The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1862-05-14
THE BATTLE or WIIIANSHI,Rt


From long and highly interesting nc.
count # the battle Of Wiliamsbu"gh, we take
the following:
THE SCENE At GENERAL M'cLElLAy's ur,n
QUARTERS.
Headquarters had been established in Whit.
takers house, a high, square. white and nm
Nrgina.llke editice on the Yorktown road
about three miles east of WILLIAMSBURG Be-.
hind this house was the large barn in which
the hospital was located, and where oll tho
wounded Of Reyes corps were cared far -
Before the house. which stood a hundred and
! fifty yards back from the road, was Il wide
! lawn, where the interest of the whole field
was at times concentrated for there gathered
commanders Of every grade, and thither came
as to focus, every ray Of Intelligence from
the various localities at which the battle
ragged. 1t was an animated though n motley
scene. Aids camp, in comfortable nonchn.
to winch tue continual rain only gaye ),
bright, bottlekc look, came and went. wea
ry orderlics, unfamiliar with the luxury nr
India rubber. and soaked, Of course, dashed
up as II with the last breath Of their aded
horses, and then dashed away again, rs if the
new order had filled even the horse with rn,y
lite; there the ubiquitous General Neycs, our
gallant old peep o'Day" who is ALWAYS az.
erywhere, saw everybody: there sombre Sum
ner came, and looked, and saw NJ one: Au1
there General Smith, with his easy indiHrr.
ence, filled his pipe "just once" again
But this lawn should be historic, far tLoro
at five p. m, on that great and rainy Mon,
day. Maj. Gen. George b Mcclellan rode an
to the field Of his first battle, and thence gave
his first order Shortly before the General.
arrival areglment of infantry had been drawn
up on the side Of the lawn towards Williams
bnrgh, and two regiments of cavalry on the
other side. Thus the scene was closed ON
either side with fit accessories.
GENERAL MCCLELLAN OK THE BATTLE FIELD. |
In the very middle Of the rage Of musketrv
SHOUTS that grew into continuous cheers wer.
hcard away down tn" road towards Yorktown
W hat could II mean There could be M
night there, But conjecture had no chance
'or IN the next minute q group OF desperate
rlders swept up the road and into the lawn
ana there at the head was the umistnkabIe
lgure OF the commander n-chief As he
"ept by the cavalry they took up the shout
ma on II went across to the infantry, and on
M to the other infantry in the wood and
lrgnIa was electrified with enthusiasm - :
here was not heart at Headquarters or near 9
that dld not feel the lighter for that shout {
1t seemed to clear the air. Ia '
peak very plainly. nobody had felt very Ger. !
IN how the day was to 90 until then. We
new that we had been at it for nearly nina
ours. but no one could say that we had done
ore than repulse the enemy and that seemed
IT very little.
y ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION BY THE TROOPS ,
W hen your enemy has been in full retreat
lore you, and you follow so fast that he has al
stop and fight for life, your success OUGHT
rtain'y be more than the neeative--of NOT
ing beaten; but ours, till then, simply came
mat 80 there was Il large welcome in ev.
heart Tor that stout little figure and hlue
'd'@rs oyercoat, and a welcome moreover
an beside whose presence spoke of him
9"elt1er, and Colburn, and .Judson. far an
orUE Ooion" Astor, for that pleasant Ciar ste
'"n y fench Prince the Count of Paris. f,r
80, ,'p s'r"Hh figure OF the Due de Ch,rtras an'
'rnce de Jonyille '4 "'oc eyes OF tho rea
: if tho.o "ok shape almost immediately !
he ,,,a.' were something macnatic :, -
-; presence If the leader - -
noko,.t ne came, and lstenoa o,'I -,
PoNe-S"at was an-and the na.s-" &c i,. "',u
~ pose'eSS movement uuravel,ed ;tyo,t o''nu L
nere was plan and battle. onia ,'' "l'u . -'
Al 10 me midst OF the crowd of ot I.s ne P,a
a'hefel around, and in few miontos mat are
zen mad spoken, the best right hand w mnen Dry
'huOeht was raised and pointed Of ~ ~ .'e /
'rth IN the direction Hancock had tal ,ne ,
~ away went keyes away went Smi,h
way went Negley. Soon column Of infsn'
nIed "f up the edge of the wood a steaJr
'eah Of seven thousand closed by your CIV. n,
,ponoents own" the dear old Massacbp
''DLN0k 81 THE TROOPS IN THEIR yorxo
COMMANDER dur
1t was pitch darL nh. a,