The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-05-21
THE BATTLE MONTH.
Continued from Ist Page.l

thrown into confusion and driven back to
their works. Col. Amos Webster, jT., who
was then on Grants staff, says that when
the excitement was at its hight, one of sedg-
wick's Aids-prOblbly Capt. Beaumont
rode into Headquarters back of the Lacey
House, and informed Gen. Grant that the
flank Of the Sixth Corps had been turned
and that communication was cut Off Grant,
who sat on q log trimming a twig for q
riding whip, quietly responded: Well, If
communication is cut OFF,
HOW DID YOU GET HERE?'
Gems. Grant and Meade, accompanied by
Gen. Humphreys, then proceeded up the
road until they met Gen. Scdgwick, by
which time the affair was all over. But as
there appeared TO be no good reason for
holding the right of the Sixth Corps so far
TO the front, 1t was thrown back TO rest on
the Germanna road.
From this time there was desultOry picket
firing all night, but the battle Of the Wilder
ness was over. Gen. Grant had not sue
ceeded in getting out into the open country
below Spottsylyania without fight" as he
desired to do. Gen. Lee had not succeeded
in driving the Army of the Potomac back
across the river" as he had hoped to do. So
that, from strategic point of view, the bat
tie had no decisive result. On other grounds
its issne was favorable to the Union cause.
The rebels had made their supreme effort
and had expended the flower of their forces
in vain. They never fought another great
pitched battle with the Army Of the POtO-
mae. The subsequent history Of the war
was a series of assaults and sieges by US and
OF defenses and retreats on their part.
Among the remarkable features Of this
great battle was the fact that at one time OF
another
EVERY AVAILABLE MAN
had been brought into action; athing which
as previously intimated. had never before
occurred in the Army of the Potomac. Every
infantry regiment in the army had suffered
losses except the S1st and 1S3d Pa. and the
I'd Del. Every brigade had been in action
The greatest losses Of brigadeS were those Ol
Hays's Brigade, Birney's Division, Second
Corps, $50, and Lewis A. Grants Vermont
Brigade, Getty's Division, Sixth Corps, ,2G9
These were nearly all gunshOt casualties
only "a being captured from Hays'5 Brigade
and but 81 from Grant'sI The smallest loss
of any brigade was thaeof Miles's, Barlow:
Division, Second Corps, 81 men. The tota
loss of the army was as follows:
Killed .--.-.. ~
ouHded tZ,J5
Captured o'7
Total IL 90
The losses of Lees army are not accu
rateIy known, hut few reports Of brigade
losses having been preserved. The mos
trustworthy estimates, IN which authOritiet
on both sides agree, place the rebel loss a
between IL 500 and 10000 men. The per
centage was, therefore, the same as ours
that is to say, from 10 to 20 per cent. Of th'
total force engaged.
The cavalry had not been able To- exer
any appreciable influence on the fortunes o
/ the combat. The ground was in the las
degree unfavorable to their operations.
With the exception Of DOw's 9th Me. bat
/ tery on the Brock road May 6, and Stewart
battery, Il, 4th L. s., in covering the with
I drawal Of WadswOrth from the HagersOr
/ clearing IN the forenoon OF the 5th Of May
/ the artillery got no opportunity Of effective
action whatever. The Confederate ARTILLERY
| rOt q little better chance, but on the who'll
I il may be said that the artillery cut m
I figure in the battle Of the Wilderness. BE
! longing to that arm myself, / would no
admit this if the truth Of history did not re
! quire it.
| At daylight on May reconnaissance
showed that the enemy occupied a strongly
\ inirenched position parallel 90 and about
/ mile west from the Germanna and BrOel
roads, where they evidently expected an,
desired to be attacked. They were no
| gratifed.
4 (To he roufjy,,sIl