The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-05-06

JUNE, 1888
smithfield with great rapidity. and with.
1 out unnecessary wheels, Intending 10 over
Whelm my left flank before it could be re-
neyed by its cooperating columns. But
No "reckoned without his host" I had
expected just such q movement all the wav
from Fayetteville, and was prepared for r.
! Durlng the night Of the 10Th, Gen. Slocum
got up bis wagon train with its guard Of
Two DIVISIONS, and Hazen's division of the
!otn corps, which reinforcement enabled
~, nm TO make his position impregnable.-
me right wing found rebel cavalry watch
ing lls approach, but unable to offer any
serious opposition, until our head Of col.
umn encountered q considerable bodv be.
hind barricade at tine forks of the road
near Bentonville, about three miles east of
the battlefield Of the day before. Thia
oody OF cavalry was, however, quickly dis.
lodged, and the intersection of the roads
secured: On moving forward the 18Th
had thrown back his left dank. and had
constructed q line of parapet connecting
with that toward Gen. Slocum, in the form
OF DastiOn, its salient on the main Golfls-
boro road, interpOsing between Gen. Slo.
cum on the west, and Gen. Howard on the
east, while the hanks rested on Mill Creek.
covering the road back to Smithfield. Gen.
Howard was instructed to proceei with
due caution until he had made strong con.
nectlon on his left with Gen, Slocum. This
ne soon accomplished, and at 4 p. N. of the
2Oth complete and strong line of battle
confronted the enemy in his intrenched
position, and General Johnston, instead Of
catchlng US In detail, was on the defensive.
with Mill Creek and q single bridge to hia
rear. Nevertheless, we had no object to
accomplish by battle unless at an advan.
lage, ana therefore my general instructions
We're to press steadily with skirmishera
alone, to use artillery pretty freely on the
wooded space held by the enemy. and to
ieel pretty strongly the TANKS of his posi-.
.loa; whlcn wereas usual covered with the
endless swamps Of this region of country.
also ordered all empty wagons to be sent
AZ once to kinston for supplies, and other
lmpedlments to be grouped near the Neuse
south OF Goldsboro, holding the real army
IN close contact with the enemy. ready "a
light him il he ventured outside his para
pets and swampy distractions. Thus mat
ters stood about Bentonville on the 2lst Of
March; On the same day, Gen. Schofield
entered GOldsboro with little or M onnosi.
;ion, and Gen. Terry had got possession Of
the Neuse river At CO1's bridge. ten miles
above, with pentoon bridge laid and
brigade across, 20 that the three armies
: we're IN actual connection. and the great
OBJECT OF the campaign was accomplished.
THE BATTFE OF BENroNvrLL1.
On the 2lst asteady rain prevailed, du-
ring which General Movers division Of
the 18th corps, on the extreme right. had
worked well to the right around the ono.
my,s flank, and had nearly reached the
bridge across Mill Greek. the onlv line ~
retreat open to heenemy. OF course there
was extreme danger that the enemy would
turn on him all his reserves. and it mieht
be, let 60 his parapets to overwhelm Now
al attack by our skirmish line, from 1eft to
right. Quite noisy battle ensued, during
which General Mower was enabled to re.
gain his connection with his own oorps. bv
to his IN rear. Still he had do.
ve'oped weakness in the enemy's poei.
tion OF (which advantage might have been
taken; but that night the enemy retrested
on Smithield, leaving his picksts to nm
into our hands, with many dead unburied.
and wounded in his field hospitals. ~
day break on the 22d, pursuit Was mado
two miles beyond Mill Greek, but checked
by my order. General Johnston had MT
lef!v failed in his attempt, and We NJ
NAMED in full possession OF the field Of bat.
lie.
- THE LOSSES.
General Slocum reports the losses of the
eft wing about Bentonville, at0 o6icer9
and l45 men killed, 81 officers and $40 mon ,.
wounded, and officers and 223 men mis-.
ng, taken prisoners by the enemy total.
l,N7. He buried on the field 167 rebel dead
md took 338 prisoners. General Howard
.eports the losses Of the right wing at Of
icers and IS men killed, IL oficers and 90
men wounded, and officer and 60 men
Missing; total339. He also buried 100 reb-
d Gead, and took ,2S7 prisoners, The cav.
llry Of Fitzpatrick was held in reserve. and
osl but few, II any, of which have no re-.
,ort as yet. Our aggregate loss at Benton.1
lille was J, $40. am well satisfied that
he enemy lost heavily, especially DURING,
lis assault on the left wing, during the afs
ernoon Of the 10Th; but as / have no data
ave his dead and wounded left in ourf
lands, Iprefer TO make no oomparisona. (
thus, az l have endeavored TO explain.
se bad complsted our march on the 2lst.
md bad full possession OF Goldsboro, Tho
,ack to the seap0rts Of Wilmington and
Beaufort, North Carolina. These were b..
ng rapidly repaired by strong working
arttes directed by Colonel w. w. Wright
I the railroad department. A large num.g
ef OF supplies had already fbeen brought:
Onward 70 Ktuston, to which plaee our
ore directed General Howard ana the cav.
ny 70 remain at Bentonvillo during the
ID, to bury the dead and remove the,
and on the following day all tho
rmies to move TO the camps assigned
hem about Goldsboro, there to rest and
eceive the clothing and ssppliss Of which
hey stood In need. In ps5son went On
he 22dtt0 C0x's brigade - meet Osneral,
'erry, whom I met for the 6rst time, and,
b the following day rode into 0oldsbpeo.
here found 0e1efal 0CD6eld end tia ar.s
~. The left wing came IN during Sho
.rne day and next naornMR, and tbeu
Try moved 20 Mount Olive statiou astas
eneral Terry back ito Gsisou's. On, ~,
'th the Newbern railroad siwso finished
nd the first train Of cars came in, thuo
wing % the means OF bringing from the
epot at Morehsad City, full suppies "a
e army. aiid 9s ~ - ~ ass't@I~ % ~
COMPLIMENTS 70 HIS ARny. 5aft%s
In concl usion, ] beg; to express, in tho
ost emphatic manner, my entire sattsfhc.
On with the tone and temper Of tie whole
my. Nothing seems to dampen their en-.
zo0l 0hoorfrV1v Inn "a -