The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-04-30

250cc
We may safely assume that $4,000 in
fantry were in the charge Of the as
saulting columns, supported by the fire
Of thlrty-two guns on the Federal side,
and that twenty-nine rapidly served guns,
together with a light desultory infantry
+ fire. were on the Confederate side to
meet it.t8& gsl
With these forces engaged, the action
commenced early on the morning Of the
18th, with the retirement of8the Confed-
crate pickets and slsirmishers. and the
advance of the Federal infantry In the
several formations referred to In there
ports. That this. wns a atured plan,
settled upon by Generals Grant and
Meade. and attempted In execution. In a
determined manner. to carry Tho Confed-
crate works on Ewell's 'front.' the follow
ms quotations from tho published official
record fully establish: @ f'
Nra1or-General Humphreys, chief Of
staff to General Meade in his hook. says:
TT had been suggested ny Major-Gen-
cral Wright. and also by myself, that
after the lapse of a few days n return
by night to the cnemy's left. which would
probably he abandoned. or very much
weakened by our concentration on his
right, might afford good opportunity
TO attack there General Wright's sug-
gcstion WINS for his corps only to under-
take 1t; sbut 1t WAS concluded to send
both the Second and Sixth Corps and on
the 18th Generals Hancock and Wright
We're ordered to move their troops in the
night to the works captured on the 18th,
and attack the enemy's new entrench-
ments there at daylight on the 18th. the
Sixth Corps on the right of the Second.
General Burnside was directed to attack
in conjunction with them, and General
Warren to open his artillery at the same
time and be prepared for the offensive
Tho Second Corps. being nearest to the
nolnt of attack led, the Sixth Corps fol-
lowing. The troops were in the positions
designated before daylight, and at A a..
NJ. Gibhon and Barlow moved forward
to assault their troops In lines OF bri-
gades. Birney and Tyler were held in
reserve. Tho artillery was posted in the
first line of works at the apex Of the
salient firing over the troops. The Sixth
Corps advanced on the right OF the Sec
ond. But the enemy was on the alert,
and the new entertainments across the
base of the salient were OF the most for
midab character, being concealed on
their right by woods, and having on that
part Of their front a heavy slashing, and
on their left front. which, was in the
open ground Of the Harrison farm, lines
of abattls. AS the troops approached
they were met with n heavy musketry
and artillery fire. which completely swept
the ground In front: but notwithstand-
ing. they passed forward to the slashing
and nbatis. and made several gallant at
tempts to carry tho enelny's lines, but
without success.
Upon It's being reported to General
Meade that there was but little probatil-
ity Of the cnemy's lines being carried,
he directed the attack to be discontinued.
and the troops were accordingly with
drawn.
General Burnside made the attack d.
rected on the morning Of the 18th, with
the divisions of Crittcndcn and Potter
and all his artillery, uniting on the right
with HANCOCK. but could not carry the
cncmy's entertainments. Tho artillery
of tho Fifth Corps also opened and con-
tlnued It's fire for several hours,
Mr., Charles A. Dana. In his report to
Secretary Stanton. says: The report OF
General Wright, who had reconnottered
the ground over which our proposed at
tack upon the enemy's right was to be
made, caused General Grant to change
the plan detailed In my dispatch OF last
T evening, Instead OF attacking on our
left, Hancock and Wright have made IL
night march to our right flank and at
tackedNat daylight upon tho same lines
where Hancock made his successful as
sault on Thursday last. We have as yet
no news of the result. Warren's guns
opened a heavy fire upon the rebel lines
at the courthouse Mt 4:30, and Hancock
and Wright made their attack this morn
ing n good style forced the first and
second lines OF rebel rifle pits, and for n
time were confident that at last they had
struck the lair of the enemy; but, ad-
Vancing through the forest each Scorps
presently found itself confronted by
heavy interior works. protected. espe-
cially in lIancocks limo OF advance, by
impossible abatis.r Barlow's division ot
Hancock's corps attempted In vain to
charge through this obstacle, and held
their ground before 1t for an hour or
more, under a calling fire OF canister.
the difficulty of stormlng the rebel en-
trenched camp on that side being owl
IDENTIFY Of tho most extreme character,
and both corps having artfully. but un-
successfully, sought for n weak point
where they might break through, Grant
| az o'clock ordered tho attack to cease.
warren maintained vigorous artillery
| hnel with the rebel batteries around the
| courthouse until II O'clock when both
9rtles ceased firing. Our losses by the
h"ninH's Wort are reckoned by Cen
4 Meade AZ go killed and wounded.
Medical Director McParlin says: On
| the morning Of the 18th the Second Corps
moved to the right and attacked the
cnemy's works ESQ wounded were the re.
| suit, and the character of the xvounas