American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1851-1863, 1862-06-06

49, for several days. AMI particu
-, uifh those who were considered
f,a with the Typographical nature OF
.onn,rv on which our noble army
"a starinned With volatile stream
nj swamp in front. (the Cnichahominy.)
! Uas thought that an attack was lmpos-
a. ar NJ least impractlcable, either
frno, friend or foe. owing to The flood of
- which fell. but on Sunday morning
.a,Iv our scouts reported that, during
III previous night the enemy had con
49, very heavy bodies of men across.
ar in the swamp, and that their retreat
or exrricarion was almost matter of i'm
po>slblirv. Towards nine A. Nj on Sat
~ We observed large bodies OF troops
of .nn,str4et's division moving towards
al an the Williamsburg road. with
bsnds in fall blast, colors flying. and
,m4n hilarious with delight. suppo-ing.
al proved to be The ease. that the enemy
- to he attacked in force and com
pelled 10 retreat or surrender.
Hastily proceeding down the road in
dicared. VI found it almo,t impossible 10
~. ewing TO tie immense bodies Of
patrr lying along the route. together
sirh an unlimited supply of mud. From
Narruder's farm and several miles for
rard on this turnpike. all seemed 10 be
an impassable swamp. How regiment
after regiment traversed The ground
feems even now almost problem. Yet.
onward. onward passed Lnngstreet's di-
di>ion towards Ike point of attack and
although everything seemed unusually
biiug in the woods and on the road.
4 some tx miles. and in The woods front
h. Bakers plantation. which denoted
fbsf The enemy were unusually active and
anticipated oar advance.
Between 9 and 10 a NJ. a part Of
BIill's division were employed a. Skin
mi>hers on the right and left of the road.
which were soon replaced Icy The arri
val Of Lnngslrret's veterans. Between
II and 2 4. NJ. the 28lh Georgia and
81 Mississippi were employed as Skin
mshers fronting the woods. and began
the advance without much opposition,
but as they proceeded along The turn
pike, and in the woods. the enemy. con
cealcd behind fence. and in force.
opened a furious rifle fire, which for a
moment caused onr brave boys to wink
and stagger. Yet. recovering them
selves in an instant. they delivered
murdprouS volley in reply. and with
hearty cheers dsshed through The woods
after their discounted and frightened foe.
driving them heller SHELTER before them.
making many bite the cold, wet, and
muddy ground. Observing the strength
Of the enrmv's line in front. our com
mander ordered up the 4th North Caro-
lima. who. advancing IN force, broke
through the 81 Mississippi battalion. in
their hurried progress. and divided the
latter corpse in such manner that.
their whole fcrce could not
be again collected. Brilliant in concrp-
ton and execution. the finely drilled
North Carolinans fanked the enemy's
dense line of skirmishers, and did such
sad havoc by their fi4n6ng fire that The
enemy precipitately fell back upon their
unfinished breast work in. and command
ING the entrance to, the extensive grounds
of Bakers farm. This breaStwork,
however, Is hut one of a chain of sim
liar earrhworks. which the invaders have
erected this side of the Chickahominy
stream. and, running parallel with 1t. are
nearer to our forces from the \. w.
than n E particularly so To those of
ours stationed on the Mechanicsville
road
Having arrived in open ground. our
forces commenced To how! in fearful
manner. terrifying The enemy with their
sounds. The 4h North
Carolina. regardless of consequences,
shut their eyes to the chances, and at
tackled he work in gallant style. being
by other regiments "the tight
and left. Trey gained their ohjrct. but
it il said WAS unable 10 retain it. for the
enpmy's large brass howl zers dealt des-
truciion among them. and II is reported
they fell back in admirable order. until
fresh troops could be- brought to bear
upon the ho,des of PennSylvauians, who.
in thousands. were pouring vollies upon
them. AT shout this time. I p Nj some
other reinforcemenls of Long>treet'
corps arriving turned the tide of battle