, 1864-05-23
FROM GEN. BUTLER'S DE-
PARTMENr,
OCR FcRCES ATTACKED IN 4 FOE---DES
PER4TE FIGuTING.
From the N. z. Herald, May 1911
HEADQUARTERS TENTH ARMY Corr

] HEADQUARTERS IESTH ARMY tQRf&,
HArt HERS, Va, May 18, 1854. {
/ To-day We have bud tho most severe BATH
that has occurred in ~. ss's campaign, snd y
we're somewhut worsted in the ~. e'' -
so Tar as We were driven from the position
This line, which ne gained night befor'
1ost BY the gallant conduct of General Terry
turned the enemy's first line Of defeuces OF
their right, and compelled them to evacuate
most ot 1t, extended from the river to
point beyond the railroad, and WIS In ever,
respect formidable work, and one no
easily captured by direct attack. On
the int1enchment, and near the second lin
Of thtir "or6s, which VIC were c.nstant1,
threatening. The Eighteenth army corps
urder Gtneral Smith. held the right Of on
liue to the turnpike, and to the Left OF 1t ths
Tenth corps laid, with Terry's division hold
Ing the LETT, and Turner'S the right Of tht
corps line
OPERATIONS OF YESTERDAY.
Throughout Light before last and yester
day there as ver~ heavy picket firing nlone
he entire line, and at times considerable af
tilleTy fire. which occnsipned considerable
loss to both sides. The muskctry fire al
times assumed battle PERCEPTIONS, but wontd
| die awny into desultory discharges, with oc
easlonal lnlls. in which the silence WAS Iii,
br0Sen By eingIc shot. During the day ths
rebels attempted ouce ortwice 10 force back
our lines o. tue left BY charges, but were rc-
pulsed on each occasion with heavy loss, md
the attempt was finally relluqulshed BY them
the day wore away, without any results to
either side.
EEATREGARD ATTACKS OUR LIyEb.
Day light WINS ushered In this morning By q
treIaehoous discharge Of artillery from the
entire length Of the rebel lines, and the shells
came tnao our position In showers, rulcly
aronsing the dreaming and tired soldiers BY
| men were quickly In thefr respective places,
aud the line was formed In moment. It was
known that something was about to take
place, and that 1t as probable that the Wig
orous ehelliug was to be followed up by an
assault NJ on our position; hut where the
blow was to inllno one could conjecture with
spy degree Of confidence. The time was Pc
culiarl3 favorable fur such an operation 4
dense, impenetsable fog enveloped the coun-
try; and wrapped the contending forces in its
misty veil The gray dawn was mnde still
more dusty By the fog, and objects could not
be disctrned By the keenest vision a dozen
| yards distant. We knew little Or nothing Of
the typography Of the country In our front,
and comp -rativcly little OF that which laid
about and behind us. The rebels we're fami1-
the mist as readily and surely as under the
SUMS rays. This sus the condition Of affairs
when the rehels, massing their troops, struck
our right, under ten. Hickman, cnvelopcd
its flank and took 1t In reverse.
THE FIRST BLOW
wca dealt with terrific force. Gen. Heck
tnan's brigade, Of the 18th Corps, holding the
right, was doubled up md forced buck on the
ut1t brigade, which was also thrown into
some contuti Our meu did not observe
Ing column between Hcckman's right mud
the river, and. taking him in front and rear,
crushed Inn b tween the columns. and for a
time created some confusion. Gen. Heck
man made gallant fight rs long as be could;
hut the enemy came upon bin 10 suddenly,
successful resistance was quite impossible in
the darkness and confusion. Some of the
brigade we're captured. Perhaps the strag-
gltrs who will report will diu.infsh the loss
someN hat Gen: Hickman is missing; but
whether be is killed or wounded or i prIs.
ner has not been ascertaio-d.
>, After this operation, having forced back |
the right, q heavy nttack was made on the |
eitirc line OF the 18th corps, with feiuts |
ult'nE the 10th corps line, and the entire right
wss forced back some d stance after several
EourB Of most severe and sangufnary strus-
giles. The battle raged With unexamplsd
fury until peRrl, 12o'clock. the rebels thet,x v
lhg heavy masses upon our llnes, aud finally |
forcing 1t back nearly quarter of q mile.
oErmen fought stubbornly, with few cxcep-
'loIe, and resisted every step, aud repeatedly |
checked the rebel advance, With terrible |
slaughter, but not without some loss on our !
eide. The enemy numbered not less than
fifteen thousand, and pushed into the mur-
der0n6 fire 18th q recklessptss and steadinesa |
that afE rarely sten. Some prisoners we took |
were evidently Under the Influence of liqunr. |
which maddeued them and made them iui1if.. |
,tefent to death. |
;. In'the attack on our right We lost gun or /
iit~Vi and. 1t is said some light pieces-pre-
:ciscly how many i is difficult to ASCERTAIN |
Probably four will cover the loss in light |
piecrs: Capt. Belser, Of the lat Rhode Island |
Artillery, is said to have been captured, and |
lii 1iein enaDt killed.
Finally, after forcing the 18th Corps back |
from its position, aud regafning o portion Of |
their first line Of intrencbments, they massed |
their forces on the 10th Corps, to drive It |
back,
TIE ATTACK ON THE TENTH CORPS.
They first hurled their column upon Tur- !
ner's Division, which held tue right of tho |
Corps line, joining the 18th Corps. They |
termed in beautiful manner, and moved |
steadily on Ba5ton's Brigade, on the right Of !
parade, and not firing single shot. Waiting
until they had reached good distance fur
effective rapge, the brigade poured into their
lines such terrific fire that the Hue melted
away, and the thinned and broken line, after
valn1y endeavoring to advance oguinst The
storm Of bullets, fed, with terrible loss, to
the woods In their rear. The vol1eys were
as continuous and heavy as the musketry Of a
brigade could well be, and such as no living
beings could stand against.
The rebels were scattered like chat, and
broke for the woods in disor.,arized mass.
Under their friendly cover, after great exer-
tfon, the line of attack was again formed,
ard again brigade advanced In splendid
style against our line Again did they re-
ceive the terrible fire, and pushed steadily on
on the field, when they broke and rushed
quickly to the cover of the woods. Our boys
gave them hearty cheers, and sent yolley
ait.r them which told upon them Being
twice bloodiy repulsed at this point, they
moved further to our left, and hurled a
Terry's division. They came up in the same
steady and confident manner, but were re-
ceised with more rapid and equally as
deadly fire Us THAI they were treated to BY
Turner. The Spencer repeating rifles. in the
lands Of the Eth Connecticut, and the Spring
brigade, delivered fire so hot and wither
ing, that the rebels could not Withstand It
but broke and ran tor the woods, accelerated
In their flight by the music OF the Spencer
bullets about them. They were deter
@9e an ce L om to s DFtaa pestop our east af
what 1t would. They again formed, aud
were strengthened by rein:orcements. They
charged again, and after ten minutes hot
" orE they were disastrons1s rcpuised and
driven back at all points. That epded any
serious effort on their part to force our posi-.
,lon; aud, 1eavin. their dead and wounded,
to the number Of a thousand, On the field be-
fore our lipe, the, again massed upon Geu.
Smiths front and attacked his left General
Gilmore Immediately ordered Gener,l Tur-
n. to attack the enemy on their flank, and
ordered General Terry to support him. Tur.
ner's attrck was hardly commenced before |
General Gilmore WAS ordered by General
Butler to retire aud strengthen Gen Smiths
Corps by forming 10 his rear. Our troops
FILL back slowly aud in orter, repulstng eyaEv
Effort Of the retels to quicken its no en1ents
ard ling sta,:d at every favorable po.i,
ton, until he enemy ceased to follow up and
Erll back to tier first line of intsenchments
Gen Gilmore then drew of h,s corve. and
Ivr1ued to support Gen. Smith.
The fighting which had been going on with ,
more or lees violence along the entire llne,
now ceased (at half-Past two), and prepera.
Hons we're made to draw off our forces from :
The teld and return tt our intssnchmenta.
The a5tiler, Was sent to the rear. except a