Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-02-08
TELEGRAPHlC NEWS.
ADVANCE OF The ARMY OF THE Pc
TOmA(,


Our Forces Cross Hascher's Run-Thf
Union Troops Maintain their Position
Terrible Loss OF the Enemy-Success
the m oyement.
[Dispatch to the Philadelphia Inquirer
EEADQCARTEEs ARMY OF THE Potomac,
Sunday, Feb S, IL p. m.-Preliminary to q re-
cital Of the operations of the day, a word about
the country Is necessary Events In the latter
part of October hav made the people familiar
with the locality of Hatchers Run and OF the
country immediately in the vicinity, and as far
beyond II as Grayelly Run. When it is SAID
the events OF to. day have transplred on almost
the same ground, the only difference being that
we are tapping further 10 the left, II Is known
that we have been marching and fighting IN
country gently rolling, alternately open fields
and dense pine forests, with here and there
swamp Of no raean pretension.
Yesterday afternoon ii first became evident
that the army would, in mid winter, make an
ether attempt on the rebel lines defending Pc
teIsburg. Orders were issued to the Filth
Corps, Second Corps and Greggs cavalry, TO
be in readiness to march at q moments notice.
followed later in the day by the marching or.
der itself; Gregg being ordered to move at
the Second Corps at G O'Clock, but where, no.
body knew. The purpose of the movement
was kept profoundly secret, and even now,
when Smyth has fought his good fight, our
plans are so far undeveoped that the imme
diate purpose Of our Generals can only be sur
missed
promptly in motion. General Gregg, with his
Division OF Cavalry, moving in generally
southwestern dlIeC nOn from the camp, on the
Jerusalem plank road but the distance of his
scene Of operations prevents any detailed &C
count 10 night. No rumors have been received
of his having encountered any serious opposi.
ton, and it is presumed that he accomplished
the duty assigned him. General Warren, as
usual, was prompt on time, and moved out the
Halifax read early in the morning and about
the middle of the afternoon made junction
with he left OF General Mott, who by that
time was across Hatchers Run. Being myself
on ths Fifth Corps line l cannot speak partic-
nix IN If M Cpypa INIT
NO great amount of firing being heard in his
direction. it is probable that he met nothing
but strong skirmish or picket line OF the
enemy, which he found as difficulty in driy.
Ing in.
At the designated hoar il moved down the
Vaughn road, the brigade of Gen. De Trobri-
and, of Gen. Motifs division, leading the adj
vance, followed by the second division, COM
manded by Gen. Thomas Il. Smyth. The en-
einy's pickets were encountered on the east side
OF Hatcher's Run, but retired with very little
persuasion On arriving within half q mile of
the point where the Vaughn road crossed
Hatcher's Run, Gen. SmFth obiiqued to the
right, and, taking by road, soon reached the
designated ground, and formed his line of bat
tie nearly at right angles with the Run.
In the meantime General Mott pursued the
Vaughn road, spreading ont De Trobriand's
brigade in line OF battle and struck the point OF
crossing the run with his right, composed of
the goth Pennsylvania, Colonel Blles 1t is
most difficult piece of ground to cross over,
as the previous experience OF General Miles
ha0 proved, Dut the S9tn went over with no
other mIshap than the sudden but temporary
disappearance Of Colonel BiIes and Sc veral OF
his men under the water, by reason of their
getting into some holes the rebels had dug in
the bed OF the creek The crossing was but
teebly opposed, not more than one hundred of
the enemy o'cupy ing the fiimsy line of breast
works defending the crossing.
The crossing OF the stream being secured,
the 3D. Pennsylvania cavalry was thrown for
ward, under command OF MaioT Hess ana en-
countering the enemy's picket line, drove ii
hack distance. suffering hut SLIGHT
The cavalry was closely followed by the bril-
gade ct General De TTobriand. who, on getting
into communication with Smyth, halted and
began forming.
A pause along the whole line followed the
crossing Of Hatcher 5 Run.
General Mott threw out his LETT only far
enough to make his line of battle form angle
with HatChsr's Run, as General Smyth has
described on the east bank OF the stream The
Run was crossed by DE Trobriand abont 10
| a. III.
General Meade arrived and established the
headquarters Of the army Immediately on the
| battlel line ut eleven O'Clock, and from that
hour until about four no perceptible change
was made in our dispositions. We appeared
to be waiting for something.
The story current was that II was for War
| rem to come up and join Mott left; but how
ever that may have been, beyond some desul.
tory skiImishing along Motifs and Smyth's
fronts, the hours passed on without events.
The Rebels, meantime wake up at last to
the TACT that formidable force was sweeping
around their right Prisoners taken during
the SkirmlSnlng DaC demonstrated the TACT
that Gordon's Corps Of Lees army, numeri.
callY the second, was pcketting this portion
Of the Rebel lines; but. aside from these pick
cts, we had found no evidence Of the presence
OF an enemy, but were destined to make their
acquaintance before day closed.
BY two O'Clock il became evident that the
rebels were about to try their old and often
successful policy OF massing their whole
available force to attack what they considered
a vulnerable part of the line. General Smyth,
on reaching the ground designated for his oc-
-, q <yn
dlately thrown mp, or to speak more properly,
dug out line of rife pits, and with these as a
protection to his right flank, partially shielded
by swamp, awaited the onset with confidence.
The rebel attack was in the old familiar style
General Smyth s Second Brigade, command
ed by Colonel Matthew Murphy. of the Sixty
Rebels. With that yell which has been heard
too often to have any terrors for our veterans,
theeenemy came on in splendid style, a brigade
front tapping over the right considerably, and
with three lines of battle. He evidently ex.
pected no great difficulty in crushing our flank
and by gaining, even tor an hours time the
compel an abandonment of them; but happily
no such result followed The swamp troubled
the enemy some little, but in attempting to
evade this Soy he run upon his Charvbd,s
in the shape of murphy's Irish Legion For
five minutes or SO that advancing line breasted
as deadly a fire as even their experience can
or hut they were not proof against it Long
before they reached our line they were COM
PEELED to fall back nder the CO yer of the woods
from which they had emerged.
lull followed, Gen. Smyth had seen too
many battles to think all over.
second charge, as our officers had OWNED.
soon followed. First, reforming under coSero OF
the woods, and shifting little 70 the leI5 the
Rebels again advanced in the same gallant
style. Gen. Smyth,s whole line poured into
them most terrible fre: That u. most PERSIA ss
With III. noWer OF speaking without intermis-
sion. There was no break In our n. firing fri until
ulno third time the desperate Rebels essayed to
a;.1odge MS from our position. By this tms
It was after sunset, but the moon hung over.
head in an unclouded sky, and was so bright
we hardly knew when day ended and aight
began. In the same old way, on came the Reb.
81 line. Again they were met by q fire they
could not Withstand, and, finally retreating,
left the Second Corps receipt in full for the
27th day of October.