The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-05-13

instead OF flank Of b title, facing Lee
Each commander proposed al dayiiyh,
to assault the other.
Grant now had his whole army ui',i
having marched Burnside's reserve corp,
all the way from Bull Rur. Lee had a's,:
ordered mp Longs,reet's veteran corp>
from Gordonsville, 40 miles away.
The attack made by Hancock and
Walsworth on Hills corps, plunged
them into disorder. and Lee himself had
TO order charge and lead It. The VIII
derness vas so tangled taa' II took tw
hours to reform The Federsl line, and
then Long.trees, having added his forces,
the Federal onslaught wss pushed back
to the ctoss- -nsda. Gen. WadswortL
was shot down here, the same who run
against Seymour for Governor OF Nes
York in 1861. Late in the afternoon
Longssfel sntsstook 10 makss ashk az
tack on Hancock, when he was shot
through the throat and shoulder, and
was not able to come to the 6eld until
the lsst days at the war. L e then took
command personally of Longstreet's
troops. Burnside failed. as usual. to
bring up his men, and the Wilderness be-
ing all adre in the early evening some OF
the troops were &c c'rched of the In
trenchments, when the Confederstes, fol-
lowing up the fire, leaped on the ram
parts and planted few Of their colore.
A single Federal brigade poured q shee,
Of fisme into them, and ended the battle
ON that side. After dusk the brigade OF
Seymour and Shaler, not keeping q good
lookout, were attacked as they we're about
to withdraw ON the right, and lost 5000
prisoners. ,0a- -,
The next day was Saturday, and still
in the Wilderness; there we're Ii 600
dead and wounded men in the Federal
armv, and 10000 in the Confederate
Both armies we're dispirited, and it was
supposed that Grant would fall back be-
hind the Rapidan, as P,pe, Meade,
Hooker, Burnside and all had done. o.
the contrary he proposed to draw the
enemy out OF the Wilderness by moving
to spottsylvania Court House. 10 miles
further on the road to Richmond. The
wounded we're sent through Old Chan
cellorsville to fredericksburg, and that
night Warren's corps was sent on to
possess
sPorreTLvANIA HEIGHTS.
Gen. Meade's cavalry blocked up the
road half the night, and barricades had
been thrown up by felled trees, so that il
was hal '-past eight before Warren got in
sight of Spottsylvania Court House,
Lee had supposed that Grant was going
to retreat on Fredericksburg. and had
begun to move on his right flank, and
therefore had troops in Spottsylvania
first, commanded by Anderson, of Long
streets corps. There was fighting all
that day around Spottsvlvania. but Lee,
with his whole army, vas in possession
(of it. Sedgwick was shot dead while
placing battery on the 9.b Of May
His men had WINGED little at musketry
6riEg, when be cried out: pooh! They
can't bit an elephant at that distance
and drew himself up to full height, when
q rebel shot struck him in the face. AL
day on the 10Th there we're efforts made
on the Confederate left, and. poor as the
description must he OF sucn woods bat.
ties, there we're 10000 men of the flower
of the Army of the Potomac lost around
Spottsylvanis.
On the llth Hancock made direct
charge on the center Of the Confederate
works, went through the abattis and over
the breast works, and took whole divis
ION OF Ewell's corps. II have finished
up Johnson" telegraphed Hancock to
Grant, sand am now going into Earl"
| It turned out, however, that the Con.
federates had an inner line. All day and
far into the night there were repeated
charges by the rebels on the captured 90.
lient, which was held by Grants troops
but at terrible loss. On that day ths
Union troops lost 10000 killed and
wounded, and the Confederates about al
many. Then for six days Cant msneu
vered to turn Spottsylvanla Heights, ,ant
everywhere found strength aud intrenct
ments.
On the 18th Grant resolved to eros
the North AIMS, and 60 on toward Rich
mond He was attacked by Ewell's corps
which was easily repelled, but it delayet
him. On the morning Of the 22d LIE
awoke and found the army in front Q
him gone.
NORTH ANNA AND COLD HARBoR.
Grant made two days march thrcug
fresh and fertile region, and when b
, got to the North Anna found Lee on tn
, opposite bank. Despite resistance, th
two corps Of Hancock and Warren 60
, over at poinss four miles apart. LIE
showed his army between these corps i
position to attack either, and two day
r afterward Grant recrnssed the river an
, aanked again on the lef'.
.. Both armies had been reinforced, an
, on the 2S.h, of May Grant Was on tn
!, Pamunkey. with his new base of supple
at White Honsc. During the past wee
he had lost 1900 men, the Confederate
!, more. The next strstegic position was t
: be Cold Hsrbor. which the cavalry Of Tol
bert and Custer seized. It vas held b
the Confederates despite attacks, hut al
loss OF 1000 men. Lce then endeavol
! ed to keep Grant from crossing th
! Cbickahominy. His engineers bad Ion
: ! before prepared all that country Cor n
: ! sistance by bitches, breastwcrks, obstru'
tions, DC.
Grant now resolved TO have one drc'
y sive assault for the possession OF tt
) open field with Lee. and got the me
. ready on the night of the second {
June, when they sprang forward at ru
J in the gray dawn. The 6rst line OF worh