The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1862-07-16

/ NeI uHTk. ouuueniN, us u IL nau pufSt
from the heavens, sheet of fire envel
! oped the front Of our advance. The enc
my had made another stand to receive
us, and from the black masses of his for.
ces, it WAS evident that it had been heav,
! lily reinforced, and that another whole
corps ddrmee had been brought up to
contest the fortunes Of the night. Line
/ eviden. that his heaviest columns were
now being thrown against Hills small
commaud, ana it might have been sup
posed that lie would only he satisfied
with its humiliation. The loss here on
our side WAS terrible.
The situation being evidently hopeless
for any further pursuit Of the fugitive
enemy, who had now brought up such
overwhelming forces, Gen. Hill retired
SLOWLY. At this moment, seeing their
adversary retire, the most vociferous
cheers arose along the whole Yankee
line. They were taken up in the distance
by the masses Mhich for miles and miles
beyond were supporting McCe!lan's
front. 1t was a moment when the heart
OF The stoutest commander might have
been appalled,. Genera! Hills situation
was DOW rs desperate as it well could be,
and required courage and presence OF
mind to retrieve it, which The circum
| stances which surrounded him were no,
well calculated to inspire. His comm and
had fought for five or six hours w,hou,
reinforcements. All his reserves had
been brought mp in the action. Wilcox's
brigade, which had been almost annihi
lated, WAS reforming in the rear.
Riding rapidly 20 the position Of this
brigade, General Hill brought them, bs
great exertions, up TO the front TO check
the advance Of tins now confident, cheer
lug enemy. Catching the spirit OF their
commander, the brave but j,ded men
moved up TO the front, replying to the
enem!'s cheers and shouts and yelIs. At
this demonstration, which the enemy, no
doubt, supposed signiied heavy reinforce.
menls, he stopped his advance. i, was
now about half past ten o'clock in the
night. The enemy had been arrested :;
and the fsh,-one Of the most remarka
bic, long contested aud gallant ones lha,
has Vet occurred on our liues-was con
cuded with the achievement Of the field
under The most trying circumstances.
which the enemy, wih thc mos, over.
powerIng numbers brought up to rein.
force him, had no, succeeded in reclaim
ing.
The battle OF Monday night WAS tough,
exclusively by Gen. A i. Hill and the
forces under his command. Gen. Ma
g'udef's division did not come up until
eleven o'clock at night, after the fight
had been concluded. by orders from
Gen. Lee, Magruder moved upon and oc
cupled the battle ground ; Gen. His
command being in condition Of proslra
ton from their long aud toisome fight,
, and suffering in killed aud wounded, tha.
it WAS proper they should be relieved by
the occupation OF the battle ground by
fresh corps Tamee.
In the long aud bitter conflict which
Genera! Hill had sustained with the enc.
my, hs had driven him about mile and
bali and, at The conclusion Of the bat.
tie, although lie had retired some what,
lie still! held the ground from which, in
the early par, Of The action, lie had div.
en- the enemy.
Ia looking back at the daily stages Of
the contest on the Richmond lines, We
/ find that the battle has been fought by a
| flank movement, and fpd that Ibis move
mcnt was properly commenced at Ne
, chauicsyi,ie, where Gen. Hui frs, crushed
the enemy without waiting for assi,tance.
Having put Itself forward in this conspic
uous achievement, IlilI's division has con.
sianty been used on the eneny's front
at every stage o! the contes, from Beaver
Dam aud Cod uarLor 10 tue lslo field
in the vicinity Of Darbytown, to which
no name has yet been given. 1t is
melancholy evidence Of The achievements
Of this division that ou. Of n force Of IA,
O00 men, with which il went into action
on Friday evening last, il now cannot
probably bring more than 5000 efliceu,
men into action.
! OUTRAGEs IN LOUISIANA A dispatch
from Clinton, La, says that lhe Federals
are CON Uniting great deprsdsuons near
Baton Rouge and surrounding country.