Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-05-26
BATTLE OF. sPoTsYLvAM1A.
A Graphic Battle Picture.
TUESDAYS OPERATIONS.

TUESDAY 8 OPERATIONS.
j 1t ame'evilent Tuesday morning tina,
Gen, Lee had chosen ,Spotsylyanis az .
place for A trial of strength. II Preparations
we're, accordingly made for the work
| The great draw back TO Gen. Grant. was
his wpnpsled. He decided to send them
back to fredericksburg. All who could
walk wcie started on foot. Those who
coull not walk, bat who did not need am.
balances were placed in empty wagons.-
The long sad procession departed, or rath.
CT began to depart. to make room for the
other thousands soon to take their places
in the hospitals, 1t was sad sight. II
made me sick aud weary of war. and yet
q truer view isrhat which looks at the sin
and iniqnity which causes all this suffering,
pain and soirow.5 Trains of supplies no,
Immediately needed were sent to the rear,
and ammunition trains were ordered up.
AT day break the eannOnade commenced,
onr own batteries coming frat into play
The batteries attached to the I'd corps,
near Hart farm and on the Piney Church
road were very active. The rebel batter
les at first treated the demonstration, with
silent Indifference. but continual teasing
rouses a wild beast from slumber, SO at
length they replied, The. air was calm
and the reyerberation rolled far away over
the forests. There was no movement OF
troops to The front, but there wasa change
Of position all along The line. Bligades
which had been in thefront the day before
were placed in the second ne. and those
who had little respite from fighting
were thrown in front. Gen. Grant rode
along. The lines, made on Inspection of tie
situation. and issued Iorders for a general
attack at o'clock in-the afternoon. At
noon our batteries slackened fire, but the
rebels now iookrthe initiative. sl ,fr
lasis hsA a spoTsYLNaSIA. aro7l sis s1
Theiblacc is Old. seedy, ruined long ago,
like eye.y9 other southern town. II was
once centre---a place for trade. political
meetings and the like. The Catharpen
Road runs along Cafharl,en creek toward
Orauge Conrt liense;' the road to iFreder-
icksburg is the Most sfraveied sof lall-2the
othcrs arc mere country roaIss with little
travel in the best of times. n As has already
been said. he conntrykis undnlating, half
wilderness oandE bal r cleared alahd. The
roads meet on elevated ground. command
ing the valley of the Pc river. -idI o4:S 5a
There is nothing at spotsylvania worthy
OF contention--roI mountain pass or dcen
running river-bnt General Grant is on
his wayto Richmond Lee has determin.
ed to pose him at every step. Like
Apoliyou in Bnnyan's Pilgrim. the aavefs
saiy has come ont to meet him on the
spot. sia s4 Aas isi uuoV eco 1870
Lee has the advantage Of position, and
Is abie to concentrate his forces 80
THE BATTLE.
II was about l o'clock when Longstreet
began to press Hancock. Birney. on the
extreme right, was frs. engaged. 1t was
a hot fire. lasting half hour, but he held
his ground, The artillery which had
been silent little while. recon- mauced
their nproar. and at 2 o'clock it was con-
tiltions discharge Of field pieces. =, The
2oth Massachusetts, were thrown out as
skirmishers on the right. and performed
their part without finching. T.t4
Having male no impression on. Bir-
ney's division, the attack was abandoned /,
there. aud the rebels tried to pry- open the
Joint between the 81 and 5th cerps,. but
Hancock detected a portion Of Gibbons
command toward the left, while Warren
brought up brigade toward bis right,
aud thus the joint was made exceedingly
strong. 1t had been weakened by ad-
vanclng Barlow's division across !he creek.
1 he lehel colpmns came j. mass. After a
little! skirmi>hing Hascock Withdrew IBary
low and rna,le his corps more. eori1pact.--
The niihdrawel of Barlow was a. sign 10
faint hearted ones that the day was going
asainst US ''' -
During the lqll in the strife rode back
to the ID Corps hospitals, i,o see the
81. -, ~, -
"Hdw goes lii. j. boys" was the Ihp question. s
"Ail tight said one. Il
Pretty ronsh." said another.
; They VIII niver get through the %
Corps" said a ,Hiberian. -.
The lnli had become . storm. How
fearfully rolled the musketry. 1t is inter-
ly useless to,attempt description or COM
psrison. II was volley after vollsy, surge
after surge, roll after roll. 49,, -
Maurice Collins, of the 18th Massachu.
setts. was brought in with an ugly wound
through the shoulder He was Catholic,
and the priest was showing him the cruci-
fix.-'A s@i o." 70. ''7s'
"wilI it be mortal?" be asked. 80 9 = i
Perhaps not il You lie still and keen
arm"
well. I am willing to give e an arm ar to to
my coontfy." was the reply Of one though
born in the evergreen isle; willie loving
the Harp and Shamrock. adores the Stars !
and Stripes Of his adopted country.
Leaving the hospital. and galloping TO-
wards the front. l met hundreds of men
their way to the rear-an unniis.
taxable sign that there is hot work in front.
and that there is some doubt as to what
what will be the result.uisd ,s 4;asmdoassi
tlhe contest went on with bat little cess
sation on th&right. and gradually extends
ed toward the left; bntithe main attack Of !
lhe rebels was on thesSecond Corps. which4
stood like . wallsof adamant. 10 esoqfHt
The attack of Longstreet aupon the 2dE
lyOrpQ Mt Goff ~ h, - h Al vv.r,rc <>c