The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-05-14
mo war In Nfirxinia.

|
carefully perusing all tho telegraph des-
patches and Newspaper reports Of the past
week, would be IN about the same predic-
anent of the man Artemus Ward speaks
Of, who had 50 diligently read up every
1 thing about the war, and then came to she
conclusion that-"he'd be DANCED 1t he
knew what to think about it." Tho dill
gent student of these reports, however,
after hard labor, can elininats from them
. connected thread which being nnbroken,
| must be near the truth, and this thread We
have been trying to hunt up through the
maze of the Virginia dispatches OF the
| last week.
And first a word, as to Grants general
plan. This appears to be Of tripartits
character-one main body moving in the
center and heavy column on the right
a.d on the left. Thus Meade. ia the CEN
ter, is moving straight on Richmond with
the main army; on the left, column un-
der Butler is moving up the Peninsula and
on the south side of James river; while
on the right, Siegel is emerging from The
head of the Shenandoah valley with an
other column, to come down on Rich-
mond by way of Stanton and Gordonsviile
The cap chief Of this sort of strategy will
be in bringing these columns together at
the great critical, and decisive point to
atrike the finishing blow.
We shall FIRST have 10 do with the main
column under Meade. superinteuded by
Gen. Grant in person.
This commenced its march, as announc.
ed in our last, on Tuesday, May Sd, uregg's
divirsIon of cavalry in the lead, taking
the way to Ely's Ford, followed by the
I'd (Hancock corps; Warren's Corps
(5th) marched to Germania Ford, C. miles
west OF Ely's,) followed next day by the
9th corps (sedgwick's) By Wednesday
afternoon Hancock had established his
head quarters at Chancellorville, and
Warren had taken position to the right
opposite the 1efences of Mine Run, Sedg>
wick holding back as reserve. Thurs
day morning Hancock was ordered to
move southwark, and Warren to connect
with Hancock's right and move to Bar
kers tavern The first intimation Of the
presence Of the enemy came from Griffin !.
fright OF Warrsn's corpse who found the
enemy close in his front. Meade's order,
On getting the information was, 'if the
enemy attack, 60 at once into battle with
every man you have. A sharp volley from
the enemy soon opened the fight. Griffin's
brigades went forward drove back the
enemy, and carried the first hill In front
Of them but, becoming little disorder,
ed by the unevenness of the ground and
the close forest, the line got disconnected
in the middle, and the rebels poured in
to the interval, thanking 10th forces, and
forcing them to retreat. They fell back
fighting AS the retreat drew slowly back,
relnforcements began to arrive The bat
tie extended its line on either hand, and
again the rebels were driven. Before ,
o'clock the engagement died away the
enemy became quiet, and Warren remain
cd drawn up, comparatively safe, but anx.
ieusly waiting TO hear Of Hancock, on
the left Very soon comes the 4th divis-
| ion of Hancock's corps, followed 10y the
( other divisions whs so straight into the
/ fight The enemy has massed against
this point. Fresh troops are hurried up,
but still the rebels persevere. Our lines
begin to waver, then fall back little
Hancock goes forward and HOLDS his men
| il his hand. Then Warren and Sejgwick
/ a~e pushed forward, and Hill now finding
his c-n flank threatened, suIlenly
falls back. At 9 o'clock at night the bat.
! tie is over Our loss is about 1000 men
that Of the enemy supposed about the
same.
Friday morning, just az the break of
dawn lighted up the old Wilderness,
| southwest Of Chancellorville, where
Hooker was SO roughly handled the en-
envy in great force again attacked cur
right (Sedgwlck) and center (Warren.)-
The attack was successfully repulsed, and
our line advanced. Hancock drove the
enemy to within miles Of Bankers store,
! taking several hundred prisoners. At 8
o'clock the attack was renewed, and the
| fighting became general, our right NOV
ing steadily forward until stepped by a
marsh. The enemy finding himself foiled
on our right, again massed agains: Ham
and after hours stubborn fighting, Ham
cock was forced to fall back 10 his in.
| trench ments By this time Gen. Burns
side had come to Ilanceck's assistance,
and the left was again safe. But soon an
other furious stack is made on Hancock's
right. This is made by Longstreet, who
had apparently just come up. The feder>
ais are again forced back, the enemy
charging up to our breastworks Gen.
Hancock orders Col CAROLS brigade to
form at right angles with his line, thus
| ticking the enemy in flank, by which the
enemy is finally repul.ed with great
slaughter.
All this was before IL o'clock: :nd for
the rest Of the day, our left was not dis
suddenly fell upon our extreme right, Goa
sistins OF Milroy's old mmand, now
Seymour's. Our men were building en-.
trenchments at the time, and In few
minutes the whole brigade were nearly
sw allowed up Part of Shaler's brigade
shared the sans fate, both generals being
captured Sedgewick whose corp lay
next on the right, only saved his right
determined fighting, azd the enemy, sat>