The New York herald., 1864-05-25

crossed, In a more nor,hery drection men
row valley intervening 10 another con 9ara'ns
elevation In at been possessed ~ d On tha aa
DAY, aud en- which we hid planted batteres du ip9 Inc
nght The rebel ine Of battle extended in crcuil lous
for around the cluster Of hills directly back OF those
particularly noted above the Intervening space bstween
their lines and ours being cleared of timber Imms
tao hlsibe nrst wooded aud coueealing uattery lhs
second more remote and cleared at s summit and hav
ing carefully built redoubt, mounting four guns, which
swept the Dalton road with terrible precision On the
opposite side n the road from these heights another
ssva.ion ,nat had been overlooked az frss i was
covered with thick woods 10 'front.' but cleared
slopo and was conmaDcd by tho rebel masked battery
~ wen as by their redouot On this hill large body of
'narpshoo'ers we.e coneeiod by tins enemy.
DspOsirIoNs.
Whle we have been making this hasty and imperfect
survey o. the held Hooker has been employed
ng his troops under the hill have mentioned
as ~ our possession. The divisions Williams and
Geary arc ready but Bntteriod has not vel arrived
Everybody impatient and wondering at The delay But
presently the suspense Is tue ooked Tor d vision
emergcs from the wo ds aud moves sea i,iv down hs
road u y now noon, and s to be lost; 30
Berhsi bong already In line Ia directed TO contiuus
ms march nnt within range and then deploy his dvi-
o. IN Columns By brigades, and the charge at the
elemys position Geary's and Williams divisions 70
support needed
on receving his instructions General Buttcrncd, whc
was riding at the head OF hts column with his stan
70 fight AS he proceeded he found The country
severed so densey with mber and so rolling that he
was puzzled to determine which the hills upon
which the enemy posted. Hating his command, he
galloped back to General Hooker seek his aid in az
expressed some impatience at the delay, and started
down the road TO point out tho objective point but on
nearing the ground was as much embar his sub
ordinate, the face or the country sngulay decep
tive Tho two with their stats rode on, however, until
they were assaed by rebel bullets from the left Of the
road, when tho hi in that direction was drst dis
vcred. AT the same time tho sharpshooters
the hli on the right disclosed tho object or the
search by brisk Are from that direction
Thus having discovered all that was desired the two
officers started back when they met by General
sherman HIMSELF coming to ascertain the OF the
delay.
THE ADVANCE.
Having clear understanding OF tho work he had
TO perform, Gen. Buteriield not slow entering
upon Its performance. Entrusng to the brigade COM
minded by Col Wood the work o. taking the hill the
left Of the road Cen Ward with his Brigade ordered
70 charge that upon the right Col Coburns brigade 70
aot as a reserve to Gen. Ward. These dispositions
brought on two separate battles almost
both of them raging throughout nearly the remainder Of
the day with great nerceness We shall characterize
right and Col Woods affair the battle on the left
THE FIGHT ON HooKERs RiGHr
General Ward soon put his brigade in order OF battle
under Of the advanced hill occupied by the rebel
sharpshooters and then ordered an advance Up the hin
sharp down opposite side steadily
and back to their works Crossing the summit the
slope the valley intervening to OF
the opposite hill This valley by the guns OF
the rebel redoub on The remoter height but quickly
crossed by these Western troops that the
grape Of the enemy had but little effect Yet their guns
were played vigorously and earnestly and continued
rolling their iron charges through the valley after the
whole column had passed. On gaining the base OF the
opposite hill the charging column began feel
the rebel bullets fly ing about hcm voley after vosy
poured down upon them from the rifle pits above.
But nothing daunted tho brave fellows plunged into tho
woods that covered the face OF the hill and began the
tolsome ascent The brigade under Col Coburn
had In the meantime crossed the first hill, and wait
Ing in line OF battle on the inner slope for the moment
when they should be needed Presently the time seemed
to Wards brigade having apr cached within
easy musket range Of the enemy, began returning the
this muskery, echoing from hill TO h and reverberat
ing through the woods. WAS intensely mAgniasd. y
army To add TO the effect, the rebels At this uncture
unmasked battery Of four pieces planted behind
hurting canister at their assaants But nothing daunt
ed the column moved on firing rapidly - il advanced
Both the brigades General Ward and Colonel Co
burn though old roops, were now In thor rst action
lines raroad apd, although years IN ths service
TO most Of them this the first time they been
sion Of mshap That occurred al the critical moment 10
which have brought the assault, and which very
Se nS Cow 10.
fused with the deafening roar o( the raging
pieces, and that the rebel hosts we're coming down
upon them Determined not 70 give way without
wildly into the woods on tue opposite hili wards bvI
gade, being thus assaled n front and shs
by riding in front Of Coburn's mon succeedsd = rsr
suading them to dssist from firing Another round
was their s had been nearly = destructive = Ia, Of
the enemy.
General Ward had been seriously disturbed bv ths
mshap Apprshendng the cause and conndept that II
would be quickly stopped, he had succeeded with great
sxertion, In holding his TO their work, ana now
moved them directly up the rebel brcastworka Here
clubbing their bayonets, they fought hand hand with
rving 20 mount the works before his co,nrads. The
rebels resisted nobly but they were ovsrmatchsd and
their battery Of four guns in our possession.
GENERAL WARD wouNDBDl
In leading the final charge General Ward severely
A in IN ru. md h 6ald
leaving his brigade n command of Colonel Harrsob shs
senior neld ofncer
The rebels retired but short distance from their
works, when they were rallied BY their ofcers, ana,
receiving renfocements returned 10 the Fray dctol
mined 70 retaks their position. Our men too
feeble hold work against the superior numbers
CALLING artillery they opened from the rsdoubs on ihs
bill In the Colonel Harrison, therefore, wisely beat
one only By a. % oa.n;a.on IN Is: bill IKE he 1ivses q
os@sis Dsce The M sos|ys work - vs. - ssea ssss
sas sas s:s:
opposite We were relieved from ts rebel artillery nrs
:w Ds wSFs "
runs And thus our mss kept guard over their trophies
9 Ssh s. wnsn sS ,ss ss s.s ~' Afforded them
4 HcrDESr rHB ruBr
fellow vOussss 70, ne ,s ,u'h,oD.ss
leaving the rebel works on this hill 10 the After
tho rebels thinking we had been repussd cnesrsd
,ne Hundred and twenty ninth illinois, and sprisgDS
Jack 70 the smbrasurs hs again stood and fouted the
oors dsnantly at tho enemy. Brave fellow, bis death
toned his rashnesa rebel levciug his musket shot
i'm through the heart There other hands gasp
he flag and back only 70 return and from
be VERY spot where its former bearer fell
CASUALTIES wARD's nM0ApR
Tho desperation OF this little fight attestsd by the
that General wards brigade lost nearly -four hundred
aeu in killed ana wounded In the action
HookKR's LETT
While the fighting above described IN progress on
he right Of the road, battle even more desperate was
aging on the left Of the same road The brigade Of OIL
Wood will be remembered, had been detaiicd 70 Storm
no heights o. that aide of the road Colonel Wood met
With but little resistance IN clearing the hill Of rebels
mt on rainpg possession hs found tho timber on the
ack Of the hin cut away, thus leaving bis position open
. the gaze OF the rebels The redoubt 20 often
nentioned above also swept this hill with hs
ups 90 that IL not very safe oca.
on and az soon as the rebels left their
rtIllsry commenced It's work. To this We could make
reply having guns In position; out Colonel Wood
lacng hIg men under such 40 he could hnd, d.