New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-25
From Cur Special CouosIondn
UrApQl ApTiRs GRAND ARMY or TIE }
MISSISSIPPI. ,! miles from ECsaca. Ga.
Ma A y
Spe ial Correspondent.

MISSISSIPPI. ,! miles from Lcsaca. Ga.
SATURDAY, May IA, lst4-eyening.
TIE forenoon was occupied III skrInlshing
with The adj ance line of the enemy in which few 81
onr men only were wounded. Howard with the ith
Corps occupied Dalton this uorping and the cars are
new running TO that place. The enemy afIeeapie 10
programme fell back TO their works here when IA
ture Nv the river and the formation Of the ground his
made formidable.
The secret Of their leaving Shafe Creek Gap open
now hegins 10 he revealed They have been occurcd
Cuon defensive works around Rcsoca fof SIX mohih-
and AS in nany too many eases heretofore we axe now
il front of them in the very place Of their own seiee
ZION. Every step Of our progress seems 10 nave p'e
anticipated In fact there was bnt one avenue q hp
proach fer 10. We ere engaged in struggle mere
which will form an important epoch Of The NaF lueie
has been 10 cessation of the roar OF musEcTs Tor TWO
and half hours regret TO say that the enemy nave
The precedence ID articTy-not because We nave not
an abundance Of batteries but for the reason that nn
two or three batteries have found positions 10 Dear Oh
the euemy The conflict has been saIguinaryi We have
lost Heavily; We have gained but little thus far to com
pensate for losses except To ma the enemy l"''
ton most formidable We have ms usual, nndei'
estimated his strength, and have paid the forfeit
The enemy occupied the east side 81 Se1ua'ch.e
Creek about two miles 10 the left OF hesaeca' Win
their right and left protected by ranges of rifepis IN
successive lines and earhworks with batteries IN posi-
ton 20 10 sweep the two faces Of Their ine IheF
center The apex Of hn angle located upon spur I"
The mountain IS leet above the level Of the Greek. and
faced west At the night Of the ,nemys position
are open fields Of unduiatng ground. inerspersed with
Ia &c trees and underbrush The line Of the advance
# the sd Army CVTrs 500 '"c at ''V' g
engage was in line 10 the front and right OF the
enemys principal works. Forming in line Of battle in
the field and edge of the woods the column advanced
half a nile over hills, and through rsvinos thick!
wooded and filed with underground and fallen trees
The list Brigade I'd Division. Gen. Mclean Was on
the left " tue line, and the cd Brigade. Gen NJ =
Hascall Oh the right The LIST Brigade was IN vance
II was about - O'Clock when the column got fairly
under way II took half al hour to pass over the space
have described the movement being considerable!
retarded by the dense underground and fallen trees
The troops were not halted to form. AS soon as The
column reached the crest the hill over the VALLEY,
first and full view Of the enenys position was obtained
and the troops emerging in full sight OF the enemy
on the opposite ILL., found themselves in Pcintbian
range Of their guns at distance Of not over 700 OF coo
wards The lii which our troops stood overlooked
that occupied by the enemy being 50 or IS feet higher
than tleils and fcl away at very steep angle about
% fee; slope. The enemy Immediately opened upon
the whole line with artillery snd musketry. The order
then was. charge" and forward went the troops
down the hill grape, canister and musket'y raining
among them.
Most OF the officers dnouuted at the top o. he hin
il being almost impossible TO rIde down Col Bond Of
the nth and Lent Col Sherwood Of the same req
ment rode ahead the right and left Of their req
ment great many fell while descending this slope
and tie st and I'd brigades reached the fat nearly to-
gcther but uh their lines considerably thinred Five
rods from he base Of the hl the line reached creek
which runs in serpentne course through the valley
The edges Of This creek which three feet deep
with a muddy bottom and filed with water, were lined
BY thick copsc of willow. and The opposite bank was
nterlaced with woodbine, grapevine and other en-
anglements purposey made by the Rebels to stop The
progress of the troops II admirably answered the pr
pose intended Here the line being interrupted was
temporarily broken, for the fle became every instant
hotter.
Men BY the score fel decd OF wounded in the muddy
water Of this brook many stuck fast and unable
70 exricate themselves, while others. wounded by shot
and shell fell aud were drowned. The hanks were not
high enough to afford the slightest protection om the
plunging fire. The few WHO struggled through the
creek and the distractions, and advanced into the
open fields beyond instantly fen under the enemys fire.
yery few wounded ran for shelter behind the scat
e,ng logs and dead rees where they remained unable
10 move OF show themselves until after dark.
The two brigades remained IN and along the line Of
this creek living down FOR nearly an hour making little
nse NJ their arms; for when the men attempted 10 load
tie b,eeches OF their guns were submerged, and the
charc.s Tins rendered useless Many sat waist deep in
the wafer and had their ammunition spoiled. Tie two
igsde. were recalled TO the crest oil the MI moving
along the creek BY the flank, until they reached the
near.st pont TO the base of tie hi aud went TO The
Great and reformed. Mere fragments only Of The
regiments came out 81 is earthly he'll The I'd Brigade
went INTO the tvbt with about 800 They brought out
90 when formed the second time. The l0th llilhols
was not in the fis; charge. OF course thefe were
many OF these missing not killed OF wounded out hdd
left the line Under the murderous he ana ana MOI uu
their regiment They Ill went in with knapsacks ana
blankets. The report Of Killed and wounded IN the Oh
vision ioo,s up 75J-te missing in the 23d Michigan {"
he heard from. Amer reforming Gen Judah again
ordered the I'd Brigade forward. tpto TINS time thef'
hJo been no artillery support whatever IN mont ana 10
IecsnDoissance bad been made although the projecting
spurs afforded good position along the whole crest oil the
mountain. Officers stated, on coming out mat, had
there been batteries in position the encInys guns could
have been silcnced their siienin diverted ar to
have given material support to the advancing troops
VIII bear testimony that Capt. Shields commanding Tic
18Th OHIO battery, diligently searching for an hour
VI more during this terrible cJjst for an Officer cOmDe