A. P. Hill's corps, under command of Gen eral Early, came up on the morning of the 9th, Lee established his lines covering Spottsyl yam Court House, with Anderson's corps on the left, resting on Po River, Ewell's corps in the centre and Hill's on the right, covering the Fredericksburg road. The line was 8 to 10 miles long, and the greater part of it ran through woods tangled with undergrowth, or on the edge of them, with slashings and abatis in front. It was everywhere strongly intrenched and well planted with artillery. During the 9th Lee was employed in rectifying and strengthen ing this line, and Grant in examining and de veloping it, and also in readjusting his own lines. Skirmishing was sharp on both sides, and early in the morning. General Sedgwick, commanding the Sixth corps, was killed. General Wright succeeded to the command of the corps. Early in the day Burnside moved across from the Plank road to the Fredericks burg road, at the crossing of Ny River, east of the Court House; and threw one of his di visions across the river, which encountered in fantry and some dismounted cavalry. Hancock moved east from Todd's Tavern to the right of Warren and intrenched, overlooking Po River. Sheridan cut loose from the army and started from Todd's Tavern on his Richmond raid. Burnside had reported to Grant that in his movement on the 9th he had met the enemy east of the Court House and judged from indi cations in his front that Lee was meditating a movement north toward Fredericksburg, upon which Grant ordered Hancock to make a move ment on the 10th on Lee's left, across the east and west bends of Po River. This movement led to the engagement on Po River (q.v.). While this battle was in progress Warren was engaged in feeling the Confederate lines in his front preparatory to an assault and Gibbon's division was withdrawn from Hancock and placed on Warren's right and for the time under his orders. At 11 A.M. Gibbon advanced with two brigades, met an obstinate resistance from Fields' division and was compelled to fall back with much loss. Warren followed with two of his own divisions, with a view to gain ground for the formation of a column of assault, and was repulsed by Fields, but he had gained information of Fields' position which induced him to report to Meade that a general assault would be successful. Hancock had been designated to make the assault at 5 P.M. with the Fifth and Sixth corps and part of his own, but he was engaged at Po River, and at 3.45 P.M. Meade directed Warren to make the assault, which was done with Crawford's and Cutler's divisions of the Fifth corps and Webb's and Carroll's brigades of the Second. The assault fell upon Fields' division and failed, Warren being repulsed with heavy loss, including General Rice killed. General Han cock returned from Po River at 5.30 P.M., just before the close of Warren's assault, and at 7 P.M. made another assault with Birney's and Gibbon's divisions. This assault fell on Geo. T. Anderson's brigade and Greggs' Texas brigade, both of Fields' division. Some of the assaulting troops gained the works held by the Texas brigade and went over them, pushing hack the Texans; but a flank fire of Anderson's brigade drove them out and the attack was re pulsed, many dead and wounded being left in side the works. The assaulting column fell back in some disorder, the men demoralized by the fruitless work.
At about the same hour General Wright, on the left of Warren, made an assault. He had found what he deemed to be a vulnerable place to a vigorous attack. It was on the west face of the noted salient, held by Rodes' division of Ewell's corps. Upton's brigade of the Sixth corps, reinforced by four regiments of Neills, was to make the assault, supported on the left by Mott's division of the Second corps, which was to assault on its own front at 5 P.M. Upton
formed in four lines, and the batteries opened a direct and enfilading fire, which ceased only when Upton charged from the woods, and under a terrible front and flank fire, went over the Confederate works, broke Doles' brigade and part of Daniel's, captured many prisoners, and pushed on to a second line of works upon which he planted his colors, and captured a four-gun battery. He had broken the Confederate line to the length of a division; but Mott had failed in his allotted task of supporting him on the left; and recovering from their surprise and temporary disaster, the Confederates threw two brigades in his front; Daniels, R. D. Johnston's, J. A. Walker's and Steuart's brigades fell upon both flanks; and Upton was ordered to with draw, which he did under cover of the darkness. He had lost about 1,000 men, many of whom were left dead and wounded inside the Con federate works. He was obliged to abandon the captured battery, but he carried back with him 1,200 prisoners and several stands of colors. Farther to the left Burnside made a reconnois sance toward Spottsylvania Court House, and had a spirited engagement, driving back the enemy close to the Fredericksburg road and intrenching a part of his line, as he reports, within a quarter of a mile of the Court House. In this engagement General Stevenson, one of his division commanders, was killed. During the day of the 10th the Union forces engaged numbered about 38,000; the losses were abbut 4,200 killed and wounded; but few were missing. The estimated Confederate loss was 2,000 killed and wounded.
On the morning of the 11th Grant reported to Halleck that in the six days' fighting since crossing the Rapidan he had lost 11 general officers and probably 20,000 men; renewed his call for reinforcements, which he hoped would be sent as soon as possible and in great num bers; and assured Halleck that he meant to fight it out on that line if it took all summer. Find ing that the Confederate left was so well guarded, he made arrangements to attack the centre at a salient of the line. General Wright was directed to extend his left, concentrate on that wing and he prepared to co-operate with Hancock in an assault. Hancock, with the Second corps, was to pass to the left of Wright during the night and assault the salient at daylight. Warren's Fifth corps was to assault the works in his front to keep the Confederates in them, and on the extreme left Burnside was to lead the Ninth corps in an assault. The day was very stormy and disagreeable, and no serious fighting tc•k place, though there was heavy skirmishing along the entire line, in which the artillery occasionally took part. Wright extended his lines during the afternoon. The two divisions of Barlow and Birney of Han cock's corps started at 10 P.M., and at midnight reached the Brown House, where they found Mott's division; and passing over the intrench ments, and as near to the picket line of the enemy as possible, they began the formation of the column of assault. Barlow's division was formed across a clearing in two lines of masses, each regiment being doubled on the centre. Brooke's and Miles' brigades constituted the first line, and Smyth and Brown the second. Birney's division formed on Barlow's right, in two deployed lines. Mott formed in rear of Birney, and Gibbon's division was placed in reserve. It was nearly daylight when these preparations were completed, and the column formed within 1,200 yards of the Confederate line.