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WEDNESDAY, MAT 6, 1803.
ARMI OF THE POTOMAC,
THE OPERATIONS OF CENEMI HOOKER.
the Rebel Commander Lee Outgeneraled.
The Battle of Ohancellorville,
(Stonewall Jackson Attacks the Riglit and
is Repulsed,
THE REBEL GENERAL HILL KILLED.
■Our Army* Confident and Victorious,
Mr. Swinton, of the New York Times, writes, to
4hftt newepaper-the moat intelligent accountsjye
Ahave yet read of the operations of the Army of the
Potomac. He reviews the different movements of
•General Hooker, and tellß us all that has been done
tfrom the movement of the army from Falmouth to
•the battle of Ohancellorville:
OHATrCELLORVILL.T3, YA., TEN MILES WEST BY
■ ' South of Fredericksburg,
Saturday, Midnight, May 2, 1863.
The military operations which have been in pro
.-gress on the line of the Rappahannock for a week
past have to-day culminated in what, if not precisely
.a great battle, only escapes that designation because
-we all feel that greater, by far, remains behind,
General Hooker, by a series of brilliantly auda
.ciouß mancovres and movements, of a celerity wholly
unmatched in thiß war, haß succeeded in crossing
the Rappahannock river, and gaining for his army a
position ten milea wesfc’by south, and in the rear of
Fredericksburg.-
GENERAL LEE OUTGENERALLED. *
General Lee, at first completely surprised by this
move, and utterly puzzled as to his antagonist’s ia
-tentione, has, however, had time to recover himself,
.and with a hand almost equally bold in the grand
.game of strategy—abandoning his position in Frede
ricksburg, and the line of twenty miles down the
Rappahannock, which he has held for months—has
.changed kis front, and stands opposite us in the hor
rid gago of battle.
We have secured a strong position, completely turn
■in g the line of rebel defensive heights in the rear of Frede
ricksburg, against which our armyon the l3thof last
.December madly dashed itself. This, as General
Hooker expresses it in his inspiriting order of Thurs
day, gives us the advantage of compelling the enemy
to fight us on ground of our own choosing.
THE POSITION.
Figure to yourself a huge triangle or redan, one
leg of three miles long, resting on the south side of
the Rappahannock, above Fredericksburg, and be
tween Banks’ and United States Ford b, and the other
-on Hunting creek, an affluent of the Rappahannock,
with the apex at Ohancellorville, and you have, in
epitome, the.situation as it now stands. This posi
tion, naturally strong, has been rendered doubly
stronger by breastworks and abattis thrown up in
front to cover the troops.
Imagine, now, the enemy massed in front of this
position—front to front, andflauk to flank—and you
. have the ’ rebel situation. Take into account, also,
that the enemy have strengthened themselves by the
.•■ same appliances adopted by us.
These relative positions were assumed three days
ago, and the history of that period is that of skir
mishing along the advance line, developed in front
- of both armies, we. feeling the. enemy at various
points, the enemy feeling us at various points.
STONEWALL JACKSON ATTACKS.
This afternoon and evening, however, the enemy
was emboldened to depart from these minor opera
tions, and make a bold couj), by attacking our right
flank in. force, and attempting to double us up.
About six o’clock, this evening, Jackson—you will
recognize as I go on the operations and all its cir
cumstances as one quite in his style, and the affair
will recall to you Cedar Mountain and other memo
ries—with his whole corns of forty thousand men,
threw himself impetuously on our extreme right,
formed by the 11th Army Corps, under command of
Major General Howard. The assault wa3 one
marked by;all the dash and audacity that character
ize liis mind, and as it was made precisely at our
weakest point, and on a corps which Jackson has
already several times beaten, it was well calculated
to succeed.
That he only partially succeeded in turning our
- flank, was not .owing to the conduct of the nth
Army Corps, which waß disgraceful, but to the superb
. generalship of Hooker, who promptly threw rein
forcements on our right to stop the enemy’s advance.
. Such changes in our position as circumstances dic
tated are to-night being made—l must not at present
mention what they there is little prospect
that the enemy will succeed in his purpose of either
breaking our. line; or cutting our communications,
while a vigorous offensive will probably, in a few
hours be assumed. The rebels will do oneof two'
things: either abandon, their position here and seek
to make good their retreat to G-ordonsvilie—the only
line now left them, as Fredericksburg has been aban
doned, and their, line dt communication with Rich
mond is in all probability by this time cut— or they will
remain here and give us battle.:
It is, of course, impossible for me to predict which
alternative General Lee will adopt; but a few hours
Will develop, and.if the hopes of our leaders and our
oWn do not prove deceptive; you may expect soon to
Bear of the greatest victory of the war. ■
To make the battleof to-day intelligible in all its
relations, it is absolutely necessary that I should
take a brief retrospect of the operations of the en
■ tire week. You have already received from your
correspondents current accounts of events as they
■ have transpired ; but as it was inevitable that these
should be written without a foil appreciation of the
meaning and relations of the movements and ma
noeuvres, it will be necessary to go back and trace
the development of the situation from the start. Let
me add that, owing to. the accumulation of material,
I must abandon all hope ot entering into a descriptive
account, as my notebook.-would fill several pages of
the Times, and must,‘to the sacrifice of artistic effect,
treat it purely in its military relations.
A REVIEWrOF OUR MOVEMENTS.
It is Monday morning (April 27), and the armyis
all in motion. The vast area it covers of miles and
miles in extent is an animated scene of bustle and
stir. The camps are. “broken,” and the comfortable
log huts and winter quarters, in which the men have
been lodged for months; are abandoned. Columns of
troops are-moving oil this road and that, and on a
dozen, different roads, carefully concealing them
selves from the enemy’s view by marching through
the wdods and behind the knolls and - ridges of the
broken ground along the Rappahannock. Long
.trains of artillery, pack mules, and ambulances, add
their of the imposing and the pictu
resque to the scene.
The movement would many days ago have been
inaugurated but for these fickle April slcieß, which
have left but brief intermissions of fine weather,
and during the rest of the time have been deluding
-the country with rain, and ruining these treacherous
Virginia roads. At length, however, operations are
actually begun, and a new liie and vivacity stir the
men.
■ The arniJV ia all its aspects, material and moral, is
in splendid condition.
THE DISCIPLINE OF OUE AEIIY.
The army is larger than it was ever before ma
terially. The health of the troops is better than it
■ever was before. From ths first day Gen. Hooker
took command, it was felt that a directing brain
animated the mass. l Mens agilat molem. Great mo
bility has been secured by prodigiously cutting down
the amount of transportation, and by employing
pack mules, which go anywhere in all weathers, in
stead of our heavy wagons, which are always stuck
rn the mud. But two wagons are allowed.to a regi
ment. The army is no longer encumbered with that
ponderous impediment which used to be the marvel
■o* all who beheld it. In fact, we now approximate'
the T rench standard, which enables an army to carry
fourteen days’ provisions without a wheel behind it.-
The moral transformation is not less complete. It
may be in the recollection of some of your readers,
that I had occasion two months ago to give a minute
dissection of the condition of the Army of the Poto
mac as it was at the time of the last bungling cam
lLrharcom?re>iUn^^^^
military, regime. The metamorphosis coin™™,?."
have been more complete, and I have often had dir
■floulty.ln convincing myself that that army, where
general croaking, jealousies, disaffection, desertion,
and universal.demoralization prevailed, is the same
with this in which a new vitality animates the men,
system, harmony and organization are seen, and a
true miiitaty spirit pervades the troops.
... THE SEOBECY QF OUR MOVEMENTS.
Nothing in this line of phenomena struck me more
than the admirable Becrecy that existed in regard to
the proposed plan and movements of the opening
-campaign. It was a new and somewhat tantalizing
; for any one who has followed the move
..jnents of the army in the field will bear me out
..•when.l say, that hitherto projected operations have
.always been known and discussed by nearly every
body, even the negro servants in the camps, for days
and weeks before they took place. In this case ab
solute ignorance prevailed. Not even the corps
.commanders knew what was intended, and had onlv
-their specific individual order for tho day.
early in the week every ODe was rub
bing his eyes, and asking where is the army? No
one could tell. Here was a column moving up. an
•other moving down, and the column that was up
lyesterday proves to be down to-day. l confess I
was heartily glad of the general bewilderment,
though it was rather puzzling for a correspondent to
'"Si? + rve .{“oyements along a line twenty-five or
-JU+SSI 11 len s th - In' this case, it was the Bpec
°VA e game of chess that were bliad
inaßter player alone had h»'s eyes open,
ga S e u°L war ’ time and space are the
Si theg€neral haß t 0 deal. Cele
rity (and for that purpose the greatest nnssihie mn
all militflrv C oomb?nflH he in diapensable conditions'
•of all military combinations. The mind of General
these elerrienfa) WiU '
THE DEPARTURE FROM FjVT.I\XOUTH.
By Tuesday morning, however, an aontp
nught hegin to .tike in a rough outline of a plan
Jrom the. disposition then made of the troons Three
of the seven corps d'armee composing the Armv of
tte Potomac—namely, the Ist Corps, (KUi <?-_
thB 3(1 Corps, (Maj. Gen. Sickles,) and
* MaJ ' Gen; Sedgwick, )h«i been mewed
their , cam H3 the night before, and had taken
8 at i he Bttme p° lnt Of the Rappahan
tixneroTthe bl?.i Fr Mf ilin had his orossing at the
miles below that mt° f F 'ederickaburg-imro?ly, two
“ew by the curtataM^r^' 0 ' 11 *““y’ 8
'hATinnok Tc-hUc + yfl„-that fringe the Rappa-
Meade, (the 6th,) and Gen. Sin™ 8 c , 0 t ll ß
moving on different roads, ami m ’i!S?,« are
positions up the Rappahannock,^to* the litlL” 1 '
hood of Banka’ and United States ToS» S-hXh
respectively eight and eleven miles aboS? a . rc
Ticksburg, and” are, it will be
places selected by Gen. Burnside for his crbs a inv on
the occasion ot the mud campaign, B on
_ These circumstances made itprobable that onera
.tvu'T.n W be at both points, though'
entirely doubtful as to where the main
attack would he, whether below or above, and the
5 ,C i! t disposition of the
taSSScenf nn ß Jor i c4 ¥?~Geh-^^Hookeratill held the
J*.' 1118 hand, ready to throw large
reinforcements either up or down. It was fair to
wn!il?l 8 he I m^Kdc r of h AI' tlle i oPCratiooBat one P»iut
would be. merely of the nature of a demnnatrAHnn
while the real attack would he mtde at the other
The points being fifteen miles apart and oat of
supporting distance, it was not to be mesumed that
he would thus divide his army, and gu-e the rebel
commander (who held the centre position on the
chonl, .while we occupied the arc.) this onoorhinltv*
of failirignpon and beating us in dstail. PP rtullity
VOL. 6.-NO. 235.
TUESDAY’S OPERATIONS,
Before dawn of Tuesday the pontoon boats had
-been taken from the wagons, a couple of miles below
Fredericksburg, and under cover of a very heavy
fog, were carried noiselessly down on men’s
shoulders to;tbe river’s brink and deposited in the
water. They were immediately manned by the troops
ot Russell’s brigade, (Brookes’ division, 6th Army
Covpß), and.rapidly pushed over, in the manner
taught us by Gen. Hunt at the time.of the crossing
in December. The rebels here, aB at every ford for
forty miles up and down the river, were posted along
the river’s margin in double lines of ride pits, con
taining, perhaps, a couple of hundred men each.
At The lower crossings, however, they made but a
feeble resistance, ahd in a few .moments our men
were in possession of both lineß of ride pits, with the
loss of half a dozen men. Indeed, a rebel lieutenant
copturcd here, a disingenuous young man, told us that
they had been expressly instructed not to offer, very seri
ous resibta7ice. This being accomplished, the whole
of Brookes’ division was passed over the three pon
toon bridges which were immediately constructed
under charge of Chief Engineer Denham, to hold the
position and the bridge-head.
REYNOLDS CROSSES.
A mile and a half below the position of General
Sedgwick’s bridges, at an estate called Southfield,
Reynolds’ command waß also instructed to effect a
crossing. In doing, this, however, they were not
quite so lucky as those above them, Daylight had
come while the engineers were still endeavoring to
get the pontoon boats down to the water, but the
fire from the rebel sharpshooters, who were placed
in rifle pits which had been thrown up opposite
- them*; also succeeded in delaying operations so much,
that it was 10 o’clock in the forenoon beforethey
could be got into the water. To silence the fire of
the sharpshooters, Col. Warner, commanding artil
lery oh the extreme left, under the able chief of ar
tillery, Gen. Hunt, brought forty guns to bear upon
•them. This completely “ corraled”. them, for they
were afraid of leaving their pits and exposing them
seivestothe murderous fire of the artillery. This
detained them until a force was able to push over in
boats, when, charging up the hill,.they captured
all the men in the first row of rifle pits, numbering
about one hundred and fifty. Immediately after the
crossing of this force, a couple of pontoon bridges
were built, and Gen. Wadsworth’s division of Rey
nolds’ corps was thrown over. Gen. Wadsworth
himself, however, did not wait for the completion of
the bridges, but while hiß men were crossing iii the
open boats, plunged in on horseback and swam his
hoise over to rhe other side.
Thus far, it is to be noticed that but one divisionof
each of the two army corps had been sent across the
river; the remaining four divisions Btatd on the
other side. But they were not idle. They were put
“in motion on the hill-slope on one side of the river,
and in plain view of the enemy were marched along
the crest of the ridge and down, as though to the
crossing. But, instead of crossing, they were quietly
drawn up back , through agully, round the rear of the
ridge, and round, again, on its top. They made the
appearance of an army of at least a hundred thou
sand men, and must have presented the appearance
of a massing on our side, preparatory to a passage of
the liver under cover of the night. The same “cir
cuting ” was performed by the artillery, the same by
the wagon trains. v *
WasthlsanwcdcyKcm? It could hardly be any-
thing else; and yet, to any one but a careful observer,
even on our side, the deception could not have been
detected.
THE REBELS DECEIVED.
The effect on the rebela was prompt. Two hours
afterward their columns began moving up the Bow
ling Green road from down the river.. Here "a con
siderable force, including the whole of Jackson’s
corps—first, Trimble’s brigade, down opposite Port
Royal, then coining up successively, A. P. Hill’s
brigade, I). H. Iliil’a division, and Early’s brigade
had been posted aB a corps of observation. The
Bowling Green road is at this point a sunken road;
.but we soon began to detect at various points the
rebel column moving uj>—we were removed say a
couple of miles—the bayonets glistening in the sun.
Were the same plains that witnessed the savage
fight last December to sees renewal of it to-day?
There was certainly every appearance of it. Our
main force was maßßed here ; a hundred and fifty
guns were in position on the heights on our side, and
the two divisions across the river were busily en
gaged strengthenlngthe rebel rifle pits now occupied
by them.
In the afternoon l passed over to the old battle
ground. It was now covered with a-beautiful car
pet of green ; while the brilliant peach and hawthorn
blossoms scented the air and delighted the eye. It
is a superb plain -for a review—several miles in
length and ODe and a half in .width—where both ar
mies of the Potomac might'march and counter
mai ch ; but a horrid place for a battle. At the rear
of the plain the ridges rise, forming a perfect amphi
theatre of hills around, thickly studded with rebel
batteries, affording a hideous converging and enfi
lading fire on any troops attempting to pass across
it. In the mind’s eye, one might see that battle
raging and its fierce antagonisms painted on a car
toon of air.
History, it is said, repeats itself; but I knew too
well Gen. Hooker’s ideas on throwing troops against
fortifications, when the resources of strategy enable
one to circumvent them, to think for a moment that
he would repeat that horrid episode. Maugre all
the array, therefore, I firmly held to the impression
that this was, after all, but a demonstration, and
that the hot work would be elsewhere.
THE REAL MOVEMENT—THE RAPPAHAN-
NOOK CROSSED.
Passing up the riverwe have fresh confirmation of
this. .During Sunday and Monday, Howard’s corps,
(the llth,) Slocum’s corps, (the 12th.) and Gen.
Meade’s, (the sth,) had been moving to the upper
fords of the Rappahannock. On the night of Tues
day, between 10 P, M. and 2 A.,M. S Howard’s entire
corps crossed the Rappahannock on the pontoon
bridge'at'Kelly’a Ford, twenty-seven miles above
Falmouth. At daylight Gen. Slocum’s corps fol
lowed, and during the forenoon Gen. Meade’s corps
waß thrown across.
THE MARCH TO THE RAPID AN.
This movable column then struck direct for Ger
mania ford on the Rapidan river, distant twelve
miles, one of the main affluents of the Rappahan
nock, ;irito which it empties at United States ford.
General Meade,.however, .instead of taking this 'di
rection on.passing the river, struck a road diverging
eastward, and made Ely’s ford on the Rapidan,
eight miles nearer than Germania ford, to the em
bouchure or that stream into the Rappahannock.
At Gei mania ford, a force of about a hundred and
fifty rebel pioneers was discovered building a bridge.
These, by a well-executed manoeuvre, were all cap
tured.
THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC "WADES
ACROSS —THE MARCH ON CHANCEL
LORVILLE.
i Celerity of movement being the chief desideratum
it was resolved immediately to put the troops over
by wading—an affair not very easy of execution,
for the waters of the Rapidan, even at the ford,
come up to a man’s shoulder, and the current
is very rapid. The men, however, plunged in,
many of them stripping And carrying their
clothes and cartridge-boxes on their bayonets—
and waded overy up to their armpits, amid Homeric
scenes of laughter and gaiety—a cavalry picket
being placed below to catch thoße that were carried
away by the current. In the meantime a foot bridge
had been constructed on the abutments already
placed there by the rebels, and during the night
the whole remaining force was passed over, the
piers being lighted up with huge bonfires. While
thiß was going on at Germania ford, Meade’s troops
were crossing at Ely’s ford. -Both columns now
moved fas ordered, for Ohancellorville, at the junc
tion of the Gordonsville turnpike with the Culpeper
and Orange Court House plank road—communica
tion being kept up between the two movable columns
by a squadron of Pleasonton’s cavalry, while ano
ther part of the same horsemen moved on the right
flank of the outer column to protect it from rebel
cavalry attacks. This manoeuvre having uncovered
United States ford, (which lies between Kelly’s
ford and Falmouth—twelve miles from the latter,)'
Couch’s corps, which had, for three days,been lying
at that point, was passed over the Rappahannock
by a pontoon bridge on Thursday, without- any oj)-
position, or, indeed, any demonstration moreformi
dable than a brass band paying Hail Columbia. This
.foul alEo converged toward Ohancellorville, and on
Thursday night lour army corps—namely, Howard’s,
Stevens’, Mead’s, and Couch’s—were massed at this
point. The same night General Hooker and Btaff
reached Ohancellorville, and established his head
quarters jii the only house here. '
■WHAT IS THOUGHT OF HOOKER’S MOVE-
! I think you will readily Agree with me that there
aie few examples in history of a military movement’
of Euch proportions, executed with such celerity And
success. To have marched a column of seventy-five
thousand men, laden with sixty pounds of baggage,
together .with artillery and trains, thirty-six miles in
two days, to have bridged and crossed two streams
along a line which a vigilant enemy undertakes to
observe and defend, with a losb of perhaps half a
dozen men, one wagon, and two mules, is an achieve
ment which assuredly has had few parallels.
, Remember how', enormously 'difficult the task of
crossing the Rappahannock proved.last December;
how two. days were spent in the attempt after we
had our force massed on the river’s edge, and with
what loss it was finally accomplished, and you will
have the meansof duly appreciating it.
There is no miracle about this result. It is simply
the work of a planning and directing brain, with the
most utter seerecy and the greatest possible celeri
ty. But these qualities produce results which, in
their ensembky appear almost miraculous.
I- remember, in my military reading, but one ope
ration of precisely the same kind. It is the opera
tion of Prince Eugene against the French, who held
Eugene, by a series of skil
trtl44!fJQ^V c,>, ' 4n % ce(l the French commander to
scatter his troops along tfae-iine of-iiifi.river - 'then
by dexterous feints, he entirely deeeivea~hi a
versaryasto the direction of his march, ana the"
latter was suddenly surprised with the news that
the line of the Adige was forced, and a detachment
of his forces wholly routed at Oarpi.
LEE SURPRISED.
Lee’B surprise could not have been greater when
he heard that the Union army was across the river,
and had turned hiß flank. And, indeed, we have not
merely material proof of this—such as that, when
we were across the Rapidan the enemy was yet
picketing the .Rappahannock—but we have docu
mentary evidence of it in a letter from Gen. Lee
himself, which was found in the house at Chancel
lorville.
The letter, signed by Gen. Taylor, Lee’s chief of
staff, was written to the rebel officer commanding
the post at Chancellorville, and was dated from
Lee’s headquarters at 4.29 o’clock P. M., of the day
we arrived. It stated, in substance that <f the Gene*
ral had at that moment heard that (he Federal force was
across Ely's Ford ”—(we had been across eighteen
liours,)— "that Gen. Anderson (who commanded at
United States Ford with a couple of brigades,)
“ knew nothing of our arrival and asked him' “to
come down immediately t and consult with the command
ing General /”
HOOKER THANKS THE ARMY.'
The order which the commanding general issued
on Thursday, after the achievement of this position,
is the key to the situation, and to the expectations
of the commander. I repeat it here for its relations
with the recital:
Headquartkus Army op the Potomac,
Tl , , Near Falmouth, Va.. April 30, 1863
ltis with heartfelt satisfaction that the general com
manding announces to the army that tho operations of
the last three days have determined that our enemy
rirafct lnglonously fly, or come out from behind his de
fences ana g-ivc us battle on our ovm ground , where cer
tain destruction awaits him.
, The operations of the sth, nth. and 12th Corps have
been a senes of splendid successes.
„ By command of Maj. Gen. HOOKER,
S. Wjlltams, Adjutant Geueral. ;
THE ADVANTAGE OF OUR POSITION.
The significance of the emphasized words will be
seen from a glance at the map of the. country. It
will be seen that the position gained at Chancellor
ville, which is ten miles weßt by Bouth of Frede
nckßburg, completely turns the line of rebel defences on
the scries of ridges in the rear of Fredericksburg, and in
fact theie was now but one alternative: the enemy
must either retreat along the line of railroad toward-
Richmond, while that line was yet uncut, (for there
was no other line of retreat, the communication
.with Gordonsville being threatened by our hold on
that line,)*or else'come out and “giveus battle on
ground.” Lee had been completely outge
neraled," and in $ strategic point of vie w: had suffered •
a-defeat before wei hadi tired a'singleishofc;'. It was in
this sense, .and not in the meaning that they were
actually destroyed, albeithe anticipated nothing less
than that, that General Hooker, on the night of our
arrival at Chancellorville, proudly exclaimed, “ The
rebel army is now the legitimate property of the
Army of the Potomac.”
LEE’S COUNTER-MOVEMENTS.
General Lee'seems to have felt himself strong
enough to pursue the latter alternative, and he took
prompt measures to carry his plan into execution.
There is very little doubt that he had been heavily
remlorcfd withtroops from the South. We are at
the pieseat moment fighting Charleston $ for, like
•ihe at’ack on Fort Donelion, that movement had
been mace Ico soon. A month had passed since that
attack,'and its result had emboldened Lee to call up
the great portion of ihe force in South Carolina.
The troops for the defences of Charleston numbered
fifty-five thousand men, am) he could afford to feel
able to draw on iorty thousand of that number. In
addition, Longstreer’s force had been recalled from
North Carolina. Furthermore, it is the-universal
testimony of all the prisoners (numbering several
hundred taken during the past week), that their
aimy haf been heavily reinforced. What that force
is, it iB, of course, impossible to say. I think it
would be unsafe to estimate it at less than eighty
thousand , and there are those having good means of
knowing who carry it to a Hundred thousand.
THE REBELS MARCH AGAINST US.
Occupying, too, the interior line, Lee’s facilities
for a change of front were, of course, very great;
and our army had hardly gained its position when
a rebel column was inarching up to confront it.
On Saturday, two prisoners were brought in from
the Twenty-third Noi th Carolina, belonging to Hill’s
division, of Jackson’s corps. Their testimony (I
heard them keenly questioned by the able chief of
the secret service, who knows the position of every
rebel regiment,! showed that that division Btarted
from below Hamilton’s crossing, in the rcaroi Frede
ricksburg, at 3 A. M. of Friday, and that they were
portions of the same column which we saw-moving
up the Bowling Green road, beloio Fredericksburg,
two days before.- I mention this circumstance as a
slight clue to the great game which was now being
played between the two able leaders of the respec
tive armies.
On Thursday night we were massed in the vicinity
of Ohancellorville, simply covering the approaches.
HOOKER ARRANGES HIS LINE OF BATTLE.
On Friday morning General Hooker began the
strategic disposition of his forces. As theeneray has
since been engaged with us all along tills line, and
aB the disposition has, Bince then, been altered, there
can be no objection to state that it formed a line of
battle of a triangular or redan shape, resting with
its wings respectively on the Rappahannock, be
tween Banks’and United States fords and Hart’s
creek, and having its apex at Ohancellorville.
The day was occupied with operations along the
skirmish line, and reconnoißßances for the purpose
of feeling the enemy.
DEATH OF COL. Me VICAR.
The night previously, Col. McVicar, of the 6th
New York Cavalry, had pushed out on the Spottsyl
vftDia road ; but having, in the ardor that charac
terized him, got far beyond the point intended by
the general, Fitz-Hugh Lee, with two brigades of
cavalry.and a battery, of horse artillery, got on a
cross road between him and us. He had two hundred
meD, and there was but one course for him—to pierce
through the enemy’s line, leading the assault, smbre
in hand, and lie fell at the first chArge, I knew him
well. He wasa Scotchman and gallant soldier, and
he died as he would have wished—cutting his way
through the enemy. The intrepid band left fifty of
its number behind.
A SKIRMISH AND REOONNOISSANCE.
At noon of Friday Sykes’ division of Meade’s
corps, occupying the extreme left, was sent out on a
rcconnoissance oh the Banks’ Ford road. They
pushed the enemy steadily for an hour, gaming a
mile of ground, which was in itßelf important, as
giving us possession of two successive heights, from
which the enemy would annoy us with artillery.
This accomplished, the order was given to fall back.
There were those who were disposed to be captious
at this, but the mind that took in the totality of
operations knew well what he did. In itself the
position was valuable; but it could not, without
weakening us, have been made available in the
general line. •'
HOOKER FEELS THE ENEMY’S LINES.
In like manner a portion of Slocum’s command
was thrown out about three miles ori the Fredericks
burg Plank-road, and other advances of the same
kind were made on the right.
These “feelers” had the obvious purpose of
causing the enemy to develop his force; but they
had also another so obviouß, namely:
that of a'topographical survey, a 3 existing maps are
enormously defective. General Hooker, with the
chiefs of the Topographical Department, bUßied him
self all day in making himself thoroughly acquainted
with the ground.
THE TOPOGRAPHICAL SITUATION.
It will not be out of place for us here briefly to do
the same. The situation of .Chaiiceilorville is in the
middle of a clearing in the woods, which takes the
form of an irregular copse, about a mile in length,
and half a mile in width.. The, solitary house that
makes up Cbancellorville stands almost in the mid
dle of this opening.
The ground in the region between here and Frede
ricksburg is broken and wooded, there being occa
sional clearings in the, forests. It rises ab it nears
Fredericksburg, when it develops into bold heights.
Its strategic importance, as .already indicated, .is de«
rived from the fact that it covers the Fredericksburg
turnpike, and the Culpeper and Orange Court-house
plank road, and threatens the line of.Gordonsviile.
THE MILITARY SITUATION—THE ENEMY
ACCEPTS OUR CHALLENGE!
! The. military situation on Saturday morning,
therefore, stands as follows : Our main force holds
the position at Chancellorville, confronting the
main rebel army now massed opposite \x&, Howard’s
corps has the extreme light—then a division of
Sickles’ , corps—then Slocum—then Couch—-then
Meade on the left, Humphrey’s division of Meade’s
corps holding the extreme of the left. Working
parties have been employed during the whole night
in throwing up breastworks, and the woods have re
sounded with the strokes of a thousand axe-men
felling trees for the purpose of constructing abat
tis. We hear the rebels, not half a anile distant,
at work with the same view, and in the morning
both armies are well entrenched. It will now be
who will come out and give battle. Hooker is
determined to put forth all the resources of the
craft of which he is a consummate master to tempt
them out. •
THE ENEMY
MASSING AGAINST CHAN-
CELLORVILLE.
So much for the right. Another, though minor
force, is working on the left, independently, yet
with its definite strategic bearings on the main ope
ration. This subordinate operation is at Fredericks
burg. Balloon reconnoissances show clearly that
the enemy have taken their main force from the
heights of Fredericksburg and the line down.the
and masßed.it against us; at: Ohan
•cellorville. They have aWo removed.the greater
bulk of their artillery with the same end; and Gen.
Sedgwick, who the left, thinks himself
strong enough to carry the heights.; The Command
ing General assents, if there'be good prospect of
success ; for it is of the utmost importance not to
anticipate the golden moment to strike.
STONEMAN’S TASK—WI-lAT HOOKER PRO-
POSES TO DO,
Still another co-operative role is assigned the pow
erful cavalry expedition under General Stoneman.
This is nothing less than to cut the railroad bridges
that cross the two affluents of the Pamunkey—
namely, the North and South: Anna—less, than
twenty mites fiom Richmoxul. The bridge over the
North Anna is, one hundred and fifty feet long and
eighty feet high, aiid.cannot possibly be reconstruct
ed in less than a : foktnight. You can see how tre
mendously this will embarrass the rebels.
Whether Stoneman has by this time actually uer
formed his task is not yet reported. I have followed
him only as far as Rappahannock Station, south of
Culpeper, through which he dashed on Thursday
night.
This rapid survey will indicate how colossal is the
plan of campaign which Gen.Tlooker has marked
out. for the army. It contemplates nothing lesß than
the destruction of the entire rebel force in Virginia.
It is stupendously daring ; but Hooker is a man who
thoroughly understands that, in war, to greatlygain
one must greatly dare.
HOSTILITIES COMMENCE—THE- OPERA"
TIONS OF SATURDAY.
- The active operations of Saturday comprise a
series of attempts in force on the part of the rebels
to break our line at various points, which were, in
one case partially successful, in another completely
successful, and in all the others completely unsuc
cessful. . '
In the morning, as we stood on the balcony of
Chancellor’s house, the attention was aroused by a
sharp rattle of musketry coming from a column of
rebels coming up by the main Fredericksburg plank
road, directly in front of us. Knapp’s battery, how
ever, which was planted directly in front of the po
sition, opened upon them, and, after a few rounds,
caused them to retire. w
Immediately afterwards a battery opened from
the height,which'l hav« : mentioned as having been
gained by Sykes, yesterday, and then abandoned by
us. The position was rather upwards of a mile dls-'
tant from the cleared space, and its object was to
damage our ammunition train which was visible to
the rebels from the tops of trees on the height. One
of our batteries was, however, immediately opened
in reply. The third shot blew up one of the cais
sons, and a subsequent shot blew up another, and
thiß settled their account.
PENNSYLVANIANS ENGAGED.
Subsequently a reconnoissance was sent, on our
- part, consisting, of the 26fch Pennsylvania Volun
teers, (Carr’s brigade, Berry’s division, Sickles’
corps,) on the same road by which the rebels had
approached in theraorning, for the purpose of feel
ing their strength. They went out on the plank
road, deployed on both sides in the form of a letter
V, chased the rebel skirmishers a couple of miles,
till they came to a heavy double line of battle, with
artillery in position, when they retired, bringing us
that piece of intelligence. .
Another reconhoissance was next sent out on our
right; consisting of Berdan’s sharpshooters. They
met the enemy’s pickets, drove them handsomely,
and at 4 o’clock returned with fifty prisoners of the
23d Georgia.
THE BE33ELS BISCOVERED —AN ATTACK
TJfON GENERAL SLOCUiVI.
At 4 the rebels are moving down in force on the
plank load, where we had a little before made the
- iecoDnqissauce. Geary’s division of Slocumis corps
is set in on-tho douhle,quick into the woods, their
bayonets flashing in the sunlight; A sharp contest
ensues, and in a few minute's they come back in dis
order. A poi*tion of Kane’s brigade, composed of
raw troops, had broken, and thrown the column into
confusion.
An aid from Slocum comes to ask General Hooker
if he can have reinforcements. “No !- he must hold
his own. Howard will, of course, support him from
the right. Let Geary’s division, however, be thrown
to the right of the road, so that the artillery may be
able to sweep the enemy on the left.” This treat
ment presently repaired the damage, and checked
the hope of the rebels; being able to pierce our
centre. '
STONEWALL JACKSON’S ATTACK.
Foiled in this, they now prepared to make a still
more desperate dash on our right flank. We were
aware that they had been massing against thatpoint
all the afternoon, and the terrific treble of the demo
niac j ell with which the rebels always ruth into bat
tle announced their approach from the woods by the
Culpeper plank road. Jackson’s whole corps, rein
iorced by D. H. Hill’s division,, numbering in all
forty thousand men, had precipitated.themselves on
Howaid’a corps, forming our extreme right wing.
This corps is composed of the divisions of Schurai
Steinwehr, and Devin, and consists in great part or
German troops. Withoutwaiting for a single volley
from the rebels, this _corps disgracefully abandoned
iheir jjosition behind their breastworks, and com
menced coming, panic-Btricken, down the road
toward headquarters. Our right was thus com
pletely turned, and the rebels in a fair way of
doubling us up.
It waß a critical situation, and brought out the
superb resources of General Hooker. He was in
the saddle in a moment, calm and cool—the master
of a situation fit to overmaster the most. The first
ihing was to check the rebe; advance, which must
become fatal if allowed to go on much further..
It was a terribly animated scene. The whole open
plain presented such a spectacle as the simoom
might make in. the desert. Through, the dusk of
nightfall a rushing whirlwind of men. and artillery
swept over the ; plain. The shattered, fleeing
columns of men were rushing down and over ua at
headquarters..
Hooker’s dispositions were made in. a moment.
Whom, ol all others, should he send in at this fear
fully critical moment but the darling child of his
own ci cation—his own old corps, now commanded
by Gen. Berry.
“General!” shouted the commander, “throwyour
men into the .breach ; receive the enemy on your
bayonets ; don’t flic a shot 5 they can’t see you I”.
Uh ! it waß a sight to.see.that glorious band. rußh
ab lhe double-.qnick to the : reßCue I' in
their borrid anay of glittering steel, the Enemy’s,
•advance was quickly checked,, anil, had to'
withdraw to the line of breastworks ju*t‘vacated bv
the llth Uorpß. , -
Batteries were i mmediately sent up in thunderous
c l a^i° T H nd Oapt. Best; chief of artillery
ot blocum s corj)B. massed twenty pieces cmthecreat
Dear Gen. bickleß’ headquarters, and cf terrific lire
was opened on .the enemy, and kept up Tar into the
night.
Gen, Pleasanton, too, succeeded in turning back a
dozen pieces taken 110 m the flying corps and plant
ing them in a favorable position, while he drew up
his little brigade o! cavalry, consUtiug of squadrons
of the 6th New York, Bth Pennsylvania, and 17th
Pennsylvania; with drawn sabres to protect thcgifcs
(a novel sight in.battle.)- Directing the pieces to be
double-rhotted with canister, he swept the positloa
PHILADELPHIA.. WEDNESDAY. MAY 6. 1863.
occupied by the enemy with a murderous fire. The
successful check of the advancing foe is in no email
decree owing to the indomitable energy of this gal
lant soldier.
A PANIC AMONG OUR TROOPS—THE REGU
LARS PURSUE THEM-WE LOSE TWELVE
CANNON.
While this is going on the panic-stricken Dutch
men are sweeping past us, and around by headquar
ters, into the road leading to United States ford.
Many members of the staff of General Hooker and
other general officers placed themselves in the road,
and with drawn sabres emote and slashed the cow
ardly retreating rascals. It was all in vain, how
ever. The road for two or three miles down toward
United Stateß-ford is now crowded with their shat
tered fragments. Gen. Hooker has, however, al
ready sent Sykes’ regulars after them. Ab to the
losb sustained by this corps, either in killed or cap
tured, it could not have been great—they ran too
fast ior that. I have the mortification to add that
they allowed twelve pieces of cannon to fall into the
hands of the enemy.
What makes this retreat not only, disgraceful, but
well nigh dieaßtjous, is that it completely foiled a
splendid manoeuvre which General Sickles with his
corps was engaged in executing. He had gone in on
a branch road leading off from the main pike,
pierced the enemy’s centre, penetrated for a mile,
cut them in two, and would have secured the key to
victory, .when the turning of Howard’s position
compelled him to make good his retreat, though
he brought out with him four hundred rebel
prisoners. ,
The artillery combat waß prolonged till midnight,
and the bursting of the shower of shells thrown by
our batteries into the rebels made a spectacle that
beggars'all description. ?
During the whole crisis, General Hooker was
under the severest fire, and his staff, made up of
young braves, performed prodigies of valor.
THE REBELS IN AN ADVANTAGEOUS
POSITION.
The task to be accomplished by the commanding
genera] during these night watches is one to tax his
best energies. The enemy has completely turned our
right. iB now in our rear, and will, unless prevented,
turn this immense advantage to account with the
first dawn of to-morrow’s light. He will; doubtless,
draw in his line, bringing his right 'down, perhaps,
to. the neighborhood of Ely’s lord. He will re
place the cowardly corps that has fled by Meade’s
corps, than which there is none better in the army,
and reinforce it by that ,of Reynolds’, which is
coming up from the left, and is now within a couple
of hours’ march of here. 'lf the enemy resume the
: attack in the morning, as there i 3 every probability
that he will, I predict a reception he is not prepared
fo2‘«
THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.
The conduct of the Commanding General during
the whole operations, and especially the amazing
fertility of resources he has displayed in first check
ing what was well-nigh being a crushing disaster,
and then making such an arrangement of his line ab
will render it stionger even than before, give him
claims to rank as a firßt-class captain. He certainly
shows powers and qualities that have been dis
played by no general who has yet 'commanded this
army. 1 have seen the cold pedantry of McClellan’B
mind, and the feeble well-meaningness of Burnside;
but here is a man who, while dashing in the ex
treme, is yet prudent in the extreme, whose: re
sources are inexhaustible, who has, in an eminent
degree, that highest quality of a general—that of
promptly changing his plans in the midst of battle—
who holds the thunderbolts of. war in his hand, and
wieldsthem at bio will.
The battle, which mast ensue to morrow, mußt be
bloody, though it may not be decisive,'for the enemy
will fight with desperation, feeling that he risks
everything on this tremendous.throw. But if it be
with one battle, two battles, or a dozen battles,
General Hooker will not stop short until he is either
himself destroyed, or has destroyed thet army of
the rebellion, and follows their flying columns into
Richmond.
THE ACTION OF SATURDAY.
In addition to ihe account above printed we have
further detailß of the operations of Saturday and
Sunday, showingthat the rebelß have been actively
engaged in resisting our advance :
THE SITUATION OF SATURDAY MORNING-.
My laßt letter brought up the situation l to Satur
day morning. It was then certainly expected that
tl!e enemy would begin the attack as soon as it was
day, and our dispositions were made accordingly.
Hut the attack did not begin. Events proved that
the genemyj! did design to attack, but he chose to
make that attack in a manner and a point different
from what was generally anticipated by : us on Sa
turday morning. Daylight grew broader, and yet
no guns. Finally, about 6 o’clock, a brass Napo
leon, looking down the plank road in front of the
Chancellor House, saw a regiment come into the
road in column and attempt to deploy. One or two
doses of canister caused them to deploy rather irre
gularly, and morelike skirmishers on the retreat.
Soon after, Gen. Hooker and staff began’ an in
spection of our lines, which occupied full two hours.
Every portion was visited, and the work of the night
was closely inspected/; On the extreme left new
lines were chosen, and the. engineer officers soon
m arked out the line and character of the defences to
beerected. 'When the inspection closed the entrench
ments weie pronounced to be of the very best cha
racter, especially those on the fight, where the
columns of Slocum and Howard were posted.
There bad been only slight disturbances during the
night, as both forces had been busy with their axes
rather than their muskets. From Gen. Howards
front came a report that the enemy was engaged all
night in cutting a road past his picket line to the
right. How much attention was paid to this fact at
the time I do not.know, but- subsequent events
proved that it was very significant.
The day continiied to pass in a very dull manner
for a day of battle, and only here and there was
there anything more even than desultory skirmish
ing and picket firing. "
A REOONNOISSANCE.
About 3 o’clock the pickets on the right oF Gen.
Slocum’s front reported that from a certain position
wagons had been seen moving in a westerly direc-'
lion nearly all day. It was at once surmised that
this might- be a retreat,' but subsequent events
provM tliat ifrwasAijart.of 'an- affkir ; *of. altogether,
another nature. To ascertain, however, .'wha't if
really was, General Sickles,-who'was still in re
serve, was oidered to make a reconrioissance in
heavy force in that direction. This was‘done with
great promptness, and the divisions of Generals
Birney and .Whipple, with ,General Barlow’s: bri
gade, Jrom Howard’s corps, were pushed out to the
front, Berdan’s brigade of sharpshooters having the
advance, and supporting Randolph’s battery. Our
troops moved rapidly and soon became more or less
engaged, especially with the artillery and the sharp
shooters as skirmishers. Berdan Boon sent in some
sixty prisoners, belonging to -the 23d Georgia, in
cluding one major, two captains, and three lieu
tenants. Being upon the ground, I examined these
prisoners, and Boon found that the wagon train”
which we had seen moving during the day was com
posed mainly'of ordnance wagons and . ambulances,
and that Stonewall Jackson and staff were at the
head of a column of troops which the wagons fol
lowed. ' ,
JACKSON’S MOVEMENT.
Nothing more was needed to convince us that this
daring opponent was executing another of his sud
den movements, and it was at once resolved to
checkmate him. General Sickles was ordered to
push on, and General Williams’ division of Slocum’s
column was ordered to co-operate. Birneypuahed
ahead with great vigor, and with Randolph’s bat
tery soon sent to the rear, as prisoners of war, the
entire remnant of the 23d Georgia Regiment, num
bering over four hundred officers and men. The
column of the enemy, which had been moving up
this road, was now literally cut in two, and General
Williams had commenced a flank movement on the
enemy’s right, which promised the most auspicious
results. But at 5 o’clock a terrific crash of mus
ketry on our extreme right announced that Jackson
had commenced his operations. This had been anti
cipated 5 but it was supposed that after his column
was cut, the corps ol General Howard, formerly
General Sigel’s, with its supports, would be suf
ficient to resist his approach, and .finding that he
was himself assailed in the rear he would turn about
and retreat to escape capture.
GENERAL SCHURZ’S DIVISION DEMORA-
But to the disgrace of the nth Corps be it
said, that the division of General Schurz, which was
the first assailed, almost instantly gave way.
Threats, entreaties, and orders of commanders were
of no avail. Thousands of these cowards threw
down their guns and soon streamed down the road
toward headquarters. The enemy pressed his ad
vantage. General Devins’.division, disaffected by
the demoralization of the forces in front of him, soon
followed suit, and the brave General was for the se
cond time severely wounded in the foot, white en
deavoring to rally his men, General Howard, with
all bi's daring and resolution and vigor, could not
stem the title of the retreating" and cowardly pol
troons. The brigades of Colonels Bushbeck and
McLean .only remained fighting, and maintained
themselves nobly as long as possible. 1 Bnt.they,tGO,
gave way, though in good order, before vastly supe
rior numbers.
GEN. BERRY TO THE RESCUE./
Gen. Hooker now sent to the aid of Gen. Howard
the choicest division of his army, the creation of his
own hand—the famous 2d. division of the 3d Corps,
commanded by Major General Berry. Capt. Best
soon moved his batteries on a ridge running across
the road, and after a short but sanguinary contest
the further, advance of the enemy was Btayed.
Of course, this disaster compelled the recall of
Sickles and Slocum, who had been pursuing their
work with remaikable vigor. Gen. Williams’di
vision relumed only to find a portion of their works
filled.with . the . enemy. . Sickiea'.division could not
communicate 'tfith the rest of the army at all by the
way they advanced, and only at great risk.by anv
other route.
GRAND NIGHT ATTACK— I THE ENEMY DRI
VEN BACK WITH GREAT SLAUGHTER.
TMb was the position at dark, and it did hot look
very promising. But our energetic commander was
more than equal to the emergency.. New disposi
tions to repair this disaster were at once resolved
upon.' Communication was at once had with Gens.
Birney and Whipple, and a night attack ordered, to
restore the connection of the lines. Gen. Ward’s
brigade, of Gen. Birney’s division, made the attack
at 11 at night, aided by Capt. Best’s guns, massed
on the ridge in front of th'e enemy. Birney’s posi
tion was on the extreme left of this new line of bat-"
tie, but Ward’s terrific attack was entirely success
ful, communication was restored, and in a charge”
made by the brigade, a portion of the artillery lost
by Howard: was gallantly retaken by Gen. Hobart
Ward.
This night attack was the most grand and terrific
fhiDg of the war. The moon shone bright, and an
enemy could be seen at good musket range. The
air was very still, and the roar and reverberation of
the musketry, and artillery past all conception. Mai
vem Hill was a skirmish compared with this, save
in the degree of slaughter. But it was successful-;
the enemy were driven back nearly half a mile, and
our tired men once more slept on their arms. That
night’s woik was ended.
THE ACTION OF SUNDAY,
On Sunday,’as will be seen from our narrative,
the rebela continued their assault. We give as com
plete accounts as we have received. It was perfectly
evident, from the position of affairs on Saturday
night, that there must be a change of our lines,
which would throw the enemy out of our rear and
into our front again. It will be seen by what skil
ful generalship the enemy was fought and
on front, and flank, and rear, while this was being
done.
OUR NEW LINE—THE ENEMY REINFORC-
Gen. Reynolds’ Ist Army Corps arrived at United
States ford on Saturday afternoon. It was imme
diately put into position on our right, which was
withdrawn from the plank road to the Ely’s ford
turnpike. This line was immediately formed by
Gens. Reynolds and Meade, the latter’s position, on
the.left, having been relieved by Gen. Howard’s ltth
Corps, which, notwithstanding its disorganized con
dition, was so far reorganized during the night as to
be fit for duty again this morning. They were as
signed'the position on'the left, where it was proba
ble there would..be little or no fighting, and were
protected by the'strong works built the day before
by Gen. Meade’s corps. Our new line now assumed'
the shape of a triangle, piolonged at the apex, the
right of the line being somewhat longer than the
left. As the portion of the line on the'right was
new, time was necessary to fortify amb entrench it,
and the work was carried on vigorously by the sth
and Ist Army Corps.
It was very eveident at daylight this morning that
the day would bring forth aterrific battle. We
knew that the enemy had been reinforcing his line
all night, at theexpense, undoubtedly of the strength
of his force on our left. His intention was, evident
ly, to fight for the possession of the plank road,
w hieh it waß perfectly apparent be must have, as
that portion of it- which wc thenheld,was’subject
to the enemy’s assaults in front and on both Hanks;
LIZED.
THE FIGHT FOR THE PLANK ROAD—THE
i'• LINE OF .BATTLE.
But the posseßsion. of this road was not. obtained
by the save at our own time, at his severest
cost, and. after one of tl\e moatdesperate, tenacious,
and for its short duration, of the
whole war. At t 6 o’clock A. 3M. the rebels could be
plainly se.eh plank road, about a mile and a
half ironi' the "Chancel or House, which General
Hooker fetillYetained As his headquarters, though a
shell hadtgqne through it the evening before, and
anotherhad-cut down a tree directly in front of it.
Our line qf battle waß formed with Gen. Berry’s
gallant division ob the right, Gen. Birney next on.
the left, Gen. Whipple and Gen. Williams support
ing. A. M. the advance, became engaged in
the ridge where Oapfc Best’s
gunß had made.their terrific onslaught the night be
fore, anLwhere they still frowned upon the enemy
and threatened his destruction.
, THE BATTLE. ■ ;
The rattle of musketry soon became a long-con
tinued crash, and in a few moments, as battalion.,
after battalion became engaged, the roar surpassed
all conception, and indicated that the fight, would
beonf*of iihe. 'most terrible nature. Gen. Berry’s,
which had checked the enemy’s advance
the nightbelore, engaged him again, and if it were
possible for them to add more laurels to their fame,
then they did it,,thrice oyer again. The enemy ad
vanced his infantry in overwhelming numbers, and
seemed determined .to crußh our forces. - But the
brave men of Sickles and Slocum, who fought their
columns with desperate gallantry, held the rebels in
check, aridjinflicted dreadful slaughter amoDgthem.
Gen. Freftch’s division was sent in on the right
flank of our liDe at about 7A. M., and in a short
time a horde of ragged, streaming rebels running
down theroad, indicated, that that portion of the
the enemy’s line had been crushed. At 8 o’clock
A. M., Gen. French sent his compliments to Gen.
Hooker, with the information that he had charged
the eonny and was driving him before him.
Sickh&maintaiired the attack upon his line with
great endurance. The enemy seemed determined to
ciush him,with the immensity of his forces, and, as
subsequently shown from the statements or prison
ers, five j&hole divisions of the rebel army were pre
cipitateffTtfponVthiß portion bf the line, for from these
five divisions we took during the day an aggregate
of over.two thousand prisoners.
■ A DESPERATE CONFLICT.
The exploits of our gallant troopß in those dark,
tangled, 4 gloomy woods ; may never be brought to
light; buuthey .would fill a hundred Volumes., It
was a desperate hand-to-hand ■ conflict,
and the’ea mage, was perfeofclyfrightfuh, Cool offi-'
cers say that,the dead and enemy
covered the grounds' in heaps, and that the rebels”
EeeihedvUtteriv. regardless of their lives, and literally
throw theniß.elves -upon the muzzles. of our guns.
M any desperate charges were made during the fight,
particularly ‘'by Berry’s division. Mott’s brigade
made fifteen-distinct charges, and captured seven
stands of colors, the 7th New Jersey, Col. Franclne,
alone capturing four stands of colors, and five hun
dred prisoners.
Geneial-Oouch’s 2d array corps, though only in
part present, did excellent "work. v lt was General
French who charged and. drove the enemy on the
flank, aid it was the indomitable Hancock who
gallantly went to the relief of the hard-pressed
Sickles.*
A. TEMPORARY CESSATION.
Theengagement lasted, without the slightest in
termission, irom s>» A. hi. to A. M., when there
was a tfjnporary cessation on our part, occasioned
bj* getting out of ammunition. We held our posi
tion for nearly; an hour with the bayonet, and then,
being resupplied, an order was given to fall back to
the vicinity of the Chancellor House, which we did
in good order. Here the contest was maintained for
• an hour or more, not so-severely as before. but with
great havoc to the enemy, and considerable loss to
ourselves.' •
The vicinity of the Chancellor House was now the
theatrb.bfi'the fight, and my visits to that Bpot be
came less frequent. Gen. Hooker maintained his
headquarters there until, ten* A. M., when itwas set
on fire by the enemy’s shells, and is now in ruins.
Ohanceliorsvilie:i3 no longer in existence, having pe
rished with the flame, but Chancellorsville is in his
tory, never to be effaced.
Our-ncw line was now so far established as to ren
der rit safe to withdraw all our forces on that front,
which 'was accordingly done, and at 11)£ A. M. the
musketry firing ceased. • ,
j THE ENGAGEMENT TERRIFIC.
The engagement had lasted six hours, but had
been the most terrific of the war. Our artillery had
literally slaughtered the enemy, and many of the
companies had lost heavily in men themselves, but
the guns were all saved.
POSITION OF THE ENEMY—HIS LOSS,
• :The enemy was now no longeu in our rear, but had
been shove&down directly in our front, and is now
directly’between us and our forces in,Fredericks
burg, and we were again in an entrenched' and for
midably fortified-position. The enemy hasgained
some ground', it is true, but at the sacrifice of the
flower of his force, five of his seven divisions having
been cut to pieces in the effort, and over 2,000 of them
have fallen info our hands. \
GEN. HUMPHREY’S DIVISION—ATTEMPTS
• > T./ TO FORCE OUR LINES.
, Our right wing, under Gens. Reynolds and Meade,
was not engaged, save the division of Gen. Hum
phreys, which went into the woods on the eneiny’s
left flank, and fought’valiantly under their brilliant
leader, until their ammunition was exhausted.
5 During the afternoon .the enemy hasmade several
attempts toforce-our lines, particularly at the apex
of our 'position,, near the Chancellor House, but
i-Capt. "Weed has massed a large quantity of artillery
- jin sudh as to repulse with great loss eve
f'rythiDg'placed within its .range. The enemy tried
- several batteries and regiments at that point at dif
•■ferent times, during the afternoon, and they were
literally destroyed by the fire of our terrible guns.
Nothing can Jive within their range.
GEN.' HOOKER’S POSITION—SPIRIT OF THE
TROOPS. \ •
,Our present position is impregnable if our troops
. continue to fight as they.have to-day. Gen. Lee, the
prisoners say, has issued an order that our lines must
be bioken at all” hazards. Let them try it again,
; with what-they have left. They can, and perhaps
• willdestrby themselves by attacks upon this position.
cool and confident. They
have fought with great spirit aiid enthusiasm, land
will continue to do so.;
GEN. .BERRY, AND THE REBEL GEN. A. P.
HILL KILLED. :
• The rebel prisoners report .that General A. P. Hill
was killed.this forenoon,.during-the sanguinary con
flict his division had with General Berry’s division.
Gen. Berry was himself killed, while gallantly fight
ing with his brave men.
THE SECOND BATTLE OF FREDE
* RICKSBURG.
Having : thus described the operations of the right
wing at Chancellorville, Aye how return to the ope
‘vrations before Fredericksburg, which were executed
. by the left wing of our army, and not under the im
mediate command of General Hooker. It will be
seen that onr-troops fought their fight on the disas
trous and historic battle-ground of Fredericksburg.
A Herald correspondent writes: '
Field of Battle above Fredericksburg,
Sunday, May 3, 1363.
"When General Hooker, with the sth, 11th, and
and ,12th Corps, moved to the right to get upon
the rear of the enemy’s army, he left in front of that
army the Ist, 3d, and 6th Corps, with one division of
the 2d. Such was the general distribution of our
forces on Tuesday night, April 28. Two days later
the 3d Corps moved to join General Hooker’s column,
and oh Saturday; May 2, the Ist Corps was also
withdrawn from the position in front for the same
purpose. Thus the whole force lefton enemy’s front
on Saturday noon was the 6th Corps and one divi
sion of the 2d Corps. This force covered our com
munications, and by its pontoon bridges threatened
the enemy with ah advance, and thus prevented the
march of his whole force against General Hooker,
for in this little army we “magnified ourselves ”
we moved continually in all directions at all hours,
and looked as much like a hundred thousand men as
we possibly could.
Meantime, the enemy’s position was this:
Threatened by General Hooker on his rear he had
changed his front, and moved the great bulk of his
' army, beyond question, so that it faced. General
Hooker at Chancellorville. And this brought the
6th Corps upon his rear.. But thatfrear was covered
by the entrenchments behind Fredericksburg, and
these entrenchments were the very works before
which the whole Army of the Potomac had been
beaten in December last. Very justly, the enemy’s
men had confidence in that position, and our men,
not to mince matters, were afraid of it. Now that
these entrenchments covered Lee’s rear, they were
of even gj eater value to him than when they covered
. his.front, and consequently he occupied them with
ten thousand oi his best troops.
Having premised so much, that the relative po
sitions of our own forces and those of the enemy
might be understood, we will proceed to describe
the second battle, of Fredericksburg, and the storm
of Marye’B Hill, which has. finally brought General
Sedgwick upon the exposed rear of the army that
faces General Hooker. Commencing at the com
mencement: : ' ' «.
THE FIRST ADVANCE.
Between four and five P. H. on Saturday, May 2,
the light brigade was thrown forward—the Thirty
first New York in the first line, as skirmishers, sup
ported by the .Sixth Maine, the Fifth Wisconsin,
and.the.Sixty-first Pennsylvania Volunteers, drawn
upiri liDe of battle. Thiß advance was directly from
the river, across the open, level plain, just over'the
point at which the, bridges spanned the stream, and
this little field of battle was bounded on the right by
the ravine that runs up from one Bernard’s house,
and on the left by the other Bernard’s house. Across
the front of the field ran the Bowling Green road,
and- the possession of that road was'the object of
the present advance. r .
Briskly received by the enemy’s pickets, our line
still went on, andin.twenty minutes had possession of
the road. As Boon as the fire began on the Bouth
side.all of our, troops who remained at this point on
the north side of the river were sent across and be
gan to take up positions. But there wab so much
change in these positions that it was midnight before
the men were in their places or had a chance to eat
theirsupper. When once they were at reßt no fires
were permitted, and so but few suppers were eaten;
for a soldier does not care for a cold bite at that
hour..'
NEW COMBINATIONS.
By an admirable combination of strategy and tac
tics, one mess did get a kettle of coffee made, and
we had the good'fortune to be one of that mess.
At midnight, then, we sat down to soft bread, cold
viaDds, and hot coffee, in the: little lawn in front
of the Bernard House. This house, which, a short
time ago, was a very handsome edifice, is now a
picturesque ruin, surrounded by. tall elms, and
all pale and strange in the moonlight, it formed
our supper scene ; and there your correspondent,
sitting upon the ground, ate boiled egg* and waited
for history.
AFTER SUPPER MANY A MILE.
Well, the supper.was done with, and then we laid
down; We bad just gotten to that part of the busi
ness when one begins to get nicely warm in his
blanketß, and loses the consciousness that he is in a
peach orchard. ..Suddenly our perceptions were
aroused; there whb a gallop, arid there came an aid
and an order: “Get your men under arms imme
diately.” , ;
There was a quiet decision about thiß order that
looked eerious, and so it was seriously and quietly
obeyed. Scarcely, a Bound was heard as the column,
moved on in themioonlightf, excepf the rattle of the
soldiers’ canteens and cups, arid the jingle'of sabres
on mounted officers.
ORDER OF THE ADVANCE:
It waß half past twelve o’clock in the morning, "on
Sunday, May 3, that we left the green plain on the
river’s bank and inarched to and up the Bowling
.Green road./ Shaler’s brigade had the advance; be
hind it came battery G, 2d United States Artillery,
Lieutenant Butler; then Wheaton’s brigade, and the
2d brigane of Newton’s division, commanded by
: Colonel Brown.
• • Lieut.. Col. Joseph Hamblin; with the Ist United
States Chasseurs, skirmished in advance of the
whole line. For the greater part of the distance our>
march waß Unmolested ; but as the advance waß on
the descent ,of : a little hill just south of the town a
fire of pickets upon them from an oppo
site hill to, theleftl By this fire several-men were
knocked down, and Major Healy, of the Chasseurs,
was wounded, we fear, mortally. The gallant fellow
.thought the wound a fatal one, and his last remem
beied words were to Lieut. Col. Hamblin : “It’s all
over with me, Joe. Good-bye.” • >
But the Chasseurs went on steadily, and atabout
three - -o’clock 'entered the town of Fredericksburg,
and held it ,until the remainder of the column came
up;* It was a bold feat to enter thus a place like this,
av here'every house might suddenly open upon U 3
like a mine. But the result justified the apparent
rashness oftke venture.
On-we went thtough the town, in a direction
nearly north, until we came to the railroad track,
and then we turned to our'left, and went fair west;
again ;we went to ourrigktin a north w&3toriydirBc»
tion. At thm lime no one knew, perhaps, exactly
where we were. But here was Shaler’a brigade
massed in the road ; in the same road Butler’s batte
ry, men all mounted, caissons up, &c.' We were on
the march. Shale? waß ordered to the left to feel,
and discovered that we were in dangerous proximi
ty to the enemy in position, and to what elß© it was
Impossible to make out in the dark. Gen. Newton,
wisely cautious, stopped this advance.: We shall
hear more anon of the furnace that we thm nearly
stumbled on. Indeed, as your correspondent writes
in a by-street of the town of Fi-edericksbarg; and
this pit less than a mile away, it is to be heard even
over the roar of our artillery. •
• FREDERICKSBURG OCCUPIED.
Day was juet at peep when the presence of the bad
placf in front was made out, and. we then had to.loolt
around us. We occupied the town. Gur skirmishers
held the ends of the side streets, ahd.the streets r that
,ran down to the river were enfiladed by.the enemy’s
fire. "While we sought for a place to get at the ene
my, a man wtfs found by some one who- knew some
thing. What was.it; that he knew.t .We could not
make out for some minutes what it was, he was in
such a hurry to'tell it. Finally he succeeded in call
ing attention to a dam., He assured ua that this dam.
ought to be cuVa'nd the water let out. Why ? Mili
tary Instinct at once jumped to the conclusion'that
the enemy’s -position had a wet ditch. • But no; the
man declared that the enemy had a dam above, by’
which they could flood the town,,' Now, as.thetown
is on a hill, this was difficult to see ;.but nevertheless
the dam was - cut. Later, another man gaVe news
that thiß dam filled a canal which covered the flank
of the enemy?s position.
Though this had no eventual connection with the
result, we mention it as an incident of the occasion
which assists to render the picture a faithful one.
PENNSYLVANIA ADVANCES,
Just after daylight, and after the* dam had been
cut, we received the first fire from the enemy. A
fierce fusilade was begun from a rifle-pit fairly in
our front: Unfortunately, it so happened that the
23d Pennsylvania was in line of battle in -the open
field, within range of the rifle pits on the hill. From,
those pits a fierce eruption of musketry suddenly
broke forth, and took the-23d by surprise; but they
stood there bravely and gloriously; not a man
moved a foot. But when the fire held up for a mo
ment then this magnificent 23d answered it—hot
with fire, but with one magnificent cheer. -
> THE BATTLE BEGINS. :
This fire knocked down a number of men, and told
us where the enemy were. Immediately Battery G,
2d United States artillery, Lieutenant Butler, with
McCarthy’s, Horn’g, and Hexamer’s batteries, un
limbered and opened afire on the position whence
-.th.ejenemy’s fire had come. This stopped the mus
ketry7iiSTirtr«i»tm.y-jjepfcj 1 i B men covered, and com
menced to shell the town, lffwnicn-uur-uren-wore
massed, -
THE BRIDGES,
On our advance up the Bowling Green road we
appeared to.expose our line of retreat. But we did
not do so, inasmuch as the line of retreat went with
us ; for ab soon as we were over.the river the pon
toon bridges were taken to pieces, and while we went
up the river on one side they went up the river, and
when we reached Fredericksburg there was our line
of retreat all handy if we'should need it.
Another use was also made of the bridges : for in
a short time after the 6th Corps had occupied the
town, Gibbon’B division of the 2d Corps crossed to
participate in the struggle, and that also was in the
Btreets in the lower pait of the town,
Brooks’division of the 6th Corps had not come
with us. ¥e had here Newton’s; division, Howe’s
division,.the light division, and Gibbon’s division of
the 2d Corps, all massed in the town and fairly in
front of ihe very position that Sumner had vainly
endeavored to carry last winter.
FEELING THE ENEMY,
General Frank "Wheaton’s brigade was now
thrown forward to the left, and skirmished towards
the enemy’s position in that direction. The enemy
was found to be there, Still further to'the left
General Howe did the same, and the enemy was
there. Could it be possible that this line was thus
occupied through its whole extent? That seemed
incredible; but, occupied or not, we must find: a
point somewhere, and pierce the line.
ANOTHER POINT TRIED,
After some examination, a point far to our right
was picked out, and Bfigadier General G. K.'War
ren thought that “ that was the place.” It was de
termined that there were neither artillery nor men
at that point. General Gibbon was sent there with
his command. First, a-battery was placed on a hill
at point-blank range, opposite a work of the enemy’s,
so that guns should not be brought there. Soarifely
was the battery—the Third Rhode Island, Captain
Hazard—in position, before two guns opened upon it
from the work in front, to which Captain Hazard,
oh the open field, responded handsomely.
Hazard’s battery was supported by the Second
Rhode Island.,
Meanwhile General Gibbon’s infantry was in mo
tion/towardß the supposed pregnable point of the
enemyfs line. Far away to the right, across the
green-plain.and towards the hillside, they moved in
column, and at them also the enemy began to throw
shell. While.this, infantry was in motion toward
a work that v was crazily thought to be undefended,
your correspondent, from a position on the left of
Hazard’s battery, could clearly see in these very
pits swarms of the sere and yellow wretches of the
enemy’s army as they peered oyer the entrenchments
and gazed with malign interest upon ourmen on the
plain. -
As, Gibbon’s line thus advanced to the right a
bad place in the road caused the 20th Massachusetts
to become somewhat massed, and the enemy sud
denly opened upon it a * fire of grape and canister,
which proved very destructive.
STORMING ST. MARYE’S HILL.
General Gibbon, Eocn after Hazard’s battery
opened, got into action Capt. .Adams’ Rhode Island
batteiy, across the' plain to the right, and in the
road that Bkirted the battle-field. Captain Adams
practised at the rebels, and was also practieed at,
and well, too, by the battery on the hill to his left,
and by another which suddenly opened on his right,
nearer to him, while he endeavored to get the-range
of the first. Between this cross fire this battery
was severely cut up, and the position became too hot
for it.
As General Gibbon wentto the right, the enemy’s
men were sent in that direction to meet him. As
they had the" shorter lines, the same men could be
employed at whatever point we might threaten.
Thus, ten thousand men should have been equal to
at-least fifty thousand, and ;we did not-have more
than fifteen thousand on the field;-": • p " '
On the front, where Gen. Gibbon commanded, the
10th Massachusetts skirmished toward the enemy’s
pit, and the fire demonstrated that there were men
there as well rb cannon.
Away on the left Howe did just what Gibbon did
on the right, and Newton did the same in the centre;
yet, with all, though men were killed and wounded
plentifully, there was nothingdone. Every battle has
these periods of indefiniteendeavor, from which some
one fact eventually shapes itself out, and becomes
the fact of the occasion; So it was here, and while
in every-direction the artillery—Butler’s battery,
Hexamer’s, McCartney’s, Harris’,Hazard’s, Adams’,
and some others—thundered at the enemy; while
Howe felt for a chance on the left, and Gibbon found
every point equally, difficult on the right, a plan of
assault was determined upon, to be made by the 3d
and Bth 'divisions, under General Newton, against
the enemy’B centre.
Yet a distinguished officer had said, only a short
time before, that if to attempt to carry the place by
storm would be a waste of life.” .
Attempts to storm were to be made simultane
ously by Gibbon on the right, Howe on the left, and
Newton on the centre, and were so made; but, inas
much as Newton’s was the successful attempt—as
he was the first to penetrate the line, and as when
the llDe was once penetrated at one point it was no
longer tenable anywhere—Newton’s assault annears
to deserve the especial honor. - '
WHERE THE ASSAULT WAS MADE.
It was made on the centre; againßt Marye’s Hill.
Directly west, out of the town of Fredericksburg,
runs a road that finally reaches Chancellorville.
Just in the outskirts of the town, at much less than
a mile from the main street, the road ascends a
hill that, while it is sufficiently steep to render
the ascent toilsome, is not so steep as to fender any
Ices effective the fire of artillery and musketry.
This is Marye’s Hill (the name is pronounced Ma
ree), and at the summit of this hill is Marye’s
House. Near the hill a road leaving the Chan
cellorville road, runs towards the south across the
front and right of the'hill at its base. The lat
terroacl has a substantial stone wall on each side
of it, and these roads, with a little assistance from
the spade, had been converted into excellent breast
works. About the centre of the first .wall was a
little house which made the position the stronger,
and this was only the base of the hill. No artillery
fire could touch those walls, for it was a sunken
road, and, though the walls were four feet high in
the load, in the fields their tops were level with the
surface. Thus, as seen by our batteries, there were
actually no walls there. Behind the second line of
pits rises the hill, and around its whole crest runs
a well-constructed earthwork, in which there was
one large howitzer. Both flanks of this hill were
completely swept by the fire of works of the same'
haracter on either side.
THE APPROACHES.
To the left (our left) of this position was an open
ploughed field, on the farther side of which were the
stone walls. To the right was an open green plain,
and here there were no pita at the foot of the hill;
so the way was clear to the crest, though of course
every inch of it was under fire/ Worst of &U, per
haps, was the central approach, which was the
road. Though, at its exit from the town, this road
iB covered'by a few houses, it is fairly under fire all
the way, and at the ascent of the hill it is a mere
gulch, broken and stony, and an awful place for men
to be packed in under a plunging fire of grape and
canister, in addition to the musketry fire.
WHO STORMED THE HILL?
The right column was formed of the 6lst Pennsyl
vania Regiment, Col. Spear, and the 43d New York,
Col. Baker. It was supported, as we have said, by
two regiments in line—the Ist Long Island, Col.
Nelson Cross, and the S2d Pennsylvania, Major
Basset. These two regiments were part of Shaler’s
—brigade, : and Shaler went with them. - ■
The left coJunin~ot~r.ttafiis_TOAB .formed of the 7fch
Massachusetts, 001. Johns, and the 36th New York,"
Lieut. Col. Welsh, This column was supported by
two regiments in line of battle, and a regiment of
.ekirxnieheiß in the open field to the left. These
skirmishers were the 43d New York, Theregiments
in line were the 6th Maine and the 6th Wisconsin.
These two columns and their, supports numbered in
all about 3.000 men. They moved out of the town to
the assault about 11 A. 3*l.
THE DEATH OF COLONEL SPEAR.
A 8 soqp hb they came well into the enemy’s field
of fire, the terrible fusilade began.; Colonel Spear,
at the.head of his regiment, was one of the first hit,
and his v fall affected his men so. that they wavered
and fell into confusion and disorder, and communi
cated it to the 43d behind them, and much of the
ground already gained was' lost. For this column, it
was so far a fair repulse. But at this critical junc
ture, Colonel Shaler, with magnificent gallantry, ’
rallied the column, brought it up to the work once!
more, and took it on up the hill. ..
THE HILL TAKEN.
Meantime, in the left column, matters were some
what the same. The colonel of the Massachusetts
7th .was hit. and his regiment faltered also, but- was
r allied handsomely by Col. Walsh, of the 36th New
York/and with those glorious fellows it went on
once more. The supports in the open plain drew the
enemy’s fire heavily; but they went on steadily,
from the first, and went into the work with the rest.
Indeed, Col. Burnham, of the 6th Maine, claims that
thecolois of his regiment were first planted on. the
hill.
Many of the enemy’s men were slain in their
places in the pits where they stood till the last mo
ment, and resisted even as our men clambered over
the walls. •*.
Colonel Spear, of the 61st; Pennsylvania Volun
teers ; Major Basset, of the 82d Pennsylvania Volun
teers ; Major Faxon, of the 36th New York; Major
Haycock, of the 6th Maine, with Captains Ballings,
Young,-and Gray, of that regiment, were killed-in
this assault.. Colonel Johns* of the 7th Massachu
setts. 1 was wounded here. :
By this success the place was ours; the enemy’s
line gave way precipitately; our men entered at
several points at once, and we captured eight guns*'
and from eight hundred to a thousand prisoners, -
Part of the forces that occupied Marye’B Hill’was
Baratow’s brigade, esteemed an excellent one iri the
rebelservice, composed of the 13th, 17th, 18th, 'and
2let Mississippi Regiments. .
Troopß were brought from the different localities
in which they had remained under cover, and formed
at once. There were to be two columns of attack,
supported sb the nature of tbe ground required, the
right column by two regiments in column : the left
column by. a line of battle and skirmishers, .in the
open field to the left (our left) of the position.
Our loss will probably reach a thousand in killed
and wounded.
AFFAIRS IN THE NEW SITUATION;
Before Ihiß fight, General Hooker and the rebel
Lee were face to face, near Chancellorville, which
is on the plank road that runs directly west from
Fredericksburg; 'Doivn this road, arid consequently
toward the scene cf the fight between Hooke: and
THREE CENTS,
Lef, the rebels fled in a disorganized rout, They
probably reached Lee’s army on Sunday night*
Such a body of men, in such a condition, could be
no accession to any one’s forces. But dose on
the heels of these men, and consequently upon
the rear of Lee r s ' array, ae it fights Hooker,
goes the victorious oth Corps—the gallant divisions
of Newton, Brooks, and Howe. And this pursuit
and onward movement was already begun in one
hour after the enemy r B position was carried ;• for
Brooks’ division, which had eleptoo Saturday night,
and was not engaged in Sunday’s: battle, was conse
quently fresh, and this division - was in the advance
and went fortran] in the highest spirits. Hooker
was only ten miles away, and tee was between, and
this was at 2P. M. on Sunday, with the roadß- in.
gonji order.
The whole position considered, there-'is every
reaeon to believe that the next hews we hear from
this theatre of will be news of eeriouß
disaster to the rebel army and gl-orious achievements
to our own.
But let us suppose even that there be no achieve
ment strictly; that we do not fight a b?ilHan.t bat
tle. If Hooker can only hold- Lee at bay he is ours;
for Lc-e’a coinmu&ications with Richmond are ab
solutely and certainly cut. Thus. Lee’s choice is
between battle front and rear and starvation. The
bitter alternative will cause the rebel army to fight
desperately; but if Hooker only holds his own we
win all.
THE KSIXED AND WOUNDED.
K.ILLED AND 'WOUNDED IN GEN. SYKES’
DIVISION ON FRIDAY.
KILLED.
Capt. Marsh, commanding 2d TJ, S. Infantry.
Capt. W. J. Temple, 17th IT. S. Infantry.
Sergt. Skinner, O, 2d U. S. Infantry.
John McGunn, B, 7th TJ. S. Infantry.
Chas. Forrest, B, 7th U. S. Infantry.
William Muller, B. 7th U» S. Infantry.
Gardner, B, 140th New York.
Win, Si Gibbs, A, 146th New York.
Wm. Claik, H, 6th U. S. Infantry.
Corp. Adams, E, llth U. S. Infantry.
wounded.
Capt, QveTton, aid of General Sykes.
Capt. Morehead, C, 17th U. S. Infantry, Bhoulder.
Lieut. C. T. Weld. C, 17th TJ. S. Infantry, leg.
Sergt. Thos. Campbell, C, 2d TJ. S. Infantry, leg
amputated. . • _
.' Sergt. Chas, Benton, D,7thU. S, Infantry, arm. -
Sergt. John Kelly, H; 10th U. S. Infantry, abdo
_men.
Sergt; John Horn, B, 7th U. S. Infantry, thigh.
Sergt. E. B. Fieke, D, 146th New York, thigh.'
Thos. Kelly, G, 2d U. S. Infantry, ankle.
Thos.iFleming, C, 2d TJ. S. Infantry, hip.
Robt. Capsiek, E, llth TJ. S. lofantry, thigh.
.—.Silas 'WYToinpkiba. o,llth U. S. Infantry, knee.
NriMcßride, C. 17th TJ, S. Infantry, thigh.
John Modiin, D, 10th TJ. S. Infantry, foot.
N. Fisher. H, 6tn'TJ-e I -infantrvi arm.
P. LougMin. B, 7th V.
Corp. B. P. Perrigo, A, 140th New York, leg.
Chas. H. Weatherwax, K, 2d TJ. -§. Tntantry,
breast.
Jas. F. Butler, F, 6th TJ. S. Infantry, thigh.
Christian Horan, D, 7th TJ, S. Infantry, thigh.
Lewis Kilburn, H, 17th TJ. S. Infantry, breast.
Joseph Ford, D, lOth TJ. S. Infantry, neck.
Wiq.’ Colwell, E, 146rh New York, arm.
John Shaw, Gy 10th TJ. S. Infantry, arm.
Thos. Kiiligsn, A, 7th TJ. S. Infantry, breast.
F. S. Schaeffer, F, 2d U, S. Infantry, knee.
O. Gutteiman/F. 2d TJ. S. Infantry, shoulder.
Wm. Givens, A, 146th. New. York, leg.
Thos. Scully, I\2d U. S. Infantry, leg.
M. Grogan, G, 10th U. S. Infantry, head.
John Pecho, B, 7tfcTJ. S. Infantry, thigh.
John Sullivan, H, 10th U. S. Infantry, arm.
Charles Kennedy. C, 17th TJ. S. Infantry, neck.
Andrew Campbell, G, 3d TJ. S. Infantry, hand.
Joseph Dewitt, E, ilih TJ. S. Infantry, hand.
D. Campbell, C, lith TJ. S. Infanfcry, head.
John Loftus, I, 6th TJ. S. Infantry, hand.
R, RuBfell t F, 6th TJ. S. Infantry, face. .
J. G. Brewer, C, llth TJ. S. Infantry,hand.
John K. Fair, B, llth U. S. Infantry, foot.
P. Flynn, O; 12th TJ. S. Infantry, head. .
F. Reynolds, F, 6th TJ. S. Infantry, head.
Corporal N. Vanderhoof, B, 146th New York, leg.
J. Hyland, B, 146th New York, leg.
A. Kunch, H, 10th TJ. S. Infantry, foot.
Robert Montross, H, 6th TJ. S. Infantry, arm.
Corporal Demon, H. 14th U. S. Infantry, leg.
H. C. Berry. G, 6th TJ, S. Infantry, leg.
John Irby, G, 12th U. S. Infantry, ieg.
David Smith, F, 6th TJ. S. Infantry, side.
P. Paul, F, 3d TJ.'S. Infantry, leg amputated!,, -
John White, I, 6th TJ. S. Infantry, foot.
John Bright; A, 146th New York, leg.
Clumback, F, 146th New York,'arm.
F Curran. G, llth TJ. S. Infantry,leer,
N. Fitzgibbon, B, llth TJ. S. Infantry, leg,
John Bignon, I, 6rh TJ. S. Infantry, hand.
Wm. Herbro, D, 6thTJ. S. Infantry, shoulder.
OFFICERS KILLED AND WOUNDED IN
ACTIONS OF SATURDAY AND SUNDAY.
Major Gen. Berry, killed, while gallantly fighting
hie division. '
.Gen. Devins, of'Massachusetts, commanding Ist
division, 11th corps, severely wounded in foot.
Gen. Mott, severely wounded in two places.
Col. McKnight, 105th Pennsylvania, killed.
Col. Riley, 75th Ohio, wounded, and left on the
field.
Col. Lancaster, 175th Pennsylvania, killed.
Col. Pierson, Ist New York, severely wounded.
Col. Stainrook, 109th Pennsylvania, killed.
Col. Stevenß, 4th Excelsior brigade, killed.
Col. Parks, 2d New York, wounded.
Col. Burling, 6th New Jeraev, wounded.
Col. "Willetts, 12fch New Jersey, wounded.
Col. Potter, 12th New Hampshire, thigh.
Lieut. Col: Scott, 3d Wisconsin, killed.
Lieut. Col. Chapin, 86th New York, killed.
Lieut. Col; Coggswell, 2d Massachusetts, am.
. Lieut. Col. Cook, 149th New York, foot.
Maj. Keenan, Bth Pennsylvania Cavalry, killed.
Maj. Strouse, 4Gth'Pennsylvania, killed.
Maj. Angell, sth New Jersey, left shoulder,
Lieut. Col. Lounsbury, stli Excelsior, face.’
Capt. Hampton, Pittsburg Battery, leg shot off,
Maj. Willoughby, 137th New York, severely.
Maj. Higgins, 86th New York, leg.
Lieut. Collins, 149th New York, wounded.
Lieut. Eckel, 149th New York, wounded.
Capt. Ellsworth, 86th New York, killed.
Capt. Allen, C, 145th New York, missing.
Capt. Smith, C, 7th Naw Jersey, neck.
Capt. "Witherell, F. 7th New Jersey, leg.
. Capt. Hart, E, 7th New Jersey, leg. '
, . Lieut..Gephartj’E, 7th New Jersey, wounded.
Lieut.-McDonald, I, ,; '7th'NewJersey, head.
Lieut. Berdan, -7tn New Jersey, killed.
Lieut. Cooper, F, 7th New.Tersev, wounded.
Lieut. Dingle, F, 7th New Jersey, wounded. ' '
SIXTH KKW JBBSET.
Lieut. Joseph Note, wounded.
Lieut. John Hoagland, wounded.
Lieut. Howeth, severely wounded.
Capt. Thos. M. K. Lee, head.
Lieut. JamesH. Tallon, hip,
- EIGHTH NEW JI2RSET.
Col. Ramsey, wounded. -
Capt. Stelle, F, severely wounded.
Capt. Stevenson, E, wounded.
Lieut. Peet, B, wounded.
Lieut. Beaken, C, wounded.
FIFTH NEW JERSEY.’
Capt. Gamble, mortally wounded.
Lieut. C. H. Rogers, arm,
Lieut. Clancy, neck.
Lieut. Geo. J. Lawyer, mortally wounded.
Lieut. Austin, ankle.
Lieut. Moore, killed.
Lieut. Nafew, wounded.
Lieut. F. Fields, 6th New Jersey, wounded.
Lieut. Ayres, 6th New Jersey, wounded, slightly.
Lieut. Thomson, Gen. Mott’s staff, wounded.
Capt. Cromley. O, lloth Pennsylvania, killed,
Capt. Conley, K, 115th Pennsylvania, killed. -
Capt. Dillon, B, 115th Pennsylvania, wounded.
Lieut. Mulloy, B, lloth Pennsylvania, wounded.
Lieut. Davis, D, lloth Pennsylvania, wounded.
O. liSth Pennsylvania, ankle.;
Adjt. Stevens, lloth Pennsylvania, wounded.
Capt. H.’ J. Murphy, 37th New York, wounded.
Capt, J. W. Bailey, 37th New York, wounded.
Lieut. Kearnin, 37th Neiv York, wounded.
Lieut. J. H. Markey, 37th New York, wounded.
Capt. Temple, 2d Begular Infantry, killed.
Lieut. Miller, 4th Maine, killed.
Capt. Morehead, 17th InfaDtry, wounded.*
Capt. Aines, • Regulars, wounded.
Lieut. Rueated. 44th N. Y., wounded by shell. •
Adjt. Thomas, 20th Indiana, badly, in hack.
Capt. "Walker, 38th*New York, wounded.
Lieut. Morana, 38th New York, missing.
Lieut. Martin, 2Sth New York, knee.
Copt. J. R. O’Biernc, 37th New York, wounded.
Capt. Elwood, 2d Excelsior, leg. - .
Lieut. Felney, H; 4th Excelsior, wounded.
Capt. Falen, A, 4th Excelsior, wounded.
- Lieut. Denman, C, 4th Excelsior, wounded.
Lieut. H. M. Aller, C, sth Excelsior, wounded.
Lieut. C. S. Preßton, A, ——, shoulder.
Capt. Grafton. 2d Massachusetts, leg.
Lieut. Fitzgerald, 2d Massachusetts, killed.
Lieut. F. B. Crosby, Battery F, 4th United States
Artillery, killed. '*
. Capt. Murray. 149th New York, leg.
Lieut. Priestly, 46th Penna., mortally wounded.
Col. Miles, 61st New York, fatally, in stomach.'
Col. E. H. Gregory, 91st Pa., wounded severely.
KILLED AND "WOUNDED AT FREDERICKS-
Col. Spear, 6lat Pennsylvania.
Major Joel Haycock, 6th Maine.
'MajorFaxon, 36th New York.
Major Basset. S2d Pennsylvania.
Cspt. Young, 6th Maine. •
-—Grey, 6th Msine. v. ' ;
-—Ballings. 6th Maine.
Orderly Sergt. Hinman, B, Ist U. S. Chasseurs.
Thomas Canfield, 6lst Pennsylvania.
wounded.
Maj. Hcaly, latU. S. Chasseurs, perhaps mortally.
Capt. Murphy, 20th Massachusetts.
Capt. Holmes, 20th Massachusetts. -
Lieut .Allen, Ist Rhode Island battery.
Lieut. Kelly, Ist Rhode Island battery,
Capt. Ellis, D, Gist Pennsjdvania.
Lieut. Kerne, B» 61st Pennsylvania.
—..Sergeant Chas. Bixby. Maoßncliuaettß.^ —-
Ssergeant sinie; Oflst United State's Chasseurs,
Corporal Gibson, o,lst United States Chasseurs.
Corporal Butcher, B, Ist United States Chasseurs.
• Corporal Connolly, I,lst United States Chasseurs. :
Corporal Rice, K, Ist United States Chasseurs.
Corporal Holzheimer, 6lst Pennsylvania'.
Corporal Shumaker, 61st Pennsylvania.
"William Ely, B, Ist United States Chasseurs.
; —*— Connor,' Ist United States Chasseurs.
—— Healy, Ist United States Chasseurs.
Felter, Ist United States Chasseurs.
. Philhan, Ist United States Chasseurs.
Flannery, C, Ist United States Chasseurs',
■ Donnelly, I,lst United States Chasseurs.
- Murdock, I, Ist United States Chasseurß.
[The list of killed and wounded of the Chasseurs
is lcomplete, and all not named are'safe. Col.
Hamlin, reported wounded, had a horse killed under
him, but was not bit. J
: Charles Brown, O, 23d Pennsylvania.
' John Gilbert, C, 23d Pennsylvania.
Charles Donohue, G, 23d Pennsylvania.
James Pringle, 0,23 d Pennsylvania.
Edward Baxter, C, 23d Pennsylvania.
William Norton, I,sth Wisconsin.
Peter Fenault, A. sth Wisconsin.
A. Davis, F, Ist Minnesota.
Thomas Lanzy; 7th Michigan, bugler.
John H. Penning, D, Gist Pennsylvania.
Hiram Kelly, 61st Pennsylvania. •
.Tames S. Neal, A,’ 61st Pennsylvania.
BEBEI REPORTS.
[From the Richmond Examiner. April 30.3
FROM FREDERICKSBURG-ADVANCE OF
THE ENEMY-FIGHTING COMMENCED.
The news from Fredericksburg is exciting. - The
long silence is broken, and fighting—probably • the
prelude to the great battle—has commenced again
between the two armies. Early yesterday morning
the enemy in large force effected a crossing of the
Rappahannock at a point known as Deep run, a few
miles below Fredericksburg. It is also reported
that the'enemy crossed at Kelly’s Ford and other
points, but we have no confirmation v of this. On
crossing to this side of the river, at Deep run, the
enemy engaged the 13th Georgia and the 6th or 2d
Louisiana —it is not certain which—and severe skir
mishing ensued. Loud.and continued firing was
heard from other pointß along the line, and the be
lief at Fredericksburg was confident that the ene
my was advancing in strength, and that the move
ment would lead to a general action.
• It is not known in--what foroe the enemy has
crossed, but it is believed by those most competent
to judge, that Hooka- has thrown over the river the
whole strength of his army, and that he inte7ids to give
ws battle in earnest; It is thought that he has been
encouiaged to this by the rumors which have reach
ed the North, icpreeenting that the bulk of our army
had-been withdrawn from Fredericksburg and Bent
to Suffolk.and,North Carolina. If i& thought that he
has made this advance, thinking that hcwould strike- tts
when icc were weakest and when his chances were most
favorable.
At the time of the cars leaving Guineas Station
THE WAR
(PUBLISHED WEEKLY. >
Thb War Press wiii be Bent to subscribers by
mail (per annum in advance) at.... ■&% 00
Thrcecopiee “ “ 500
Five copies “ “ 8 00
" 15 00
barker Clubs than Ten will bo charged at the earn &
rate, SX.SO per copy.
The money •must always accompany the order, and.
th no J nstan &s can these terms 5s deviated from* as
very little more than the cost of the paper.
T‘ostma>-ters* are requested to act as Agents for
The Was Pubs*. . -
f®' T°getter-up of the Club of ten or twenty, as
extra copy 0 f the Paper will he given.
?£ft 8lK "i! one P. M., the train was not
bey^nd ’ f a . pid natl continued firing
was distinctly heard, and it web supposed that the
enemy was still crossing. A thousand rumors were
rife, but we are not disposed to tax the credulity of
our readers by their repetition. J
All indications point to a battle to-day. Move
ments are going on which we cannot, nor would it
be prudent to tell our readers. The telegraph fine
was laßt Dight, under the exclusive control of the
Government, and there were other signs that our
authorities are looking for a great battle.
THE REBELLION.
What it "will Cost to talse Fort Pcmbertmir
[From the Correspondence of the Mobile Register, j
, . Fort Pemberton, April 1, 1663.
Fort Pemberton is a line of breastworks, composed
of cotton bales and mud, running acroßa from, the
Yazoo to the Taliahatchee rivers, forraiDg something
in the shape of aW. The right rests upon the Tal
lahatehee, and the left upon the Yazoo, and the dis
tance across in a straight line does not exceed two
hundred and fifty yards.
This work was constructed by order of Major Ge
neral Loring,. who was sent up into that section of
country to Ete if some place could be found to stop
the advance in ease he passed the obafcruc
tipre which were placed in the Yazoo Pass by order
oflieutenant General Pemberton.
~ Though poorly'adapted for the purpose intended,
it was the best position to be found above Yazoo
City on the Yazoo or Tallahatchee rivers. The gal
lant manner in which General Loring has held it,
and his pertinacity in standing his ground, now that
the enemy have appeared before him with large re
inforcements, (after being badly whipped.) justifies
the choice made.-
DESIGN. OF THE t{ YANKEES” ON VICKSBURG.
The idea of the Yankees, as publicly expressed
and privately spoken of in all their unofficial corre
spondence, iB to flank Vicksburg, capture Jackson,
cut off Grenada, and destroy all possibility of our
obtaining supplies throughout that rich country, by
this one bold stroke. TTie getting into the Yazoo
river, below where the Yallabusba .enters it, and
quietly drifting down to Yazoo City would, they
Euppoee, accomplish all but the flanking of Vicks
burg. Vast numbers of troops were to do the re
mainder. ’
THE MOVEMENT CHECKED, BUT RENEWED.
But the mud works of Fort Pemberton, backed by
a brave commander and an indomitable force, inter
posed a check to this on to Vicksburg movement,
and the proud foe, after trying nine days to get by
our woike, ingloriously fled before an inferior force,
nor stopped till reinforced to double the number
which originally attacked us. Having received re
inforcements, they returned to the attack on Mon
day evening week,.and immediately resumed opera
tions. Since that day, as far as your correspondent
.has been enabled to learn, all has been quiet. The
* doubtless manoeuvring Tor position, or
the rivers, so that he can land his
worktP in v,, ' iLli attempt to storm our
THE STORMING OF PEMBfiRTON~"SUIo« v *r
_Thanks to the GgA of battles, who controlaTfte
ri2e and fall of streams, it will be many weary weeks
before the water subsides, and if Gen. Loring does
not make that river too hot for them inThe mean
time, I am much mistaken. Should they attempt,
however, to storm the works either before or alter
the water in front subsides, God help them l for the
slaughter, at Chickasaw Bayou will not compare
with the slaughter at Fort Pemberton. I cannot be
more explicit on this point; blit I hardly think that
General Ross, who has the reputation of being &
cautious.man, will attempt anything so absurd, so
suicidal, as the storming of Fort Pemberton.
THE WaOLE EXPEDITION TO BE CAPTUBEDe
I have no hesitation in saying that I firmly be
lieve the entire Yankee expedition will fall into
our hands—infantry, cavalry, artillery, gunboats,
bAggage and all. “ Old Blizzard” will never allow
them to pass the fortifications, for Lieutenant Ge
neral Pemberton, fully alive to the importance of
the position, has sent forward to him men and ma
teiials for holding it. They acknowledge themselves
the impossibility of ever getting back through the
Yazoo PasstotheMississippi. Therefore they must
fight to the victory and pass us or fall into our hands
victims to the universal Yankee greed and rapacity.
U THE RAGLAN OF AMERICA.”
Fort Pemberton is now the key of the Mississippi
valley, and we cannot attach to it more importance
than it deserves. It should be held at any hazards.
Lieutenant General Pemberton, in placing General
LoriDg there to defend it, has put the “right man in
the right place.” Hie troops love him, the citizens
of the country have the utmost confidence in him.
He has whipped them back once, and I have every
reason to believe he will do it again. He will justi
fy the language of Mr. Barksdale, in the Congress
of our country when he said “ General Loring waa
the Raglan of America.”
SECESSIONISTS CONDEMNING SECESSION.
The Southern leaders are becoming traitors to
their own treason. It grows evident that the very
doctrine on which they found their withdrawal from
the Union, and revolution for independence, is no
more or less than a doctrine of absolute disorgani
zation and ruin.- Secession from, the Union will
work secession from the Confederacy; and, accord
ing to their own rule and acknowledgment, they
have greater right to secede from the latter. This
amounts .to., secession, seceding from secession. Ip
the new Southern Republic we have also this
astounding paradox—Liberty based on slavery, and
Union upon disunion. The absurdity of their posi
tion; Southern politicians perceive, and are now
endeavoring to crush out secession as a heresy. A
Richmond correspondent of the Chattanooga Rebels
in arecent- letter on the bill organizing the “ Confe
derate judiciary,” which has agitated for some time,
the Richmond “ Congress,” sayß:
“ Some twenty-five or thirty speeches were made
during the debate, but they have not been published
—scarcely glanced at by the Richmond press. Very
strange political doctrines were elicited during the
discussion, very remarkable conceptions of the na
ture of the. governmental structure of these States
were delivered. Among them , this one , by a distin
guished Senator: Ko State had a right to secede, and if
one seceded hereafter , he was in favor of forcing kei'
back with the bayonet—ov words to that effect. Truly
a notable sentence. On the ears of the weather-beaten
and war-worn soldiers who dropped in the lobby, on
their return to camps, it must have sounded with a
perplexing dissonance; since they had thought pro
per at one time to stake their fortunes, nay. their
lives, on the preservation of
which they innocently -believed Wfis worth the ven
ture,” T "*' • -
ironic cniLiTr to the peace commissioners.
[From the Richmond Enquirer, April 4.3
NORTHWESTERN COiI^TSSIONERS.
(Cut of tiro couriers on horseback: is here inserted in the
original.)
We have the Eolemn satisfaction of announcing—
and it is fondly hoped the Enquirer is the first to
announce—the near approach of Commissioners, two
or more, sent expreßßly by some person or persons
unknown, in the State of Illinois, bearing to Rich
mond a message of peace, a white wand in their
bands, healing on tbeir wings, and an olive branch
all round their hats. They are coming 1 They are
almosthere.l Have been seen with the naked eye at
Knoxville cm route to this city, and all hearts rush
out to meet the heralds and harbingers of concilia
tion.
Critical cavilers may ask who has seat them?
W ell, it was not the Governor of the State, cor the
.Legislature, cor any convention of the people, or
Of any county or town. So ranch we feel at liberty
to reveal. The factious enemies of>peace are web
come to the avowal. All that is now proper to make
known is, that the heralds and harbingers in ques
tion come from the State of Illinois j and, albeit
that State is now, unhappily, at war with the Con
federacy, and has about seventy thousand soldiers
(more or less) engaged in ravaging our country, still
this public action does not bind the person or per
sons unknown, nor the commissioners whose ap
proach we have the honor to announce.
Let ih not be uncharitably surmised that these
commissioners are, perhaps, spies, and that, entering
our lines, a 3 they an enemy’s country, with
out flag of truce, and without credentials, they
should be arrested and commended to the hospitali
ties of the « Libby.” No, let us repel the idea that
these are'speculators, thieves, or Bpies: let us re
spond with gratitude to the appeal of Illinois’ heart;
let us meet the commissioners as they enter, and
strew flowers in their path; let thegallant City Bat
talion turn out as a guard of honor, (we do not mean
to the Libbv); let Congress go into secret session'
to receive the celestial message; finally, let a special
exemption be issued for them, lest the conscript offi
cers, not aware of their noble mission, should tender
them the hospitalities of Camp Lee.
This time it is hoped that nobody will say we repel
advances and reject friendship with disdain. Look
out for the Illinois commissioners l
THE CONDITION OP THE SOUTH.
The Daily Richmond Examiner of April 21 contains
the following interesting statement, based upon the
narrative of-a three months’ trip of a Government
agent through the South. The statement of South
ern abundance is, of course, exaggerated, if we re
spect the large amount of contradictory intelligence
which we gleanfrom rebel papers; but, on theother
hand, the destitution of the South may be also ex
aggerated. This report, however, taken from a Go
vernment officer, is perhaps merely in the interest
of the Government, and is apparently in itself ex
travagant:
THE.GREATEST PLENTY THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH'.
We -are assured that the greatest plenty exists
throughout the South, and that there was never a
greater mistake made than to. suppose there is a
scarcity within our borders. In the far Southern
States the country is flooded with all kinds of pro
duce, and the people have more than they can make
way with. In Louisiana, forinstance, corn was so
plentiful that it was a drug in the market, and the
Government was buying all it wanted at forty cents
a bußhel, the highest price known in that region
being half a dollar. In some parts of Alabamar and
Mississippi the same thing exists, and nowhere
could the complaint of scarcity be.heard. The spirit
ofthejjlanteroiji-rciation.to'tKewarlßsanrnrbe of
iiie most generous and patriotic character, and the
most earnest desire is manifested by them to supply
the wants of our. army and distressed communities.
WANT OP TRANSPORTATION THE CAUSE OP
SUFFERING.
There are thousands of barrels of corn, sugar,
bacon, and other supplies, in the South, that the
owners would be willing to make a free gift to the
Government or a donation to the thousands oE refu
gees in our State,-but they cannot get transportation
overour railroads, which are clogged up with barrels
of whisky and the wares of speculators. We would
ask why it is that railroads are prostituted to the
liquor smugglers and speculators in giving trans
portation to barrels of whisky and bales of goods,
when the supplies tendered ourGoverumentand the
poor, from noble generosity, are refused transporta
tion, andthe bread kept Jrom the mouths of im
poverished refugees'?
FULL OF FOOD AND HARVEST.
The whole South, we are assured, is full of food,
both meat and breadatuffs, and the only impediment
to getting it is that no adequate transportation can
be had. Thousands of barrels of corn might be gath
ered up at fifty cents to a dollar a'bushel, and hun
dreds of thousands of bacon can be had, we learn,
in the remote South, at forty to fifty cents a pound.
The crops through the are reported, too, to
be in a very promising condition. There is nothing,
except some calamity not to be anticipated, that can
now prevent a plentiful harvest. The farmers, we
are glad to learn, have planted very little land in
cotton—hardly more than enough to supply seed for
the next year’s planting. The consequence is that
an unusual amount ot land has been set in corn and
grain, and an immense harvest may be looked for, if
nothing should occur to mar the prospect. If this
policy of planting only what is needed by the army
and people is adhered to, as we hope it will be, we
have no fears for the future.
THE ARMY IN THE SOUTHWEST,
During his travels our informant was at Vicks
burg, Port Hudson, and other points of interest in
the Southwest, and gives the most encouraging ac
counts of our army. He never saw a better class of
men, or an army in better condition and discipline.
The material of the army is splendid, and as gallant
a set of men as ever breathed. The greatest confi
dence was felt, and a spirit to fight to the last man
seemed to animate the whole army. It would not be
prudent to speak of their numbers, but it is safe to
say tbAt they consider themselves able to repulse the
enemy whenever he may come.
YIOKSUUKG AND IT3 COMMANDERS.
At no point was a greater spirit of confidence felt
than at Vicksburg, and our informant Bh&res in this,
in feeling assured that the plaoe can never be carried
by the Yankees. The garrison there feel confident
of holding the place, and the people there feel as un»
concerned of their danger as if the Yankees were &
hundred miles off. We are glad to hear that our
own.old Commonwealth figures so bravely and is so
well represented in the aimy at Vioksburg. Major
General C. L. Stevenson, in command there, is a.
Virginian, and so are Major General Maury, and
Brigadiers Generals Barton and Reynolds, all en
trusted with important commands at Vioksburg.