The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-06-18
The RECENT Fast DAY.-FIom all quarters
we receive accounts OF the devotional obseiV-
ance OF the recen day OF fasting ard prayer.
For he Richmond DisTatch.
Reflections GU the BaitIe-fieid.

And Harold ot44is upon this pace ot sku..s -
Not "tAe deadly Waterloo - nor yet The
grave in to winch IraedoIn has fallen still born
from The IONS of Il vigorous young nation, III
strides Tor the preservation ut HE ana liberty !,
before the Dayonete OF Il rude and l!centlous
dies potlsn! But on i new bHttic- ground, al
most within hail OF Old OcAiOWu, and deuI-
Gated 10 the same holy cause ihtt made htr
victories mtlnorIbie III the record OF hum Al
achievements. From shIt consecrated Held
where Washington received TIE opplessor
sword, ana the genius OF freedom ieIt lhAt
her sn;tcAlea were rent asundtr, came that
gallant Southern band VINO met foeineh Vl
more than tTipple their HaHlellcai force, anu
drove them back IL confusion and Glsnlay -
IL ere in Il narrow deiile OF swamp ana mo
HISS land, where three couh ties KISS e&C-i
other, the ''dgshiHg hlagruder' planted tht
standard OF his country, and the brave ToIun-
1eers OF Virginia and North Carolina were
rallied to its defence.
Here the Revolutionary fame Of King 5
Mountain ana the cIoWning glory OF OF K
town were, represented, and Rot STAN or
blot was left u pom their bright e>CutChtOns !,
and if the daring Louisiana Regiment could
have received an hours earlier order, few OF
these routed vagabOEds would how be living
10 tell the tale OF roadside carnage tnat mast
have marked their track from the scene OF
strife 10 the Newport News entIeEchment.
After a march of fifteen miles, over dusty
roads and beneath a burning summer SIM,
these patriot soldieTs-yery many OF whom
had been reared Ill luxury and eass-Were Ie-
Quired 10 throw up temporary taTthn'o rhs III
time for the m0rrOW's Threatened attack, and
MOLLY did they respond TO the call Of extra
duty Spades, shovels and piCkaxes were
bu-ilY piled by delicate as by braWny hands
until a late hour OF the night, when d" tired
nature claimed a needtul rcpose for The per
lis and labOrs OF the coming morn. On a holy
Sabbath eve the tiresome march was finished,
and the work tor sciences begun. 1t was sun
day, when God has said Thou SHALT rest
from thy labors." There stood the rural
church eti,fice, uncovered by forest trees,
that had he green livery OF sun mer on, ard
the very fragrance and Stiffness around Seetnr q
TO whisper naught bat peace and good WIN
to lnen." Yet warlike pre- parations, the gilt
ter OF arms and the clash OF steel, were made
TO mar the quiet scene. The sjnCtity of the
day WAS disregarded. But is there :" line or
precept" in the sacred volume that reposed
upon the simple desk at hand, which even
Puritan austerity could parade III Judgment
against them -
..Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord and l
will repay it," ard if we may be permitted 10
measure the results Of the next day S battle
by that high prerOgative Of a rig hteous Judge.
cur cause has His sanction and " III be uphel Iii
by his Almighty arm. While there are many
hard hands, and stalwart arms, and rough
forms that cover heroic hearts in our VClun.
teer service, Yet "A large proportion OF II Is
made I'D OF Youths, w no have been dtlica t9 "
trained, and OF whom never before
felt the absence OF mothers Care-men Of
wealth and refinement, who knew not the
need OF toll, aud even clergymeu, whose every
comfort in life has been al tIcipated and pro
yIded for by their coniidiug flOcks : and the
promp tntes with which these various element
OF Il war camp adapt themselves to its hard
ships, presents to my humble judgment one OF
the strongest auguries OF our ultimate success.
Great indeed must be the cause, which can
harmonic and traternI2e such dlscOrddnt ha-
bits and tastes. The soldier who seat 4 bul
let through Major WaldTons heart, WAS SAID
TO be = belrdless boy, whose pHry arm had
never been hardened IN that great gymnasium
OF nature, where man is condemned :" to eat
bread BY the sweat of his brow" The aim
was sure; but, as with the simple stone OF III
prophet king, miEhticr hand than his may
have guided the bail.
1t viii not do to estimate the Bethel Church
battle by the list OF 'Xilled and snded on
the COnfadeTat e side. For three hours it was
Il fierce and perlous conflict, and fully ted
the metal of which oar troops are com posed.
| have gathered up many interesting incidents
during my sCJ0urn among them, which may
be told when more time is allowed me >.