Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-05-18

and many. officers despondingly sfe ared that
Il ees would In some malpe defeat Y rsnt- ou-
sperfcial observers mig9 c6nstrue our repul-
ses that day into defeat but no such forebod,
ing found aresting pltce IN the minds OF
those who knew the teilAcity OF purpose and
fertility of resources hichschar a :s
Grant. ~
The advantages of the next daysSsrifed
their hopes. The battle recommended at
daylight Oh Saturday, but the firing was des-
:.ltory aud scattering. No fierce attempts were
made on either side, both Generals were IN
tent on strategy, neither being anxious to
bring on 8 general engagement =
Lee seemed intent on cutting our commu-
nications via Germans ford
Grant appeared utterly Indifferent to TINS
and seemed rather to court it by withdrawing
Sedgwick from his position and throwing him
back by Germania ford near his own head
quarters and pushing Burnside out on the
Spottsylvania c. II. road, threatening Lees
line of communications.
A new line of battle was formed by chang
es in the position of corps, extending nearly
north and south, and gave Lee the choice OF
being cut off from his capital syd risking ev-
erything upon the wager of LATHE
At 2 D. m. Burnside was we'll under way to
Spottsylvania Court House. Lee had thrown
some infantry on TO our right and drove in
our cavalry pickets on the Germania road.
The result could only be a precipitate retreat
on the part of Lee, to prevent our army being
thrown between himself and Richmond, or
deadly contest in open battle that could only
end in his determination.
He soon discovered his error, and to all APP
pearance had started in hot haste for another
line of defense Some think he viii be found
on the North Anna river; while otherc are
fully certain that there is no tenable position
forh him 70 fall back between this ana
Richmond.
The 7ri5uae,s special has the following
sketch of the series Of battles after that OF
Saturday:
Gen. Warren's Corps passed on through
Todds Tavern on Saturday night towards the
front, and at sunrise were within two and a
half miles of Spotsylvania c. H., and imme
diately were put in position to relieve the
cavalry The enemy were also Just IN time
for similar movement, and Stuarts cavalry
were simultaneously relieved by Longstreets
Corps of infantry. The 9TH Corps, though
tired with long nights march, rushed into
action with double quick, Gen. Robinson's
Division leading the charge. The rebels
yielded before them and we pushed them on
for three miles.
The last engagement of this mornings fight
was severe. Our losses were great, and Gen.
Robinson was severely wounded, but we
charged LlelO 50 lar anu So tlldt
our men were out fanked on the left and had to
fall back short distance to form their lines
anew. The enemy gained no advantage, for
our artillery was brought into position and
the rebels were unable to occupy the position
which our men had abandoned.
The 5th corps had suffered in previous
fights so severely that there was not single
division of it in fighting trim, but Gen. AuSur,
commanding the regulars, forced himself III
G II H. I IL ~Cciti ion. halA
A bout noon batteries were posted, ours on
the edge of piece of wood, theirs on an
opposing hill The discharge Of she'll for
some time vas quite brisk and severe, and as
evening approached Gen. Grant started to the
front to take another glance at the position
and inspect our troops for the grand onset
which was soon to be-
Before he arrived at our left flank the rat
tie of musketry from advance skirmishers
and the struggling back of our wounded men
indicated that the moment had almost arriv-
ed. Troops from the 9Th and 9th corps,
in several heavy lines were concentrated in
front of the position to which the rebels had
fallen back after the engagement in the early
part of the day.
At quarter before seven o'clock a shout
was raised and the attack commenced, as
our troops moved out of the woods through
the narrow road and up tangled thicket
winch was UciU anu t1llGu DI bDS
At fifteen minutes past seven, as the light
began to fade away, the heat of firing began
to cease, and now the enemy commenced to
give, way to the shouts of our men, reced-
ing as the enemy were pushed along, showed
that the issues of the attack were favorable
and decided We had beaten the enemy, had
driven them from the position which they
had so strongly confessed; but the darkness
was now so great that we could not safely
press them further, and Spottsylvania Court
House still remained that night in the hands
of the rebels.
Monday morning was spent quietly in camp,
both for the much needed rest and for re-
plenishing the arm with rations.
The following accounts are from the Her
olcPs correspondent
on Tuesday General Gibbons and General
Barlows' divisions were Withdrawn from the
south bank of the Po The latter's division
was closely followed by the enemy, who were
checked by our artillery posted along the
ridge commanding the river. Early in the
day the whole army began to straighten out
the line of battle for a renewal of the en-
gagement.
Skirmishing was kept up during this time
between the advanced lines of the two armies
the enemy bestirring himself though he
intended offensive operations Our line was
formed with the I'd corps ON the right,th 9th
IN the center, and the 9th on the lett, with
Burnsde's corps in rear of our left for the
protection of our immense trains, and to act
a reserve in any emergency.
The country here is quite rolling, and stud
ded with groves of pine and hard wood, and
affording much better facilities for handling
troops and the use of artillery than about the
Wilderness
The enemy during the night strengthened
his formidable position with rife pits, breast
works, barbados, &c, rendering it stronger
than any line of defense occupied since leay-
ing the earthworks on the Rapidan.
Thus it stood till far into the afternoon,
when fighting became quite sharp, at inter-
walls, at different points, but without any
thing definite
Two o'clock was fixed for the grand as
sault. General orders were read an
nouncing the brilliant success Of Sher-
in the West and Butler on the
James river, producing the widest excite
ment, and as the hour approached for the at
tack the enthusiasm of the troops became al
most uncomfortable.
Gen Grant, suToundedby his staff, Meade,
Hancock, and Warren were all statione on
the eminences within sight of each other,
while the vast columns of our ARMY steadily
gathered themselves together for the grand
STRUGGLE Inst the alta v-as ahor1t m no