The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-11-29
THR SEVEN DAYS BATTLEs.

The armies having returned to their
previous positions, after Fair Oaks and
Seven Pines il became necessary for Nc
Clelian to complete his bridges and estab-
iIsh his communications between his two
wings. The deluge was against him and
the heats But the Prince comments with
admiration on the unrivaled energy with
which the American soldier accomplishes
the vast labor Of military engineering on
scale required in such operations as.were
now undertaken lie remarks also upon
the good feeling which grew up between
tho pickets of rhe two armies, upon the
disagreeable effects of q continuous " long
range Smelling, upon the ravages OF the
fever in the Federal rankss and upon the
license which officers permitted themselves
in giving leave of absence to their soldiers.
lie also notices the arrival of division
restored to the army and the accession of
some G,o00 troops from Fortress Monroe.
He states that General Mcclellan never
intended to delay action an hour after the
completion of his Communications, ano he
mentions several instances In which the
Generals reconnissances, made with the
the view OF bringing on general acton
exposed him very seriously. Finally, on
the 18th, Hooker began the ball. 1t was
expected that the advance of Hooker
would bring on a renewal OF FAIR Oaks,
but with all the bridges built, and the
whole army ready to act together, Hooker
was successful, lost 400 or 500 men, gained
an advance of. mile and held it. But now
comes serious news.
"Deserters, runaway negroes, the Wash
ington telegraph itself, generally so sober
in its information, agreed in this news :
haI hoI
Richmond from the South. Beauregard.
set free by the cessation of operations in
in the Southwest, had brought the aid Of
his capacity aud of his prestige 10 the pro-
slavery cause. Sackscn, leaving the eighty
thousand defenders of Washington breath
less FROM their idle chase after him, had
completed the concentration OF the whole
southern aimy His advence was already
at Hanover Court House, and his corps
estimated at 10000 men. All
the chances of success were now with the
enemy. The Army of the Poto
mac was to meet two armies, each equal
to itself in numbers. Aattles have some
times been won in such circumstances, but
it is not right to count upon such favors
from fortune. The best thing to be done
was to retreat But this was unfortunately
no simple operation. it involved choice
of dangers. To concentrate on the left
bank of the Cnickahominy was to abandon
the enterprise against Richmond and to
risk disastrous retreat upon White House
and Yorktown. To pass to the
right bank was to risk the enemy's cutting
our communication with White House and
seizing the railway which brousht our sup
plies. We should then be forced to open
new communication with the James River,
and to move in that direction en- masse and
with no delay. This would be retreat,
but for few miles only, and if we were
but moderately reinforced, with the sup
port of the navy W. could recommence the
offensive either against Richmond itself,
on the right bank of the river, or against
Petersburg on the left, the fall OF that
place involving the fall of Richmond Nc.
Clellan chose the latter course.
The Prince now sketches with graphic
simplicity the unequaled retreat which
Was carried on through six days of almost
continuous fighting Terminating in the
Successful battle Of Malvern Hill and in
the safety ofthe Federal urmy. Through
out this grand and, daring mexement,"
he observes, nothing disturbed the seren-