Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1862-06-14
THE GREAT BATTLE.

put to the test the rebel boast as to what
they would do with Gen. Mcclellan army
when they should get it beyond the pro.
lection Of the guuboats. Though the adj
vantage of sudden movement, against
the weakest point in our lines gave the
enemy temporary success, the final re,
suit has not been such as to afford en-
enlargement to their disheartcned troops,
or OCCASION any fears as to our Ultimate
possession Of the rebel capital.
The attack commenced shortly before l
o'clock on Saturday, on the lef: wing of
the army, on the further or south side Of
the Chickahominy, where the advance
position was held by the division Of Gen.
Casey, much the weakest in the army,
composed almost entirely Of raw regiments
and reduced by disease to an effective
force Of some G,000 men.
The 4Hack on Saturday Shortly af,
ter noon the graud attack commenced,
Gen. Caseys pckets being driven in all
along the front, after spirited resistance,
the rebels advancing III force along three
roads--,he Williamsburg road to our left,
the railroad in the centre and the mine
mile Roae,' as it is called, on the ri ght.-
With his feeble divis on greatly weakened
by extension, Gen, Casey had 40 back
Dons 10 oppose to this sudden attack
But no thought Of yielding his ground
entered the mind Of the old soldier, scar
red with the wounds of Mexico and dis
ciplined to danger by a hundred fights
HIS troops were immed lately formed into
position, the three brigades maintaining
their relative POSITIONS on the right, .elt
aud centre, and as thorough preparations
were made for resisting the attack rs Its
sud encss would admit Of Re.,n New
York battery was stationed gust to the
right Of TIE Williamsburg road, Bates
battery Of Napoleon guns furthe: to the
elt across the road, and Fitch's battery
three or folr hundred yards to the rear,
the last sending its shell over the heads
Of our troops at the enemy beyond. The
fourth battery was near the Railroad fur
Their 10 the right.
Most OF Gen. Casey's troops were
thrown forward to the edge Of the woods
in front Of bis position 10 meet the ad.
vance Of the rebels, a few regiments being
icl; behind the partially completed rifle
pits, "a short distance to the rear. Thus a
division nearly new to warfare was sud
denly opposed, in an open field, TO the
heaviest OF ire from an enemy covered to
considerable extent by the woods ,hro'
which they were advancing. Terribly the
tempest ragged, the air almost growing
thick with muehet balls officer after Off
| Ger fell, or vas bone from the field a
! wounled man; the men dropped by
scores, and the usual nun, Der Of weak
jointed ones were falling to the rear
But in spite of the rapid thinnin. ot their
ranks, the regiments generally held their
ground uutl the enemy succeeded IN
/ rushing around on the left flank, and
! poured in an euhading fire from that d.
rection, against which the rifle pits were
NJ protection. The sixty rJnnds OF an
intuition with which they yuteled the fight
were nearly exhausted, and no more was
at hand
The Fgh on Samday.- Flushed with
| their seeming Glory of Saturday the reb.
! els awokc with confidence on Sunday to
! follow up their movements, sure Of driving
us this time to the Chlckahominy and be-
yond But they had made the unforlu.
nate mistake OF estimating the strength
| of our reserves by the weakness OF our
advance Most bitterly did they pay FIR
their mistake. Pressing eagerly forward
with confidence Of victory, they were mt
| By The trained troops Of Ha;ntzel4nan aud
sumner, whose uuyieliIug columns check
| ed their fierce assault, turning the tile of
battle everywhere against them, and fore
! ing them at the pom. OF the tayonet On
! toward Richmond 1t was their turn now
! TO break and run. an their losses Of the
| Sabbath left them little cause for re- eic
in, over the ,rihine gain Of SaturdAy.-
Terribly did the rebels suffer on this, MS
well as the previous day, from the well
directed fire Of our artillery, piliing the
! ground with the slain Terrible also to
| them were the frequent charges OF our
solid columns pressing them back step by
| step, to the last point OF endurance, wnen
they broke and run, usvrjously leaving
behind them many of their men aud Off
GERS. as we'll AS priva'es prisoners in our
! hands The number of these It IS not yet
possible to ascertain, severa! days neces.
sarily e:apsing after every engagement
before full history can be taken. - Cor.
Ner York Times.
Gry NrrrrtI.y Ann HIS Pryuryg