Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-05-19
THE BATTLE OF TUESDAY.
The following account Of the battle of
Tuesday we take from the correspon-
dence of the Tribune:


fought was commenced. 1t continued
up to nearly o'clock. In logged stub
bornness, Waterloo and Solferino pale
before the terrific onslaught of Tuesday
afternoon on the banks Of the Pc, 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
south west bank and the village of Spott-
sylvania.
At 9 our artillery gained a good range
and poured shot and shell, grape and
canister into their ranks, as they, with
frantic recklessneSs of life, charged for
ward upon our infantry lines. The enc
my used but little artillery In reply
Prisoners state that they were deficient
in ammunition, and could not.
The impression prevailed at headquar-
tiers during the fore part of the day that
Ewells 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, as is probable, and Lees
entire army and our whole force were
pitted for three hours at hand to hand
struggle without 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 enc
my's right flank, but pending the sever
est onslaught made by Lee Just before
dark, it was discovered that he had ad :
vanced around our right flank and was
moving down in dense columns for a
last and after-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 at o'clock drove him from
his first line of rife pits, capturing five
guns and between two and three thou
sand prisoners. s...-..
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 Sc
cured for our artillery, and the .enemy's
expected coming patiently awaited dur
lngall the hours of last night. No demon
STATIONS were made, however, and ex-
cept the occasional shouts of pickets all
was quiet up to o'clock to-day, when
left.
1t 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 com
munication with Richmond is believed
to have been severed by Sheridan and
his Hanks and rear constantly harrassed
by our forces, he must surrender or kill
his ''last man. in battle as he seems de-
termined in frantic rage to do.
In so horrible strife it must not be
supposed that we escape the severest
punishment. Our losses in yesterdays
fight were much greater than in any
OF the battles of the previous week. 1t
is true there is smaller per centage of
Killed in proportion to the number
wounded. Roads, fields, and woods are
literally swarming with these suffering
heroes, who have defed wounds and
death that the nation might survive.
80 lncessant has been the marching
and fighting that many are being over
come with fatigue and several have been
sun-struck yet never was seen so cheer
ful, so reSolute, and even exultant a
BODY OF men on any of the worlds great
battle-tields All honor to this sublime
heroism, which so nobly welcomes death
and wounds. Rebel prisoners assert
that Lee ordered all his wounded men
able to hold musket to take their pla-
ces in the ranks again for yesterdays
battle
Our wounded are being conveyed with
all possible dispatch to fredericksburg,
and thence via Belle Plain to Washing
ton.
But for tender regard for these disa-
bled heroes, abandoned to their fate and
burning up in the woods left on fire las
the rebels also leave their dead unbu-
ried), our army would ere this have been
laundering before the rebel capital; but
we can afford to wait. Men who have
faced musketry and cannon for week,
and fought better each succeeding day,
civ Inv AhIioio, anu thCy Will SOON WIN
the complete triumph their valor so rich
ly merit.
Time after time did they hurl back in
disorder the solid massed columns of
the foe, and if perchance they staggered
with the shock, it was only for more su-
perhuman energy to charge back upon
him. The old guard at Waterloo pales
before these men.
Our entire losses thus far in killed,
wounded, missing, &C., must reach near
10000.
The enemy's loss in killed is much
greater than ours; his wounded about
the same. He is supposed to hold some
1000 of our prisoners, and we must have
at least 5000 of his men, while our
scouts report the roads literally alive
with his stragglers. tits mathematical
question requiring only few more days
to determine the limit of his endurance.
As your reporter neared Fredericks-
burgh about ten o'clock this morning.
cannonading had been resumed, and our
army was unquestionably engaging the
enemy again.
We crossed the river Pc on Tuesday,
Int withdrew. We charged across II
again .;sst tight, after the enemy fs.d
Al; vi 10