERs DEPARTMENT OF ARKAEs,, .,
neral D derB, No. 2t ~ ''"S j. raj
TO you, troops Of the 7th Army Corps. who w,
In the recent campaign designed
cooperate with Gen. Banks's movement I'm
ainst Shreveport, the Major General com. ab
,nding tenders his earnest, grateful thanks.
Although you were compelled to fall back
Lhout seeing the main object of tho expedi-
n accomplished, you will have the satisCac. no
n OF knowing that you have beaten the en-. sol
y wherever he has met you In force. and Pr,
.ricated yourselves from the perllous posi. tn,
n In which you were placed by the reyerses sci
the cooperating column. This let loose an