IMPORTANT BATTLES.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 74, 21 July 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

IMPORTANT BATTLES.

I FRIGHTFUL CARNAGE. (From tho Age, July 10.) By the Dashing Wave, Captain Leiw, from California, we have, via Jney'; telegraphic news to the 12th May^ from AYashington and New OnA'the afternoon of Saturday, the j, three days* previous skirmishing, iattle commenced in the vicinty of ancellorville, in which large bodies troops were actively engaged. Ge•als Hooker, Lee, and Jackson were command. The fight was continued the following day, the carnage being jhtful, the dead and wounded cover- • the ground in heaps. General oker retired to take up a fresh posia. The details are given underith. The news, though somewhat :iting, is very conflicting, and, on i whole, far from reliable. On this subject the Alta California 13th May, remarks :— " As matters nd at present, there is nothing left us to do but have telegraphed all ir rumors and speculations with the ie — faint though it be — that one lin of truth may be found in a bushel .heir trash. With the experience of last few days before us, it is hard to determine what reliance is to be placed on the news floating about on the other side. First, we had it that Richmond was positively taken : then that Keyes was advancing from White House, and Hooker from Fredericksburgh to take it. Now it is stated that Hooker has not budged an inch. We expect that the next telegram will be that Keyes has not left the vicinity of Fortress Monroe. If it be any consolation to know that the press on theother side is as much tossed alo it by wild rumors as we are here, we are at liberty to indulge in it to our heart's content. Thure are thousands of keen reporters, working, with busy pens, night and day. Our agent telegraphs to us the result of their labors and can do do more. These thousands of reporters hunt news, novv-a-days, uuder great difficulties. They have b^en excluded from nearly all the camps of the armies on the field. They can, therefere, furnish the public with nothing but rumors in circulation iu the rear of out advancing hosts, or with thories ingeniously spun from the fact3 which may come under their observation. It must be birue~'m mind that the Government ha? entire possession of the telegraphic lines everywhere. For its own purposes, it sometimes allows facts to leak out, and sometimes flatly contradicts them, and purposely so. The intention is, not to deceive loyal people, but to mislead the .rebels. It would be yery satisfactory, if the facts, and nothing but the facts, were in all cases laid before ihe public ; but it would give the re- | bels an advantage over us, equal to 100,000 men." Adverting to the rumored capture of Richmond by the Federals, the Alta, of Sunday, 10th May, says .' — " We received, at midnight, (he most extraordinary news that has flashed along the wires since the war commenced. It is nothing less than the reported capture of the rebel capital. It was laid before the public on the eastern side last evening, by the Philadelphia Bulletin. That journal professes to have obtained the intelligence from several sources, and -by placing the items together, arrived at the conclusion that Richmond had fallen. " Two days later, the foregoing report is thus referred to in the same paper: — " One thing may be said in relation to the late excitement : the Philadelphia Bulletin has the credit of getting up the most plausible lie which has been circulated since the war commenced. It bore about it a great air of plausibility. Stoneman had destroyed the railroads in Lee's rear, and there was a chance for Keyes or somebody to make a dash on Richmond from the east. The only cause for doubting the matter at all was that it was * too good to be true."' On the 13th, in its news of the day, the Alia notices rather a naive announcement emanating from the New York Post, to the effect that Hooker has not crossed the Rappahannock at all, but that "his personal arrangements indicate that he expects to be employed in some new enterprise soon/' Next day, the same paper, in a more reassuring tone, observes: — "The smoke has not yet cleared up sufficiently fiom over the field of the late terrific battles in Virginia for us to see the extent of our - losses, or to measure them Witt v 'the losses of the enemy. But Jihc^tenbr of the news received t&A&f-ffliKC more cheering than yester-day-sj^d already we have assurances that our calamity was over-estimated, •and that we may yet have reason to rejoice at the issue of Hooker's attempt, failure though Jit; may .Ibe in some respects. Mr S tail ton, Secretary of War, i telegraphs to Governor Stanford this; morning, that'thbugh -H-ooker's principal! operation failed,., 'itfifere has been no serious.disasterto the organisation and efficiency 6f the armyv He occupies his ?l*4ps?itipn4>ii t^e-'^^sWik^^P^'* ;&»*-',■ ing recrossed the; dement," ; «^Q^i^.i ? s bperationp," addß tins highest" authority,'' have been a brilliant success." " The array of the Potomac will speedily- resume offensive operations." Our own despatches confirm these statements of Mr Stanton, and heighten the mo.re pleasing colors

that affairs about the Rappahannock now assume. We have indeed paid a terrible price for anything we have gained during the week, but war prices are always terrible. Patriotism offers no blemished sacrifice on the altar of the country now. Our people do not grrudge the blood they shed, the lives they lose, when the alternative of success is the loss of land, liberty, all that makes life worth having. General Hooker estimates his losses in killed, wounded, and missing, at 10,000, of which as the prisoners are set down at but 1700, the far greater portion must be wounded. Yet all indications are that great as is our loss, the enemy's wa3 greater. IVlean while from outside of Virginia all the news we get is good. Grant has taken Grand Gulf, the key to both Port Hudson and Vicksburg. The telegrams of the united press of San Francisco fill a considerable space in the papers. For the most part, however, they relate to marchings, countermarchings, and surprises, diversified by an occasional skirmish between pickets and straggling parties of the rebel nnd Federal forces. To quote a tithe of these would be merely a waste of space. We therefore select only the most important. | New York, 4th May,— The Tribune j has issued an extra as follows : — "Our news by mail from the Rappahannock ( is up to Saturday morning. At that time our left wing was in possession of Fredericksburg, and the first redoubts ou the hills behind it, and was feeling its way to the secoud line. The river was crossed, and the redoubts carried with great ease and very slight loss. The left of the rebels had marched away in the in the direction of Chancellorville to attack our right wing, (here posted, leaving at first 10000, but subsequently not more than from 0000 to 7000 in their works, as was ascertained by a reconnoissance from Lowe's balloon.'' The Herald has an extra, giving the latest from the army in Virginia to 1 1 a.m. on Sunday, stating that the rebel stores near Fredericksburg, at Stoneman's station, had been burned. It was rumored that our regiments had captured sixteen pieces of artillery ; that the Irish Brigade took three rebel batteries ; that our cavalry was tearing Op the railroad tracks and destroying property ; that we advanced one mile yesterday, and were still driving the rebels with great slaughter. At eleven o'clock heavy cannonading was heard on the right towards the liapidan. It is stated that the President had received despatches from General Hooker that he has severed the rebel communication betwaen Bowling Green and Hanover Court House ; that General Slocum had captured 1500 prisoners, after rossing above Falmouth ; that our communication with General Stoneman had been cut off by the guerillas, but will soon be re-instated ; that his (Hookers') troops had captured all the rebels north of the Pamunkey. Chicago, sth May. — The Nero York Times and Herald contain long and interesting accounts from Hooker's army. The Times' correspondent states that after three days' skirmishing on both sides, the rebels, on Saturday afternoon and evening, attacked our right flank, Jackson with his whole corps of 40,000 men throwing himself impetuously on Howard's Eleventh Corps. Butthe movement was only partially successful, and reinforcements being promptly sent by Hct-fker, the rebels were handsomely checked. Howard's corps consisted of Schurz's, Steinwehr's, and Deven's divisions. The Times 1 correspondent states that this corps disgracefully abandoned their position behind their breastworks, and rushed horror - stricken towards head- quarters. Our right was thus completely turned, and the rebels were in a fair way of doubling us up Hooker was immediately in the saddle, and turning to the commander of his own old corps, Berry, he shouted, " General, throw yourself into the breach, and receive the enemy on your bayonets. Don't fire a shot. They can't see you.'' They rushed gloriously at double-quick to the rescue, pressing forward in a horrid array of glittering steel. The enemy were checked, and retired to their breastworks, just abandoned by Howard's corps. The batteries immediately massed on the crest of the hill, pouring in a terrific fire until far into the night. In a charge by the rebels, they took from the cowardly Dutchmen (as the Times correspondent styles them) twelve pieces of cannon. The Germans fled past Hooker's head-quar-ters in panic. Many members of the staff, with pistols and sabres>, vainly endeavored to stay their flight. The artillery combat continued fiercely till midnight. Hooker and his staff were all the time under the severest fire. Another Times' correspondent, dating on Sunday evening, says it was reported from Howard's front that the rebels were engaged all Friday night, cutting a road past his right, but not mucji; attention was paid to the fact. On the afternoon of Saturday it was reported by pickets on the right; of Slocum's front, that waggons were seen moving all day in a~ westerly direction. Sickles, with a heavy force, fasi sent to reconnoitre, when a the advance! fell in with the rear of Jackson's A army.,. Sickles immediately pushed on| to 1 checkmate Jackson, and^bpn captured his entire 23rd Georgia Regiment, 400A men, including the officers. This movement of Sickles cut Jackson.s force in two, and ? General Williams commenced a flank "movement on the enemy's right, with good prospects of. success. It was supposed that Howard's corps, formerly Sigel's, would successfully resist Jackson's movement, but the first division assailed, under Carl Schurz, almost instantly gave way,

thousands throwing down their guns, and, streaming towards head-quarters. General Devens's division, by the demoralisation of others was unable to stand against the rebels. Devens was wounded in the foot, when endeavoring to rally his men. Howard, with all his daring and resolution, couldn't stem the tide, and the brigade of Colonels Bush, Peck, and M'Lean remained fighting as long as possible, retiring in good order. Of course, this disaster compelled the recall of Sickles, who had been vigorously at work. General Williams's division returned to find a portion of his works occupied by the enemy. Sickles could not be communicated with by the route he went, and General Hooker ordered a night attack to restore communication. Wa-d's brigade, aided bv Best's battery, made an attack at eleven o'clock at, night, which was entirely successful, and, in a charge made by t he brigade, a portion of the artillery lost by Howard was gallantly retaken. The enemy were driven back nearly a mile. On that night (Saturday) our men slept on their arms. On Sunda}', at five o'clock in the morning, the rebels could be plainly seen on the plank road, about a mile and a half from Hooker's headquarters at Chancellor House, which had been penetrated the evening previously by shell. Our line of battle was immediately formed, and in half an hour our advance became engaged, soon battalion after battalion became engaged, the enemy advancing his infantry in overwhelming numbers, seeming determined to crush ours. Sickles's and Slocum's brave men, however, held them in check, inflicting dreadful slaughter upon them. French's division was sent in ou our right flank, and soon crushed that portion of the enemy's line. At eight o'clock French sent his compliments to Hooker, stating that he had charged the rebels and was driving them before him. Five whole rebel divisions were driven upon Sickles, but he and his gallant soldiers held the traitors in check, t?king during during the day an aggregate of 2,000 prisoners. The carnage was perfectly frightful. Officers say that dead and wounded rebels covered the ground in heaps, the rebels literally throwing themselves upon the muzzles of our guns. General Mott's brigade made fifteen distinct charges and captured seven stand of rebel colors. The 7th New Jersey alone captured four stand of colors and 500 prisoners. The engagement lasted from 5.30 a.m. to 8.45 a.m., when, being out of ammunition, our forces held their position for i an hour at the point of the bayonet. Upon being supplied they fell back in good order to Chancellor House, where the contest was again maintained with great havoc to the enemy, and a cpn- , siderable loss to ourselves. The vici-^ nity of Chancellor House was now Me theatre of the fight. Hooker maintained his h^ad- quarters there till ten o'clock, when it was burned by v rebel shell. In the meantime Hooker established a new line. Our forces were withdrawn to that front, and at 11.30 a.m. musketry firing ceased. Chicago, May 7. — The following is additional news in regard to Sunday's fight : — Early in the morning an attack was made to change the front of Sickle's corps, to make the extreme left movement. The movement was parti lly completed at daylight on Sun- j day, when the rebels attacked our left : flank ; Sickles's corps held the ground j obstinately for two hours, gradually j falling back to get to the line intended to be taken. The enemy brought up powerful masses of infantry and rolled them upon us like an avalanche, and our I artillery mowed them down by brigades, but only that fresh brigades shoul 1 take the place of the fallen. This frightful slaughter continued the whole morning, our troops contesting every inch of ground, although pressed by vastly superior numbers. The fighting along the whole line was unequalled in the war, and the loss of the enemy in killed is treble ours, they being the attacking party, and our troops partially protected by hastily constructed rifle pits and breastworks ; still the rebels brought up fresh troops and continued crowding. There was an incessant roar of musketry for hours, intermixed by the thundering of hundreds of cannon. Our left was crowded back two miles and a half, and our right a half mile, though the line was unbroken at any point. Our men fought like veterans. The enemy retook Chancel-' lorville — General Hooker falling on the road to the United States Ford j to the intersection of the Wilderness road with a point known as the White House, and here they checked ihe enemy. Our dead and wounded fell into the enemy's possession. The building at Chancellorville, occupied as Hooker's head-quarters, which , was turned into a hospital, was set fire to by rebel shells, and a number of our wounded were burned up. The severe shelling also set the woods on fire, and a large number < f wounded were burned up. There was a horrible stench over all the battle-field) from the large, number .of burned .men and animals. We have taken between three rthousand and fouri thousand, prisoners. The latter say that -the number of their* men killed was never equalled. Lee fought every- division* rhei-had except Early's, which was left to defend Fredeand he determined to drive Ss^rW^'^leift^ank of the river,;which project would have succeeded but J&r the unsurpassed valor ©f Sickles's corps, which bore the brunt of the battle. Slocum's corps also fought bravely and suffered severely. Some of the divisions of Mead's corps did heavy work^and^ were much cut up. General Whipple died on Tuesday afternoon from^hi s wounds. The list of casualties thus fa r received shows the following : — Mead' s

Corps, 2 officers and 21 privates killed, 7 officers and 182 privates wounded ; Sickles's division, 30 officers and 20 privates killed, 6 officers and 124 privates wounded; Berry's division, 12 officers and 153 privates killed, and 8o officers and 841 privates wounded. The third division of Sickles's Corps lost 2 staff-officers, 7 line officers, and 79 privates killed, and 10 staff officers, 4 6 line officers, and 52 privates wounded ; the first div sion of the Third Corps lost 15 officers and 84 men killed, 64 officers and 778 men wounded. The J ribtme's extra, dated the 6th, says t"ie army of the Potomac has recrossed the Rappahannock at the United Sutes and Banks' Fords to the old camp along the A quia Railroad. The crossing war effected without loss. General Sedgwick at Fredericksburg was overwhelmed by numbers, and was barely able to escape. He saved his artillery and trains. His loss was about 5000. Fredericksburg and heights are reoccupied by the rebels. General Hooker's retreat caused a great panic at Aquia Creek. The crossing com- j meneed on Tuesday night, and was covered by the Third and Fifth Corps. Lee's sharpshooters picked off a number of artillery horses and mounted officers of the batteries, and occupied all the advantageous positions, pressing vigorously on Hooker's forces. On consultation with the corps commanders, it was decided that the enetry was too powerful, arid Sedgwick's unsuccessful attempt to join Hooker, added to the counsels of the corps commanders, shook Hooker's confidence, and he ordered the evacuation. The army is greatly demoralised by this inglorious retreat. This coi respondent says that there was no time from Friday morning to Monday night, but Hooker could have attacked and defeated Lee, but he lacked the ability to give the order. The Tribune closes by saying the army is safe, less 10 ; 000 men and a much larger number unfit for duty. The heavy rains have impaired the health of the men. Richmond papers claim that General Lee, in the engagement ©f Saturday, took 5000 prisoners from the Eleventh Corps. The Evening Bulletin says : A private despatch from a perfectly trustworthy source has been received, the tenor of which is as follows : — The authorities at Washington are perfectly confident of General Hooker's success, and that he car. maintain his position. Reinforcements to the number of 30,000, under General Ifeintzelnian, have been sent him. Great numbers of our wounded have fa'len into the hands of the enemy. Our dead on the battlefield of Sunday are still unburied, and the wounded are undoubtedly dying in great numbers for want of attention. Dr. Johnson, Medical Inspector of the Army, volunteered to go over with a j corps of surgeons to take charge of the I wounded. He will probably be sfnt ! across as soon as practicable. Hooker was very much depressed last night. He held a consultation with the commanding generals, in which it was urged that longer stay in its present posi ion would prove unsafe to the army* New York, 9th May. — The Washington Republican last night published the following : — " Those who left the headquarters of the army last night report the condition of the army as excellent as its most anxious friends could wish. General Hooker is in good spirits, perfectly well satisfied with his recent achievements. All the army officers who have arrived from the camp unite in speaking of General Hooker and hi recent operations in terms of the highest praise.'' Nashville, 9r.h May. — It is reported that General Van Dorn was instantly killed by Dr. Peters, of Maury county, yesterday, at the house of the latter. Deserters also report that General Bragg has been killed by General Breckenridge, some days sinee, occasioned by the bad treatment of the Kentucky troops. We give the reports as they come to us, not vouching for their truth. Late Southern papers announce the death of General Daniel G. Donelson, at Natchez. A telegram dated the 18th inst., in the Richmond Whig, reports that General Morton, with 1,500 cavalry, had gained Banks' rear, and captured and destroyed 175 waggons belonging to the Jprdnance train. , Washington, May 9th.~ - The following has been received from Grand Gulf, Miss., dated the 3rd, advices to General Halleck : — " We landed at Bowlingsburg on April 30th, and moved directly to Port Gibson. Met the enemy, 11,000 strong four miles south of that place, at two o'clock in the morning of the Ist. Engaged him all day, entirely routing him, with the loss of many killed and wounded and about five hundred prisoners. Besides the wounded, our loss is about one hundred killed and five hundred wounded The enemy retreated towards Vicksburg, destroying the bridges over two forks of Bayou Pierce. They were re* built and pursuit continued to the present time. Besides the heavy artillery at this place, four field-pieces and some stores were captured. The enemy destroyed many more. The country is broken, and the most difficult to operate in I ever saw. Our victory is complete, and the enemy thoroughly demoralised. — Grant." -, The following has also been received addressed to General Halleck. ' " Grand Gulf, 6th May.— The last heard from Colonel Grierson, with his cavalry, was three miles from the Summit, below Bahama, on the New Orleans and Jackson road, supposed to be making his way to Baton Rouge. He

had spread consternation throughout the state, destroying the railroads trestle work, and bridges ; burning locomotives, railroad stock, taking prisoners, and destroying stores of all kinds. (Signed) " Grant." x