, 1864-05-16
THE GREAT CONFLICT,
Graphic Account Of TUESDAYS
Battle by" "Carleton,"
BRILLIANT OPERATIONS OF CUR
CAVALRY.


AAkItEas
tFrom tbs Bostor journal, Nav 80
WAsH1feToN, May II, r. A-Ona of ths
greatest battles Of the war WAS fought yca
terday ncar spotsJlvania Court House.
left the field at $50 this morning, aad I'm
able to gtTe statement Of what took place
One week ago to-day the army moved from
Cuipepper. It has hadsIx days Of continued
fighting, in which there have been three great
battles.
On Saturday morning Lse retired from the
Wilderness, leaving but \ small force to keep
up Appearances. Grnnt Immediately ordered
an advance to, SpotsJ1vania. The 5th Corps
tak{rg the lead, Confronted Longstreet three
miles northwest of the tsun carly on Sunday
morning, diminishing ali day, ending II
rebels were pushed back short distance.
Tie Sixth Corps arrived near the close Of the
battle and participated. The Second Corps
arrived tn The evening. The Ninth Corps,
marching by q longer road, did not arrive till
Monday morning.
covered with woods and flne thickets, in
which the rebels lay concealed with batteries
masked. Standing. In the centre of our line,
between the 5th and 9Th Corps, on PineY
Grove road, looking toward the Court House,
You see gentle slope with series of uudu-
latlone, marked with ride pits and batteries,
which defend al approaches. To Eain them
The tlickets are not quite 80 dense in tie
Wilderness, but most Of the ground IL coy-
cred by forest. Gen Robinson, command
ing the second division Of the 9Th Corps IVES
wounded in this engagement.
Ekirmiehfng commenced again On Monday
morning, and by reports Of prisoners It Was
7 hn4 71nahH1 hfe frnnYt rrot,fd1r fr}r F..
strong position on the south bank OF the Po-
tomac. The court house Is On elevated land,
and the village Ia collection of half dozen
honece. Three roads radiate-one northwest
to TOda's Tavern, ono due north to Piney
Grove Church, and one northeast to Fred
ericksburg. The I'd ana 5th corps covered
the may to Todd's, the 9Th the road to Piney
Branch, and the 9Th the road to Fredoricks-
burg. The Gatl,argen road leading westward
Was used By Lee to reach the position.
A. P. Hill reached the battlefield on Mon
day night and took his position on the rebel
right, confronting Burnside. EWell had tho
centrs against StdgW wick. Longstrect stood
against Hancock. The lines we're in form OF
2 horseshoe, It was Gettysburg reversed
LEE having the inner half circle
6kirniehing commenced on Monday morn
ing and continued through the forenoon.
Eedgwick, while planting battery, was
picked of BY rebel slarpshooter at half q
mile distance. His death cast gloom over
The whole army, but did not diminish the ar
Gen. Wright was placed in command
In the afternoon Hancock crossed to Creek
Branch OF tie Po River, turned the 1nnk OF
Longstrcet, and pushed lin toward the town,
aud held his ground {Longstreet's).
Yesterday (Tussday) diminishing coulmen-
ced at sunrise and continued through this
forenoon along the whole line with sncreas.
ST>rr 1T SfYv min n1-n{A 3xNtt 3Iao
gradually approached nearer shortening the
distance between the two armies.
Gen. Grant spent all the forenoon cxami.
ming the positions and WAS frequently on the
line with the pickcta. He issued orders for
general attack at s o'clock, but the rebels
grew uneasy-took the matter into their ewu
h1,nds, agd moved q II heavy columns against
Division, 20 Corps, {Barlon's} was fought
back to the north side Of the Creek to
strong position. The rebels were elated ani
attempted to cross the Greek but were rerul
eed.
Up to this hour there had!heen little artllle
~ ussdon either party, but battery after bat
!ery was brought inte position, ard the wilt
fhe rebel infantry aurged against Hancock
and thea against Warren, but were immedi
ately rolled back. Gibhon, commanding til,
I'd Division Of the I'd Corps, was withdraw
from Tedd's Tavern road and sent to War
ren'e mid.
At $50 the rebels made terrific charge
against our right centre. Their 1lurrah WA
The war mhoop ct the Indians. hut 1t did MOI
irttmidate the brave mch Of the End and 5tl
corps.
never heard q heavier IRE than that whicl
burst fIcm Barney's, Cuttcr'e, Gibbons AMI
Bar}ow's di7ieions. The rebel columns pelt
ed away, and after one Of the most desperate
fights Of all time, were forced back undcl
tie Tremendous fire and untlinc1ing bravery
Of the divisions already named. Parts o
other dlAisions were engaged, but not Il
such an extent az these.
1t was Hancock's turn, His troops ad
vanced with cheers BaElow's division fcL
uIon Heath's division Of Lonsettcct's corpi
Ike th9Ederbo1t. cutting it all to pieces
Of the war. The rebels were literally piled
in Leaps. The advance Of other parts of the
1fre not having been made at tie appointed
Mcnent, the advantages gnincd wcrc lost,
ard the Cd returned to its former position.
There was no further attempt on the part OF
tAc rebels to push the 2d cerps.
Just before euntet Wright and Burnside
attacked the enemy with great fury. Wright
carried their rife pits. 1hc2d Vermont bald
ore sgainst all the efforts Of the rebels to re-
take It They said they would hold 1t for
SIX months-only giye them plenty Of am
nunition and rations.
"Cen. Wright, at 0 o'clock, went to head
quprtcrs and reported their Eallaat,y, asking
for instructions whether they should 11eld It.
Was Giants reply
Gen Wright went back to execute the or
drf, but found that .suhnrdinatc officer had or
deltd them back for fear they would bc cut
otf. Glorious IONS Of glorious State! Their
holor is untarnisAed- Their laurels can neT-
er fhGei
Burnside pushed the enemy back almo.t to
lett the field this morning The colored
troops were not in the charge. Upton's BIZ
galc oftIc 9Th corps captured Dale's brigade
of Twclr6 corls, but in the melee were able
TO t:ipg of only twelve hundred
Thrte guns were taken md lost again.
,Thirty-fevtn officers aud l4rgc number OF
battle flags were taken.
MtCcrtpcy's 1ft Mess. battery is highly
praised for it's great execution on the enc
GIN. Rice was wounded and his leg am,,u
tated. Int he died in the afternoon. Just be
fore he died be aceired to be turcnd over.
avn ich way?'' tho Chaplain asked. 'Tutn
MT face to "ard the enemy" were his last
words
Captain B. F. Davis. Of the 12lh Mass. cap.
turcd the f]aSs, and Eas mortallT wounded and
died LAST night. Up to ten o'clock to-day
there y "a constant skirmishfnE, indicating
that be was going to attack. Gen. Grant
was ready. The troops are in excellent spir.
i1e. They have fought six days and gained
desperation. There will Be other great bat
ties, but officers and n en- alike feel sure that
1t is the last great struggle. They have per.
feet confidence in Grant and admire Meade as
an executive officer.
We have lost twelve Generals: sedgwick,
Nadsworth, Stey yapson, Hays and Rice killed;
Bartlett, Getty, Robinson, Morris and Baxter
wounded; Seymour and Sbalcr missing. Ou1
losses Of men arc very heavy.
. Rebel prisoners report that theT have been
On hall rations, and that rebel officers told
them their next rations must come from
Grants stores. None had been issued.exccpi
to prisoners up to 10 o'clock this morning
On the contrary, thirty Of Lees wagons fell
into our hands last night
We have about four thousand prisoners.
An Incident will sho~ the enthusiasm O
aurtroops. A soldier with his arm amputated
said If am very sorty have lost my arm
for want to be at them again." he sang
"Rally round the nag, boys" and score Il
the hospital Joined in the chorus.
To cum mp: the rebels tried to stop Grant
ut The Wilderness, but, after fighting TWO
battles, retrcated- Lee has tried to stop
Grart' at Spotsylvania, and has had both
fanfs folded back-b1s outer line OF rifle p1tt
ca1Tied-and has been repulsed in all his At
tacEs.
/ think It Is Gen. Grants intention to e
to Richmond at all hazards, and have grea'
confidence that be will succeed.
OPERATIONS OF OUR CAVALRY
From tho N. r. Tribune.1
WAs4Msrsr, Nay 10.
THE CROSSING or THE RAPIpAN.
Wilson'S, formerly Kilpatrick's, division
croee. the river at daybreak on "Wednesday
morning the 4th inst, moving without oppo
sition to Parker'6 Store, on the Plank roae