Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1864-06-03
The Battles near Resaca.


Several severe battles were fought last
week by Gen. Sherman's army for pos
session of the approaches to Resaca. "A
correspondent of the Cincinnati Com
mercial gives the following account:
Fooled at every point in bis efforts to
break our walls of iron that environed
him, Johnston early in the afternoon of
Saturday commenced massing heavily on
our left, when Stanley, with as brave a
division as ever marched to the music OF
the Union, had been skirmishing and
feeling the enemy while awaiting the de-
velopments OF the enemy's attempt to
break the CENTER AT seven o'clock,
when quiet reigned along the whole line,
with an occasional interruption from a
sharpshooter's rifle, the expected attack
came. Down upon SANKEY'S exposed
flank came the enemy in overwhelming
numbers. For few minutes the line
nobly resisted the terrific shock but as
it was renewed with ten-fold fury by the
enemy, who fought with desperation
equal to anything ever performed by our
own soldiery, the line waveled, and the
regiments on left were giving back in
confusion and disorder, when, above the
roar of the artillery and musketry that
seemed to make the old hills tremble and
quake, cheer was heard, and into the
deadly breach, over the dead bodies Of
the fallen, came on the doublequick Rob
inson's brigade, who advanced to the as
saut with desperate determination toI
drive back the solid columns of the enc
my and save the army from Disaster
Nobly they met the enemy, and when
the shock came, Keeling like drunken
men, the line of the enemy was broken
and sent back smarting under the shock.
The contest was Of short duration, but
while it lasted the roar of artillery and
the roll of musketry told that this was
one Of the most critical momnets of the
day-a period when the heart of the list
ener seemed to stand still in suspense
The 4th corps will never forget Hooker
and the noble brigade which, at a moment
when the fate of the army, and perhaps
of the nation, hung upon slender thread
which enemy would have severed, came
up and turned the tide of battle.
On Thursday Hooker threw forward
Butterfeld's division against the enemy's
strongest position, supported by Willims's
and Geary's divisions, and the battle OPP
ened vigorously on both sides. Hook err
fought for three or four hours and made
steady Roadway, carrying line after line
Of rihe-pts, until Butterield's division
encountered lunette of formidable size.
Several attempts were made to carry it
and capture its four guns, which we're
pouring destructive fire into our lines,
but the attempt was futile. The troops
fought with great desperation, but as o.
ten as they advanced upon the lunette
the terrific volleys of musketry from the
enemy in the fertilization hurled them
back in confusion. After vain efforts TO
capture the lunette from which the enc
my poured into our ranks grape,cannister
and shrapnel, Hooker's forces gave up
the unequal contest, and during the bal
ance of the day lay under the breast
works protected from the enemy's fire,
and picking off every rebel who showed
himself above the works. Darkness
found him in this position, anu he at once
matured plans for capturing the works BY
strategy, under cover of darkness. The
pioneers were brought up; the ends dug
out OF the works, and the guns drawn
out by the aid Of ropes, under destruc-
!
tive fire from the occupants of the works,
who were driven out or captured, as our
troops swarmed in through the opening
in overwhelming numbers. The guns
were four twelve-pound brass pieces
A number Of battle flags, including those
of the thirty-eigbth and tbirty.flth Ala.
bama, captured, with over two hundred
prisoners.
On Monday the rebel army retreated.
Our total losses are estimated at from
four to five thousand, of whom fully two
thousand are so slightly wounded in the
hands and feet that they will be fit for
duty in two or three weeks. The killed
will amount to about eight hundred
We have driven the enemy over forty
miles, compelled him to evacuate a posi-.
ton at Buzzard Rost that may be Justly
styled the stronghold of the confederacy /;
recovered a large amount of territory,
repulsed Johnston in every attack upon
our lines, taken four thousand prisoners.
compelled him to abandon his fortifca-
tons near Resaca, and DESTROYED bis
whole ammunition and supply trains in
fiicted heavy loss upon him, and demon
allied bis army to great extent.