Year: 1864

The New York Heralds correspon-
dent with the Army of the Potomac,
gives the following graphic description
of the fight on the I'd and 3rd:
sKIRNIsHlNG on THURsDAY-CHANGE or


FRONT.


Succeeding my despatch of yesterday
forenoon there was lively skirmishing
in our front until five P. NJ, when the
corps changed its position. The change
was made, not from any advantage the
enemy had gained or was likely to gain,
but in compliance with orders involv-
ing a new formation of our general
army line General Burnside's troops,
on our right, commenced changing their
position at the same time.


THE ATTACK OF THE ENEMY


Seeing this movement of the troops
Of the two corps, the enemy evidently
supposed we were retreating, and made
a bold and desperate attack on our
moving column A severe engagement
was the result, which lasted until dark
ness, and a violent rain storm put an
end to it.


WARREN AND HIS CORPS ALWAYS READY FOR


FIG8T.


The enemy miscalculated when he
thought to find the Fifth corps unpre-
pared to receive and combat him Gen.
Warren is not man to be found nap
ping. Generals Griffin, Crawford and
Cutler are not easily surprised, and
Colonel Wainwright, Chief of Artillery,
always manages to know where his bat
teries are and the best localities to put
them IN upon pressing emergency.


THE OPENING FIGHT


was in the open field, and away from
breastworks, emerging from piece Of
woods beyond Bethesda church, the
enemy, with demoniac yells, pressed
forward, in massed column, to charge
our forces. The repulse and slaughter
they received were terrible. Volley
after volley our infantry poured into
their ranks with fearful rapidity. Our
batteries threw grape and canister with
murderous accuracy.


THE HEAVIEST POSITION OF ATTACK.


On General Ayers and General Bart
let's brigades the burden of attack was
made The rebel dead lay in heaps
before these brigades. Sweitzer' s
brigade was in reserve, and was only
slightly engaged All the other troops
of the corps participated in the fight,
however, and fought with unparalleled
bravery.


THE REBEL COLUMN BRoKEE-OUR PURSUIT.


The reception the enemy received in
their first assault, was too much for
them. A portion OF his troops broke
and ran in wild disorder Our troops
now pressed forward. Hotly its advance
was contested, but before the firmness
of our counter assault the enemy had
to give way. A short time found him
at his starting-point, and our troops be-
hind their original breastworks. 1t
was brief, bloody but brilliant victory
for the fifth corps. The intention was
for the ninth corps to take the position
we had occupied, but somehow their
forces got massed in a way preventing
speedy resistance of the enemy assault
and to help this corps out of its diff
Guilty and to punish the enemy severely,
which the fifth corps knew it could do,
and could not resist doing, it persisted
in driving the enemy as it did, and re
occupied its former line.


VICTORY, But NOT THE END or THE FIGHT.


But reoccupancy of our vacated posi-
ton did not terminate hOstilities. From
behind the opposing breastworks the
firing continued. and the batteries on
both sides kept up a ceaseless and furi-
Gus cannonading. Headquarters, which
were to have been at Moody's house,
two miles away, were last night where
they were the night previous, and our
troops who were to have another posi-
ton in the grand line, lay behind the
old earthworks.


GENERAL WARREN OBEYs ORDERS.


General Warren's orders were to with
draw without fight if he could, but if
attacked to turn about and whip the
enemy The latter part of this order
it will be seen he obeyed.


THE BATTLE FIELD.


Particularly where the opening as
sault was made by the enemy, presented
a frightful picture after the fight Dead
and wounded lay in piles in the open
fields and woods. The loss of the enc
my was frightfuL 1t took all night 10
bury the dead and remove the wounded


OUR LOSSES


Our own losses are light when com
pared with what it was supposed they
would be. On General Ayres' and Gen.
Bartletts brigades the loss fell heaviest,
but with concession Of superior losses,
10 this brigade is conceded saving the
day.


orr ATTACK.


At halfpast four clock this morn
ing, an attack was 10 have been made
along our entire line, in our front This
part Of the general programme was car
ried out promptly, the attack being with
both infantry and artillery II was
brisk attack and called out vigorous
The firing continued two
hours, the infantry on both sides firing
from behind breastWorks.


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