The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-06-04

BURLINGTON w
will decide-the decision in fact dependin,
first volley. Rapid as a flash Mccoy swun,
his forward companies into line and got tn,
first fire. One Of McCoy's men seized til,
rebel commander by the collar and drag
ged him in. The SD poured in a volley OF
the enemy's flank and rear, and the whole
rebel brigade made off in disorder. The
repulse OF the rebels was most complete
During the engagement the following
morning, not less than one thousand pris.
oners were taken. In addition to this, the
rebel loss in killed and wounded was very
heavy, though its precise extent could not
be ascertained, as during the night the en-.
envy made q fOrcible attack on our pickets,
ana, under cover Of this, succeeded in car.
rying off their dead and wounded. Our
own loss was uncomfortable. GrifRn's di-
vision, which bore the bront of the attack,
may have lost 200; Cutler about 100; while
the loss of Crawford's division, which held
the left, and whose skirmish line alone was
engaged, was but trif1ing.
All things considered, this may Justly be
regarded as one of the most beautiful de-
tached engagements of the campaign
1
suits hanging upon it, it fully merits the
praise accorded to it by the commanding
General in despatch sent to Gen. Warren
the evening after the action, in which Gen.
Meade congratulates him and his gallant
corps upon the handsome manner in which
the enemy's attack was repulsed. Al
though the commanding General extends
praise to the whole corps, the other divis-
ions will willingly acknowledge that it be-
longs more particularly to the lst Division
| (Griffith's which received and repuised the
main attack OF the enemy. Especial credit
is due to the I'd Brigade Of this division,
commanded by Colonel S. WeitZer, though
Bartlett, which so promptly checkmated
the thanking maneuver of Brown.
HANCOCK STORMS AND CARRIES THE
1&BRIDGE.
Passing now from the position Of Warren
on the right to that OF Hancocks LETT, we
found his corps engaged at the same time
with the 5th. Unlike Warren, who passed
crossing against the severest opposition, as
have already mentioned: HancOck's
point of passage was the Chesterfield, or
county, bridge, half a mile above the rail-
road bridge. Here the rebels had q strong
position and q tete de pOnt, which had to be
Six or eight hundred yards north of Anna
Is a long creek, which runs parallel with
the river and empties into it east Of the
railroad bridge. These streams, therefore.
form u species of island, and it is here the
rebels have prepared position to oppose
any crossing. Near the bridge-head is an
extended redan with wet ditch in front.
The gorge is swept by rife pits in the rear.
On the opposite or southern bank of the
river is q smaller work and other rifle pits,
while the southern bank commands the
northern, and was swept by the rebel ar
tillery. These works were built year
ago, Immediately after the battle of Chan
cellorville. The island is y perfectly fiat
and barren plain, and across this it was
necessary to advance in order to carry the
bridge. The position was held by McLaw's
division of LOngstreet's corps. To Gen.
Benning's division of Hancock corps was
assigned the gloriously perilous task of
carrying it.
On the left was the brigade of Col. Egan
MohPs brigade; on the right of Pierce,the
4th brigade-the Excelsior, commanded by
Col. Blaisdell. of the 18th Massachusetts,
came up partly in the rear, its left to the
right of the redan.
To cover the assault, three sections of
artillery were put in position, and replied
to the artillery fire Of the enemy. At the
left of Birneys division was Barlow's di- |
vision, the left of which connected with |
the right of Gibbons division, while Ty- |
ler's heavy artillery division was held In |
reserve.
An hour before the sundown of Monday |
the assault was begun, and most brilliantly |
executed by Birney's command, which |
swept across the open space at double |
quick, under storm of artillery and vol |
leys Of musketry. Two regiments of the |
Excelsior Brigade, the list and I'D New |
York first reached the retlan, the garrison |
of which ran precipitately as our men ad-
vanced in line with fixed bayonets, and |
came sweeping along and making foot
The brave fellows climbed up and simulta.
neOusly planted their cOlors on the rebel |
Thirty rebels, unable to get
away in time, were captured in the ditch.
The total loss in this brilliant exploit, the
rapidity and daring Of which astonished |
and paralyzed the rebels, did not exceed u
hundred men, and secured US the posses /
sion of the bridge across which portion
Of Hancock's corps immediately crossed
and held the bridge head during the night. /
The work of Monday, therefore, had Sc
cured us the passage of the North Anna at /
two different points, and night found the
whole of the 5th corps across at Jericho /
Ford, and portion Of the I'd corps across
the Chesterfield bridge.
Yesterday TUESDAY, the 24th,) was
mainly employed In passing over the rest
of the army, pushing out our lines, and |
our position. That held by Gen.
Warren was happily one Of great strength,
being point at which the Anna makes a |
bend in the form Of horseshoe, thus az.
fording a secure point d'sppu," for both
TANKS. Early yesterday the whole of the
9Th corps (Wright's) filed over at this
point, took position in the rear OF the 9Th,
and q portion Of it afterward relieved part
Of Warren's front. Hancock on his front
was not able to make such rapid progress,
-. - - ~ n
forced passage on the previous night
being across the river. The rebels still
held the bank, rifle-pits and comman.. ing
heights on the southern bank. In the al
ternoon, however, Crawford's division OF
Warren's corps extended to the left to
make q diversion in his favor, engaged the
enemy. and enabled the whole Of Birney's
to pass over. The remainder OF
the I'd corps speedily followed.
Meanwhile Rurnside's corps still remain.
I'd ON the south bank OF the river, but the
swept the rebels from our whole 'front.' the