New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-11
LOCAL MILITARY MATTERS.
LETTER PROM COLONEL coRcoRAS.

The following brief letter was received yes'eroS! oy
Mrs Corcoran, from her husband tie Coionei OF tne
9Th Regiment, now held prisoner by the Heoes a'
Richmond: ~ ,o.,
RICHMOND, Va, July %, 1861.
Dv,p W,yy. wrote letter TO Capt. kirker a
few days since acquainting him OF my oeing In c,ose
confinement here also Capt. Melvor and Lieut.. Con
nolly viii about other officers and 600 nonconlmis-
stoned officers and pryates from various regiments,
among whom SeIgeants Murphy ana D9nohue ana .
| 35 privates Of my regiment. Ibey are al IN gooo
health was very i'll for the first two days after my
arrest but feel quite well at present. am deeply af-
ficed at the loss OF Acting Lieut.. Col Haggerty, who
was among the first who fell on the battlefield, also
several of nv brave soldiers. II s however, consol
nQ that they attended their religious duties before that
day. bad many hairbreadth escapes, but God In His
infinite mercy has been pleased to preserve me.
/ sm uneasy to know the fate of many officers and
members whom l had not seen In line Immediately
after the battle, among whom are Capts. Thomas
Francis Meagher and Cavanagh and Acting. Adjutant
(late Csptaih) John ii. Nugent. My regiment came
off the field in admirable order and were the road
TO Centrevile where halted to rest and await orders
for future action, knowing that artillery would
need protection in returning Two regiments that had
not been In line and returning In disorder hung
on my flank and when the cavalry were seen advanc-
ing toward US, these regiments broke prec cpitately
through my lines, throwing us into disorder, and
caused general flight
dismounted and crossed rail fence, over which
they had gone. and got the coor-bearer to halt and
called In tie 10 rally around the tag; but Just at
this moment discharge Of carbnes from the pursuing
cavalry and our own artillery drowned my voice, and
destroyed all my efforts to muster the men. had
only nine men who heard me snd halted, and those,
with the two officers and myself, were Immediately
surrounded and taken TO Manassas that night We let
there the following morning. and arrived here Tuesday
night. Lieuts. Bagey and Cannon, with two Cooneis
one LieutenantC CooDel and other officers and prvates
of various regiments arrived here this morning. Some
Of our wounded have also been brought here, but
H., ot1,a1t hair IN
your aunt, William, Capt Kirker, and all friends:
Your saeetions.e husband MICHAEL CORCohAN'
LETTER FROM ANOTHER OF OUR PRISONERS AT
RICHMOND.
RIcHMoyD (Virgiuisl July 26, 1861.
DEAR ELLEN: have sent you IetteI on tne 2itn,
but tearing the communication did not reach yon, L
concluded 10 drop you line or two again. Here am
confined for tie present suppose you have en- heaIo
of the battle and of repul from the field by the
enemy. There awful slaughter on both sides.
Men were lying dead aud dying the battle held In
come places as thick as they could be packed. Our
regiment was the last engaged with the enemy. We
thought take their masked batteries and artillery,
as up to this time of the day had rather the best OF
the fight, and our regiment lost very few men; but
just got under the batteries they poured down
heavy fire uron us. Johnstoo had jug, arrived with
10 90 men, and such tremendous vofey as we got
was never witnessed before. Our poor fellows dropped
as fast shot, and among them poor Tom Mitchell,
who dIorled dead al my feet lie uttered one groan
before be expired and saw him no more. Oar men
enemy under CREST disadvantages. We mnst have lost
in this churge at least two hundred men. You need
not be alarmed about me; will be exchanged one OF
these days.
Our captors say they will treat us as our govern
ment treats their prisoners are used well 80 far
Colonel Corcoran is here also prisoner Of war.
could escape il chose, but do not wish TO leave our
flag. Our Colonel stood by it, and am proud 10 cay
was by his side. He is brave man. l said IN one
of nv letters / would go back victorious 90 back
no more. I must now take that back and say, will
20 back bonorably or go back no more There were
only FIVE Of us with the Colonel when we were
surrounded by the cavalry and taken prisoners. We
are enjoying ourselves well as we can. There
in all thirty -four Of regiment htr as prisoners and
about COO of the Federal troops In all am In good
health thank God have reason 10 feel thankful for
escaping from 30 dreadful a carnage. j am conscious
Of having faithfully performed my duty TO my adopted
country.
EpSuSD cossTIIT
Lieut.. Col. 6sth regt N. \. 8 NJ
LETTER FROM PRISONER.
RIcHmoSD, Va, July &C. 1861.
Yrfyyp THoxls: am here q prisoner o. war og.iheT
with and Capt aver. and Lislenan; CoDnoy,
aid trtytour Of our mem We are ~ wei bat would like
Inos hereafter you send my sister
sm still living A. present csiTSt rot, write you any more a,
me hear fom ySu quick aud see't TO Col Oorc0Ia 18th kes
N'-'' Your Friend, JANIS MoNULTY
ARRIVAL OF NIMss LIGHT BATTERY.
Yesterday morning by the parade Of Capt o. f. Ninss
battery Of Light Artillery, which left Boston Thurs
day morning and arrived here by the Sound boat at
a. In. The train had a very business-lke air,
and was thought well of. There were $50 men,
guns, 6 csissons, battery wagons, forges, ambu-
lance and baggage-wagons. The battery moved up
Chatham street II O'clock and went through several
of the principal streets of the city. At the Fita
tba or1a al, -,
Mayor Wightman of Boston, and several Of oar city
officials From the Hotel they marched down Broad
way, and after dining at the Barracks proceeded on
their journey to Washington BY way of Philadelphia
Tbis corps was recruited by Major Cobb about three
months since, ard has been in camp at Quincy about
one month, where the men improved themselves in
dill Toey teem to have been all picked; their aver
age hight il FIVE feet ten inches aud their average
weight about l7O pounds. Some Of the men tower
several inches above six feet and all Of them conbiue
the formidable pLVsguS with the athletic constitution
which make he ariilleristthe most dangerous foe
the battlefield. The uniform Is similar 10 that of other
artillery companies. One Of the railcars laden with
camp equipsge, &c. broke down near Charlesown, in
cOnseq uence of "a defective axle.
The following are the officers:
Captain, =. Nims Of Boston; FiIs, Leutensnt John w
Boston. \ D. ASn Of ChsIe.towni oreery Sergeant l. A
% s chef Of Gan %er Of MS
Sec nd do W. Il. Snow Of Boston Third do, A. b. BuIw
G. Harvey OF Bostou Sixth do h. h Russell Of Chelsea;
Color Guiaon, c. ID. senter, OF Lynn
The Battery has been largely supplied with Schenks
projeetlles, loaded shot, and canister.
BERDAN's sHARsHooTERs.
The second public exhibition by Col Berdan's dead
shots II adc, sgreeably to announcement, At Wee
hawken yesterday afternoon. The conditions
hardly favorable before since during greater
part Of the time full dx-knot breeze blowing,
but rs will be by our record, the shooting was
quite as remarkable as on the former trial. Tbis time
the target coIsised OF the figure OF Il man in full