The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1864-05-25

thing. fought with unsurpassed bravery,
AMI cur immense losses OF officers told
how much they had exposed themselves,
and wh.t prodigics of valor they dis
played. =
On Saturday there was not so much
fighting. Int yet quite heavy on some
parts q the line, kept up by the enemy
TO coaeeal his movement Unable 10
drive ms hack or to stop our progress, he
found unless he started. we should get
ahead Of HIM and get between him and
Richmond.
Whether the enemy started or not, Gen.
Grant was determined 70 move his army
towards the rebel capital, and get IN
Lees rear. His army was 10 move aS
soon a. dark Saturday night. but the
enemy fearing this. il appears, had star
ted many hours before. Warren's corps
took the advance Tor \ night march on
the way 10 Spottsylvania Court House,
>elZwiek's corps took another road far
Their TO the left and Burn>ides still
another one upon which was our vast
army train Hancock came last, rs the
rear guard.
| accompanied Gen. Grant and staff
on this march, and We arrived AT Fold ;
Tavern about | or > . clock in the morn
Ing, whore we hauled up and remained
till about o'clock, and then went 70
Piney Branch Church and established
headquarters,
About TWO and half miles south of
Spottslyvunia {. H. Sunday morning,
Warren encountered LonEstreet's corps.
which had cot in ahead of him. Re i'm
mediatalv attacked, hut rebel reinforce
ments came in faster than ours. There
was heavy fighting all day. and our losses
were very serious We were not enabled
TO get ahead much on SUNDAY. On Mon
dav there was much skirnishing along
the line, but the main fighting WAS done
hv Hancock. with crossed the river 20, and
obtained what he supposed To he strong
position, bat which. from an unknown
bend in - river. turned ont not TO be 50
valuable
On Tuesday morning heavy skirmish-
ing was begun by our troops from one
end of the line to the other \ little after
midday, thinking that Hancock had got
himself into bad position by crossing
the po, Lee massed a very superior force
to attack him Hancock, seeing what
was coming, quietly retired 20 this side
of the 20, and took up 4 new position.
Here the enemY made one of his most
terrific charges upon him. which we not
only rcpUlScd. but, in return, charged the
enemy with un- urpas sca vehemence. pill
ing up his dead i'll heaps. and nearly
annihilating Heth's rebel division. Or
ders had been given early in the day for
general attack at , o clock in the after
noon but the attack on Hancock delayed
this grand movement till about a quarter
to !
Then began the assault whic', old Of
ficcrs and soldiers tell me was without n
Parallel in this war. No language can
give any idea of that dreadful Charge Of
our forces on the enemy lines Of defense
The salvos of artillery. the terrific roll of
musketry, the shouts OF our own brave
hearted soldiers rs they rushed to the
deadly breach, rising above all the din
of battle. made an impression which can
never be effaced This continued on our
center and part of our left till darkness
closed in upon the bloody scene. Our
troops had driven the enemy and carried
his first line of works. and As turned
10 ride back To the headquarters the
shouts of our victorious heroes were still
ringing in our ears. Ia this charge
Wright, on the left, had captured an en-
tire rebel brigade of prisoners and three
guns. bat in the melee and confusion
some of the prisoners got away. and we
could not bring off the guns.
But after the battle had closed in the
front Burnside was moving his forces
upou our extreme left upon the right of
the enemy. pushing him back vigorously
till ten o clock AT night, when he found
himself within one quarter of n mile of
Spottsylvania Govt House. Thus ended
the great work of Tuesday, real and
substantial victory, inspiring our officers
and soldiers with renewed confidence
The enemy was not only beaten and
driven. hut his losses were vastly heavier
than our own.
OF the fighting since W cdnesday NOR
ming. | can give no personal description
of. but it has been one continued success
but purchased by the most dcsprate ex-
crtions, and the most superhuman
courage and persistence Of our troops.
When | left the front on Wednesday
every one seemed to feel that the great
crisis had approached, and that our sue
cess was certain. All were in the best
spirits. but vet mourning for the many
brave men who had fallen.
No casualties had happened to Gen
Grant or his staff. 50 many Of whom are
from the State of Illinois.
Even if | had time to write further,
could find no language to measure the
estimate in which ! hold the generalship
Of General Grant This campaign will
stamp him ~ one OF the greatest military
men the world has ever produced. And
As for General Meade, he has proved
himself worthy second of our great
Illinois hero. a great executive com
mander, man Of GOODNESS. courage, skill
and resource.
Gen. Grant Is having every possible
support. Twenty-Five thousand troops
have already gone from here to reinforce
him. and his communications are well
open so he can get further supplies
The loyal people of the country can now
breath more freely.
Yours truly.
T. b. WAsHBURNB.