The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1864-05-18
LATE WAR NEWS.
FROM MONDAY AND TUEsDAY's Papers


ing. Gen. Butler has advanced TO Fort
Darling and begun siege, and Gen. Sher-
i fdan has joined him.
The battle at Spot,syl lvania which was
fought on Thursday last is now fully explain
ed. The Confederate eastefn flank rested
on Spottsylvania ;1he western flank on the
Po, which al thai point ruEs shor. distance
south, afterwards curving around in the
rear Of the town. Burnside was on the
Federal eastern flank; Wright, west of
Burn side, and Warren west of Wright.
General Hancock, who had been in reserve,
marched forward! just before daylight be-
tween Burnside and Wright, and surprised
the enemy's eastern flank. In the Confed
erale wofksa little creek ran between this
eastern flank and the rest OF their position,
making low gap. Hancock aur3rised the
Confederate troops who held sort of
mound in front of this creek, and il proved
az easy capture. Thirty cannon were
taken, with between three and four thou
sand prisoners. This opened Thursdays
battle Hancock succeeded in securing
eighteen of the cannon and sending hem 10
The rear Before he could secure The others
however, the enemy made a strenuous al
tack to regain their los: ground. The can
non lay in the low gap where the creek ran,
on ground alternately in the possession of the
TWO armies. To assist Hancock, General
Brrnside, on tbs extreme left, was sent into
action, and Warren, on the right, opened a
heavy cannonade. Burnside was rspulsed
with heavy losses, and does not appear to
| have gained any ground, or been engaged
after ten or eleven O'Clock. Wright was
then sent TO Hancocx's assistance, and the
contest ragged around the twelve cannon.
The Confederates however, sIcceeded IN
recaptsring all of Them. In front OF Warren
on the western flank an artillery duel was
| kept up for some time when Warren or
dered charge His corps advanced and FOR
moment, captuted the enefny's works, bat
the Confederates receiving reinforcem enls,
Warren was ultimately outflanked aud
compelled 10 move his line eastward until
| he was close 10 the position vacated by
| Wright and Hancock on their advance
J When the sun sci the Federal line was not
more than two miles long, considerable
contraction being caused on the west, by
| .he attack on Warren. Al nine O'Clock the
contest closed, Hancock holding possession
of ihe mound he had taken but the Confed
/ era.es siilkretaining the. remainder OF their
works. About midnight The Confederates
| began 10 cannoHaGe upon Hancock's troops
| which was replied 10, The picket lines
were strengthened and an attack feared At
| three O'Clock however the canncnade ceas
ed. The number oil guns captured and re-
them bearing lie mark of The United
| States.
! Spot,sylvania like many Virginia towns,
| is but a very small village at the junction
| of three or four roads. The battle fought on
Tuesday took place mile north of the town.
A mile and half east OF the town is a
house called tha Block House. Two paral
| lei roads, one from The Block House aud
| one from S2oitsylvania, run souih south
west across The Po. The bridges where
they cross that stream are about three miles
/ from the battlefield. About seven O'Clock,
/ on Friday mornnA the pickels reported
! that the Z Cenfederates had retreaied. They
| withdrew carrying their baggage and nearly
all their wounded with them, along these
TWO roads. General Hancock was ordered
10 follow and found Them Just beyond the
/ Po, enlrenched in a new position on lis
southern bank. Their retres, had been in
J al. abou. four miles. The Federal army
was then moved up TO SPousylvania CoIrt
| House, and that place was made Grant 8
headquarters. Hancock with the advance
| was on the rivers edge. Owing 10 the
| heavy rains OF Wednesday highland Th' rs
day, The roads were very heavy, and there
movements were made with difficulty
Secretary Stanton lelegraphs that on Friday
there was no fighting.
! Our latest intelligence from Spotisy lvania
is 10 hslf-past elk on Saturday morning
Up 10 that time there had been no fighting,
| and IL was the intention of General Grani 10
send hanking party east of General Lees
! position TO attempt 10 cut him off from his
base Of supplies. Whether this happened
or rot il is not known. No firing was heard
at Fredericksburg on Saturday, and il i.
presumed ihero was no contest. The winC
being very strong from :he northeast OF
| Catue4au haxuavar hfntrin0 directlv frnm
Fredricksburg 10 he field, there might have
been contest wiihou, the artillery bang
| heard General Lee al last accounts prese Mt
ed a strong front, and showed determine
ton to hold his new position on the 70
The roads were riill heavy, as rain fell II
torrents on Friday, and this may have pre-
vented an attack by Grant.
Reinforce ments, yarously estimated a
from twelve 10 twenty-five thousand have
been sent 10 General Grant, and abou
fourteen thousand wounded have ALREADY
arrived in Washington Eight thousand
prisoners have been captured from tbs
enemy since these battles began. The line
of battle formed by the enemy on Thufsda,
was six miles south of Charlottesville, ant
nine miles south of The Rappahannock a
United States Ford. Their new line is thlr
teen miles from the Rappahannock. From
Spottsy vania 10 Hanover JUNCTION is twent,
tour miles and 10 the North Anna is twent
one miles. From Spoitsylvania 10 Hlch
mond is forty seven miles. South OF ih'
Pc and between it aud the North Anna
there are various streams all about the sizt
of The Pc and running through simila
country. First comes the Tas; then lh
Mat; then the East Northeast creek the
Poiecat river; then :he North Anna the
Little River: Newfound river aud the South
Anna. The two armi es ROW confront eacl
other on the Pc, that river running between
them.
General Sheridan's cavalry raid began OF
last Monday. He passed to the east OF the
Confederate position at Spot!sylvania, and
then south to the North Anna river a
Beaver Dam, ten miles west of Hanove
Junction, he cut the Virginia Central Rail
road, destroying large quantity OF provls
ions and several trains oil cars besides re-
leasing three hundred and seventy leigh
1 n. sd ka lrro