The National tribune., 1904-06-09

known during the night that Longstreet's s
Corps, which had not been in the previous
days action, was marching up from the
direction of Orange Courthouse. to reach
the field by q route that would strike Han
cocks left Aank and rear. That officer was
cautioned officially to beware Of this. (114)
It was with the view to provide against
this menace that, In attacking in the
morning, Hancock advanced only his right
divisions. and allowed his left. under Glib
bon, to remain on the original line on the
Brock road; so that. in throwing forward
his right, he pivoted on his left, and, with
that flank, clung to the. road on which it
was expected Longstreets would come up.
Now, at the time Hancock began his at
tack, Longstreet was really making the
movement indicated; but the assault was
executed with such energy, and so COM
pletely disrupted Hill, that Lee found it
necessary to recall Longstreet from his
flank march. and bring him forward to
meet the more pressing necessity in front
Hancock, however, unaware of this, still
looked nervously to his left; and though
after the successful advance of his right
he directed Gen. Gibbon to advance with
Barlow's Division, and press the enemy's
right, the approach Of Longstreet's Corps
on the flank gave such constant appre-
hension, that Gibbon advanced only one
brigade (that Of Col. Frank), which, after
an obstinate resistance, succeeded in form
ing connection with the left of the advanced
line. 115) This apprehension was, through
out the forenoon, constantly revived and
strengthened by various incidents that be-
fell. Thus, about 8 o'clock, an outburst of
fight was heard considerably to the left,
where Sheridan, with division of horse
had engaged the enemy; but, instead Of his
encountering LOngstreet. as Hancock sup
posed, it turned out to be Stuart's cavalry
he had met. Some time after this, there
came in q report that infantry was moving
up on the Brock road from the direction of
Todd's Tavern, about two miles from Han
cocks left; and as he knew he had no in
fantry in that quarter. he again supposed
it to be Longstreet, and took measures to
meet him. 116) But the reported column
of infantry proved to be body of several
hundred Union convalescents. who had
come to the front by way Of Chancellors-
the Second Corps around by Todd's Tav-
ern. Thus it was that the suspicion, con-
tinually reawakened, that Longstreet was
moving to turn Hancock's left flank, re-
suited in paralyzing a large number of his
best troops-troops that would otherwise
have gone into action at the time when the
disruption of Hills force opened a rare
opportunity for decisive blow.
SUCCESS OF LoNGsTREET.
The contest that signalzed Longstreet's
arrival on Hancock's front, and restored
the integrity Of the shattered Confederate
right, now died away; and for some hours,
up to nearly noon, there was lull. During
this time, Longstreet's troops continued to
arrive; and when, at length. his line had
acquired breadth and weight by the incom-
ing force, it was advanced. and Hancock's
troops, which had first halted, now began
to feel heavy pressure. The attack first
fell on the left of the advanced line, held
by the brigade of Frank. This force Long
streets troops fairly overran; and: brush
ing it away, they struck the left of Motifs
Division, which was, in turn, swept back
in confusion; and though Hancock en-
deavored, by swinging back his left, and
forming line along the plank-road, to Sc
cure the advanced position still held by his
right, it was found impossible to do SO. and
he had to content himself with rallying and
reforming the troops on the original line.
along the Brock road, from which they had
advanced in the morning. Wadsworth, on
the right of Hancock, opposed the most
heroic efforts to the onset Of the enemy
but, after several Intellectual charges, his
troops broke into the retreat; and while
striving to rally them, that patriotic and
high-souled gentleman and brave soldier
received a bullet in his head. and died
within the enemy's lines the following day.
But in the very fury and tempest Of the
Confederate onset the advance was of a
sudden stayed by cause at the moment
unknown. This afterward proved to have
been the fall Of the head of this attack.
LoNGsTREET WOUNDED.
Longstreet had made his dispositions for
a decisive blow: for while advancing one
force in front he sent another to move
round HancOck's left and lay hold of the
Brock road. At the time the Union troops
were giving ground, and the COnfedera tps
were pushing on, that officer, with his staff,
rode forward in front Of his column: when
suddenly confronting a portion of his own
thanking force. the cavalcade was mistaken
for party of Union horsemen, and received
volley under which Longstreet fell. Sc
verely wounded (117) Gen. Lee then took
formal charge of that part of the field !:
but it was four hours-that is. about
O'clock of the afternOon-before he could
get things in hand to carry out the intent
Of his lieutenant Before detailing the
sequel of events at the left. it will, how
ever. be proper to glance rapidly at what
had meanwhile taken place on the center
and right of the field.
The opening of the combat on the right
under Sedgwick. has been already seen :
and the history of what subsequently passed
here can only be told in the heavy losses
sustained by the Sixth Corps in unavaiing
attempts to carry intrenched positions. On
Sedgwick's left was Warren's Corps. placed
to the right and left of the Orange turn
pike but as Hancock's needs had COM
PEELED the detachment to his assistance of
two divisions of the Fifth Corps, the re-
naming two divisions (Griffin's and Craw-
ford's) held a simply defensive attitude.
Severe skirmishing took place throughout
the day; but the enemy in front was found
to be we'll intrenched. and no impression
was made on his position.
BURNSIDE FELL BACK AND INTRENCHED
In the action of the previous day there
had existed a considerable interval be-
tween Warren's Corps on the turnpike and
Hancock's Corps on the plankroad. 1t was
ia. Hancock: Report Of the Battle of
the Wilderness.
115. Il do not know why my order to at
tack with Barlow's Division was not more
fully carried out; but it was probably