The National tribune., 1904-06-16
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.

attempts were skillfully met at every point.
the Confederates extending theiy line TO
correspond with the shifting of the army ;
so that wherever attack was essayed, the
enemy bristled out in breastworks, and
every partial assault made was repulsed.
Day by day Grant continued to throw out
toward the left, in the hope of overlapping
and breaking in the Confederate right
flank: so that from occupying. as the army
did on its arrival, line extending four
or five miles to the northwest of Spotsyl-
vania Courthouse ii had at the end of 10
days assumed a position almost due east
OF that place. the left resting at distance
OF four miles at Massaponax Church.
LEES ATTACK AND REPULsE on FREDERICKs-
BURG ROAD.
After ~ days Of effort. the carrying of
the position was seen TO be hopeless; and
Gen. Grant, abandoning the attempt. re-
solved by a turning operation to disen-
gage Lee from a position seen TO be un-
assailabie. Preparations for this movement
were begun on the afternoon of the 10Th !:
but the enemy observing these, retarded
its execution by bold demonstration
against the Union right. 1t happened that
this flank was held by a division of foot
artillerists, under Gen. Tyler posted in an
important position. covering the road from
Spotsylvania to Fredericksburg, which was
the army's main line of communication
with its base at the latter point. Ewell
crossed the Ny River above the right flank,
and moving down, seized the Fredericks-
burg road and laid hands on an ammunition
train coming up. Tyler promptly met this
attack and succeeded in driving the enemy
from the road and into the woods beyond.
The foot artillerists had not before been in
battle. but it was found that, once under
fire. they displayed an audacity SURPRISING
even the old troops. In these murderous
wood-fights the veterans had learned to en-
ploy all the Indian devices that afford shell
ter to the person but these green battal-
boldly on. firing furiously. Their loss was
heavy. but the honor of the enemy's re-
pulse belongs to them. Shortly afterward.
troops of the Second and Fifth Corps COM
ing to their assistance. pursued the fugi-
tives up through the valley of the Po, and
crates that had scattered through the
woods. This attack somewhat disconnected
the contemplated movement and DELAYED
it till the following night, May 20. when
the army. moving by the left. once more
took up its march toward Richmond.
Before the lines of Spotsylvania the
Army of the Potomac had for II days and
nSghts engaged in fierce wrestle. in which
it had done all that valor may do to carry
Il position by nature and art impregnable.
In this contest. unparalleled i'm its con-
tinuous fury. and swelling to the proper
tions OF campaign. language is inadequate
to convey an impression of the labors, ia
tigues. and suferings of the troops who
fought by day only to march by night. from
point to point of the long line, and renew
the night on the morrow. Above 10000
men had already fallen in the bloody en-
counters of the Wilderness and Spotsyl-
vania. t26) and the exhausted army began
to lose its spirit. 1t was with joy, there
fore. that it at length turned its back upon
the lines of Spotsylvania.
sHERIDAN's CAVALRY OPERATIONS.
Before proceeding to follow the Army
OF the Potomac in it's southwark march
from SpOtsylyania Courthouse, it will be
proper to glance briefly at the operations
of the cavalry under Sheridan during its
raid on Lees communications. This column,
consisting of portions of the three divisions
of Merritt, Wilson, and Gregg. (27) cut
loose from the Army of the Potomac on the
9th of May. with orders to engage the enc
my's cavalry, and after destroying the Fred
ericksburg and Central Railroads. to
threaten Richmond and eventually commu-