, 1862-08-16
TIE STRATEGY THROUGH
FRENCH EYES.
The Orleans Princes at the BAxtle
Before Richmond,

lbar don1ng 1t completely; he has therefore q
ordered 81 hls troops to cross 70 the right
new basis Of operations upon the. James
River under the projection Of the gunbosts. /
The enemy commenced his movement last
evening He crossed to the left bank Of the |
der to attack McCal1s division at MennitIille
The attack was made by Gen. Lea, ct the |
head Of Wits division Some Louisiana
regiments attempted to pass By main force, |
b1I vera repulsed- A fight toek place there,
important result. The same night We con
veyed our baggage over to the right bank Of
the ChickahoIniny. At this moment the enc
my is attacking the troops which haVe re-
manned on the lsfs bank In order TO cover the
SAVAGE STATION, June IS; FoRt Mox8os. Julyt-
Yesterday will ever remain deeply engraven
on my Inemory--dn the first place on Asco1nt
Of the eoul-stiuing scenes Witnessed, and in
ene1t, by fesson Of the danger which our
two nepheTs escaped aa bJ miracle. For
TWO hours Robert (she Duke Of Ghartras),
were incessantly under most violent fire Of
mneketry and artillery. Their conduct Nas,
IS might have been expected, excellent They |
have been exceedingly actiEe and usefat. aud
at the critical moment eVinced drmnas1
which has excited universal admiration and |
gained them publ1o thanks But to return to |
my Earrattve+ |
We know that the forces under the com-
mand Of Gen Porter, situ.ted On the left bank !
of the Chickahom1ay, were being attacked |
from an early hour in the morning. The action
commenced shout l o'clock. Paris Was lm-
meaiately dispatched, and remained under the
orders of Porter. The affair becoming more
strorg reinforcements had been sent from
Richmond, and everything being compare
lively tranquil upon the tight bsnk, the gen
era1 gave orders for five brigades to join
Porter, Robert was sent at that moment to
our front, aud our two nephe~s, thus finding
themselves both in the through" (petr5n)
also rent to the front, in order to see what
would become Of them.
Igalloped over the bridge on the Chicka-
hominJ, and, mounting the opposite hllls,
| composed Of yast hills and woods, upon line
of battle measuring about mile and half.
| then passed battery very warmly employed,
and rejoincd our nephews, Who were ia the
| first line with Gen. Porter. Neither they nor
he appeared to perceive that balls rained thick
veraation, orders to be transmitted sent our
nephews In all directions. We separated, and
/ look up . position On . hill in the rear,
whence hid a pretty general vieH Of the field
| Of battle, and from which could distinguish
our nephews, especially Paris, who wore . Pc
| culiar kind Of hat.
I was ndmiring the grandeur Of the scene
spread out before me-We had about 3o.000
men engaged; numerous artillery, the re-
serve Of cavalry, the lancers with their float
ing pennons-aIli in the midst OF most pic
tuTesaue countrg, and the whole Illuminated
| by the b1opd-red rays OF the setting 6uu--
whsn all Of q sudden, at the place where Por-
ter vas, the fusillade became hot. The re-
grees into the woods. The f15il1ade becomes
more and more fierce, and extends to our left.
Thtre is 10 longer any doubt that the enemy
is making last effort on THAT side. Our re-
| eerye is engaged, and ne have no longer any
body under our hand. The sun Is rapidly
!, | hour we ehall have gained the day, for every
| where else we have repu1sed the enemy, and
: the efforts Of jackson, Lee, Witt and Long
. | street, whose troops are before us, are Valn.
, But our men are harassed with fatigue; they
+ have been fighting since the morning, and hav'
scarcely any ammunition left. The e1em,
= brings forward reserves which he i1as heeI
i collecting since twelve O'Clock. These fresf
troops rush In good order upon onr lefs, whfcl
falters hiee, and, passing through the artillery
draws On in disorder the troops of our center
= The eremy advances rapidly. The staff, on
rephews at its head, draw the swords AIT
throw themselves into the nsdee to arrest th
fugitives. The stagdards are planted in tn
r | ground. and around them the brayest make
= stand By rallying themselves in little groups
The fusillade md cannonades are 60 violen
u that the prtiectiles striking the ground raise
j permanent cloud Of dust.
}. At that moment General Cook charged z
) the head of his cavalry, but the move does nc
# succeed, and his horsemeD, on their returr
7, only increasing the disorder. He makes ever
n effort, aided by all who felt little courage, t
q stop the panlc, but in vain. joined . fe
it officers who attempted to check the artillery
way and Reizing the horses by the brides. B
/, that means we were enabled to put two {
+ three pieces in position On the slope Of q hit
h. and NTH them We harrassed the enemy by tt
ID last ray Of day.
se Ii that conjnncture, Meagher's Irish bril-
e ade arrived, which, utterfng fear s,vas
b. cries, ranged itself in order OF battle, and tt
%, enemy was checked. At that moment also,
hs was joined by our nephews who, each Oh b
side a1e a1eg sna 9n hs bsd one
ct they could do to stay the confusion. and, Gt
.s- be praised. without accident. We warm
u shook hands. Each had had his adventure
II. Robert, sent to carry an order, and returnlI
to at dusk, was fortunate enoughto escape bel1
,y taken By regiment Of the enemy, which
be mistook for one Of ours; he Was only und
ng ceIved By that regiment firing on him
nd Paris directed up to the last moment t
cir fire Of German battery. Our loes is consl
In erable. Sykes brigade hss lost one,half Of
las men. But the enemy must be sadly cut .
th From twelve to six all their efforts have N
nd carried, and the only advantage they ha
to gained arose from . deplorable panic viii
Ia. made US lose half q mile Of ground with t
Gn | Cannon 614 "QQ11IGU NO Attt upla la II
to single fresh brigade had arrived in time
N, would have been changed into brilliant II
a: cess: hut such is the fortune Of Wat. I o.
ass rejoice at one thing, which fs that We have
1p- layed forced departure, ia order not
abspdon the army In its critical sltuatlon, 8
ia also that our nephews should have bo1
yal themselves in the brilliant manner they hi
ast done.
ON After the battle OF the eth the conceni
,ca ton of the confederate forces had become
+rNH =
at decided to crcss Whitebeck SFamps, beh
hat which halt w.s to be made in order 70 6
on time for the baggage to post on to jar
River. where new basis Of operations Was
rlef be established under the protection OF
ion gunboats. Between 5000 and 5000 wagt
to were employed On one single Foad oetW
Zee, York River ard James River. On tho morn
OF the 30th all had crossed Whitbeck SwaE
j. We left Savage Station Oh the morning
Tere the 29th, IL the midst Of dense fog, aud
ad- ed, and crossed Whitebeck s@amps, whic
kind Of woody marsh. But when We
Mr., ! rived the head Of the column had alone p
his ed. We heard musketry on before, and |
ons Looping forward, l met Kearney, who inforr
tite, me that ne had repu1sed the enemy's caV'
and which had attempted to mo1est our mai
foe. | We eoon hear heavy cannonade On our
viz rear. It is the enemy attacking Sumner, '
'een bad not left his position. At nightfa4 ne
, at camped, and at dawn OF dsy Learned that
told our wagons and all our troops had pas
Gus Whltebeck SWamps.
and On the MORROW We advanced, scorched
Mr.. burning sun towards James River: The
ure, e1al conferred with the commanders Of
! OF guuboats, and then gallopped off with
non nephevs. We soon hear the report Of
m il nor, md the enemy attacks Smith {Who b
ave Wh:tebeck Swampe-l another attack Is n
aud on the centre Of our line. These attacks
tied ing thrown the enemy into kind Of dl
ains der, the general returns With US to the E
les boats, ii order to confer with Cap
and Rodgers. We embark upon the Gale
hica while there, report is sent from The rear1
viii nouneirg that powerful body Of the en-
It ia IL advancing towards the position occupie
reed Porter. Immediately We ascend the rive
order to throw the weight Of our can
ame balls into the scale, and open q fierce tire.
anth The lieutenant is at the masthead with
res signal officer, who telegraphs with the
dent WHO work Porter's signals, which are pi
man on the roof Of house in order to direct
: a. FIRE. I also cNmb up to the masthead
i. spite of my jackboots and spurs: In
heat Of the action the helmsmaa forge
| -4.ar the GafAua TUn3 85hQ1