"Out of this fierce determination came a close and deadly grapple of the two armies-a battle terrible and indescribable in those gloomy woods. There is something horrible, yet fascinating, in the mystery shrouding this strangest of battles ever fought — a battle which no man could see, and whose progress could only be followed by the ear, as the sharp and crackling volleys of musketry, and the alternate Union cheer and Confederate yell, told how the fight surged and swelled. The battle continued two days; yet such was the mettle of each combatant, that it decided nothing. It was in every respect a drawn battle; and its only result appeared in the tens of thousands of dead and wounded in blue and gray that lay in the thick woods. The Union loss exceeded fifteen thousand, and the Confederate loss was about eight thousand."

CHAPTER XXXIII.

THE FIRST OF THE SERIES OF FLANK MOVEMENTS.
BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT-HOUSE.

ON Saturday, the 7th of May, Grant resolved to move south from the Wilderness, and plant himself at Spottsylvania Court-house, between Lee and Richmond. This point is fifteen miles south-east of the battle-field of the Wilderness, and the march was to be begun that night; but the noise of the trains informed Lee that some movement was commenced, though it gave no idea of what it was. The routes to this point for both armies, from their present position, were about the same length. The Fifth Corps was to lead and seize the Court-house. The advance began at nine P. M. on the 7th. At the same time Longstreet's division of the Confederate army set out for the same spot; and early the next morning, when Warren's troops reached the ground, they were met by the advance of Longstreet's division, and the day was occupied with each army hastening to its position; and in so doing every one of the corps of our army was more or less engaged during this day. The 9th was spent in taking up positions and strengthening them, and on the 10th the attack upon the enemy was ordered along the line, to carry his intrenchments, but failed. The next day, the 11th, was spent in preparation for another attack against the

enemy's right centre, and at early dawn on the 12th Hancock's division marched to the assault, and carried a point in the first line of intrenchments, which we held that day despite all the enemy's attempts to recapture it. Five separate times fresh troops were led by the enemy up to the assault, and each time they were forced to retire. The struggle here was of the fiercest and most deadly character. Frequently the rival stan dards were planted on opposite sides of the breastworks So continuous and dense was the fire, that there is now in Washington the trunk of a tree, eighteen inches in diameter, which was actually cut in two by the bullets. At midnight Lee withdrew to his inner line of defence. Our loss this day was above eight thousand, and that of the Confederates quite as much.

On the 11th Grant sent his first despatch to Washington since the advance. It was as follows:-

HEADQUARTERS IN THE FIELD, May 11, 1864-8 A. M. 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 five thousand prisoners by 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.

U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant General,

Commanding the Armies of the United States.

And again on the 12th:

SPOTTSYLVANIA C. H., May 12, 1864.

The eighth day of battle closes, leaving between three and four thousand prisoners in our hands for the day's work, including two general officers and over thirty pieces of artillery.

The enemy is obstinate, and seems to have found the last ditch. We have lost no organization, not even a company, while we have destroyed and captured one division, one brigade, and one regiment entire of the enemy.

U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant General.

As the result of the fighting of the 12th was Lee's retiring to his inner line of works, the succeeding week was spent in endeavoring to find some spot in which his line could be pierced; and to this end movements were made from flank to flank, but were skilfully met at every point, the Confederates extending their line to meet every new attempt, so that in ten days the position had changed from a line extending four or five miles to the north-west of Spottsylvania Court-house to a position almost due east of that place. The amount of labor in marching and fighting, the amount of privation and suffering, that our army underwent in these ten days, was enormous, and can hardly be estimated. At the end of these attempts, finding, however, that carrying the position was hopeless, Grant resolved to turn it, and commenced preparations for this movement on the afternoon of the 19th; but the enemy, discovering them, attacked our right, and delayed the movement until the following night, that of the 20th of May, when, moving by the left, the army took up its march again for Richmond.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

THE COÖPERATING MOVEMENTS IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY, AND SOUTH OF THE JAMES.

Ir will be well now to glance at the coöperating movements of Sheridan, of Butler, and in West Virginia. On the 9th of May, Sheridan set out from Spottsylvania Court-house, with a portion of his cavalry force, with orders to engage the enemy's cavalry, to destroy the Virginia Central and the Richmond and Fredericksburg Railroads, to threaten Richmond, and finally to communicate and draw his supplies from Butler's army on the James. To deceive the enemy, this force set out at first towards Fredericksburg, and then, turning southward, pushed to the North Anna River, which it crossed by Anderson's bridge, and the next day reaching Beaver Dam Station, on the Virginia Central Railroad, destroyed two locomotives, three trains of cars, ten miles of the track, and a million and a half of rations, and recaptured four hundred Union prisoners, on their way to the horrors of the Libby Prison in Richmond.

Here Sheridan was attacked by the enemy in flank and rear, but repulsed them with inconsiderable loss, and continued on his route. The South Anna was crossed at Ground Squirrel Bridge, and at daylight on the 11th Ashland Station, on the Richmond and