The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1864-05-19
THE
GREAT CONTEST.
A Terrific Battle on Tues
day.
BOTH ARMIES FAIRLY CONFRONTED
Fereest Fighting i'm Modern
Times.
DESPERATE EFFORTS OF. THE
REBELS.
They Are Hurled Back
Again and Again.
They Make a Rush for Our Supplies.
The Attempt Efiectualiy
FOiacd.
The Attempt Efiectualiy
FOiscd.
Lee BeWi|dered at Grants Peril
nacity'
GEN. T HIH A GAIN ON
WEDNEiS iSDA Y.
Washington, May IL, 1864

Your correspondent Beta left the front
this morning at s O'Clock. His swift
steed bore him to Bell Plaine in time to
catch the afternoon boat, and has just ar
rived, bringing for THE TRIBUNE again
the latest intelligence from headquarters.
Headquarters Army Of the Potomac,
Wednesday, May lis a. m.
At l! o'clock yesterday, the most des-
perate of all the battles yet fought was
commenced. 1t continued up to nearly
s o'clock. In dogged stubbornness, Wa
terloo and Solferino pale before the ter
rife onslaught of Tuesday afternoon on
the banks of the Po. Two divisions of
Burnside's Corps held the right, the 9Th
and 9th Corps the center, and the I'd
Corps the left Our line stretched six
miles on the northeast bank of the Po,
the Rebels occupying the southwest
bank and the Village Of Spottsylvania.
At 2 our artillery gained good range,
and poured shot and she'll, grape and can
lister into their ranks, as they, with fran
tic recklessness of life, charged forward
upon our infantry lines. The enemy
used but little artillery in reply. Prison
ers state that they were deficient in am
munition, and could not.
The impression prevailed at headquar-
ters during the forepart of the day that
EwelPs corps had left for Richmond on
Monday. All prisoners taken were from
Longstreet's and Hills corps, but before
Yesterdays battle closed, Ewell returned,
if he had left, and Lees entire army and
our whole force were pitted for three
hours at hand-to-h hand struggle without
a parallel in history.
Gen. Grant and Gen. Meade were in
the saddle constantly personally directing
movements. 1t was arranged that the
entire 9th Corps should charge the ene
my's right flank, but pending the severest
onslaught made by Lee just before dark,
it was discovered that he had advanced
around our right flank and was moving
down in dense columns for a last and at
ter-dark struggle to break through our
lines and dash upon our supply trains,
then known to be packed on the plank
road to Fredericksburg.
This changed Gen. Burnside's purpose,
and he securely held his ground and
threatened the enemy's extreme right,
while the 9th Corps charged his right
center, and Cat 7 o'clock drove him from
his first line of rife pits, capturing FIVE
GUNS and between two and three thousand
prisoners.
The quick eyes of our chieftains. how
ever, saw the Rebel maneuver. Our men
were faced about, our trains all moved to
the rear, new positions instantly secured
for our artillery, and the enemy's expect
ed coming patiently awaited during all
the long hours of last night. No demon
strations were made, however, and except
the occasional shouts of pickets, all was
quiet up to o'clock to-day, when L left.
It was believed that the enemy had
suffered so severely that he could not in
his crippled condition avail himself OF
the decided advantage he had gained
By others it was supposed he had at
tempted another flight, but as his commu-
nication with Richmond is believed to
have been severed by Sheridan, and his
fanks and rear constantly harrassed by
our forces, he must surrender or kill his
nlast man. in battle as he seems deter
mined in frantic rage to do.
Tn so horrible strife it must not be
supposed that we escape the severest pun
ishment. Our losses in yesterdays fight
were much greater than in any of the bat
ties of the previous week, 1t is true
there is a smaller PERCENTAGE of killed IN
proportion to the number wounded than
in any previous battle, and very large
number are but slightly Wounded
Roads, fields, and woods are literally
swarming with these suffering heroes,
who have defed wounds and death that
the nation might survive.
So incessant have been the marching
and fighting that many are being over
come with fatigue, and several have been