The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-06-12
I n UMBER L.

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Thus division, nearly new to warfare, was sud
denly exposed, in All open field, to the heaviest
of fire from an enemy covered to a considerable
extent by the woods through which they were
advancing. Terribly the tempest ragged, the
air almost growing thick with nusket balls =
officer after officer fell, or was borne from the
4 field wounded man; the men dropped by
scores, and the usual number of weak ,jointed
ones were falling to the rear. But in spite of
the rapid Trimmings Of their ranks the regiments
generally held their ground till the enemy sue
ceeded in rushing around on the left flank, and
poured in an enfiadng fire from that direction.
against winch the rHepits were no protection.
( The sixty rounds Of ammunition with which
they entered the fight were nearly exhausted
and no more was at hand
Meantime one of Gen. COUGHS brigades com.
manded by Gen. Abercrombie, was ordered up
to the support of Gen Naglee on the right, Gen.
! Deveus, of the same gdvision, sustained Gen.
/ Wassell on the center, and Gen Peck, with the
remaining brigade, supporting Gen. Palmer on
the left. When Gen. Caseys troops were forced
to give wav the rebels fell on these hrigades of
COUGHS division who disputed every inch of
ground until sustained by Gen. kearney press
ing up the Williamsburg road with reinforce
ments TO meet them, supported by the division
of Gen. Hooker in his rear. Pressing rapidly
forward Gen. Kearney advanced along the Will
UdlnSDufS lO1Q 10 NllulL Il SNORT uISLdIlC6 u
originals position, where he bivou2cked for the
night in front of the enemy. I4.
Ii was along this Williamsburg road that the
main attack was made and here our troops were
forced back for bali a mile or more, before the
arrival of Gen. HeirtZemons corps, the feeble
brigades of Casey division, averaging less than
1900 men, being completely broken up, many,
if not most of the officers killed. wounded or
missing, and the priyates scattered through the
woods and along the road. Brayely and well
did Gen. Casey do his duty, pressing on to the
extreme front and cheering on his men, regard
less of the storm of fire and hail that ragged
about him, cutting down his officers on all sides,
bot strangely escaping his own person Bravely
and well did most of his officers stand BY him,
until, one after another they were borne from
the field dead Or wounded.
THE DISASTER AND ITS CAUSES,
Gen. Casey's division went into the engage
ment only six thousand strong at the outside,
while the force of the enemy was at least four
times that number. One cause of the disaster
to the division was owing TO the great number
of officers sick and unfit for duty. Some OF the
regiments went Into the action with only one
field officer, and very few OF the companies con-
tained their full compliment OF Officers. The
division had suffered more from sickness than
any other on the peninsula, from the fact OF its
being composed OF troops raised last, some OF
the regiments in fact having been in the field
but few days, while the other divisions had
an opportunity, While encamped around Wash
ingt0n, to get iu a measure acclimated and ac-
customod to camp life
Besides the guns, Gen. Casey lost all his
camp equippage his tents being pitched upon
the field Of battle il such near proximity OF the
rebels as TO render their loss inevitable in case
of the slightest yielding Of his troops The gen
ara L. his 6i1tie also have lO8t their
effects, which, fortunately were Of no great val
ue all the baggage of the officers. as well the
kuapsacks OF th- soldiers having been some
DAYS before ordered to the Clher side of the
Chickahominy, with the wagons, quarternas-
tel's stores and everything not absolutely in
dlspensabe. So the loss was Slight, except in
the disappearance of papers Of considerable val
Ue which were i,iJ III the tents.
No man who knows Gen. Casey can do other
wise than sympathize with him IN the misfor-
tunes of disease uud disaster "a hich have left
him with but the skeleton Of division now
able TO muster scarcely more, ii Indeed as much,
as the strength Of brigade. Occupying the
most exposed position on our lines his Jaw
troops found themselves i'll the batde OF Satur-
day before they had fairly warn Cd to their work.
subj cted to a mus kerry fire o. more than ordl-
nary intensity, Tie balls pouring in upon them
in n constant shoe ~, apparently from all diTec-
tions, whzzing gud buzzing through the air with
a murderous spItetuiness. OVERCOME by mum
bers, fmIng IN support, they gave way, out not
uuti they had held the enemy in check a sufh-
Gent length Of tue TO give oar deserves an OPP
pottunity to pres forward to retrieve the Tor
tunes Of the ~, which they did nobiy. All
hal brave man could 90 by personal eXertion
Gen. Casey did; and how well he was seconded
By his officers, Ie, the list of casualties tell.
GEN. aUlINER's ADVANCE.
Meantime Gen. Sumner lad succeeded in
bringing his troops across the ChickabomiEy
and was advancing on the right to maintain our
position there, where less ground had beer lost
After several days Of labor, Gen. Sumner had
thrown two bridges across the creek between
Bottom Bridge and New Bridge, where local
reports held it 90 be impossible TO find any fouu
dation fol pies 10 support the superstructure.
One of these bidges was some two miles above
Bottom 5 Bndgc. the other mile further up the
stream The low er Of these carried away
during the heavy storm on Fuday night, and
Gen. Sumner was obliged 10 depend upon single
shaky structure for the passage of his troops
who nearly ah succeeded in crossing that night, !
the head Of The c3lumn reaching the nine mile !
road, along wAcG he rebels were pressing cur
troops at about seven o'clock holding the enc |
my iii check for the night, preventing them |
from following up in that direction the advan- |
tage they had gained during the day.
as the troops under Generals HeInt2elman |
and Summer were seen coming up the railroad
and turnpike at double quick, every one seem d |
to feel relieved and felt sure that now the day |
was ours, and that he enemy although temper
arly successful, would soon be driven back be-
yond our former lines.
THE FIGHT ON SUNDAY.
Flushed with their seeming victory Of Satur-
dap, the rebels avoke with confidence on Sun
day to follow up their movements, sure Of drv
ing US this time to the ChckahomiRy and be
You'd. Bus they had mad. the unfortunate
mistake Of estimating he strength OF our reserve
by the weakness OF our advance Most bitter
did they pay ion heir mistake Pressing eagerly
forward with COZ ideEce OF victory, they were
met by The trained troops Of Heinzelman AID
Sumner, whose myieldiug columns checked
their fierce assault turned he tide Of battle
everywhere again them, and forcing them at
the point of the yOnet on toward Richmond
1t WAS their yuru now to break and run, and
their losses Of the Sabbath LETT them little cause
for rejoicing oyei he trlfiug gai1 Of Saturday.
Teru5iy did the rrbels suffer on this rs well as
the previous das, from the we'll directed fire Of
our aIilicTy, ping The ground with the slain.
Terrible also 70 hem were the frequent charges
Of our solid columns pressing them back, sep |
by step, to the last point OF endurance, when |
they broke and ran, ingloriously leaving behind |
them many OF their men and officers, as we'll as