ARMY OPERATIONS. 



place with the greatest violence, and continued 

 some hours, during which Gen. Warren held 

 his ground. In the afternoon a brigade of the 

 6th corps came to his assistance, and the enemy 

 were driven from their position. The Federal 

 loss was thirteen hundred. Many officers were 

 wounded, among whom was Gen. Robinson, 

 who was shot in the knee. Several brigades 

 lost their commanders, and the 4th Michigan 

 was finally commanded by a first lieutenant. 

 The 1st Michigan, two hundred strong, came 

 out of the fight with twenty-three men. The 

 day was intensely hot, and many suffered from 

 sun-stroke. 



Monday was comparatively quiet in the 

 morning, followed by cannonading and skir- 

 mishing, but no general battle. While super- 

 intending the mounting of artillery, Gen. 

 Sedgwick was killed by a ball from a sharp- 

 shooter entering his head. The centre of the 

 the line formed on Sunday was held by Gen. 

 Warren, with the 2d corps, Gen. Hancock, on 

 the right, and the 6th corps, Gen. Wright, lately 

 Gen. "Sedgwick, on the left. Toward night, 

 on Monday, Gen. Grant ordered another ad- 

 vance on the enemy. The right, with Gens. 

 Birney's and Gibbon's divisions in advance, 

 followed by Gen. Carroll's brigade, crossed 

 over to the south bank of a branch of the Po 

 River. Here a severe battle with both infantry 

 and artillery ensued. Each side alternately 

 charged. At night the enemy held Spottsyl- 

 vania Court House, and Gen. Hancock slowly 

 retired his corps, after suffering heavy : 

 During the day an attack, directed on Gen. 

 Wilcox's division of the 9th corps, was met 

 and repulsed. 



The following despatches from Mr. Stanton, 

 the Secretary of War, relative to the preceding 

 operations, were sent to the public 



WASHINGTON, May S 9 A. M. 

 :. John A. Dlx, Sew York : 



We have no official reports from the front ; 

 but the Medical Director has notified the Surgeon 

 General that our wounded were being sent to Wash- 

 ington, and will number from six to eight thousand. 



The Chief Quartermaster of the urmy of the Poto- 

 mac has made requisition for seven days' grain, and 

 for railroad construction trains, and states that the 

 enemy is reported to be retiring. This indicates 

 Gen. "Grant's advance, and affords an inference of 

 material success on our part. 



The enemy's strength has always been most felt in 

 his first blows, and his efforts having failed, and our 

 forces, not only having maintained their ground, but 

 preparing to advance, lead to the hope of full and 

 complete success ; for when either party falls back, 

 disorganization by straggling and desertion com- 

 mence, and the enemy's loss in killed and wounded 

 must weaken hinxmore than we are weakened. Noth- 

 ing later than my last night's despatch has been re- 

 ceived from Gen. Butler. 



A despatch from Gen. Sherman, dated at 5 o'clock 

 r. H. vesterday, states that Gen. Thomas had occu- 

 pied Tunnel Hill, where he expected a battle, and 

 that the enemy had taken position at Buzzard Roost 

 Pass, north of Dalton. Skirmishing had taken place, 

 but no real fighting. 



Nothing later from Gen. Banks. 



You may give such publicity to the information 

 transmitted to you as you deem proper. 



It is designed to give accurate official statements 

 of what is Tcnown to the department in this great 

 crisis, and to withhold nothing from the public. 



EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. 

 WASHINGTON-. May i 5 p. M. 

 Maj.-Gen. John A. Dix, -Jew York: 



We are yet without any official despatches from the 

 Army of the Potomac, except those referred to this 

 morning from the Medical Director and Chief Quar- 

 termaster, and nothing additional has been received 

 by the Department from any other source. It is be- 

 lieved that no fighting took "place yesterday. 



A part of the wounded arrived in ambulances this 

 morning at Rappahannock Station, and are on the 

 way in by railroad. The Department will probably 

 rec'eive despatches by that train, which will arrive to- 

 night. 



A despatch from Gen. Butler, just received, and 

 which left him yesterday, states that a demonstra- 

 tion had been made by his forces on the railroad be- 

 tween Petersburg and Richmond, and had succeeded 

 in destroying a portion of it, so as to break the con- 

 nection ; that there had been some severe fighting, 

 but that he had succeeded. He heard from a rebel 

 deserter that Hunter was dangerously wounded, 

 Pickett also, and Jones and Jenkins were killed. 



Nothing further has been heard from Gen. Sherman. 

 EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. 



WASHINGTON, May 9 10:45 A. M. 

 Maj.-Gtn. John A. Dix : 



We have intelligence this morning, by agents direct 

 from the army, as late as Saturday evening, but no 

 official reports". The general result may be estimated 

 as a success to our arms. 



The fighting on Friday was the most desperate 

 known in modern times. 



I deeply regret to say that the country will have to 

 mourn the death of that accomplished soldier, Brig.- 

 Gen. Wadsworth, who was struck in the forehead by 

 a bajl, at the head of his command, while leading 

 them against one of the enemy's strongest positions. 

 His remains are in our bauds in charge of Col. 

 Sharpe. Gen. Webb was wounded. Gen. Jones, of 

 the rebel army, was killed. 



The condition of our army is represented to be 

 most admirable. Their cool, determined courage, has 

 in every instance proved too much for the desperate 

 fury of "the rebels, who have been driven at all points. 

 There has been no straggling. 



At the latest accounts Hancock was pushing for- 

 ward rapidly, by the left, to Spottsylvania Court 

 House, and yesterday heavy cannonading was heard 

 at Aquia Creek from that direction. 



We have lost some prisoners. One regiment, the 

 Tth Pennsylvania reserves, charged through an abatis 

 of the ene'my, but were unable to get back, and most 

 of them were captured. We have also taken a large 

 number of prisoners, supposed to be more than we 

 lost. The wounded had not yet arrived at the point 

 where the trains were to receive them. The Medical 

 Director reports that a large proportion are slightly 

 wounded. Artillery was not usea on either side the 

 last two days. 



There is "nothing later from Gen. Butler than the 

 dates of my last despatch. 



Gen. Sherman was heard from last night. He had 

 been all day reconnoitring the enemy's position, and 

 would attack to-dav. 



EDWIN M.' STANTON, Secretary of War. 



WASHINGTON, May 911:80 A. M. 

 My.-Gen. John A. I' 



This Department has just received from Gen. Butler 

 the official report of Gen. Lee of the operations of Fri- 

 day. He says their loss in killed is not large, but they 

 have many wounded. He grieves to announce tha't 

 Gen. Longstreet was severely wounded, Gen. Jenkins 

 killed, and Gen. Pegram badly wounded on Thurs- 

 day, and that it is supposed that Gen. Stafford will 

 recover. He thanks a merciful God that every ad 



