The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-05-09

farmhouse and the FIRST redoubt the right were the
Fifth Wisconsin and Forty third New York regiments.
skirmshsrs from the latter were thrown out in the
woods right and far In advance skrmishsrs Of
the Firth Wisconsin in advance on the open field.
ard skrmshers Of the Sixth Maine were in advance.
also in the open field, on our left
ALL READY.
Under cover OF the wood directly through IL, the
enemy advanced from the nsighborhood Of Fort Magru
der doubtless tempted rs We have said by the bait Of
battery Of beautiful Geld pieces From the sharp fire
OF tho fkirmishers in the woods right came the
nrst intnation Of o movement In that direction, and
this put all the alert BY the fold pieces the great
central point Of interest, every IN his place,
and many eyes turned with deep interest the hand
and intellectual, face Of their commander the ami
able gentleman and gallant soldier Capt. Wheeler of tho
New York Volunteer Artillery. He was not only in his
place but eminently the right place, and he was
the right in IL. Down the lines, too, Of the infantry
regiments all steady and the jadsd men, who had
bvouacked the night before in mud and rain, and
drabbled from head TO foot with the and wet to the
skn with the other stood in their places like heroes,
though they did not lok exactly IL they wore pa
rade They did have the parade Dress had they
either tho parade faces.
sLxNDIp ADVANCE ENEMY.
Still tho fire grew hotter In The woods and In few min
utes point fAly half milo away from the battery,
the cnemy's began ns OF the and form
In the open field II was bold and proved expensive
way to handle men, Wheeler opened his guns the
the swath Of dead that subsequently marked
tho OF tho brigade the open field began at
that spot. At the moment also the skrmshers In
the Geld began their fire. Still the enemy formed
across the opening with admirable rapidity and
precision, and coolly AZ II the nrs had boen
directed elsewhere, and then came at the
double quick step, IN three distinct lines, firing
the short OF tho field pieces and in the scattered
rattle rapid repetition Of the muskstry Naturally
their 6re could u.s. under the circumstances but little
HARM and thus We had them at Q fair ad-
vantage, and every nerve Was strained TO mako the
most Of It. Still they They were dangerously
near Already the skirmishsrs TO the left had fallen
back their limo, and the skrm shera to the right
had taken behind tho rail fence that ran from
the house the woods but from thence they bazed
away earnestly Yet tho guns out thcre and
they are What those fellows want; and In the in
stans the guns silent For moment, in the eonfu-
sion and tho smoke one might almost suppose that the
eusmy had them but in a the guns emerge
from the OF tho smoke cloud and away they 60
across the neld point the upper rcdoub There
again they uDinibssed and again they play away.
Farther back also 20 the skirmshers. And now for .
few moments the rebels had the partial Of the
farm and ou,budings; but they that they had all
their work TO do over, and they
again. Once they in fair open ed, exposed
both artillery and musketry; but this time tho dis
tancs they bave got to 20 not great. They
rapidly there, however another dangerous line OF in
gantry; they are TO us; but we also to
them. Scarcely hundred yards between them
and the guns whsn our skrmi.h are became SILENT the
lines OF the Fifth Wisconsin and the Forty third New
York formed up close order 70 the right OF the battery
the long range OF musket barrels TO level and
one terrible voey tore through the rebel line. In
moment the same long range OF muskots to
another sveths order to charge with the bayonst
given and away went ihe two regiments with glad
cheer Gallant our foes undoubtedly were, they
couldnt meet that But few brigades mentioned In his
tory have better than that brgads aid For space
which was generally estimated At threeauartcrs Of
mile they had advanced under the nre Of splsnddly
served battery, and with Q cloud Of skirmsnsrs
stretched their front, whose nrs was very do
struc,ive and H. after that they had not the nerve TO
moe, line Of bayonets that towards them like the
sp,ri, OF destruction incarnae need not be wondered
a. They broke and nsd In complete panic. Ono hun.
dred aud forty I'VE taken prisoners. Nearly I've
hundred were killed and wounded
Nm 10 the eternal honor Of men that they had
looked upou this advance Of the enemy line with spi
RI ar generous admaton and that they spoke 10 their
pr,sonors IN different from that which they
towards prisoners generally.
This took place at about half.past four r. NJ and a.
win be seen. was altogether a"side aght."
wnAr WAS IT ALL ronS
On the whole field together We had hesn all day In
very nearly the same place. and seemed very much as
if there muddls OF At least want Of general d.
rson OF any apparent purpose Cen Ksyes, who bad
been very active all day, was cvcrywbsre, and saw
person. ally to all that done within his cups but he
was subordinate was thero any plan OF action all that
day. Or had we pursued fugitive army only TO "hcd
our own when wc rot up to ~ such queries ran
through many mi de that day.
GENERAL sciEliAS corEs rr
Az exactly Ave +. NJ Gen Mcclellan came up. inafsv