The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-04-05
The Fighting on Friday.

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parts of the line from morning till night,
Friday, the result of which was the cx-
tension of our lines still further westward,
although at considerable loss in killed and
wounded. The second division Of the
fifth corps, supported by the third, was
thrown out towards the White Oak road
east of the Boydtown plank road, and
ordered to reach and take position there.
After crossing small branch of Gravclly
Run, and while about forming in line, our
troops were fired upon by heavy force
of the enemy who were lying concealed
in the woods, and also by rebel artillery
posted in favorable positions. Our men
stood their ground for while, but the
enemy appearing to be moving to the left
as if TO turn their flank, the line was
forced back to their first position, where
they rallied and soon checked the encmy's
advance. About the same time another
attack was made on the right flank of tho
fifth corps, but Gen. Mills division of
the second corps being posted here made
a brilliant charge, and doubled up the
enemy, driving them long distance and
leaving hundreds of their dead and woun-
ded on the field. This was very hand
some affair, and the division received the
highest praise Tor the manner in which it
W done.
The loss on our side was about four
hundred, as nearly as can be ascertained,
mostly in the first division of the fifth
corps. About noon they again advanced
and drove the enemy back about mile
and a half, and long before dark had
reached White Oak road, for which they
started in the morning, and established
their line across the road, driving the
rebels into their strong works at Hatch
cr's Run. Their loss in the days work
was not far from twelve hundred Among
the casualties reported are Major Mills,
assistant adjutant general on Gen. Hum
phreys staff, killed by shell, Col Sar-
geant, 2l0th Pennsylvania regiment, Sc
verely wounded, and Gen. Denni-on,
commanding brigade in the second di-
vision Of the 9th corps, slightly wound
ed. The loss Of the enemy, Friday, is
, MT known, but Judging from the number
OF dead lying in the woods and ravnes,
where the fighting occurred, it must have
been at least as heavy as our own. We
: took about one hundred and fifty prisoners
during the day.
An attack was also made in front Of
9th corps, but it was not successful. AZ
ter the rebels had been driven back in
l front of the 5th corps an attack was
made with both infantry and cavalry on
Sheridan's force, about three miles frcm
: the Southside railroad near Sutherland
station, driving them back toward Din
Wilde, but subsequently he gained much
more than he lost.
i. The roads are in n terrible condition, it
, being impossible TO move trains over them
u Heavy rains have swollen the streams
and engineers are busy day and night lay
ing bridges and corduroys.
THE PREVIOUS MOVEMENTS.
: On I thursday, although rain storm
IS had made the roads bad, the army adj
r vnnccd about two miles, and the fifth
!. corps reached the Boyttown plank road,
i its junction with the White Oak road
t The ground gained cost but few men, the
r rebels making little resistance.
d On Friday, Gen. Grant tclcgraphcd at
|. noon to the President: '''ihcrc has been
c much hard fighting this morning. The
). enemy drove our left from near Dabncy S
i House back well towards the Boydtown
+ plank road. We are now about to take
: the off nsivc at that point, and | hope
: will more than recover the lost ground"
: Later he tclegraphed again, as follows :
! "Our troops, after being driven back to
~ the Boydtown plank road, turned and
: drove the enemy in turn, and took the
l. White Oak road, which we now have
i This gives US the ground occupied by the
= enemy this morning. j will send you a
:. rebel flag captured by our troops in driv-
ing the enemy back. There have been
: fur flags captured to-day"
C The rebels expected a naval in conncc-
}. ton with the land attack. The Rich
e mond Wing says: 'Reliabe intelligence
l. from City Roint represents the presence
o of fifteen monitors and forty iron clad
o vessels, in the James, river, besides an
q innumerabe fleet of smaller and less for
is midable boats. Since the attempt of the
confederaies to pass the Yankee obstruc-
tions, the enemy has doubled his vigil
ance and largely increased his naval
!. force Commodore Porter is in COM
mand of the James river fleet, and his
! flagship occupies prominent position a.
mong the vessels"
= The following order was issued by
. Gen Ord Just before starting on the pre-
sent movement: SIN the movements Of
: this army, no wagons or vehicles of any
= description, belonging to suffers, traders
), or camp followers will be permitted to go
along and whenever such are found in
, the midst of or impeding the wagon
" trains or troops, they will be at once
: turned out, and the goods contained in
. them confiscated and distributed TO the
= troops. This order will be at OF &c rub
" lished 10 the class Of persons intended"
|. sheridan's Movements Wednesday.