The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-05-20
THE MOVEMENT AGAINST RICH
M0hD.
Advance Of the Army Of the Po-
7 maa5 tOmac. b ssuo.

Advance Of the Army Of the Po-
80 aaa.5 tOmac. s. ssro., 4
THE BATTLE ON THURSDAY.
Special Dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette. gu,s
tta D2a WAsurNGroy, Mays
The following are full particulars of the
movements across the Rapidan, beginning with
Tuesday night of last week, and down to
Thursday, night, the end of the first days
The march began of midnight on Tuesday.
Gregg's division of cavalry led the way to Flys
Ford, and Wilson's division to Germania. The
I'd Corps, General Hancock, took the road to
Ely's Ford; the 9th Corps, General Warren,
marched for Germania Ford; and the first di.
vision of both Corps, Gen. Sedgwick, followed
noon of Wednesday, Hancock had his whole
corps across, and had established his headquar-
tiers at Charlottesville. Warren advanced
by the road from Ely's Ford to Wilderness,
and got into position on the heights lying over
against the defences of Mine Run. Before the
sun was down Sedgwick got over also, and
went into position in the rear of Warren. The
sides and succeeded in capturing dispatches
from the rebel Gen. Rhodes to Ewell with the
announcement that Meade was across the Rap
idan, and wanted to know what to do. It is
supposed that he did not get the information
by that m essenger. Other dispatches were also
taken. EARLY on Thursday morning Sheridan
went in search of a fight with Stuart, and on
reconnaissance to the left for the main body
Precise marching orders were issued. War
rem was to advance to Parker's Tavern, five
miles ahead; Hancock to pursue road lead
ing southwest from his camp near Chancellor
ville and to 60 in line of battle on the left of
the whole army; Warren was to put himself
in connection with HancOck's right, and Sedg-
wick to occupy the ground in the rear of War
rem as before. The order of battle, therefore,
subsequently stood thus: Hancock, I'd corps,
forming the left Warren, 9Th corps, the
centre; Sedgwick, 9th corps, the right and the
reserve.
The first intimation of the opening of the
contest came from Gen. Griffin, commanding
the LIST Division, 9Th Corps. He had the enemy
close in his front, and the order to move to
ident Lee is about to repeat his old strategy
and will seek to strike the head of Grants col
umns before they are all in position, in order
to defeat them in detail.
Gen. Meade comes up as soon as he hears the
news, and says quietly to Warren, :" If the enc
my attack, 90 at once into battle with every
man you have" The columns meanwhile are
at a halt. 1t is for the enemy to say where the
fight shall begin, and he has clearly the chance
to attack our columns on the flank, with the
hope to break them in two and divide the
army. Gen. Meade thinks he is willing that
Lee should try it. To the Rapidan is only six
miles, and the columns moving by the flank
will presently, if need be, face to the front and
offer Lee such line of battle as he little ex-
poets. a-. ...,-.. d, b. ........
This delicate maneuvre Meade will trust to
an army which is quite able to execute it, for
it has been marching in perfect ORDER with a
precision and with total want of stragglers
unknown in its previous history. The roads,
too, are good, though on the side of them is
everywhere the wilderness forest, and amid its
huge trees and thick underground the battle is
mainly to be fought '''-o- t+,iii
While the halt continues, we learn that Burn
side is coming up, and is expected across the
Rapidan to join the main army before night.
Griffin's division was halted, was deployed in
line of battle at right angles to the turnpike,
and stretching across on either side. His skr-
mishers soon became engaged, and it was be-
yOnd doubt Lee had moved out from his in
trenchments to battle. Griff1n's advance, the
18th Massachusetts and S3d Pennsylvania, was
well forward on the turnpike when the first
shot was fired. The skirmish fingered little
as if neither side was quite ready, when War
rem himself rode to the front'an ordered the
line forward. The right of the road was taken
by Ayers brigade, Bartlett on the left. The
underground and low pines were so thick that
the officers dismounted and went forward with
their men on foot half mile further on. A
sharp volley opened the fight. The two brig
AIDES went handsomely forward, drove back the
enemy, and carried the first hill in front of
them; but, becoming little disordered by the
unevenness of the ground and the close forest,
the line got disconnected in the middle, and
the rebels poured into the interval, f1anking
both forces, and forcing them to retreat. They
fell back, fighting, Col. Hayes facing his regi-
was wounded, but not severely.
As the retreat drew slowly back, reinforce
ments began to arrive. The battle extended
its line on either hand, and again the rebels
were driven. Before two o'clock the engage
ment died away; the enemy became quiet and
Warren remained drawn up comparatively
safe, but anxiously waiting to hear of Hancock
Gen. Grant was on the field. The inevitable
cigar is gone, and he is smoking pipe His
face is undisturbed, but he knows well that
HancOcks quick arrival is essential to the safe
ty. of his line. Until Hancock connects with
the left of Warren. nothing is safe. In the
anxiety to extend Warren's line to the left.
Getty's division, of the 9th corps, was ordered
up and took position between the turnpike and
the plank roads. Very soon came the 4th divi-
sion, Gen. Carr of the I'd corps, and closely fol-
lowing were HancOck's other three divisions.
They had scarcely reached the front and gone
into line-not an easy operation in such for
est-when the attack of the enemy burst upon
them. It tell heaviest on the left flank, where
the troops were longest in coming up, and was
so impetuOus that for while it was doubtful
if a steady line could be formed. Quick
and repeated requests for aid went back to the
rear, and General Meade heard from
those hurried and urgent messengers that the
enemy had massed again, as so often before, in
one solid body against his line, and was striv-
ing as never before to break through, but the
line was still held. Fresh troops came up and
went straight into the fight, and brigade after
brigade opened its thick vOlleys. 1t seemed
as 1t the rebels must desist from their attack,
but still they persevered. On a line of not
more than a mile, the struggle went on for
three hours. Not less than twenty thousand
men were massed against the extreme left
wing. 1t was impossible to use artillery on
either side, and equally impossible to maneu-
yre. The fight was all musketry, and it was
long before any ground was gained or lost.
Early in this action Alexander Hayes brigade
had become holly engaged, and General Hayes
sent back for reinfOrcements. Hancock an.
swered, You shall have them in twenty min
utes I" but before the time had passed, Gen.
Hayes was killed and was carried to the rear.
By and by the rebel musketry grew heavier,
and on our side the line began to waver.
Wounded men were carried past to the rear,