Evening star., 1864-05-11
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
Burnside Attacks and Drives Them
Major 0en'l Sedgwick Killed-Commu.
nicatiOn With Richmond Severed.

Enemy falling back to Hanover Junction
Burnside Attacks and Drives Them
Major 0en'l Sedgwick Killed-Commu.
nication With Richmond Severed.
tDispatch to the Daily Chronicle.]
HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF THE PoroNAo,
Tuesday, May 1o.-The Army Of the Potomac
has had portion Of aAday to recuperate. In
dications are that the rebels will fall back to
their formidable Notifications near Hanover
Junction. To-day Gen1 Burnside began the
attack on the left with great fury, and an en-.
couraglpg degree Of success. He had fight
the day before, in which, 70 use his own words,
he "whipped old Longstreet."
courier came in from Genl Butler yester-
day. About $4,000 cavalry, under Genl Sheri-
dan, started soon after. They will engage the
rebe! cavalry, circumnavigate Lees army, and
join Butler. Our army could not be in more
cheerful condition. Every man is sanguine Of
success, and they count the days when they
shall in triumph enter the rebel metropolis.
The rebels, on the contrary, have lost all their
old buoyancy, and seldom indulge in their pc
culiar shrill and demoniacal yells. They fight
with sullen brows, like men who find even
hope forsaking them.
to supplies, in which he said communication
with Richmoh- was cut off, and it was i'm
possible to furnish the men with stores. Hill 9
corps had no ratiens issued for three days.
General Lee enjoined upon his men the neces-
sity Of capturing supplies from the Yankees.
Up to this moment they have failed to capture
a single wagon. The roads are IN excellent
travelling order, but very dusty. have failed
to see single wagon abandoned.
Our movements since crossing the Rapidan
may have seemed errauc to the soldiers, who
counted the miles marched over by hundreds.
All the battles thus far have been series of
attacks and repulses. Musketry was almost
entirely used. The ground beng swampy, ar
tillery was impracticable. Lee very absurdly
claims victory, when he withdrew from our
from: and marched towards Richmond.
Our army moved with them along parallel
roads, coming in deadly contact with them at
Todd's Tavern, near Spsttsylvania Court
Hsuse. Gen. Torbett's division of cavalry
whipped the rebel cavalry near this place, and
drove them from Spottsylvania Court House.
But, reinforced with infantry, they drove our
cavalry short distance-the Maryland bri-
support. The fighting was exceedingly fierce.
Gen. Torbett and Gen. Robinson were both
wounded, and are now on their way TO Wash
ington.
I regret to announce the death of so valuable
and efficient an officer as General Sedg wick
He was shot through the head this morning,
while experimenting the mounting of some
heavy guns In an angle the men had just pre-
pared. There was no skirmishing at the time,
but an occasional sharpshooter sent bullet in
that direction, which caused the cannonier to
vince and dodge General Sedgwlck was near
by, with some of his staff, and twitted the man
about his nervousness. "Pooh man." he said,
.they can't hit an elephant that distance
Immediately after the ball struck him, and the
UlCCO USSdu u HIS uCStrflS. ne SmlleO
serenely, and fell dead in the arms of his
assistant adjutant general.
His body, and General Hays's, have been
forwarded to Washington.
The hemorrhage in the rebel army has been
horrible, while our own is OF no mean magni-
tude. All through the Wilderness they are
strewn, and the fires kindled by the bursting OF
shells consumed the mangled bodies Of the
antagonists. In these several encounters with
the rebels we have lost the present use Of over
$4,000 men. In Fredericksburg, at this writing,
there are over L, coo of our wounded. Sunday
morning they began crowding into the town.
Mr.. Slaughter, Mayor Of the city, and Mr..
Mayer, Of the celebrated heights near Freder.
icksburg, in the full zeal Of their patriotic
hearts, rallied few guerillas and marched
3CO OF our wounded into the rebel lines. Poor
fellows !! theirs is a sad fate Hungry, thirsty,
and weary they were when captured. How
much worse are they now!
Mayor Slaughter and several other promi-
nent citizens are now in the guardhouse at
Fredericksburg. Pontoons float on the Rap
pahannoc ock, below Fredericksburg. To Aqua
Creek, where the transports lie, Is eight miles
Guerrillas abound throughout the country.
day. morning, that our cavalry had captured
a train of cars near Quincy g Station, sent from
Richmond for the rebel wounded. The track
was torn up.
This movement across the Rapidan is the
most brilliant and daring in the annals of the
war. Nothing could be more dangerous than
q flank movement by our army W hiIe Lee was
in front with his long heavy lines. 1t was
daring and successful. Every officer and SOL
dier is sapgune The utmost condolences re.
posed in Grant and Meade.