New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-10
THE VICTORY.

has won great victory. The President III
vokes Thanksgiving and prayer. Official dis
patches from Gen. Grant and Gen. Meade,
communicated in substance by the Secretary OF
War. announce that after the great battle OF
Friday Lee began TO retreat, that Grant pursued
on Saturday, that the Rebels were falling back
by the direct road to Richmond, that Hancock
passed through Spottsyvania Courthouse on
Sunday, and that his headquarters on the even
ing of that day were twenty miles south OF the
battlefield. The military power of the Rebel
lion has received fatal blow.
Who shall gather into sentence the religious
ioy of the nation1 No man has the right-or
no man but Ulysses S. Grant. We dare say
only that for the first time the people will feel
that their answering faith their absolute trust
in the supremacy of Justice, their practical
belief in the overriding watchiulness OF God,
their steady purpose and resolve that the
Republic should live, are rewarded with clear
vision Of approaching triumph.
Accounts of Fridays great battle are before
our readers this morning. The day saw four
teen hours of fighting. Gen. Grant, having his
army in position, was ready in the morning TO
open the engagement, but was anticipated.
Ewell attacked Sedgwck on the right at
quarter before five, and Longstrect attacked
Hancock on the left at nearly the same mo-
ment. Both attacks were resolutc, but
both were repulsed and since our men
were only anxious to hold their
ground, the line of battle swayed neither
forward nor back. Prom or till II there
was lull, broken only by skirmshes at differ
ont points The line which Grant held was
nearly the same as on the previous day, and
stretched nearly six miles in length. The dis
position of corps was also the same, except that
Burnside's corps was now on the field and that
parts of it were from time to time brought into
action.
At eleven, the enemy began to press closely
up to Warren, in the center, and Sedgwick, on
the right. Sedgwick, not liking to be crowded,
advanced, drove Ewell back to his second line,
and there left him, having taken not more than
All hour for the work. Warren is emulous of
]
an open field, woods beyond, and the edge OF
the woods frowning with hasty earthworks, be-
/ hind which the compact masses of the enemy,
and the enemy's guns, are sheltered. The
corps is A. p. Hills, the same against which
he fought on Thursday Resolved that be will
not lie idle, Warren goes over to his left, thinks
the ground little more favorable and sends in
WadswOrthS and Robinson's divisions The
two divisions 60 steadily forward for a space,
and there is promise of their success, but the
Rebel forces are moved rapidly against them,
their advance dies away into halt, and the
halt becomes a retreat. Gen. Wadsw0rth
is not willing that his division should
retreat so he rides out in front of their
wavering line, and shows before them for mo-
ment the brightness Of his personal courage, but
in another moment falls with a Rebel bullet
through his brain. His division makes no fur
Their effort, but falls back TO its old ground and
the advance is at an end.
From ~ ill in the afternoon there were
occasional assaults, but 10 fighting Of conse-
quence Both sides are gathering strength for
another effort, and at 81, Hancock on the left,
while preparing and just ready to assault, is
himself, as in the morning, attacked suddenly
and with extreme energy. The momentum of
the Rebel masses carried them at first through
portions of HancOck's forces. Then they
were checked, the attack changed sides,
and Longstreet for the second time
in one day was repulsed with great
slaughter. Then came two hours Of quiet, and
then. when the battle was thought to be over
for the night, another and final attack
far on Sedgwick's right, falling with its
utmost force on two brigades just added to the
old Sixth Corps. They were driven back some
distance two generals were captured, and for
half an hour it seemed as if the enemy
were about to gain dangerous advant-
age. Gen. Sedgwick rode to the field, arrested
the growing disaster, ordered up reeniorcements,
and with his wonted tenacity Of purpose held
fast to the line which bis corps had occupied.
So much as the new brigades covered had to
be given up. But it appeared aiterward that
the slight success of the enemy was not I'M
portant, nor even encouraging to them, Tor 1t
could not persuade them to postpone their
retreat.
Lees retreat was suddenly begun and has
been very rapid; but we do not suppose he
means to 90 to Richmond yet. To allow him.
self to be shut up in the deienses of his capital
would be to offer Gen. Grant the opportunity
TO repeat his vicksburg campaign-and in much