Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-06-12
Terrible Battle near Richmond.

lay last are considerably mixed up
We give our readers the substance Of
what we have
HEAD.QuAnTERs OF GES CAsryr
SEVEN Pines, Va, May 81 1862.
The advance division of the Army of
The Potomac on the left, under the com
mand of Brigadicr General Silas Casey,
was attacked to-day by an overwhelming
force of the enemy and driven back
distance Of two miles. Premonitory |
symptoms of an attack had shown them
selves for two days previous, and it was
the opinion in camp that the
enemy contemplated such movement
Yesterday the enemy made rcconnois
ance in force, and learned exactly the po-
sition Of our line Of pickcts, as well as
the location Of our camp, and mahc their
accordingly.
At the time the attack was made, Gen. |
Casey's outposts were within about five
mil Of Richmond, near Fairook Station.
The position was gained by the recon-
noisance made by General Naglec on
Jaturday, 2lst inst, and our General had
orders to hold the position at all hazards.
The rebel generals undoubtedly made
the attack in order to prevent us from
completing the tortilications which we
were building and also to feel our strength
and learn our exact position. The out
posts Of the pickets were less than mile
from the general oncampmcnt, and very
close to the piokets of the enemy.
About ] o'clock the enemy fired three
shells into our camp, one after the other,
at intervals of about a minute, which
was probably a signal to their forces that
everything was in readiness, and which
caused no uneasness in our camp from
the frequency of its occurrence of late.
Within few minutes they came upon
our pickets unawares and attacked them
with great vigor and a large force. Our
pickets were either killed, captured or
driven in very quickly, and the enemy
advanced as rapidly as possible opon our
camp.
In the meantime the regiments of the
different brigades had fallen into line, in
anticipation of an order to that effect,
which soon arrived, and at once were off
in double quick TO the scene of conflict.
The most terrible of the fighting oc-
cured just as the enemy had got thro'
the woods, and where our reserves were
drawn up to receive them. The most
desperate courage was displayed here on
both sides, our regiments charging re.
peatcdly upon the enemy, driving them
back tor while, when they would in
turn get the upper hand and drive us be-
fore them. The loss on both sides at
this point must have been fearful, as cv
cry inch Of ground was disputed in the
most desperate manner, and was only
gained by overwhelming numbers, and by
passing over the bodies of our dead and
wounded soldiers. Our batteries at the
time were pouring into the rebel ranks a
perfect shower of grape and canister,
moving them down in winrows, but
still they steadily step by stey advanced,
till our lines commenced to give away,
when they charged upon our batteries
and succeeded in capturing several guns,
which we were unable to remove, owing
to the horses having been killed. The
enemy were now in possession of our
camp, and had turned our own guns up
on our entrenchng columns, while the
infantry continued tc follow them up as
closely as possible. Our men, though
compelled to fall back, did so without
any symptoms of panic, but still quite
hastily.
The enemy captured everything be-
longing to Casey'e Division, excepting
what they had on their backs, leaving
them without a tent or a blanket to cover
them. The supply of Commissary's S
stores was very light in camp. and all
baggage wagons and officers baggage had
been sent to the rear two days before, so
that our loss fell principally on the men
who had left AL their effects in their tents.
IEADouARTERs NcCLELLAN's ARMY,
June 2,-The following is continuation
of the Associated Press dispatches pub
lishcd in yesterdays papers, which was
interrupted by the breaking of the tclc-
graph line.
We have five hundred prisoners among
whom are several prominent officers. On
/ pUllNluN, US sutl as IL WIS hhN llSht, Nllt
fight was renewed by Gen. Sumner with
marked success, lasting nearly the whole
day. The rebels were driven babk at ev'
cry point, with heavy loss.
The ground gained by Gen. Sumner
was about two and half miles. Gen
lIeintzelman, on Sunday morning, retooh
the ground lost the day before by Gen
Casey. The country in which the battle
was fought is swampy, with thick under
brush. most of the fighting was in the
woods. Giving the nature of the ground
very little artillery was used. Both bal
looms were up nearly all day.
Yesterday all the troops left Richmond
and marched out in the direction of the
battle field. The railroad has been of in
estimablc service to us, the cars running
within mile and half of the battle field
bringing forward ammunition and supplies
Gen. Mcclellan arrived on the battle iielc
on Saturday evening, where he has re-
maned ever since, directing all all tn,
movements in person. His presence
among the troops hal great effect.
-Four separate charges of the bayone
were made during yesterday. In one in
stance the enemy were driven a mile, du
ring which l73 were killed by the bayonet
McCLELLAN's HEApQUARrERs, June g.
Two .deserters, just come in, report JOE
Johnson severely if not mortally wound