with the caution and absence of comprehensive enable which seem to characterize that officer. Both here and on ground further to right, which was occupied by Gibbon's and Birney's divisions, under Hancock, the rebel lines were gained, but not held, and our men fell back again at dark, without having accomplished anything of consequence. On Wright's front something better was done. A large part of the ground before that general is an impracticable morass, and the only good approach is on his extreme left. There he massed twelve regiments as storming party, under Colonel Upton, supported by six regiments of the Sixth Corps. Pressing forward with irresistible force, creeping on hands and knees, which in some places covered enemy, Upton not only broke his lines, but captured the three regiments of which Doles' brigade, of Ewell's corps, is now composed, namely: Fourth, Twelfth, and Forty-fourth Georgia, with Colonel Peebles, of the Forty-fourth, in command of the brigade. Rank and file of this brigade number 913, with 37 officers. Upton was afterward struck in the right flank by enemy, and forced to withdraw part of his command, but the remainder held ground until after dark, and them came off in perfect order. He captured 3 cannon also, but these he was unable to save. His loss in killed and wounded was about 1,000. Farther to the left, where Mott's division held ground, between Wright and Burnside, we were disgraced by a retreat of that division, without loss, and apparently without any considerable force to oppose them. They advanced into the woods with orders to attack, but came out again at once, like cowards. This is the old division of Sickles and Hooker, and is composed of the troops in the army, with exception, perhaps, of Milroy's old brigade, which fought and fled under Seymour at Old Wilderness. On our extreme left Burnside steadily advanced, the enemy, who was in small force on that wing, giving way before him, till at 10 p.m. he had got within a quarter of a mile of the Court-House. Burnside lost 6 men killed in the day's operations. Our loss will be about 3,000, principally in Barlow's division and Upton's storming party. General Rice is dead. We learn from prisoners that Wadsworth is dead. Rebel losses in the first two days' fighting are stated by prisoners at 15,000. Nothing heard from Sheridan's cavalry. General Grant has ordered Hancock's corps to be withdrawn from the right, and pushed in between Wright and Burnside, with a view to break and turn enemy on that flank. The wagons are also to be sent back to Aquia Creek for supplies.

C. A. DANA.

Honorable E. M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

BATTLE-FIELD OF SPOTSYLVANIA COURT-HOUSE,

May 12, 1864-8 a.m. (Received 1,45 a.m., 13th.)

The battle was renewed at 4.30 this morning. During the night Hancock marched from his previous position on our right and occupied the ground between Wright and Burnside. At daylight he attacked with his accustomed impetuosity, forcing the first and then the second line of the enemy's works, capturing the whole of Edward Johnson's division and part of Early's, together with