Des Arc semi-weekly citizen., 1861-08-03

ter had fairly rounded the enemy's flank, and then we listened for ourselves to the sound of his charge in the northern woDds, and saw for ourselves the air gathering up smoke from their branches, and the waveTing column of the MisSissippians as they fled from their first battery and were forced in the opened field Then we saw our 69th and 18th corps, ami mated by a chivalrous national rivalry, press on to the support of the more distant column. We could catch glimpses of the continued ad- vances and retreats; could hear occasionally the guns of battery before undiscovered; could guess how terribly all this accumulation of death upon death must tell upon those un- daunted men, but could also see-and our cheers continually followed the knowledge that our forces were gradually driving the right of the enemy around the second quarter of a circle, and by ten o'clock the main bat tie was raging at point almost directly op- poslte our standing place-the road at the edge of the woods-where it had commenced six hours before.
 As the 69th and 79th wound around the mea- dows to the north of this hill, and began to cross the road apparently with the intention of scaling it. we saw a column coming down from the farthest perspective, and for a mo- ment believed it to be portion of Hunters division, and that it had succeeded in com pletely turning the enemy's rear. 4 wild shout arose from IS all. But soon the look outs saw it's ensigns bore secession banners, and we knew that Johnston or some other re- bel General, was leading horde of fresh troops against onr united right and center. It was time for more regiments to be sent for ward, and Keyes was ordered to advance with the first Tyler's brigade. The three Connec- ticut regiments and the Fourth Maine came on with will; the First Connecticut was posted In reserve, and the other three corps swept up the field, by the ford on the right, to aid the struggling advance.
 Ali eyes were now directed to the distant hill top, now the center of the fight. All could see the enemy's infantry ranging darkly against the sky beyond, and the first lines of our men moving with fine determination up the steep slope. The cannonading upon our advance, the struggle upon the hill top, the in- serchange of position between the contestants were watched by us, and as new forces rushed in upon the enemy's side the scene was re- peated over and over again, It must have been here, l think that the Sixty-ninth took and lost battery eight times in succession, and finally were compelled, totally exhausted, to resign the completion of their work.
 Then the battle began 10 work down the re- turning half of the circle, which the enemy described during the day, driven before the desperate charges of eur troops, until they reached the point where Tyler's advance com- menced the action. Down the hill and into the valley thickets on the left, the Zouaves the Connecticut and New York regiments, with the unconquerable Rhode Islanders drove the continually eularging but always Hanquiehed columns of the enemy. t was only to meet more batteries earthWork succeeding oarthwork, and amb0scade after ambuscade Our fellows were hot and weary; most had drank no water during hours of dust, and oi~1 o,,l l, boil what choking the battle atmosphere produces in a few moments, until he has personally ex- perieAced it.
 And SO the conflict ulled for little while It was the middle of blazing aftarnoon. Onr regiments held the positions they had won, but the enemy kept eceiying additions, and contjued flank movement toward our left-a dangerous movement for us; a move ment which those n the rear perceived, and yalhIy endeavored 10 induce some general eff cer to guard against.
 As 1t was, Capt. Alexander. with bis Sap pers and Miners, was ordered to cut through the abattis by the side of the mined bridge. in the valley directly before us, and lay pontoons across t5e stream. CarlisIe'S artillery was de- tai ed to protect the work, and the Ohio and Wisconsin reserve to support the artillery. Meanwhile, in the luIl which have mention ed, the thousand heroic details of Federal val or and the shamefulness of rebel treachery began to reach our ears. We learned the loss of the brave Cameron, the Wounding of Heint- zelman and Hunter, the fall of HaggertY, and Slocum and Wilcox. We heard of the dash of the Irjshman and their decimaton, and of the havoc made and sustained by the Rhode Islanders, the Hghlanders. the Zouaves, and the Connecticut Third; then of the ntrepidity of Burnside and Sprague-hOW the devoted and daring young Governor led the regiments he had so masnlhcently equipped again and again 10 victorious charges, and al last spill ed with his own hands, the guns he could not carry away. The victory seemed ours.
 At this time, near o'clock, rode forward through the open plain to the creek where the abattis was being assailed by our engineers The Ohio, Connecticut, and Minnesota regi- ments were variously posted thereabout; others were ill distant portions of the field; all were completely exhausted and partly discovered; no General of Division, except TNler. could be found. Where were our officers Where was the foe? Who knew whether we had won or lost?
 The question was quickly to be decided for us. A sudden swoop, and body of cavalry rushed down upon our columns near the bridge. l They came from the woods on the left. and in- l fantry poured out behind them. Tyler and his | staff, with the reserve, were apparently cut VI" v '"N f4tN" u'"'iC t'Dl o"CCeeued III gain ing the position had just left, there witnessed the capture of Carlisle's battery in tle plain, 1 and saw another force of cavalry and infantry pouring into the road at the very point where the battle commenced, and near which the | South Carolinians who manned the battery si- fenced in the morning, had doubtless all day | been iying concealed. The ambulances ard | wagons had gradually advanced to this spot and of course an instantaneous confusion and | dismay resulted. Our own infantry broke | ranks in the field plunged into the woods to