Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1864-06-15
FROM GRANTS ARMY.
The Battle OF Friday.
FULL AND THRILLING DETAILS.
ECorresp ondence of the n. Y. Times.
H8ADo'Rs Army OF TIE PoToNAC, }
COAL HARBoR, NEAR THE CHIcKAHoNINT,
Friday, June 3-l0P. NJ. J
GENERAL VIEW OF THE BATTLE.

80 GENERAL VIEW OF THE BATTLE
Judging by the severity of the encounter,
and the heavy losses we have experienced,
the engagement which opened at gray dawn
this morning and spent Its fury In little over
an hour. shoald take its place among the bat
Ties of the war but viewed in its relations to
the whole campaign, it is, perhaps, hardly
more than a grand reconnaissance, however,
which has COS. US not less than five six
thousand killed and wounded
The object of the action TO force the
passage of the Chickahominy, on the north
side of which, and covering the roads to
Richmond, the rebels had planted themselves
in fortified line. What we have done is to
feel this line by vigorous attack, in which,
though gaining some temporary successes,
and at one or two points actually carrying the
enemys works, we have, on the whole, reach
ed the conclusion that any victory that could
here he won must cost too much in its pur-
chase / do not say this speaking with
any authority, but only as recording the gen
eral conviction of the army. Such convic-
ton, however, when the common judgment
of such men as have to-day led their lines
against the enemy, is apt to be of itself
thority, and hence | think | may safely pre-
diet that there will be no reaelcdi Of the assault
on tic lines of the CtickaHonliny; then we must
look to the resources of strategy TO plant this
army in a position where, being at less OF
disadvantage, its valor will have better
promise of adequate reward.
BEFORE THE BATTLE.
Coal Harbor being secured by the action of
Wednesday, Gen. Grant determir ed to give
battle the day following, tor the purpose of
cssaying the passage of the ChicAahOminy.
Accordingly, during the night, Eancocks
corps, which, by the previous withdrawal of
the Sixth Corps, held the right of the line,
was moved and took position on the extreme
-.gav-
of Gems Grant and Meade, which had been
in the rear of the -ight, transferred TO
the rear of the left and established at Coal
Harbor. 1t had, as | have said, been design
ed to give battle on Thursday; but Hancock
was compelled to fight his corps into position,
and his formation was not completed until
afternoon The attack was then ordered for
5 o'clock in the afternoon; but thunder
storm as heavy as that which swelled the
Chickahominy on the day before Fair Oaks
Set in, and the order had to be counter
manded.
The hour of attack was then fixed for 4:3O
o'clock this morning. Had Gen Lee, under
these circumstances, emulated the conduct of
that Union General whose chief glory is to be
thought sell of by the rebels, and planted
his army astraddle of the Chickahominy,
Mcclellan did, the storm which swelled that
stream yesterday afternoon might have given
Gen. Grant an opportunity which you may
depend upon it he would have improved
But while the rebels praise Mcclellan they do
not initiate him. Lee had his entire force
north of the Chickahominy, and the only re-
suit of the delay in attack caused by the rise
in tie river was to give the enemy, who had
by this time discovered the disposition of our
troops the hours of night during which TO
perfect his defensive preparations.
THE SITUATION AT 1 a. NJ, FRIDAY
I'll. ~
gray light Of dawn is struggling through a
thick envelope of clouds, and a light patter-
ing rain is falling Our men still lie behind
their breastworks, worn out with the work of
the night the rebels too, lie behind their
entertainments, and only the sleepless picket
peer with wary eyes forward through the
dusk of the woods All is still as the grave,
yet in thirty minutes the storm of battle will
burst forth along a stretch of six miles
There is but time to take glance at the
lines. Here on the left wing OF the army is
the corps of Hancock (the 2d;) connecting
with him the right and forming the left
centre, is Wrights, Che 9th , then Smiths,
(the lSth,) which holds the centre next
comes Warren's, (the 5th which forms the
right centre, and then Eurnside's, 1.-THE 9TH
which holds the extreme right. Our line
runs almost parallel with the ChickahomInv,
and from one and hall to two and u half
miles north of it. On the left wing we APP
proach nearest the river, on the right we
somewhat refused. Hancock, holding the
LETT wing, rests across the Dispatch Station
road, (that is the road leading from Coal
Harbor to Dispatch Station } our right is
across the TolopatomOv. The rebel front is
formed Immediately in front of the Chicka-
hominy, III three lines, two lines of battle
and a skirmish line, on an irregular line 10
conform with the woods and ridges and
swamns Of the ground. Between the two ar
mics Is a low, swampy region, whose dark
hollows viii soon be lit up with the fires of
death. Suddenly from behind the rude para
pet there is an upstarting, a noiseless spring
ing TO arms. the mutlled commands of officers
forming the line The attack was ordered
for 4:So, and il may have been five minutes
after that or it may have been ten minutes,
but il certainly was not later than 4:45 when
the whole line is in motion. Shrmishers are
thrown out, and presently meet the eaemy's
pickets, as We learn 10y the smart fuSilade Won
heari our artillery opens, the rebels respond,
and IN moment the deadly conflict i Joined.
THE MINUTES OF HISTORY.
The metaphysicians say that time is''uaught.
Is but a category OF thought, and | think IL
must be so for into ten mortal minutes this
morning was crowded an age of action. Ten
minutes of the fgment men call time and
yet that scant space decided battle! There
are a thousand details ten thousand episodes.
but the essential matter Is this, that the first
rush Of advance carried our whole front but
up agalnsta lire OF works, which we were
unable to break through or, breaking
through unable TO hold Conceive of this in
the large-the fierce onslaught amid deafen-
ing volleys of musketry and the thunder of
artillery, and the mad yell of battle, and see
the ranks mown down, and the lines break
here and there, anG she sullen obstinate re-
treat, every inch contested and we shall then
b" able to descend TO some of the points of
action as they indiyidUalize themselves along
the line.
THE LEFr-HANC0CKS CORPS.
Hancock held the left of the whole line of
battle; and his three div sions, Barlow hel1
the extreme left of the army, that of GibboD
was drawn on the right Of Barlow's. while
Birney's division was held in reserve. Ofthe
four brigad,s of Barlow's division, Brooks had
the left and Miles the right-each brigade in
81