ARRIVAL OF THE "LADY BIRD,"

Wellington Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1897, 21 July 1863, Page 3

ARRIVAL OF THE "LADY BIRD,"

LATER AMERICAN NEWS.

GREAT BATTLE AT FREDERICKSBTJRGH THIRTY-THREE THOUSAND KILLED AND WOUNDED.

FEARFUL STEAM BOAT EXPLOSION.

(from an Extra of the Daily Times.) Daily Times Office, Tuesday Morning. By the Edina, from Melbourne, we have later news from America. The Dashing Wave had arrived at Sydney from San Francisco, with an account of a great battle fought at Fredericksburg, which place the Federals attacked. The loss of the Federals is said to he 15,000, that of the Confederates 18,000. The Federals retreated over the Rappahannock, but subsequently returned, and occupied Fredericksburg, We append the Argus telegram from Sydney : — Hooker attacked Fredericksburg on the 3rd of May, engaging Lee. The fight lasted three days. Meanwhile Keys advanced on Richmond via Yorktown. Stonetrtan followed, having got reinforcements from transports at Whitehouse, cutting off large quantities of Confederate provisions, causing great privations. The Southern papers say the wounded were without food. The Federal brigades engaged at Fredericksburg lost 15,000, and fell back across the Ruppahannock, Lee following until he got information of Stoneman's success, and of Richmond being threatened. Finding Hooker's attack was a ruse to engage attention while Richmond was attacked, he at once fell back ; when Hooker recrossed the Rappahannock, and occupied Fredericksburg. The Confederates acknowledge a loss of 18.000. The Federal General Barry was killed ; Devins and Mott wounded. At North Edislo, Bafford's Light Brigade penetrated the Alleganies, and cut off tbe Richmond and Tennessee Railroad. Grant attacked the Confederates at Port Gibson, defeating them, with heavy loss. Stonewall Jackson lost an arm. Donelson was killed. Van Dorn dead. Naglee was advancing towards Richmond from the South, to co-operate with Keys. The Federal sloop- of- war Preble was burned off Pensacola. The latest uews gives rumor, geuerally unbelieved, of the capture of Richmond. Giant's troogs invest Port' Jackson, cutting off communication with Vicksburg, An English paper of May Ist states that Adams had rendered full explanations; these offended Napoleon, who instructed tbe French Miuister at Washington to demand explana* lions. Vallandingham was arrested on charge of treason. Gold, forty-eight. In the foregoing extra, issued from this office yesterday morning, the chief points of the American news is furnished. We have since received a copy of the Melbourne Age of July lOtb, which contains the full details; At best the news should be received with caution, as Ca|iforniau telegrams: have rather a doubtful reputation. Wo compile from our contemporary, the maiu items of interest. "< ( ;

On the afternoon of Saturday, May 2nd, after three days' previous skirmishing, a battle commfiQced in the vicinity of Chancellorville, in which large bodies of troops were actively engaged. Generals Hooker, Lee, and Jackson were in command. Tbe fight was continued on the following day, the carnage being fright ful, tbe dead and wounded covering the ground in heaps. General Hooker retired to take up a fresh position. The details aie given underneath. The news, though somewhat exciting, is very conflicting, and, on the whole, far from reliable. Chicago, sth May.— The Neio 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 eveniug, attacked our right Sank, Jackson with his whole corps of 40,000 men throwing himself impetuously on Howard's Eleventh Corps. But the movement was only partially successful, and reinforcement being promptly sent by Hooker, the rebels were handsomely checked. Howard's corps consisting of Schurz's, Steinwehr's, and Deven's divisisns. The Times correspondent states that this corps disgracefully abandoned their position behind their breastworks, and rushed horror stricken towards head-quarters. Our right was completely turned, and the rebels were in a fair way of doubling us up. Hooker wa&imraediately in the saddle, and turning to the commander of his own corps, Berry, he shouted, " General, throw yourself into the breach, and receive tbe enemy on your bayonets. Don't fire a shot. Tbey 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 returned to their breastworks, jusl abandoned by Howard's corps, the batteries immediately massed on the crest of the hill, pouring a terrific fire until far into the night. In a charge fey the rebels, they took from the cowardly Dutchmen (as the Times correspondent styles them) twelve pieces of cannon. The German's fled past Hooker's head-quarters in panic. Many members of the staff, with pistols and sabres, vainly endeavoured to stay their flight Tbe 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 bis right, but I not much attention was paid to the fact On the afternoon of Saturday it was reported by pickets ou tbe right of Slocum's front that waggons were seen moving all day in a westerly direction. Sickles with a heavy force was sent to reconnoitre, when the advance fell in with the rear of General Jackson's army. Sickles immediately pushed on to checkmate Jackson and soon captured bis entire 23rd Georgia Regiment, 400 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 (formetly Rigel'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 Deveo's division, by the demoralisation of others, was unable to stand against the rebels. Devenswas 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 Cols. 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 Williains'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. Ward's brigade, aided by Best's Battery, made an at* tack at 11 o'clock at night, which was entirely successful, and iv a charge made by the 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 Sunday, at five o'clock in the morning, the rebels could be plainly seen on tbe plank road, about a mile and a half from Hooker's head quaiters 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 battalHon after batlallion became engaged, the enemy advancing his infantry in overwhslmning numbers, seeming determined to crush ours. Sickle's and Slocum's brave men, however, held them in check, inflicting dreadful slaughter upon them. French's division was sent in on our right flank, and soon crushed that portion of the enemy's line. At eight o'clock French scut 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, taking during the day an aggregate of 2000 prisoners. Tbe carnage was psrfectly | frightful. Officers say that dead and wounded rebels covered the ground iv heaps, the rebels \ literally throwiug themselves upon the muzzles of our guns. General Moti's brigade made fifteen distinct charges and captured seven stand of rebel colors. The 7th New Jersey alone capsured 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 the position for an hour at the point of the bayouet. Upon being supplied, they fell back in good order to Chancellor House, when the contestwas again maintained, with great havoc to the enemy and considerable loss to ourselves. The vicinity of Chancellor House was now the theatre of the fight. Hooker maintained his head-quarters here till 10 o'clock, when it was burned by rebel shell. In the mean time Hooker established a new line. Our forces were established at thatjfront, 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 Sickles's corps, to make tbe extreme left movemeut. The movement was partially completed at daylight on Sunday, when the rebels attacked our Itftflank ;Sickles's corps held the ground obstinately for two hours, gradually falling back to get tv the lineintended to be taken. The enemy brought up powerful masses of infantry and rolled them upon us like au avalanche, and our artillery mowed them down by brigades, but only that fresh brigades should take the plaoe of the fallen. This frightful slaughter coutiuued the . whole morning, our troops contesting every inch of ground, although pressed by vastly superior numbers. The fighting along the whole line was uuequalled 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 I continued crowding. There was an inoessaut roar of musketry for hours, intermixed by the thunders 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 Chuneellorville— General Hooker falling back on the road tv the United States Ford to the intersection of the Wilderness roid with a point known as the White House, and herethey checked the enemy. Our dead, and wounded fell into the enemy's possession.

The buildings at Chaneellbrville; occupied as -•-r 1 ; Hooker's head quarters, which were 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 of wounded were burned up. There was a horrible stench over all the battlefield, from the large number of burned men nnd animals. We have taken between 3000 and 4000 prisoners. The latter say that the number of their men killed was never equalled. Lee fought every division except Early's, which was left to defend Fredericksburg, and he determined to drive us from the left bank of the river, which project would have succeeded but for the unsurpassed valor of Sickles's corps, which bore the brunt of the battle. Siocum'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 W hippie died on Tuesday afternoon from his wounds. The list of casualties thus farxeceived shows the following : — Mead's corps, 2 officers' and 21 privates killed, 6 officers and 124 privates wounded ; Berry's division, 12 officers and 153 privates killed, and 85 officers and 841 privates wounded. The third division of . Sickles's corps, lost 2 staff officers, 7 line officers and 79 piivates killed, and 10 staff officers, 46 line officers and 52 privates wounded ; the first division of the Third corps lost 15 officers and 84 men killed, 64 officers and 778 men wounded. The Tribunes extra, dated the 6th, says the I army of the Potomac has recrossed the Rappabaunock at the United States and Banks' Fords to the old camp along the Aquia railroad. The crossing was 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 I reoccupied by the rebels. The remainder of the intelligence is so con* tradictory, that we merely summarise it as follows : — From Philadelphia, 9th May, comes a report that Hooker's fulling back was a ruse, and the real advance upon Richmond was made while Lee's army was on the Eappahannock. Another telegram of May 12th, says Hooker's army has not recrossed the river. His personal arrangements, however, indicate that he expects to be engaged in some new enterprise soon. An officer arrived from Falmouth this morning, also states the avmy of the Potomac I) ad not left that place. ' General Hooker has issued a general order, tendering bis gratitude to the army for the achievemeats of the last seven days. He says if it has not accomplished all that was expected, the reasons are known to the army.