Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-02-18
O., ants Last Disaster.


the Jerusalem Plank Road, and having
first diverged to Reams Station, swept
around toward Dinwiddie Court House.
At Rowanty Creek, the horseman OF that
advance found the bridge held by some
dismounted sharpshooters Of Hamptons
Cavalry. Sweeping on, after brief strrg-
glo with these, Gregg reached the Boyd
ton Plank Road at Dnwiddie Court House.
Here he captured ten or fifteen wagons,
twenty or thirty men, and forty or ffty
horses. A force Of Hampton's horse had,
however, begun 10 move Up in the mean
time from BellGcld toward the court house.
Burning the wagons be had captured, the
Federal general accordingly retraced his
steps to the eastward. The bridge across
Rowanty had been burned since he had
crossed it, and before it could be used for
his return required considerable repairs -
Delayed, in consequence, uutil midnight,
be was unable until next morniug-the
sixth-to report 10 person the result of lis
reconnaissance 10 General Warren.
The Fifth Corps had moved, from its
position near :he Weldon Railroad, down
the road leading to Reams After brief
struggle it crossed Rowanty; but was dc
layed on the banks Of that creek for sew
eral hours constructing bridge for its
ambulances and ammunition t,aing. The
corps, AFTER that work had been completed
moved up to an elevated piece of ground,
and ,ovcr;aken by nightlalI, sat down, worn
with march Of several hours over roads
deep with mud, to enjoy whatever refresh
ment it could obtain in wei and watery
, bivouc.
The Second Corps marched from its
quarters, near the Weldon Railroad down
the Vaughan Road, The chord Of the
detour made by the Fifth Corps constituted
the line Of movement taken up by the Sec
ond. Its advance dashed toward under a
fire from rifepiIs at each oil three cross
ings of Hatcher's RuO and swept the dis
mounted cavalry by which these had been
held, before them like the chat before the
wind. In the meantime, the second d.
vision of the corps moved from the creek
somewhat toward the northwest; and, be-
fore it had gone far, found itself front to
front with force of Gordon's Confeder-
ates. A eannopade burst upon it from a
Southern battery, aud was followed, at
about FIVE 10 the evening, by the advance
of line Of battle. The, front Of the di.
vision thus occupied the Confederate gen.
, eral led force with view Of turning the
) right flank but met, there by brigade
usder Colonel Murphy of the Sixty inth
New York returned to his original position
The losses of this affair on the right are
said to be heavy but, in the view of the
numbers that appear to have been engag.
ed in it, must be supposed to BE- consider
able--one accoun; says about four hun,
) dred.
The Third Division of the Second Corps
: appears 10 have taken up position on The
west side Of Hatcher S, with its right rest.
S ing on that stream. The Second Division
lay further to the left. The Fifth Corps
; sat down still further to the left, but some.
What in tho pf tbo Soao,J
+ Along the whole front thus presented OIL
both sides Of Hatcher's the night flashed
and whizzled with the rifles of opposins
lines Of skirmishers.
; During the night of the fifth the troops
t that had engaged the Second Corps moved
around to the Federal left. Malone
I. splendid division had come down from Pc
:. tersburg, and took the place of the mel
t who had thus gene down uuder Gordon t
confront the Fifth Corps
On the sixth the Second Corps does nc
appear to have made any attempt to ad
y vance. With formidable works in its from
it lay quietly in a position three mile
from the Boydton road awaiting the move
- ment of the Fifth Corps against Gordon
}, right.
u On the morning of the sixth Genert
y Warren ordered forward the Fifth Corp
J. The Confederate movement from left
, right having been appearontly iucomplct
}
T. at HE time Of his advance, he went on
+ first without serious opposition, A sma
'0 force, manGuveriBg on bis front, appea
- to have retarded his progress very consi,
1' erably until be had advanced upward
u two miles. Al five o'clock in the evenin
% his whole front being engaged, Confet
:" crate column drove like thunderbc
~ against the Third Division, and, breakir
through it, struck back the whole corps
terrible confusion The Federal advan