, 1864-05-17


HEApQAnrEEs ARMY or THE PoToAAc,l
NEAR EPoTsYLvAS1AC C. IT,, Wednesday, Nay1L}
My dispatch dated p. N. yesterday gave
an outline sketch Of the operations Of that
day down to the hour na ned, md izcluded
the announcement of the turning Of our
to hand ED. Times.} would gladly have
avoided leaving the situatton suspended in
this pe1ilous condition, but the messenger by
whom had the opportunity to send my dis
patch left inst as the courier bearing the
tfdings arrived. I hasten to add that the
that the army holds at present a position not
differing greatly from that we hare held for
the past two days, with the exception that
our right is somewhat more strengthened
Yesterdays operations now assumed the
character Of the most bitter and perhaps the
most bloody Of the series of battles which
lnse been fought since We CROSSED the Rapi-
dan. Knowing, as nc do, that our cavalry
force has been working havoc with Lees
concentrations, that hi6 supplies are almost
exhausted, that the lines Of investment are
being drawn around Rlchmond, and that
echoes Of disaster reach his ear from afAr-of
Tcanessee, and presase the do rnfall Of the
fabric sf tha rebellion, We arc left to infer
! that the attack Of yesterday wasa desperate,
! and, let us hope, anal attempt to retrieve the
rebel fortunes BIZ dealing crushing blow at
| this army. It is enough to SAY that 1t failed,
| and though he inflicted severe loss Of life
] upon Us, he suffered not less himself and VIC
still hold position against which the rebel
! fury may dash Itself il vain. It would seem
! to have been the policy Of Lee In the scries
| OF battles which he has delivered during the
| paet week, to contest the advance to Rich
mond at every available point, TO near rs
away By degrees, aud then, perhaps, to fall
! VI on the Usien forces under Butler, aud en-.
| deayor to annihllate them. This plan he hns
Carried into execution with mastery skill,
inspired By fury perfectly diabolical.
| We are steadily pressing the rebels south.
BY lie nature Of ills country In whose dense
woods and tangled chapparal the 1.-the md
war, are much Aorc ut home. Fortunately,
If nc once carry the position which they now
hold In frsnt OF SportsJlyania Court-housc.
NC shall be out Of the Wilderness and
reach 0peA couBtry.
The operations or yesterday were opened
by Reconnaissance on the lett By Burnside's
co1rs, which developed the fact that the
enemy vas in no force ths5c-nothlng bnt
cavalry disputing the advance. This caused
| the division Of Mott to be Withdrawn from
It's position on the extreme right and it was
sent to the lett to coanect With Burnside.
The rebel position now very lnuci, resembled
| ours at Gettysburg, a curved interior line,
well protected by sreastworks, with the I'd
1itionn1 defence Of narBhy run In font.
Holding US at bay in the centre, they dlscoE-
|
Barlsw's division. This division of Han.
cocks command, IS I yesterday mentioned
had nude tho passage Of the Po, throwing
out skIr1nishers on the east bank. This gave
1t cofgne Of yantnge, from which it not
only cnh1aded the entire rebel position, but
commanded the road on which their trains
were passing. At the same time, however,
it iaoiated it from the rest Of the army-a
false potition. Of which the rebels could
hardly have failed to take advantage, and ol
which they did take advantage, as We shall
i presently see.
Gen. Warrrn's corps held the center Of the
line, ind 1t was resolved that vigorous as
sault ehould be made there, while Hancock
and Burnside cndeavored to assal and turn
the two TANKS Of the enemy. With this
view, two divisions Of the I'd corps were
thro.n over to connect with the right o1
the projected design, Warrcn'a corps moved
forN III during the day. pressing through thf
weeds to an open space behind, close to the
enem}' g breastw erke, This WAS attended BY
very heavy Smelling. from the enemy, aad Il
was 8 or I o'clock ?. m: sefore the Wood:
to assault the breastworks. In this, how
ever, It did net succeed, although the attempt
was gullantly made. Carrolrs brigade went
in on tile chsrge, and lost 500 men.
Gen. Meade realizing the critical position
In which the extreme right OF our line {Bar
lows diyision) was placed, had ordered 1t to
draw buck. The rtbels had, however, antic
ipated ue, and making detour came In OF
lis rear, making It matter Of consid
eratle difficulty to withdraw; support!
coming ug, however 1t .-psr. w,s susfs5a stisc,
1qu' Was ordefed a alons the line, to take plae'
at o'clock, but owing to the tardincss Q
. sorpe Of the commanders to get into line \
was postponed, first to 6 o'clock and then tt
balf.past. A furious cannonadc from our az
tillery preceded the charge. The worst Of l
was that the likeness Of the hour prevented
It's being perfectly successful
: Gen. Wright advanced the flower Of tn
! 9Th corps. Nobly and we'll they sustninet
: their reputation. Upton's brigade leading
: they ad7anced rapidly upon the enemy
: breastworkB without firing shot, captnnnj
them ut the point Of the 6ayonet, As Is In me
dreds. rushiug upon them with fury tina
, notLiue could Withstand. To the number Q
: twelve hundred they run them back into on
= lines at full speed, capturing, at the sam
= time, three of their guns. Earlier IN the da
8 one Of the enemy's batteries had been dlsa
i rups. from which they were kept By the say
: aee lire OF our skirmishers. It Was hope
i, hat ali The guns would be brought eff, bu
+ the charge Nag not Bucce6sfu,o On the othe
L na1ts OF the lire, and the gallant 9Th Ind t
: talI back. Our losses during the day, mus
: reach from {, 900 to 10, 0e0 men,
t Nebh's Brigade, Second Corps, lost heav
/ lrNthe Twentieth Massachusetts particular
;. II. Col. Macy was dangeron9y wounaet
It Myjor Abbot, another splendid D., ol5ieer, VI
e EIiiid. and only six or seven otficera, out {
: about a t. twenty four, left. Lieu, Fedcrehe,
{ OF tie First Massachusetts tSok *, a :, sestlo 10
# into action in spot where TIT rebel sharl
e fTom the field, shot in both thighs, after d
! Ing good service. This was on Wright
= front. f.,
Il day. but would not leave the fsld. md afte
!. wara led his brigade n II. the sh;,gs on Ha,
tbeif shells into the rebel il4renchmcnt
T. Cnni Martin. Of the Third 1asaachuset
) Battery, was wounded In the r ntSk. e.; . j..
ID ceed m, thing that any previous battle b
r cost Us. Nothing has been deTeloped up
! tits hour respecting the e9s%ys Positlopp
le | - tna;o,to vhether fheF will retreat, rem3