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whereof Ewell's (late the right), on its change of front, held the left, next the Rapidan; A. P. Hill coming into line on the right; while Longstreet (recently returned from his East Tennessee campaign) was posted near Charlottesville, two marches off, but was rapidly brought up, and came into action the second day. The ground was as unfavorable for us as could be; yet Grant, being unexpectedly assailed-for he had confidently expected to get through unmolested -had no choice but to fight: neither Burnside nor our trains being yet fairly over the river; so that any attempt to evade Lee's unlooked-for blow would have compromised, not merely the campaign, but the army. Hardly a shot had been fired on the first day of our movement; the Rebel pickets retreating precipitately before our imposing advance, to speed the great news to their leaders. Gen. Warren, with his corps, forming our

infantry advance, rested for the night at the Old Wilderness tavern,' five miles from the ford, where Grant and Meade crossed and made their headquarters next morning; Gen. Sedgwick's corps was between them and the ford; Gen. Hancock, with his corps, halted at or near Chancellorsville, in the rear of Warren. Our cavalry, under Sheridan and his lieutenants, Wilson and Gregg, covered the front and flanks of the infantry.

Warren had orders to move, supported by Sedgwick, early next morning, to Parker's store, five miles S. W. of his camping-ground; following the road leading to Orange Court House: Hancock was to press southward, at considerable distance on his left, making for Shady Grove church; while Sheridan's cavalry swept still farther south-west, making a reconnoissance in force. But these movements were met in their inception by an unlooked-for advance of the Rebel infantry under Hill against Warren, and under Ewell against Sedgwick: the former driving in the 5th N. Y. cavalry with loss, and striking Warren heavily and full in front, long before he had reached Parker's store, and before Hancock had orders to arrest his southward march and, facing westward, swing in on Warren's left. In short, the battle commenced before our army was in position, and while our Generals still supposed that there was no considerable Rebel force at hand-as Lee evidently intended to have it. And Hill, having, by an early advance, secured a strong and sheltered position on a ridge crossing the road, repelled with loss the brigades of Bartlett and Ayres, of Griffin's division, that were first sent up against him; not pressing far his advantage until about 3 P. M.; when, perceiving the approach of Hancock, he attempted the favorite Rebel maneuver of interposing a strong force between our usually loosely joined commands, but was checked by Hancock's arresting his direct advance and pushing rapidly to the right, to close on Warren. This was effected, not a moment too soon; the enemy's charging column being already on Warren's left flank; but Hancock, with his division Generals, Birney, Barlow, and Gibbon, struck heavily on their right, and two hours' stubborn and bloody conflict, with musketry alone, resulted in great loss to both sides, and little advantage to either: Hancock's corps, which had, ere this, been strengthened by Getty's divi- | sion of Sedgwick's, saving itself from rout by the most obstinate fighting. Sedgwick had been attacked a lit

16 Thursday, May 5.

tle after 1 P. M.; but Ewell was not at first in so great force as Hill was; and the advantage here was on our side: the enemy being obliged, at 3 P. M., to give ground, after a most determined effort: Maj.-Gen. J. M. Jones and Brig. Gen. Stafford having been killed. Rhodes's division, led by Gordon, next charged vigorously, and pushed back our advance with loss, taking some prisoners. In a return charge from our side, Gen. Pegram fell severely wounded. Hereupon a general advance on our side was ordered, but arrested by the coming of night. The Rebels claimed 1,000 prisoners to our 300 as the net product of the day's work; otherwise, the losses were nearly equal.

Grant had decided to open next morning" by an advance along our whole front; Burnside's corps having arrived during the night by a forced march, and been distributed to the points where it seemed to be most needed. Sedgwick was ordered to move at 5 л.м.; but the enemy were upon him a quarter before; attempting to turn our right flank, which was held by Gen. Wright's division, with Gen. Seymour's provisional division still nearer the Rapidan. This attack, twice repeated during the forenoon, but not resolutely (being a feint to mask the real attack on Hancock), was repulsed, and our line advanced a few hundred yards to a more favorable position.

At 8 a. M., our whole front was assailed, and again two hours later, as if the enemy were feeling for a weak point. Then, efforts were made, as before, to push in between our several corps and their divisions; and at length to strike with crushing force

16 Friday, May 6.

GEN. WADSWORTH KILLED-SEYMOUR.CAPTURED. 569

sion of Burnside's corps, drove it back and rushed through the gap. Hancock promptly sent Col. Carroll, with the 3d brigade of his 2d division, to strike the advancing foe in flank, which was admirably done: the ene my being driven back with heavy loss, and our troops regaining their former position.

on one wing and then the other; | striking heavily on Stevenson's diviand this proved the more successful maneuver. It was evident that the Rebels, in their perfect knowledge of the country, and in the facility of moving their forces from left to right and back again in the rear of their defenses and fighting line, thus thoroughly screened from observation on our part, possessed advantages fully counterbalancing their deficiency in numbers.

On our left, Gen. Hancock had moved out, at 5 л. м., and had pushed forward, fighting, crowding back Hill and taking many prisoners, nearly two miles, across the Brock road, on his way to Parker's store. Here he was stopped by the arrival of Longstreet; who, after a brief lull, charged in turn, throwing our front into confusion, and requiring the presence of part of Burnside's men to restore and steady it; when Longstreet in turn was pressed back, falling severely wounded-it was said by a fire from his own men. Again a desperate attack by the enemy bore back the front of the 2d corps to its intrenched line and abatis along the Brock road; near which, but farther to the right, Gen. James S. Wadsworth, gallantly struggling to stem the adverse tide, was shot through the head and mortally wounded; as Gen. Alex. Hays had been the day before.

Thus ended the battle on our left; but, the enemy, massing swiftly and heavily on our right, after our Generals supposed the day's fighting over, struck again, under Gordon, just before dark, at that flank; surprising and routing Truman Seymour's and then Shaler's brigade, taking nearly 4,000 prisoners, including Seymour himself. For a moment, it seemed that our army, or at least its right wing, was exposed to rout; but Gen. Sedgwick exerted himself to restore his lines, and succeeded: the enemy making off with most of their prisoners in triumph. In fact, this charge had been made at so late an hour that no farther success than was achieved could wisely have been aimed at. Our army rested, after the second day's bloody struggle, substantially on the ground held by it at the beginning.

Early next morning, some guns (which had just been posted on our right) opened; but there was no reply; then our skirmishers advanced, but were met by skirmishers only; and it was soon evident that Lee had intrenched his whole front, and was willing to receive an attack behind his works, but not inclined to advance again and make one. And, as fighting in this labyrinth was nowise Grant's choice, but Lee's wholly, and his march; and accordingly put his columns in motion southward, aiming to clear the Wilderness and concentrate his army on the high, open ground around Spottsylvania C. H. The only serious conflict this day was an indecisive one near Todd's store, between four brigades of our cavalry and a like force of J. E. B. Stuart's, with a loss about 250 on either side. As Stuart attacked, and failed to achieve any advantage, Sheridan claimed the result as a triumph.

But, another lull now occurring, our front was straightened and strengthened; Gen. Burnside's corps having been thrown in between Hancock and Warren, so as to give our line the full strength of our infantry. Hardly had this been done when the now united corps of Hill and Longstreet fell furiously upon our left and as the latter did not invite a persistleft center, pushing them back, and, ❘ ence in it, Grant resolved to resume

Our losses in this terrible struggle | in the Wilderness were nearly 20,000 men, of whom some 6,000 were taken prisoners. Our loss in officers was heavy. The country's salvation claimed no nobler sacrifice than that of Gen. James S. Wadsworth, of New York. Born to affluence and social distinction, already past the age of military service, he had volunteered in 1861, under the impulse of a sense of duty alone. As an aid of Gen. McDowell, he was conspicuously useful at Bull Run; accustomed to every luxury, he had courted, ever since, the hardships and perils of the field; made the Republican candidate for Governor in 1862 by an overwhelming majority, he could not have failed to be elected, could those have voted who, like himself, were absent from the State at the call of their country; and, though he peremptorily declined, his fellow citizens, had he lived, would have insisted on electing him Governor in 1864. Thousands of the unnamed and unknown have evinced as fervid and pure a patriotism, but no one surrendered more for his country's sake, or gave his life more joyfully for her deliverance, than did James S. Wadsworth.

Among our wounded in this contest were Gens. Hancock (slightly), Getty, Gregg, Owen, Bartlett, Webb, and Carroll.

Of the Rebel killed, the most conspicuous were Maj. Gen. Sam. Jones and Brig. Gen. Albert G. Jenkins. Among their wounded were Gens. Longstreet (disabled for months), Stafford (mortally), Pickett, Pegram, and Hunter. Doubtless, their aggregate losses were much less than ours, especially in prisoners; but they were nevertheless severe, as they were estimated by themselves at 8,000.

17

Warren, starting at 9 P. M. of the 7th, preceded by cavalry, emerged from the Wilderness at Alsop's farm, where the Brock road crosses the little river Po; but he had been detained by the obstruction of his roads by the enemy, and by the cavalry fight in his front, so that Longstreet's corps had arrived before him, and taken post across the little river Ny, with his guns planted on the ridge beyond, to sweep our columns as they advanced. After a mutual cannonade, Robinson's overmatched division was advanced to the assault, but repulsed; Robinson being severely wounded. Later in the day, when part of the 6th corps had come up, the assault was renewed, Griffin's division taking part; when the enemy were driven back, with a loss of 1,500. Ours was judged to be less.

Miles's brigade of Hancock's corps was attacked this day at Corbyn's bridge, but beat off its assailants. Wilson, with our advance cavalry, penetrated to Spottsylvania Court House; but, being unsupported, was compelled to retire.

17 Sunday, May 8.

18

FIGHTING AT SPOTTSYLVANIA С. Н.

571

Next day, our army cleared the they were obliged at dark to abanWilderness and was concentrated don. The day closed with no decisive

around.Spottsylvania Court House, now held by Hill and Ewell: Warren in the center, Hancock on the right, Sedgwick on the left. While placing his guns, and bantering some of his men, who winced at the singing of Rebel bullets, Gen. Sedgwick was struck in the face by a sharpshooter's missile, and fell instantly dead. He was a native and citizen of Connecticut, a bachelor of 40, a thorough soldier, greatly beloved for his social qualities by all who knew him. Gen. Wm. H. Morris, of New York, was severely wounded this day. Gen. H. G. Wright next day succeeded to the command of the 6th corps, and Gen. Burnside came into position on our left; when our batteries opened on the enemy's position, and charges on his rifle-pits were made by Barlow's and by Gibbon's divisions, in front of the 2d and 5th corps, bringing on a general engagement. We finally attempted to turn the enemy's left flank, but failed; Barlow's division, which had advanced across the Po, being ordered to return, was fiercely attacked on its retreat, and at one time in danger of destruction, but finally extricated with some loss, including a gun. Several charges on our part were repulsed with loss-Brig. Gens. J. C. Rice and T. G. Stevenson being among our killed. Late in the afternoon, a most gallant charge was made from our left by Wright's 1st division, Col. Upton, and 3d, Gen. D. A. Russell, who rushed over the first line of Rebel defenses and took 900 prisoners, beside several guns, which, for want of proper support,

success; our aggregate loss having been severe; the enemy's-because of their position-probably much less.

Gen. Grant dispatched next morning to the War Department the following pithy but rather roseate bulletin:

}

"HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD, "May 11, 1864–8 А. М. "We have now ended the sixth day of very heavy fighting. The result, to this time, is much in our favor.

"Our losses have been heavy, as well as those of the enemy. I think the loss of the enemy must be greater.

"We have taken over 5,000 prisoners by

battle, whilst he has taken from us but few, except stragglers.

"I PROPOSE TO FIGHT IT OUT ON THIS LINE, IF IT TAKES ALL SUMMER.

"U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-Gen. Command

ing the Armies of the United States." This day was spent in reconnoitering, skirmishing, and getting ready for the morrow. The afternoon was rainy. Hancock, at nightfall, was ordered to leave at midnight his position fronting Hill, and move silently to the left, taking post between Wright and Burnside, so as to be ready for work early in the morning.

When morning came, the rain had given place to a fog of exceeding density, under cover of which, Hancock sternly advanced, in two lines; Barlow's and Birney's divisions forming the first; Gibbon's and Mott's the second. Before them was a salient angle of earthworks, held by Edward Johnson's division of Ewell's corps. Swiftly, noiselessly sweeping over the rugged, difficult, thickly wooded intervening space-some 1,200 yards-Barlow's and Birney's divisions dashed, with a thundering cheer, over the front and flank of the

*

• May 9.

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