Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-08-09
FURTHER SOUTHERN ACCOUNT OF
THE BATTLE

THE BATTLE.
Correspondent Of Richmond Dispatch, July %
The frst gun fred by the enemy was at Eve
minutes past six o'clock in the morning bat
teries opening against our center as feint to
conceal the movement against our left A
short time afterwards Gen Johnston and Gen.
Beauregard, with their staff rode off to the
nearest point of elevation and observation
convenient to the center, and there awaited
developments, whilst the iron hail whistled
around and over them. A singular miscon-
ception seems to Pervade the public mind
which has not yet been corrected, that Gen.
BedHregard fought the battle, and that Gen.
Johnston yielded to preconc ,ired plans
When Gen. Johnston (who has always been
in correspondence with Gen. Beauregsrd in
regard TO the junction Of the armies, and who
for weeks have also pointed out to the Presi-
dent the absolute necessity Of such a move
ment,) received orders to form the junction, il
came at a fortunate moment, when Patterson
had moved to Charleston, twenty-four miles
distant, and had placed il out of bis power to
attack us in the rear. Only ten thousand of
our column arrived in time for the battle, but
they treTs enough.
In quick succession the enemy's regiments
deployed in line to their right, whilst ours
came up upon our left The engagement grew
hot and heavy. Their column numbered
$4,000, while We could only oppose them at the
beginning with about s. 900. Slowly but surely
the heavy column kept on its march, pressing
our line back by the weight of numbers, and
moving on In the settled purpose of turning
our flank and attacking us in the rear Gal
IanH y, however, did our army struggle for the
right, and despite of odds, regiment after regi-
ment threw itself in the way disputing the
ground, inch by inoh, regardless Of the fact
that its predecessors had been cut to pieces or
dispersed. battery harrassing our lines,
the Sth Georgia Regiment was ordered to take
1t, asd right we'll did they de so; but myriad
of Yankees seemed to rise up, who had been
hitherto concealed, and pouring in their fire
upon our column, it seemed to melt away like
snow beneath a summers sun. Col. Gardner
was here shot down and was taken prisoner
but afterwards retaken by our men later in
the day.
The 6th, compelled to retreat with nearly
half their number wounded or killed, the at
tack Of the enemy was met by the brigade of
Gen. Bee, composed of Mississippisns and Ala
bamians, and one regiment l think, of Ten
nesseesns. Later in tho day, Col Barlow was
shot near this spot, whilst leading on the 7th
Georgia regiment, commanded by Col. Gar
trsll. Gen. Bees brigade could not withstand
the fierce tornado Of shot and she'll sweeping
through its ranks, and slowly retired, fighting
braVely all the time. The 4th Alabama regi-
ment suffered terribly, all of its field officers
being shot down, and two (Col. Jones and Maj.
Scott) left upon the field. Col. Jones was cap
tured but afterwards retaken during the rout
tons Legion, whose prowess can clearly be
shown by the heaps Of dead in front Of their
line, a momentary check was thrown in the
enemy's approach.
They had now retreated TO the brow of the
hill, where the brigade of Gen. jackson was
lying psraH, and this was the most critical
point Of the day. Fighting for hours under a
hot sun, without drop Of water near, the con-
duct of our men could not be excelled; but hu-
man endurance has its bounds, and all seemed
about to be lost. Our reserves were yet miles
distant from the scene Of action, whilst the
enemy's reserve kept pressing on. From the
knoll near the Lewis House, the two Generals
had remained snxious spectators Of the conflict;
but the time had come for action, and plung-
ing their spurs into the quick footed steeds,
away went the Generals and their staff into
the thickest of the fight Our light artillery
batteries seem to have been more than a match
for the rifed cannon at the short distance for
our guns would be fred three or four times to
their one. But it must be admitted that some
of their batteries were fired with the precision
almost Of a rife at 100 yards distance. During
the retreat q single gun was planted in the
skirt Of wood mile distant from one of our
guns, which was firing she'll into the retreating
column. Bang, went their first gun, and the
shell exploded about twenty feet beyond ours
and directly in a line over it, The second she'll
was thrown about three feet farther, and in
stead Of moving our gun few steps, the srti-
only thirty yards distant, the attention Of the
writer had been drawn to this precision, when
bang. came the third gun, taking of the head
Of the officer in command Of our gun. Then
our piece was rapidly moved to another posi-
tion, but too late to save the life Of gallant
Oficer.
Already our line upon the hill top was giving
away, but incited to fresh deeds of heroism by
the appearance in their midst of or Generals,
apparently bringing up reInforcements, they
pitched into the fray with redoubied ardor,
and from that time yielded nst an inch Of
ground. Gen. Besuregsrd riding syer to the
left took charge Of operations there, displaying
his reckless bravery by riding everywhere in
the face Of the enemy's FIRE, and having his
horse killed beneath him, fortunately escaping
unipjured himself The tide Of the battle thus
checked, awsy went Gen. Johnson's staff to
hurry up the reserves and assign them proper
positions The first were met two miles back,
covered with dust and coming at a double
quick. On they went, plunging into the midst
Of the fray, and the sunshine Of certainty did
not glesm from beneath the murky clouds IN
til Gen. Kirby Smith arrived with a portion Of
his division upon the ground. Coming from
Winchester be heard the roar Of the battle, and
without waiting for orders he at once disem-
barked his men, Col. ElZey's Brigade, and
marched hurriedly to our assistance. Col. Ker-
shaw's and Col. Cash's regiments arrived upon
the ground at the same moment, and with these
H-oOV Luou oOh PAOHPhy Oo0h e1c ga
trems left and turned the tide Of battle.
The enemy had so far turned our flank as to
have gotten entirely behind US, and near 4 900
were marching to attack rs in the rear. Seeing
this, Gen. Smith determined to cut them of,
and would have done 30 but for his misfortune
in being shot through the ne,k just as Colonel
Kershaw was within twenty yards Of him for
the purpose Of receiving orders. His plan Of
cutting them of was, consequently, not carried
out, and they were enabled to Join the main
body, hotly pursued by our men. Gen Jack
sons brigade had been lying for hours sustain
ing with unfinching courage q terrific fre.
The General bad his horse shot under him, and
finger of the left hand shot of but, cool as q
cucumber, he still urged his "boys' to be
steady; and steady they were when they
charged and butchered the Fire Zouayes and
other regiments right and left.
A NEW WAY TO ATTACK FoRr PIcKENs.-
The Mobile Evening News grsyely puts forth
the following proposition
Let General Bragg detail few thousand
OF his ten thousand to the work Of catching