Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-04-13
THE GREAT STRUGGLE.
Review of the Five Days.

The following connected review of the |
great events Of the five days ending in
the capture Of Petersburg and Rich
mond, is from the correspondence Of the
New York Tribune;
On Sunday, the Goth, the Army of the
James was honored by visit from the
President, the Lieutenant General, Ad-
miral Porter aud several other civil and
military officials of note, The coming
of the President has always but briefly
preceded activity in the army.
At Gen. Ord's headquarters everything
was unusually active, and on Monday it
was known that portion of his army,
afterwards Known to be Turner's and
Fosters divisions of the oath, and Biz
news c0laEad division of the 25th, the
whole commanded by Gen Ord, would
soon join the Army of the Potomac,
south of the James, On Monday, 9th,
in company with another knight of the
quill, | left Gen. 0rd's headquarters for
the Army Of the Potomac.
THE ADVANCE.
On Tuesday, the 2Sth, Major General
L. o. c. Ord, with the portion Of the
Army of the James before mentioned,
arrived on our left and encamped behind
the line of the I'd corps, which rested its
left on Hatcher's Run. At night Sheri-
dan and the I'd and 9Th corps received
orders to march in the morning-the
cavalry and Humphrey at six, and the
command of Warren at three o'clock.
The 9Th, which had been quartered in
the rear of the I'd, was ordered to move
thus early, as the position which had
been assigned them in the new line to be
formed was farther from the starting
point than that of the 3D. which was di
rected to move across the Run, and form
a line nearly parallel with the Vaughn
road. The interval between the I'd and
9th corps, caused by the left flank move
of the former, was to be filled by Gen.
Ord's forces. The 9Th and 9th corps re-
ceived no orders to march, but were sim
| ply to be in readiness to move at mo-
| ment's notice.
THE BALL OPENS.
On Wednesday, the forces mentioned
took their line of march. Gen. Meades
headquarters, near the Atkins House at
Park Station, were broken up at 6
o'clock, and at II Gen. Grant, accompa-
MED by Gems Williams and ingalls,, a
.,nmhar of his staff and saunral civil
ians, arrived on special train at Hum
| phrey Station, the terminus of the rail
| road, within mile of Hatcher's Run,
| on the Vaughn road. Here Grant and
! his modest Cortege mounted their horses
| and after visiting the headquarters of
| Gen. Ord, near by, they moved down to
| the new line which had been formed, in
| compliance with orders south of Hatch
| er's Run. Gen. Meade and staff had al
ready preceded him by several hours,
and was experimenting the formation
of the second corps line, which in the
afternoon was advanced over mile to
the nOrthward. -". a.#
The rebel pickets across the Run fell
back before the advance of the I'd corps,
and the new line was assumed without
any opposition. Intrenching tools were
brought into requisitiOn and in short
time the position was rendered secure
against any attack. During this time
the 9Th corps was moving down on the
Goshen road, little west of south and
several miles east of the Vaughn. Five
miles from the point of starting, the
corps struck another road known as the
old stage road, leading west to the
Vaughn, which it crossed on a by-road
to the Quaker or military road, leading
north to the BOydtown plank. Mean
while Sheridan was moving still further
to the left in the direction of Dinwiddie
Court House, which he did not enter I'M
til the next morning, owing to the de-
lay at ROwanty, over which he con-
| structed bridge.
Moving up the Quaker road through a
wooded country, with occasional clear
ings and small streams, the 5th crossed
Gravelly Run at 2 IL p. NJ, and on arri-
wing at Mays farm, a short distance be-
yond, found line of rebel earthworks
and number of huts deserted by the
enemy's pickets A few hundred yards
beyond this point the rebel skirmishers
were encountered by our flankers, who
gradually advanced, followed by the
column, pushing the enemy before them
| until they reached another clearing.
| Here the brigade of Gen. Chamberlain,
| which had led the column, was disposed
in line of battle, and advanced across
the clearing. When well in the clear
ing the enemy opened from the woods
beyond, driving back our skirmishers
upon the line Of battle, which now
became hotly engaged. A sharp engage
ment lasted for fifteen minutes, when
the enemy, who had used no artillery
showing no disposition to retire, Battery
B Of the 4th United States artillery was
brought up and posted on the right of
the road, to compel retrograde move
ment on their part. A few rounds, well
directed, and the fire of the enemy
slackened Chamberlains Brigade was
then directed to charge, which it gal
lantly did, the enemy falling back has
/ tily up the Quaker toward the Boydtown
plank road. Gen Warren then formed
his corps in line Of battle, placing the
left in reserve, and moved up to the
Rainie House at the junction Of the
! Quaker and Boydtown Roads. Our loss
in the engagement was from three to
! four hundred in killed and wounded,
/ while the casualties of the enemy might
I have been fewer, owing to his sheltered
position. The capture Of lao prisoners