Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-05


patient of the delay, sent courierst to inform Gen
Lee and old Ssonewal Of his immediate pur
pose TO cross the C~hickahOminy. This he did al
the Meadow Bridge, and marching on the road
to Meehanicsville soon encountered and drove
back a large force of the enemy, taking, as it is
reported, a battery of several pieces of artillery.
Upon reaching the neighborhood of Mechanics
vile, they attacked the enemy's works in the
rear at the same time that Gen. D. II. Hill di-
vision assailed it directly from the other side Of
the river. Here an obstinate and bloody fight
ensued. The enemy's position was very formid-
able, and they had strengthened it by well-con-
strueted Notifications on which heavy guns had
been mounted. For two hours a furious can
nonade was maintained between the hostile par
ties, when the order was given to charge, and
the advance was made nearly simultaneously
from front and rear with severe loss but with en-
tire success, the Yankees abandoning their in
trenchments and leaving all their pieces in our
hands. This was about half past seven in the
evening. I regret that as yet have not been
able to ascertain which Of the infantry regi.
ments were most conspicuous for g~allantry in
the rush upon the Mechaniesville Notifications.
It was almost a desperate enterprise, for the
Federal batteries commanded the road and the
bridge for more than three-quarters of a mile,
and a high hill had to be surmounted after the
opposite bank of the Chickahominy was gained.
The first company OF light artillery which
crossed the bridge, was the Purcell Battery,
commanded by Captain Willie Pegram and
this excellent corps had the further honor
of having suffered most severely of all the
forces engaged, having lost six men killed
and thirty-iye wounded, out of one hundred
and fifty. II rejoice to render the tribute of
to young Pegram, the captain of this
company, a boy that has not yet completed his
twentieth year, who unites the purity, the mod
esty and the gentIeness of woman to the frmness
of a hero and the GOODNESS of a veteran. He
is the youngest brother of Col. John Pegram,
the gallant but unfortunate leader at Rich Noun
tain, now on the staff of Gen. Baauregard, as
Of engineers.
Upon giving up their guns and earth,wOrks
above the Mechanicsville Bridge, the Yankees
ELL back a short distance upon Ellerson's I'LL,
where they had formed a very strong line of de-
lenses by diverting the water from the canal
which supplied the mill, and mounting large field
pieces behind the bank. Immediately their cap
ured guns and all our own artillery, which could
,e brought to bear upon the point, were turned
this stronghold, and an incessant storm
# shells was launched at it till twenty minutes
past nine P. NJ, when the darkness of the night
all further efforts to reduce it, useless.
At daybreak this morning the cannonade was
-e-opened with tremendous energy, and not long
thereafter the mill was carried in splendid style,
and the Yankees driven down the road in the
of the New Bridge. Meanwhile, the
of Longstreet and Magruder had also
crossed the Chickahomiuy, and at once joiaed in
the pursuit.
From morning till three o'clock the fighting
vas still kept up, the enemy retreating, but
a deadly fire upon our advancing col
INNS as they moved back. One after another
heir intrenchments were carried at the
point of the bsyonet, and it is worthy of
tote, as an illustration Of the unmilitary tricks
If the Yankee soldier, that when our brave fell
arrived almost within arms length of the
runners of a Federal battery, which they had
with the bayonet, they came directly upon
N invisible fence Of strong irop ooire, q say in
fisible because it could not be seen at the dis
ance of forty yards and while detained for an
Instant by this novel and unexpected barrier,
shot down by the Yankee infantry posted
o support the battery. At three o'clock our
were reported to have reached and occu-
the York River railroad, taking the railway
rueks conveying McClellsn's seige guns and
eff completely his communication with
Point.
An hour earlier than this a considerable force
sent to our extreme right, not far from the
ield of the Seven Pines, where the battle was
expected to rage violently before sunset, and
it viii probably be joined tomorrow in
iesvy masses on both sides.
as the results of the conflict of yesterday and
o-day thus far, we have many guns of the enc
ny and five hundred prisoners of war, the Yam
,ees have been driven back several miles, and
heir line of conveyance for supplies and rein
Orcements interrupted, and there remains with
s the prestige Of two days brilliant success.
The battle, now commenced with such auspices
f ultimate victory, viii be vigorously con
inued, and, as We hope and believe, terminated
lith the expulsion of Mcclellan from the soil
f Virginia.
The -cannonade was heard yesterday with the
distinctness on our streets, and, as night
on, the boom of the guns became louder in
ne dying away Of the noise of the city. Tho
ills looking toward the line of the fight were
oyered with citizens Of both sex through the
,ng twilight Of June, until in the gathering
arkness the flashes Of the guns could be
lsinIy discerned in the dusky woods, over
,hich the shells, bursting prematureiy at inter
blazed like a fre-work. 1t was a thrilling
nd a singular spectacle. Delicate women,
caring with composure the loud, incessant
,ar of artillery from the batteries of an enemy
hose energies were wholly bent and whose
ride staked upon the reduction Of their city,
gambolling upon the grass and crying
1t with delight as the sudden, fftfal explosion
The shells strewed the horizon with meteors,
i'd aroused all the quiet city with its peaceful |
all unconscious Of danger. {
Sights Of another and sadder kind have been .
to-day, as the ambulanees have come !
with the wounded, but I forbeag to describe i