Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-07-11

my right over the heads of our infantry, at
least twenty pieces of cannon, and the rebels
had as many. An hour afterward the rebels
| began to fall back, and the shouts Of men
could be heard above the roar of cannon and
small arms as they saw the enemy retreat.
At about dark their infantry had taken to the
woods, and nearly ceased firing, except at one
or two points, from which their fire was terri
BILE; but as our men were lying flat upon the
ground our loss was small. But their arti
lery increased rather than slackened their
fire; and such a sight! The sky was COM
| pletely darkened, not a star to be seen, and
in that darkness there were playing into each
! others ranks at least thirty pieces of cannon
on each side; while the flashes of the can
non on our side gave the only light by
which l could find Gen. Couch, who kept
me constantly carrying orders. 1t was at
this time that my second horse and my
self were completely surrounded by pieces of
shells, or balls from a howitZer, my horse
pitching in such a manner that concluded he
was riddled; and as he became unmanageable,
left him, and went to find Gen. Couch, and
told him my second horse was gone, but that
| would stay by him till the night battle was
ended. The firing was so rapid on both sides,
mingled with the bursting of shells and the
firing of our infantry, that it was the most
battlefield. While watching it, l thought
l would see how my poor old horse that last
left, was getting along, and going to the spot
where | left him, found him standing up all
right, the old fool being only scared when he
pitched me off. You may believe made him
go up to our batteries lively and stand there
till was ready to leave. Soon after this the
rebels ceased firing their batteries, and grad
| ually ours ceased their fire, and in few mo-
ments all was quiet, and the stars were Just
peeping out from the clouds.
Shall tell you how glad l was when the
last gun was fired that had been raining death
into our ranks for the last three hours? Dur
ing this time my duty had called me into the
thckest of the bullets, shot, and shell, yet [
did not receive bruise or scratch. One
shell went so near me that | felt the warmth
of the fuse in it; another struck directly be-
hind my horse, and third scattered its con-
tents all around me; while the bullet of Il
sharpshooter took my pet Billy in the nose,
the marksman not firing quite high enough
for its rider. Gen. Couch got bullet through
the skirt Of his coat. He is a noble fellow and
one of the bravest of men. He was always in
front, and no father could be more careful of
the needless exposure of his children than
Gen. Couch is of the lives of his soldiers. But
when it is necessary for them to face death
manfuly he is always there with them. When
the firing ceased we took measures for falling
back, for the road was now safe for Porter'S
heavy train, which the rebels were hoping
when they made their last attack, to
reach and capture. Word was now sent to
us to gradually withdraw our troops, one Of
our heavy guns being left to deceive the enc
my by Smelling the woods. Porters heavy
trains fell back to this place in an orderly
ne hold
the woods all night, while SIX gun battery
bamboozled the enemy till we had saved the
last of the baggage of the army of the Poto-
mac that had marched and fought for five
successive days. While the fight which |
saw and have described was going on, Kear-
| ney's division gave the rebels "hail Columbia"
on the right, while Porter's troops pounded
the rebels handsomely on the left. The loss
on the rebel side must have been heavy-at
| least they did not attempt to follow US up the
next day. We lost some five officers, fore
most among whom was Captain Miller, major
commanding the 10th Massachusetts regi-
ment. He was shot in the breast but lived
some hours afterward. All our dead we left
on the field, and our wounded that we brought
out were probably taken by the enemy the
next day, as we were obliged to leave two
buildings full of them. DIR. Jewett of the
1Oll Al'tSSdCHuSClto iNSlillSIt lNlhdhlCu WIN
them, voluntary prisoner. By the way, that
10th regiment contains noble set ofmen, and
Drawer, truer soldiers never pulled a trigger.
1t would have done you good to have seen
them stand face to face with the rebels, and
pepper them
The next day after the battle we fell back
here, eleven miles from the field, in perfect or
der bringing with us everything; and on the
night of our arrival reinforcements began to
come in SO that to-day DULY 4th) we are
again on the road to Richmond, all in good
spirits. Yesterday rebel light battery came
so near us here as to throw II shell into one
of our baggage trains, and fire quite number
of other shots. But before they were aware
| Gen. Sickles troops were in their rear to
take the pieces. Soon after this our whole
army moved out, and are now marching to-
ward Richmond. D. F. P.
| A member of the third Connecticut artillery
who was in command of three redoubts,
mounting ten guns, at the time the order was
first given to fall back, says in private let