The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-07-12
BURLINGTON, SATURDAY, JULY 12 1869

JRDAY, JULY 70. 1Se
portion. Ofths Bucktail Regiment not q hu,
. dred responded to the roll.call. m na11-
And 80 with the other divisions. For tb
, losses Of the last six days cannot be less tha
$4,000. 1t is only hoped that they will nc
reach 10000. "a
Our Generals behaved like Napoleon's unde
his own eagle eye. Gen. Mccall was severel
wounded in the shoulder, but refused to leay
the field or to dismount. At night, when tn
enemy had been driven back, his horse wa
found dead and this is all that is known of hi
fate. How Generals Richardson and Dana
always we'll up in the melee, escaped unhurt
seems miraculous. The same may be said O
scores. Gen. Burns and Gen. Brooks wer,
each slightly wounded, but neither so disabled
as to leave the field. Col Wyman, 10th Mas
sachusetts, was killed late in the day, unde,
what circumstances cannot say, but in q
brave fight it may be warranted, for such wa,
the place he always sought. Col Kinks, 18th
Massachusetts,, fought his regiment until he
had less officers than companies. made two bay.
ones charges and fought his men until at length
|
Let it be recorded that q regiment always
tights precisely like its officers. This fact
recurs to me as speak Of the 10th, since that
furnishes one of the most notable instances
bearing on the assertion.
! The varying fortunes Of the field are shown
by the fact each side took guns and large mum.
bers Of prisoners. Among those taken from
the enemy are Col. Lamar of Georgia, ex. NJ.
G., the noted Secessionist of long standing AID
Col Pendleton, of q louisiana regiment, form.
ly OF Cincinnati. A whole brigade WAS CAD
tured by Heintzelman-s small brigade, ], 900
strong. Perhaps 5000 were taken during the
day. .. r, -
That the enemy's loss of the last week more
than exceeds our own, is as nearly certain as
anything can be Of which there is no direct
proof He has lost fewer by capture than We
but his killed and wounded must fully balance
the account By fighting the enemy in cho.
sen positions, where the artillery could play
havoc with all who should attempt to approach
we piled his dead in winnows. Our SUPERIOR.
ty in artillery has saved the army from utter
annihilation. And yet the most tenacious
struggles have been made over these very guns.
The enemy never fails to attempt their capture
|-evidently having wholesome sense of their
| value.
Yesterday the gunboats participated to the
extent of silencing Rebel battery they had
succeeded in getting into play upon our bag
gage trains.
The salvation of this decimated, exhausted,
and depressed army is question of supplies
and reinforcements, immediate and heavy. If
these weary thousands could get twenty four
hours rest their safety would be assured, but
II left alone, any cessation Of attack and re-
pulse until the final catrastrophe will not be-
permitted.
sATuRDAYs RETREAT.
From headquarters passed along our lines.
The troops still etood at the breastworks ready
for battle; but it was evident they had begun to
inquire into the situation. Some apprehensive
officers bad caught hint of the mysteries which
prevailed. The trains we're ordered to move,
troops to hold themselves in readiness to march
at any moment. So passed that day, dreadful
in its moral attribute as day of pestience, and
When night closed upon the dreary scene, the
enterprise had fully begun. Endless streams of
artillery trains, wagons and funeral ambulances
poured down the roads from oil the campe, and
plunged into the narrow funnel which was our
only hope of escape. And now the exquisite
truth flashed upon ME. 1t was absolutely neces.
sary, for the salvation of the army and the cause,
moaning in physical agony in our hospitals should
be deserted and left in the hands of the enemy.
Oh the cruel horrors of war. Do you wonder,
my friends, that the features of youth wrinkle,
and that the strong mans beard silvers soon
amid such scenes? The signature of age indites
itself full soon upon the smootbest face of war
riors and those who witness wars cruelty. Ab,
well, another night of sorrow without catastro.
phe. Officers were on horseback nearly all
night, ordering the great caravan and its escorts
No wink of sleep again no peace Of mind for
any who realized the peril of our country in
those blank hours. .
At daylight, General Mcclellan was on the
road. Thousands of cattle, of wagons, and our
immense train Of artillery, intermngled with in.
fantry, and great troops Of cavalry, choked up
the narrow road already. General Summers
Heintzelman's and Franklin's corps, under Sum.
ner's command, had been left to guard the rear,
with orders to fall back at daylight, and hold
the enemy in check till night. A noble army
for sacrifice, and some, oh how many, must fall
to save the rest. The very slightest move
ment from the front was critical. At no
point along the line, were we more than three
fourths Of mile from the enemy, and in front
Of Sedgwick's line, they were not over 600 yards
distant The slightest vibration at any point
was apt to thrill the rebel lines from center to
wings. But fortunately, by skillful secrecy,
column after column was marched to the rear
Franklin first, Sedgwick next, then Richardson,
and Hooker, and lastly the knightly Kearney.
The advance column and all that mighty train
had now been swallowed in the NAV Of the
dreary forest. 1t swept onward, onward, fast
and furious like an avalanche. Every hour Of
silence behind was o,ninous, but hours were
precious to US. Pioneer bands were rushing
along in front, clearing and repairing our single
road; reconnaissance officers were seeking new
routes for haven of rest and safety. The enc.
my was in the rear pressing on with fearful
power. He could press down aankward to oar
front, cutting off our retreat. Would such be
our fate? The vanguard had passed White Oak
bridge and had risen to fine defensive post
fanked by White Oak swamp, where part of the
train at least, could rest. How sadly the feeble
ones needed it, those who having suspected their
friends were about to abandon them, trusted
rather to the strength of fear to lead to safety,
than to the fate which might await them at the
hands of the foe But the march was orderly as
rnoo .ny 1osa uroent dav only eWifter-and