ARMY OPERATIONS. 



101 



here to-ni<rht. [A ball entered his eye and passed 

 thtnush his head, killing him instantly.] 



The" army is represented to be in excellent condi- 

 tion, and with ample supplies. 



Gen. Robinson and Gen. Morris are wounded. No 

 other casualties to general officers are reported. 



Gen. H. G. Wright has been placed in command 

 of Sedgwick's corps. 



Gen. Grant did not design to renew the attack to- 

 day, being engaged in replenishing rom the supply 

 train, so a? to advance without it. 



EDWIN M. STANTON, Secretary of War. 

 On Tuesday morning, the 10th, Gen. Grant's 

 forces occupied substantially the same position 

 aa on the previous day. His line stretched 

 about six miles on the northerly bank of the 

 Po, and took the general form of a crescent, 

 the wings being thrown forward. The 2d 

 corps, across the Po, now held a line on the 

 right, nearly parallel to the road from Shady 

 Grove Church to the Court House. The oth 

 corps held the centre, being on the east side of 

 the Po, and the 6th corps held the left, facing 

 toward the Court House. Further on the left 

 was the Oth corps, under Gen. Burnside. Sev- 

 eral batteries covered the right and others the 

 left centre. In front was a dense forest. The 

 enemy held Spottsylvania and the region north 

 of the Court House. His left rested on Glady 

 Bun, sweeping northward and sheltered by 

 strong works long before made in anticipation 

 of this emergency. His right curved in a similar 

 direction, and rested on the Xy River, and his 

 centre, a little thrown forward from the right 

 and left centres, was posted on commanding 

 ground. His position was well supported by 

 breastworks, and along the centre was the for- 

 est and underbrush, lining a marsh partially 

 drained by the run. The conflict opened in 

 the morning by a terrific fire of artillery, which 

 was incessant during all the forenoon. A most 

 vigorous and gallant attack was then made by the 

 5th corps, and by Gens. Gibbons' and Birney's 

 divisions of the 2d corps, on the centre of Gen. 

 Lee's army. The losses of Gen. Grant were 

 most severe in the repeated charges by which 

 the enemy was driven to his rifle-pits. Brig.- 

 Gen. Rice, commanding the 2d brigade of the 

 4th division of the 5th corps, was killed at this 

 time. In the mean time the enemy had attacked 

 and turned Gen. Barlow's division of the 2d 

 corps, on the right; but it was finally, extri- 

 cated without great loss. Toward the close of 

 the day a most energetic assault was made 

 along the whole line, in which the enemy's 

 works were scaled, and more than a thousand 

 prisoners taken, with several guns, by Gen. 

 Upton's 1st brigade of Gen. Wright's 1st divi- 

 sion of the 6th corps, which was in the advance 

 of this onset. His position being too far in 

 advance of the residue of the army to be held, 

 he was compelled to fall back with the pris- 

 oners which he had taken. The Federal losses 

 throughout the day were estimated to exceed 

 ten thousand ; and the total loss thus far, thirty- 

 five thousand. The enemy's loss was supposed 

 to be equally severe. 



The following despatches from the Secretary 



iei. 



Dvernment is sparing no pains to support him. 

 2DWIN M. STATION, Secretary of War. 



of War, relative to this contest at Spottsylva- 

 nia, were published : 



WASHINGTON, May 11, 1S6C 

 Jfaj.-Gen. Jofm A. 



Despatches from the Army of the Potomac have 

 just reached here, bearing d'ates to 5 o'clock p. M. 

 yesterday. 



Both armies at that time held their positions at 

 Spottsylvania Court House, without any material 

 change. The enemy had been driven to their breast- 

 works. 



The 6th corps, under Gen. Wright, had carried the 

 first line of the enemy's rifle pits. 



There had been heavy skirmishing during the day. 



Our wounded had reached Fredericksburg, and dur- 

 ing the night some were brought up to Washington. 



The Surgeon General reports that ample -supplies 

 of nurses, surgeons, and medical stores have gone 

 forward. 



There has been nothing heard from Gen. Sherman 

 or Gen. Butler since my last despatch of yesterday. 

 EDWIN M. STAHTON, Secretary of War." 

 WASHINGTON. May 1111:80 p. M. 

 J/a/. Gen. Jo7m A. Dix : 



Despatches from Gen. Grant, dated at 8 o'clock 

 this morning, have just reached this department. 

 He says : 



"We have now ended the sixth day of very hard 

 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 five thousand pris- 

 oners in battle, while he has taken from us but few 

 except stragglers. 



" I propose to fight it out on this line, if it takes 

 all summer." 



The GOT 



EDWIN 



The following despatch of Gen. Lee was 

 sent to Richmond : 



SPOTTSTLVANIA COURT HOUSE, VIA GUT-NET'S, > 

 May 10, ls*>t ( 

 The Honorable Secretary of War : 



Gen. Grant's army is intrenched near this place, 

 on both sides of the Brock road. Frequent skir- 

 mishing occurred yesterday and to-day, each army 

 endeavoring to dis'cover the position of the other. 

 To-day the enemy shelled our lines and made several 

 assaults with infantry against different points, par- 

 ticularly on our left^ held by Gen. R. H. Anderson, 

 The last, which occurred after sunset, was the most 

 obstinate, some of the enemy leaping over the 

 breastworks. They were easily repulsed, except in 

 front of Gen. Doles' brigade, where they drove our 

 men from their position, and from a four-gun bat- 

 tery there posted. The men were soon rallied, and 

 by "dark our line was reestablished and the battery 

 recovered. 



A large body of the enemy moved around our left 

 on the evening of the 9th, and took possession of the 

 road about midway between Shady Grove Church 

 and the Court House. Gen. Early, with a part of 

 Hill's corps, drove them back this evening, taking 

 one gun and a few prisoners. 



TlTanks to a merciful Providence, our casualties 

 have been small. 



Among the wounded are Brig.-Gens. Hayes and H. 

 H. Walker. R.'E. LEE. 



On the next day, Wednesday, the llth, the 

 position of the two armies was nearly the same 

 as on the previous day. The enemy still held 

 and covered the town with a crescent-shaped 

 line. Their centre was very strong and posted 

 securely, with rifle-pits in front and the strip of 

 forest covering it, well guarded with lines of 

 skirmishers. During the morning there was a 

 brisk skirmishing, which died away at noon. 



