Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-05-21
the WAR m VIRGINIA.
Full Details OF the Great Battle of
Thurrdny.


Full Details of the Great Battle of
Thursday.
THE RATTLE OF srorrs YLvASIA COURT
HOUSE.
HEADorARrERs ARMY or Potomac,
NEAR SrorTsYLvANIA CouRr HoUsE,
Thursday, May 10.
Let the twelfth day of May be written in
the calendar rs one of the .tdsts Of the Re
public, for it marks the date of one of the
deaSlliest and most decisive struggles and
one of tue mos brilliant victories of the war.
knowing the ebbs and flows of battle, | re-
train from attempting to anticipate what the
after hours OF to-day may bring forth; but
il victory continues to smile on this army Us
it has up to this hour-a p. Midnight
will see the greatest army of the rebellion
not merely beaten. but destroyed.
Hancock this morning, by splendid as
sault, turned the enemy's right flank. car
ried both their lines of breastworks, captured
forty two pieces OF artillery, and from 5000
to 1000 prisoners, and is now rolling up
their line. The other corps have joined in
and engaged in furious battle, which con-
tinues at the hour of writing. In the i'm
possibility of at present obtaining accurate
"details. and desiruos of sending the outlines
of the battle ut the earliest moment | trans
nit the rough jOtting Of my notebook,
which must stand until full recital can be
written out
SIX O'clock A. NAT midnight last
night Hancock with his corps changed from
his position on the extreme right, and went
in ON the left OF the line between the Sixth
Corps and Burnside's, where there had been
= gap. At tive O'Clock this morning he as
saulted the enemy's position, carried their
second line OF breastW orks, and turned the
right flank OF the rebels- 1t was aeomplete
surprise, favored by mist. which concealed
our movements. lie has taken 1900 prison
ers and three generals, namely. Gen. Stuart,
commanding brigade in Gen. johnson 5
division of Eweli's curps; Major General
Johnson, commander, and another General
johnson. commanding u brigade. This is tn
tirely reliable, as have just heard the de-
spatch conveying the joyful intelligence read
aloud by the chief.of.staf.
Everybody is in the best of spirits. The
enemy had not been expecting an attack on
their right, as our Reconnaissance OF yester-
day on the left seemed to indicate that as
our point of assault.
Hancock's glorious success, if sustained,
will solve very difficult problem, us the
rebels had fortified their powerful position
in front of Spottsylvania Court House so
strongly that an attempt to carry it in front
must have been atten,.e ed with immense loss
of life
The intelligence from Sheridan's cavalry
raid, brought by scout last night, shows
that he has had the most complete success.
He has destroyed ten miles OF the Orange
and Gorionsville Railroad-the line on
which Lee has mainly depended for his sup
plies-and destroyed three trains of cars and
large amount OF supplies. lie took several
pieces OF artillery, AMI recaptured five hun
dred OF our prisoners, among them two
colonies, whom the rebels were Juggling of
to Richmond.
Hancock's victory rolls up, as its full pro-
portions become known. He has captured
Mai. Gen. Johnson's entire division of Ewell's
also taken twenty or thirty cannon up to
this hour.
SEVEN A. MA most interesting scene is
now before Us at headquarters. Mai. Gen
Ed johnson, who, with his whole division
was captured this morning, has just heep
brought up, unI;er charge of an officer, 10
headquarters i'll the woods, where Generals
Grant and Meade and their staffs are 81 at Il
around bivouac ire. General Meade, W ho
had been an old friend of General Johnson
shook hands with him and introduced him
10 Gen. Grant.
Formerly of the 9Th Infantry 7" inquired
the Lieutenant Geucral. YES replies the
rebel General "you were of the 4,h, and
We were both in the same brigade" Oi
course, military etiquette precluded any
other inquiries than those OF purely per
sIual character To the question whether
General Wadsworth was dead, he replied
that such was his belief, though he was not
positive. Our generals, Seymour and Shaler
who were captured in the battle of the vii
dcrness, he had yesterday seen at Lees head
quarters. Longstreet he reports AS severely
but not mortally wounded Almost all the
staff sppear to have been old friends and
acquaintance of johnson, and numerou.
mutual inquiries in regard to old army com,
rades are being made.
General lIurt, Cnie. of ARTILLERY, when ht
met him, had a mind To make a speech, but
the old familiar formula, I'D, l am glad tC
see YOU" came out in n salutation To which
johnson replied: well, Hunt under tn,
circumstances, | am not glad To see you. -
He spoke OF the abomination of such coun
Try as the Wilderness to fight; spoke of the
capture of his division, but said, with .
quiet, good natured manner, that we would
have hot time OF it yet. johnson is q
stout built fellow, with strong, rough face
but his dress is in bad condition, and hi,
siouched hat, with his brownish gray hail
sticking out through an aperature at the top
is such as even New York Dead Rabbit
would scorn 10 sport.
An aid who has just come in from Gen
llancOck's headquarters says that when tht
eaptured General Stuart-G. H,-was
brought in, Hancock extended his hand
but the high-born captive drew back, saying
that Ibis feelings would not allow him tc
shake handsn-an incident which has just
created merry laugh at headquarters.
SEyES-TmRrY.-Han Hancock's tigh: contin
ues, and Warren is going in. \ furious
rain-storm is falling, and the thunder of the
heavens mingles with the roar OF artillery
and the rattling volleys of small arms in 1
way impossible 10 discriminate which /.
which, The country is somewhat more open
here than in the Wilderness, and permits
the use of artillery, which has been plenti
fully placed in commanding positions al
along the line.
THE ADVANCE ON RICHMOND