Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1862-06-06
RHE CHICKAHomINY CONTEST.
fIiLER PigTlCILiaS.

AnOli Testament saint SAID IN has haste,
"All men are liars" His confession
should induce persons Of our day-perbaps
not SO wise or SO gnc1-to be wary aud
cautious about forming injurious conclu-
sions Of matters wherein they are not
fully informed. Thus, in relation TO the
recen, battle between the Chickahominy
and Richmond, latter ard moys full Gc-
counts d, j,.s,ice to the valor Of those who
were at first unhandsomely censure1.
Gen. Casey',+ command comprised ]
Maine, 5 penna, and y Y Regiments,
with bsueries-an .iec'ire force OF
about 5000, many Of their best officers
AMI men absent on the sick list, and the
remainder more or less exhausted BY care
and labors for a fortnight. They were
some miles in advance Of all other lines
Tbus-not only in position and physical
abilities, but also in numbsr-,Ley were
the ccrt point If our line.
The fate Of Yorktown and Of Corinth,
warned the Rebels at Richmond Got to
allow our artillery TO approach too near
their last ditch" the Capital They
saw the tremendous force # 10000 vol
uuteers slowly bu. surely closing upon
them with irresistible poHer. But they
knew every inch of the grouui. They
saw possible hope in captu'iUg a large
part Of our force-crea'iug fear or psnic
aud dividing our line Of attack. 4 willy,
wa;chful, well generated army, could not
fail to see ,ba, Casey's vas the most favor
able point Of attack; Accordingly, on
Saturday last, all Richmond moved to
the supper, Of some % coo or 80 600
picked men, put forwari' to make des-
perate sor,ie A powerful storm had
flooded the resrt of Casey's force, which
had hitherto been dry, and binding
rain concealed the Rebel movements.
This overwhelming force suddenly seized
or drove in our pickets, aud rushed upon
the main body Realizing their dagger,
our men had thrown up some protecting
works-'hcy togyM maatn'ly, hanR Ia
hand, re,rea,iug inch BY inch and there
was little if any discrderly retrea; even in
a hopeless contest The horses at one
battery we're all killed, So ,ha. they
could no, move it, and lis fire was turned
upon our men. No equal body of Volur-
teers could have done better than they
did under the circumstances.
Gen. Couch's division vas next TO
Casey's, and it also staggered before the
impeiuous, hopeful, superior onset Of
Rebel force.
In sbor, time, however, the corps Of
Gems Sumner aud Hein,zelmau were
brough, up, and an equal force was Gu
gagged. The reirea: WAS checked-;he
Uaion forces assumed the ofensive-and
after some severe bayonet charges, the
Rebels tetreated, and los: all they had
gained, leaving 1900 of their dead on the
field, and General, a Colonel, and 500
other prisoners in our hands
On .Sanddy, the Rebels renewed their
Efforts upon our line Of defence, but were
everywhere repused-apd our troop,
pitched their camps nearer Richmond
than before.
The result Of this hard fought effort,
is to our advantage, and must be dishear,.
euipg TO the Rebels in Richmond. Gov.
Letcher has called for more volunteers
to keep guard while their trained men
take the field.
General Silas Casey has been long in the
regular service OF the UAon, and stood far
IN cficlal hfe. HIS father resided some years
in Lewisburg, and he is cousin OF Hon.
Joseph Casey.
The tragedy OF Balls Bluff, so nearly "a
Ia at P.uS5urg Landing, was also attempted
i, ChickahomIny. ln al these cases, ooag
Of water Law between our advance and he main
body-asd our losses thereby were fearful.
Who are res pSns'ble for such disasters and
how oilen shall they be repeated