Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-09-24

NdEu, L y XII at AAC
down the road, and the heads of the two
columns Unexpectedly met. Johnson's
single division of Ewelrs corps had not
as yet come up, and upon this Griffin fell,
driving it back for some distance. The
enemy being reinforced, turned, held
their ground, and forced Griffin back
over the space which he had won.
Wadsworth, with his division, endeavor-
ed to join Griffin, but missing his way
through the woods, was exposed to q
flank fire, from which his troops retreat
ed. One brigade of Crawford's division
became isolated, and lost in prisoners
nearly the whole of two regiments
Grant perceiving that the enemy were in
force and ready for battle, hogan to con-
centrate his army. Thus far the battle
had been borne by Warren's corps, op-
posed 10 that OF Ewell, and the former
hal been driven back to the line that he
had occupied in the morning, where he
stood at bay, but EwelPs troops threaten
ed 10 turn his right. Sedgewick's troops
pressed on through the.dense underbrush
and at length came square in front of a
line of battle. They were charged by the
Confederates, but they held their ground
The enemy then tried TO turn their flank
but being unsuccessful, they fell back and
began to fortify their; position. The op-
posing lines were but hundred or two
yards apart, on the opposite slopes of a
swampy, woody hollow, and though the
ring of axes telling trees to build breast
works filed the air, not man could be
seen from one side to the other. After
four o'clock the fight was raging three
miles southwark, where Gen. Getty held
grimlY to a vital point, which he was or
dered to hold, towards which Hanc ock
was advancing. Hancock drew up his
force fronting the Confederate Gen. Hill,
and began to level the woods and throw
up breastworks to receive an assault.
General Meade had ordered Getty to take
the offensive, and drive Hill up the plank
road. He found the enemy in superior
force, lying hidden in the woods. Gen.
Hancock supported Getty with divisions
from his corps. The assaults were hot
and furious. Repeated and desperate as
saults," Lee styles them "a fierce fight,
the lines being exceedingly close, the
musketry continuous and deadly along
the entire line," says Hancock. All was
in vain: Hill could not be pushed back,
and more than one of the assailing di-
visions were obliged to waver and break.
For four houfs-until night closed in
the contest ragged, with no important ad-
vantage to either side.
To Harper's History of the Great Re-
bellion, in which 1 find but few mistakes
in dates and few typographical errors, l
am indebted for the greater share of the
facts here narrated. In speaking, of the
battle of the fifth OF May, it says,
"Tbe engagements of this day can
scarcely be called a battle. 1t was rather
a series of fierce enc ounters between pnr-
tons of two armies, each ignorant OF The
position, strength and fOrce OF the 9th er.
Neither commander had succeeded IN erect
ing his purpose. Lee had hoped to fall
upon the flank of Grants columns while
stretched out in a long feeble line OF
march, cut them in two, and annihilate
one portion of it while 1t was isolated
from the other. If the collision had TAX
en- place two hours later, when the whole
Erra1l1g sufo
have come up, while the Federals were
fairly on the march, it COULD hardly have
failed to succeed. But Grant had now
been able to place his force in line of bat
tie, opposing his front instead of his
ever, to push the Confederates back up
on the roads upon which they had ad
yanced But the state of affairs was such
next day. Grant, indeed, had no choice
but to fight He, was still enmeshed in
the Wilderness He could not GO south
ward without exposing himself to a dis
astrous flank assault. It would have been
equally perilous to have attempted to re-
cross the Rapidan. even had he been of a
temper to give up his forward purpose
He might, indeed, have fallen back east |
ward, toward Fredericksburg, by W aY OF
the Brock Road, plank and turnpike, and
thus have got clear of the Wilderness, |
but there was nothing IN the posi- ton OF |
aHalrs 10 warrant such resort. HoweV-
er, nelther General had used his whole |
force Burnside's corps, 10000 strong, |
had pushed on by forced marches, were |
crossing at Germania Ford, and could be
brought into action the next day. Lee
0nnI0 "a - g onnnG2l0n
the numbers to be opposed to him. he |
also had fresh forces at hand. Long
streets veteran corps was moving on |
from its cantOnments, forty miles away. |
During the afternoon he had reached
position ten miles from where the battle |
was raging, but in those close woods the
noise of the musketry was unheard, an d
he was Ignorant that a battle was being |
iought until midnight, when he received |
orders from Lee to advance. Two hours |
later he was on the march, and would |
come up. Anderson's division, moreover, |
one-third of Hills strong corps, had BEEN
lett behind to watch the upper fords OF
The Rapidan. These were now close at |
hand. Longstreet and Anderson would |
add 10000 fresh men 10 Lees force on the |
neld. With two, thirds of his army ne |
nad gained some apparent advantage
win this it was not unreasonable to hope
that he could win decisive victory"
By rare occurrence in warfare. both |
commanders resolved to fl ight at once,
and each proposed TO assault the lines Of |
the other at daybreak. Grants plan of |
battle was simultaneous attack along |
the whole line of FIVE miles, each divis
lon attacking whatever appeared in its |
'front.' Lees main attack was to be made |
by Longstreet and Hill upon the Union
left, while EwelI, one of the most desper-
ate of fighters, was to make an assault, |
or rather a demonstration, upon the
right. Five O'Clock, the hour when the
gray dawn was breaking into day, was
The time fixed by Grant for the attack,
but Ewell had fifteen minutes earlier |
moved out Of his lines upon Sedgewick's |
right. Sedgewick and Warren advanced,
driving back the enemy to the position
from which he had sailed. Upon this no |
impression could me made, and the con-
lest ceased at this point. Hancock push
ed half Ofhia force yVaatuard unnn HilI'a