New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-18
BEAuREeARD's FORCES IN FORT DARLING
Another Engagement and Defeat
Of tho Rebels.
From Our Special Correspondent.
GEy. BurLEKs HEADQUARTERS,
RICHMOND AND PETERsbuRG / IKE.
within Ialles Of Fort Darling, May 10, 1894.

terday's and to-day's operations, 10 the mnsio
Of the rifles Of and the Rebel
skirmishers in the woods mile distant These rifs
balls sing sspAno and the bass Of the guns OF our bat
teres and of the in the Rebel intrcnchmens
only ceased with the coming Of night. The good news
from Grant read tobe troops forth cheers
that must have awakened the echoes OF Richmond and
elected from the Rebels few parting shots Of spite.
We viii settle that score with them to-norrow, how
ever.
Wednesday night. orders were issued to Gen.
Smith TO move with five brgades at daylight. and
occupy position at right angles with the Richmond
and Petersburg Pike, above Chester Station AZ
Gen Smith occupied our left this necesatatcd march
across the right Gen. Gilmore directed 10 leave
sufficient force in the ntrenchmcnts and 70 with
the rest Of his conn and the junction Of the railroad
with the Richmond ard Petersburg Pike. This was to
prevent the fsrce said be in Petersburg from moving
up the pike ~ Richmond. The first object Of the move
was to mask a cavalry raid by Gen. Kauz Tor the pur.
pose Of cutting the Danye Railroad and the second to
reconno.ter the position about Fort Darling and ascer
tain tie enemys strength or weakness.
Thursday morning brought with ii drenchng rain.
which COURSE retarded the movements Of the troops
Gen. Smith in motion soon after daylight and got
into position by when 1t was found that his force
insufficient 10 properly cover the whole line Part
Of Gen. Giimores force therefore ordered up to
COMPLETE IT, The Commanding General and staff left
headquarters at o'clock. expecting 10 ind all the
troops in position but before stated an unavoidable
delay occurred in consequence Of the heavy rain. Gen.
Butler therefore went riding around TO ind the lines,
and found himself once or twice in rather close prox
unity TO lis skrmshers. We finally struck tie Turn
pike. about midway between Richmond and Peters
burg and then waited in most terrific rain till coz
rers who were sent out TO ascertain where Gen. Smith
was 10 be found returned. The good natured Chief Of
stu in response the half earnest half liking remon-
STRANGE Of Of the staff the proprety Of bring
ing them out in such q shower remarked - knowH
rains pretty bad but gentlemen this Rebellion has got
TO be crushed" The party persisted in having their
Jokes even though their boots were filed with water
and their coats wet through. AT last Gen Smith was
found to the left Of tie pike and about the center Of his
line II must be said that this country "
one Of the very worst to campaign in that have ever
seen Roads leading nowhere, swamps where swamps
ought not by any physical rules to be- woods mpens
trable at the very points where for military operations.
they should be least passabe ravnes Of considerable
width and variable depth creeks formidable for their
muddy bottoms more than their width In short, every.
thing that is horrd and rendering the country one Of
peculiar advantages for defense brigade lost its
commander and the commander lost his brigade, and
the Generals Aids could find neither. Division CON-
manders lost their line OF rather never found II, and
the whole thing which was perfectly plain the map,
became al unacconntable middle On land. Under all
these difficulties tie Commanding General and all his
officers preserved remarkable equanimty, and philo
sophioslly worked out the difficult problem. Gen.
Turner with his division Of the loh Corps held the En-
IRENE right, resting james, River at DR. Howletts
farm Gen. Wetze held the centre, and Gen. Brooke>
the left Subsequently Gen. Gilmore was sent to the,
Jeff with portion Of his command brigade from Gen.
rerrys division being ordered TO the support Of Gen.
Weitzol Gen Ames. Of the 10th Corps weA At wathal
Junction with his brigade Gen. Wet,sl moved up the
nike in conjunction with Gen. Brooks and their skir
mishers soon met those Of tie enemy Gen. Turner On
the right did not ady nee directed and the
enemy succeeded In driving weixers skrmishers back
With tie force sent 10 bis support in reserve Wetei
again advanced and drure the enemy up the pike nearys
mile. The l+ete " Y. Col. Guyon, Vista bIieseee
steadily pushed the enemy back and than regal
the greand lost Gen. Turner BY this time also in
Uron and our whole line obtained advanced posi-.
ton beyond Cattle Run, and near Proctors Greek. The
enemy had battery in position the pike, which
noyed considerably, aud unable TO OBJ
tain position which commanded it. 1t then de-
termned to attempt to the left so a. to OBJ
tain position the high ground beyond. which
handed that Of the Rebel battery and also opened
prospect ofturnng the right Of the enemys position
After much necessary delay, and after several
noissances had becn.made. crossing was discovered
over Cattle Run; also o road through the swamp and
fording place Prcctor's Creek but darkness COM
ing on the move was deferred until the morning The
rain continued and the troops slept on their arms al
night in drenching rain. Headquarters were estab
lished on a cross.road of the pike IN the house Of
woman who lost her temper and seolded her negro girl
and her children; who objected to doing anything for
U.s. and who pays year Confederate money rentfor
house and small farm whose husband is ia the Rebel
aruy and stationed at Drurys Bluff and whom the Gen
ern promised to catch and return 10 her who took her
ducks her pigs her dogs and her turkey eggs TO bed
with her. lest they might turn up missing" in the
morning The good woman never had seen en- army in
her immediate vicinity before and evidently didn't Like
IT. She was somewhat appcased when the
General told her he would pay her for everything
he took and also eco piece for several chickens
gobbled by OF the passing troops. She not
so highly grataed when the General added "ia Confed
er.te money"
From information received from prisoners and
other sources it ascertaiDed that portion Of
force marched up the Pike last night
and reached the in,renchmen in front Of Fort Darling
Had our troops beea able promptly az ordered
the capture Of portion Of the Rebel force would haye
been certain. While all this maneuvering was going on.
Cen. Kautx with his cavalry. slipped of and ere this
must have effected their object Capt Jas. Shafer Of
see Eighth Page.