The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-22
GraphIe Letter from Hon. E. B. wash
burn.
" AsHIxoroI. D. c.. Nav I5 1861


DIG extent i CAL wen AyBA~S-eN~
intense anxiety, but you will have seen
that the very thing you have suggeste
IS being done The campaign OF Lieuten-
ant General Grant, now IN progress,
must be regarded as one of the most
irnportaut and stupendous Of which his
tory makes mention taking into cor
sideration the great numbers OF ooth
armies, the character OF the troops, the
country to operate in, and the vast re-
s1lfs depending. It was my fortune to
be with General Grant from the CON-
- ruencament of the movement, the
4th Of this month through the SIX days
of battle. and into the seventh when
left. as the bearer OF important dis
patches from the General 70 the War
Del artment.
/ cannot pretend to give you, IN the
- Hnits of hasty letter, any just idea Of
the great movements and battles OF the
six DAYS / witnessed The experiences
of more than a lifetime were crowded
into those eventful and exciting days.
arrived at Gen Grants headquarters
at CuIpepper C. H., Va, on Tuesday af
noon. May 8, 1864 So well had the
General guarded his great secret, that
hardly an officer, and none of the troops
knew when the movement was going to
be made After dark on that night, the
orders were given to move at precisely
AntlH4GuL ti4lEblf a4A0 1LAAAJ Voc
everything done, that the people OF the
village knew nothing Of what was going
on, and when they awoke IN the morn
ing what was their astonishment TO lind
that our whole army had disappeared
as if By magic
The great thing was to seize the prop
or fords. and get the army across the
Rapi9an, before Lee could interfere to
resist the crossing Of that river So
completely was the rebel General de-
ceiFed as to where we intended 10 cross,
that by Wednesday night, the entire
army Of the Potomac was safely over,
while Burnsides corps mot belonging
to the Potomac arny9 was coming up
as rapidly as possible His first troops
came up TO the river on Thursday morn
ing Lee finding Grant on the move,
onward TO Richmond by the lower
ford of the Rapidan, was Obliged to
come out from his Entertainments at
Mine Run and attack on Grant
flank in order 10 prevent our forces get
ting between him and Richmond, and
fight him on equal ground. The two
armies came together in the Wilder
ness" about neon Thursday May 9Th.
Grants orders were to attack the enemy
instHrtly at every point where he APP
psared
.hree o'clock in the afternoon the
A4lcH Oh bdkliE WIZ rlOtAiNA hiBAE kttt
whole line and both armies heavily en-
gagged Both sides attacked with great
fury along the entire line, but so dense
was the wilderness, and 50 thick the
undergrowth, it was absolutely impossi-
bic to see anything Of the battle at any
point. The enemy knowing the ground,
knew where it was best toattack. He
commenced early his old tactics, by
msssing his entire force upon partic-
a f.ry, Tfrr-o- 81 &c
position on our left, which il was neces-
sary for him to win, as he tIIancocl1)
held the road toward Richmond and
with him one driven from that posi-
ton, our army would be at great dsad-
vantage Longstreet and Hills corps
pitched into Hancock with great impe-
tuosity about 4 o clock in the Afternoon,
with the full expectation of driving
him away, and getting possession of the
coveted road. But Hancock was equal
TO the occasion. With several members
Of General Grants staff, l rode out to
where Hancock was at the very height
Of the battle, and never did a soldier
meet an attack with more courage,
GOODNESS and skill, repelling every as.
sault upon his lines with great slaugh-
ter AS we rode back to headquarters
some two miles, the road was literally
filed by our wounded soldiers, making
was a most CHASTITY and heartrending
spectacle. The great number who fell
on that field told ofthe desperate strug
gle that had taken place
But the great fight of all was on the
next day, Friday The rebels opened
on the right at 445 A. NJ, and our at
tack along the whole line began at
nfs o'clock precisely. Hancock went in on
our left with the dash and courage
which belongs to him, and which has
rendered his name immortal He at
tackled with unsurpassed fury and
drove the enemy for mile and half
taking one line of works and capturing
many prisoners and several flags The
enemy finding his right likely to be
turned by Hsncock's mastery attack
saw that his salvation depended upon
pushing back Hancock and turning
him.
At about four o'clock, P N, Lee sgair
massed his forces for last and granC
assault 1t came and was terrific The
rebels seem to have staked all on that
attack-up, up, up they pushed on oul
columns, which, overpowered by mum
bees we're slowly crowded back, con
testing every inch of ground. Falling
hack gradually, our soldiers got to then
riRe-pits The timbers have been cut
down in their front, so they can have
fair shot On came the enemy, flushed
with the maddened hope of certain
success rebel color-bearer advances
clean up 20 the riflepit and plants hi;
standard defantly on the top. TheI
rise up our waiting hosts and pour suci
q stream Of death and destruction into
the advancing ranks of the enemy tina,
lie falters. hats, snd falls back; bat
not until he had broken over one por
ton OF our lines. Only small force
got over and was speedily driven back
and then the whole mass finally retired
before the unTelenting bravery of oul
es men, Tearing his dead and wounded
upon the field. Il was in the first fight
on our left, that the brave the noble
tho chivalrous Wadsworth fell, in tn,
thickest Of the contest, after havinj
TWO horses shot under hiIa
While The enemy were pushing
Hancock, Burnside, with two division
Of his corps. was striking him in hi
flank and rear Warren was fghtiny
IA the front, and the heroic Sedgwiel
was attacking on the right So al
around there WAS the most desperat
and determined Sighting, but the enem
falling to yet any advantage till Just a
night, they surprised and drove a brig
ade which held our extreme right Thi
misfortune was soon repaired by th
prompt and soldierly action Of Genera
Wright who stopped the advance o
the enemy and drove him back, captul
w ing quite q number Of prisoners. Fhi
waa the great day Of the battles of tn
sWsldeTness,@ only very few of ia
incidents Of which have touched uT
90. Our troops, as a general thing tough