Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-03-27
sHERMAN'S PROGRESS.
The Two Battles in North Carolina
Accounts from Rebel Papers.
THE RATTLE NEAR AvERYsBoRo.

THE BATTLE NEAR AYERYsB0Ro.
The Raleigh Progress of March 20th,
saws this affair turns out to have been of
much more magnitude and importance
than was st first supposed. The editor
conversed with several wounded and other
soldiers engaged in the fight, and they all
agree that it was desperate one. Most of
| them think cur entire loss was about 1000,
while they say that of the enemy must have
been 4, 900 or 5000.
Another account said to be official, is,
that our loss was $50, while the Yankee
loss was between 5000 and 1000.
The Progress gives the following account
of the battle, without vouching for the ab-
solute truth of the statement:
It seems that the fight commenced about
noon on Wednesday, the 18th inst, and
continued briskly until night. Oonsiders-
BILE skirmishing was carried on all night,
and on Thursdsy morning the battle COM
menced furiously, and ragged all day. Gen.
Hardee, with about half q corps, was IN
trenched between Black creek and Cape
Fear river, at no great distance from the
confluence of these two streams, but at
point higher up than that at which the en-
envy crossed the former stream. Here he
was attacked by two corps Of Sherman's
veterans, and our works were charged three
successive times, and each charge was re-
pulsed with immense slaughter. We do
not understand the position of Gen. Bragg,
but we we're informed that his troops were
driven back, which made it necessary for
General Hardee to fall back to prevent be.
ing Asnked. He had to abandon two guns,
the horses belonging to them sll, or nearly
sll, killed, so that he was unable to bring
them of.
THE BATTLE AT BENTONsVlLLE.
From the Richmond Wing, March g.
We received no exchanges this morning
from points south of Dsnville. The fol-
lsw1ng paragraph from the Danville Reg
lister states, that the battle commenced at
three P. NJ. The hour FIVE P. NJ was incor-
rectly transcribed from General Lees dis
patch.
We learned on undoubted authority, late
yesterday evening, that battle took place
on the l9th in North Carolina, between the
forces under General Hsrdee and column
of The enemy, which resulted in signal
victory to our arms. From the information
in our possession we locate the battle near
the Neuse river, and not far from the divi-
ding line Of johnson and Wayne counties,
some forty or fifty miles belc " Raleigh.
General Hardee attacked the enemy at
three O'clock, and drove them mile and q
half, capturing some guns and carrying
two lines of intrenchments. Under him
were his own command and portion of
the Army of Tennessee.
ADDITIONAL ACCOUNTS OF THE BATTLE
[From the Richmond Sentinel, March %
General Johnston telegraphed day or
two ago that in Hsrdee's fight with Sher-
man, on the 18th, the Confederate loss was
$50, and that of Sherman $500. The fight
took place at Averysboro, on the Cape Fear
river, on Thursday, the 10th inst. Averys-
boro is about half way between Fsyette-
vile and Raleigh.
General Johnstons defeat of the enemy
was three days later, at Bentonville, near
the Neuse river, showing that Shermsn's
repulse by Hsrdee had turned him from
his course.
fFrom the Richmond Enquirer March %.
The Raleigh papers of Tuesday have no
definite details of the recent fights between
Johnston and Sherman. The Confederate
says:-We hope to be able in q day or two
intelligence. So far everything is encour-
aging. General Johnston inspires enthu-
sissm, and the army is in fine spirits and
each day increasing in numbers. In the
affair which occurred few days since be-
tween Hardees and Shermsn's forces We
repulsed successfully five assaults upon our
lines, and held our position until the object
was effected. In drawing off we lost two
guns, because the horses had been killed
and the guns could not be brought away.
Our loss in the affair was about four hun
dred killed and wounded. The enemy's
about four thousand. Sherman marches |
no moro uninJerruptedly.
OF the battle on Sunday the correspond |
ents state very decided advantage was
gained by cur troops. The enemy were |
driven several miles with heavy loss. We |
captured some artillery. All the signs |
give hope of new tide in our affairs.
The same paper says the sick and wound |
ed are being cared for with commendable |
attendance, not only in hospitals, but in
private residences of the city. The citizens
have opened their house to our brave de- |
Tenders, and the ladies of Raleigh are taking
the lead in rendering those kind atten- |
tions which are so necessary and accept
able.
The first battle above alluded 70 occurred
on the 10th, near the junction of Black
with South river, on the Fayetteville and
Goldsboro road, some fifteen miles below
Bentonsville, in the vicinity of which place
the battle of Sunday occurred.
The Confederate is in error in relation 70
the loss of artillery. Nothing was aban-
doned, and the enemy was fairly and se-
verely beaten. The official report of the
battle states that the enemy made the at
tack on General Hardee. Three deliberate
and most desperate charges were made,
and each was repulsed with great slaughter.
Our loss did not exceed three hundred, and
that of the enemy, sscsrtained from esti-
mates made by prisoners, between three
FIVE hundred and four thousand.
Whstthe loss of the enemy was on Sunday,
when the two main armies met, and Sher-
man not only met with repulse, but was
driven from the field, can only be conjec-
tured. Sufficient is known, however, to
confirm the belief that the end Of Sher-
mans bloodless march has eome.
The New Hampshire Election.
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