Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1864-05-17

HtTCtst OF lts Ddlllte anu pressing Oh 20 flClul1
AT or the sangunary battle Of Tuesday, the ar
my during yesterday was comparatively quiet.
\ feeble demOns,r4uOn X .snst our right wing
v repulsed In the forenoon a reconnaissance
was made on the right to force the enemy s lett
wing. 1t was INTENDED to assault the enemy's
right IN force.
column consisting OF portion OF the bth
corps and Brneys division OF Gen. HancOcA 5
corps were at first intended to undertake this
work which was aterward abandoned. la the
meanwhile considerable bard shooting and ar
tIlefy hrlng on both sides occupied the day 10
the forenoon two companies % the lett OF the
9th corps commenced driving some sharpshooters
from position IN house commanding partial
view Of our lines, killing aid capturing several
of their number. la the afternoon ram TO some
eH tent fell, continuing until after dark, laying
the dust and cooling the atmosphere, and rails
ing the spirits OF our troops. FIRES were built
and supplies cooked The bands began to play,
aud were undisturbed for once by the enemy g
shells Oar soldiers eat heartily and rested
we'll
News arrived toward evening that Gen SherI-
dan had penetrated 70 the vicinity OF Beaver
Dam on the Orange Court House railroad, and
had tom up about ten miles OF track, captured
a rebel supply ran and recAptured above three
hundred OF our men taken prisoners III the old
" derness battle This news WAS 80 inspiring
that when 1t was known general Jubilee OF
cheers succeeded the announcement aud during
the night arrangements were pushed Tor an at
tack on our side this morning The enemy had
been seen pushing troops toward our right, ard
afa.pf,. La ID. r.. 4
q n. Hancock troops. IL was shrewdly and
IS events showed lgatly sufnlsed thas this WAS
only blind to the real intention Of the enemy,
aud was therefore anticipated.
Alter midnight General Hancock corps was
pushed 10 the lelt Of the 9Th corps, Wrght's
between that and Gen Blrnslles command
and On h. lett Of the SpottzyIganl4 road
At 80 \. NJ. Gen Hancock attacked the
cnemy fronting him Our forces opened a
whitening cann0nadIng, makingrcsislle-s charges
against the very heart OF the enemy's position
The clnn)nade WAS replied t. with yigor, and
the charges OF our men were rs vigorously re.
sisted, tut the determination on the onset over
whemed everything.
The troops rushed into the rli pits Of the
snemy, bayoneting them in then works, eating
their lines and 'pturing IN The frat charge over
1000 men aud several guns, including the great
~ portion IT the SlOnrw4ll Jackson Brigade,
belonging - the DIVISION Of Gen johnson. and
I lrm " part OF Egells corps Gsn johnson
himself was taken prisoner The assault was
continued until nearly the whole DIVISION OF the
corps was captured and other troops, amounting
IA the aggregate to 10000 CD men
The enemy attempted about noon to rotake
the rife pit captured by Gen. Hancock IN the
forenoon. Of II part Of which Geu. Wfish5's
troops had possession.
The assault vas II determined one, but was
met by our troops with thi irmGess 0i d. iyoA.
The enemy were literally moved d1r n, aud our
men advancing, drove them back
Rep ated charges and terrible slaughter sue
cceded along the whole line. The fifth corps
Zen Warren 5 troops, charged again and again
with desperate bravery against the enemy
" rks IN their front, but could not take them
An enflading fire decimated our ranks at every
such a tempt Men fell Ink gram. The wood.
ana roads and fields were strown with the best
blood If both a mics
AZ night, except our succets OF the forenoon,
@e had made no further advance Of moment
The enemy still occupied his lines Of works be-
yond
ln at least some parts Of the field We hold three
lines Of rifle pits IN addition to that line cap
tured On our let. The enemy + suf rings must
bc great. Tue fire OF both our musketry and ar
ullery yesterday must have fealfully decmated
ms ranks, ana his army is probably more ex.
hausted than ours
AT dark we held decided advantages, which
Sere fully realized TINS morning when the cx-
RENE picket line sent III word that the rebel
.rmy had fallen back on the old church roads
unnlng straight from the court House to the
70 river, ana one On our extrem' right by the
Block House to Penny's Tavern Our lines
we're Immediately advanced, aud the latest intel
ligence to ! clock thus morning states that
Lees army was on the south side OF the river
and that Geo. Warren came up IN time TO cap
ture one oi his pontoon trains.
Lees iull retreat ID confirmed fully. Prise.
ners state positively that his army VAS entirely
worn out aud teariully reduced by tremendou.
losses. Our own loss in yesterdays battle, It
estimated at IRON 1900 to 60UO. The enem,
took no prisoners, The position whi.h Lee vii
tase is only matter oil speculation. Many
think II will be ON the North Auna river, AM
Others on the Mitapony
As zen logllls has announced in his published
dispatch, that arge relnlureemenis are expected
1t may do no harm TO state that large reinforce
meuts OF veteran troops have reached Gen. Gran
to-day.
Gen. Wright and two of his staff were slight
y wounded by a shell The wounded in III,
5th corps sum up over 500 in tO-days hight
The 9Th Mass, which left Culpepper Z. II. wltl
600 muskets, has but 90 men lett The 2ndVt
which had $50 muskets, has but 1870 lett Tn,
lIh Michigan, which had 277 at the FIRST fgh.
now NUMBERS only Il mon
The rebl Gn. Johnson OF Hills corps wa,
killed yesterday.
WASHINGTON, May $3.50 =. NJ.
To MAJ. Gen DIR,
Inc following dispatch IRON Mr.. Dana ba.
just Reached the Department
SrJrrsrLyANlA UouRr House., Va, }
Ma, l3--S \. NJ. (
10 hoa. r. " Stanton S,uany o. Var:
Lee abandoned his position during the night
whether TO occupy new oslton IN the vicinity
or TO make u thorough retreat Is not determined
One DIVISION OF Wnghts aud ouu OF Howard
ate engaged IN settling tins question aud al
80 A. NJ. had come up on hls rear guard
Though our army Is greatly iatlgued from tn,
enormous ehlris Of yesterday, the news OF Lee,
departure inspired the men with fresh energy
The whole lorce will soon be IN motion, but III,
heavy rains OF the last thlrty-six hours render
the Ioa1s very difficult Zoe wagons aud artillery
Tue proportion OF severe wounded rs greater
than On either Of The previous days fghtiI
TINS was owing to tn great use made OF artl
lery
tSigned) Erwin NJ. STANTON,
Secretary OF War
WASHINGTON, May "a COS p. NJ.
10 Ma Gen. DiI Ntm YorA
Tue Acung Surgeon Gsheu rep rts that Of
QUO patients rom tbs recent battle helds admit.
ted ioto the liarwooi lll'pual, not one will re,