The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-05-23
FROM THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
NEAR WEST PoINT. Va, !
Nav llth. 1869.

NJ
near Yorktown, things have taken dif-
ferent turn. You will recollcct l told
you we were going to have a ball at York
town in few days, and all good loyal
soldiers were invited 10 attend. Owing
TO the sudden departure Of the principal
actor, the performance will rot come off
at that place. But the parties met on
/ Tuesday, at a place near Williamsburg,
and opened the ball without ceremony,
though the music was lively on both
sides.
After leaving Yorktown, we marched
about 3 miles, encamped Sunday night,
the 4th, and, early in the morning, took
up our lipe Of march through mud knee
deep and rein falling fast, so that our
progress was rather slow. We hac not
gone far when we heard heavy firing
ahead. Soon we were ordered to make
forced march to reinforce Gen. Hooker,
who had, as we then supposed. come
upon their rear guard, and commenced
an attack upon them. We made forced
march for about miles. (the mud grow
, ing deeper all the time, when we were
ordered to uusling knapsaoks and pre-
pare for action. Although more weary
set are seldom seen, yet every man was
in his place. aud anxiously waiting for
the moment 10 come when he would have
a chance to assist in clearing out this re-
. beious people. We then marched about
f a mile and hall farther, when the chief
i. of battery came 10 the General, and
h told him that he wanted the best Regi.
r. msnt he had 10 defend his battery. The
,. General o,d him to take Col. Champlin's
!. Regiment, il being our Regiment that had
q that honor conferred upon it. We were
!. bound to keep our credit good, i the case
|. required it. We were, therefore, taken
At Oft to the left wing, where the enemy
w we're trying 10 turn our flank, aid were
" drawn up In front of their works on the
r left Of our army, to keep them from flank.
,s ing our men who were 6gbting. The
" rest of our Brigade were ordered in front
n Of their main works, to relieve men tba,
n had been in there for several hours, with.
q out ammunition, bu: refused to give an
/. inch until reinforcements came up, hold.
y ing the enemy at the poin! Of the bay
d The Michigan I'd and 9th, and New York
ID 37lh charged upon them, and drove them
st from their rife. pits and through a slash
9 ing about one hundred rods from theil
4, batteries, which kept raining shot ant
4. shell among them in torrents.
10 They held their position until morn
70 ing, when we were ordered in front, bu
hi they had fled, leaving ,heir dead anc
" wounded by hundreds upon the Geld.--
We buried | 800 Of their men for th-m
~ One barn contained l4O wounded, Th,
1 i1 General gave his troops great praise fol
~ their GOODNESS, bravery and good shooting
10 as most of their men were shot through
the head. Our loss must have beer
u u, heavy, though think 800 will cover thu
~ " killed. and TOO the wounded. Very light
a. compared with theirs. allowing their per
u u centage in position.
w AN along, the road Is lined with mus
A1 kets, cannon, caissons, wagons, ammuni
o' ton, dead horses. &C., &c. When the,
left a cannon, they would cut the pol
81 and nearly all the spokes. The road i
49, also filed with prisoners returning, show
~ ing that our men are following close upo
y their tracks. Most of them seem TO b
'e very glad TO get out OF bad scrape, a
ey they call it. They report that they in
ny tend making another stand at Chicka
ey homany Swamp. eight miles this side O
Richmond.
ne ne A telegraph dispatch. this morning
ne brings news that General Wool had take
'o' Norfolk with 800 prisoners. and that th
10, Rebels had blown up the Merrimac, Il
~. keep it from falling into our hands.
'o' Al Yorktown, we did not drive then
10, gu: by fighting. We dug them out; n
Gu if they had staid there three weeks longer
W we would have undermined them an
blown them out. The side of the roa
ot was laid with torpedoes past their fort.
are Several Of our men We're killed by thei
1t while marching through. but it was 500
Ike found ont where they were, and the Ger
ing efal says that the prisoners sLall dig theI
Sc up.
my am spinning my letter out to gret
'rt. length, and must stop but must Civ
The you q lew words from Magruder, take
ion from the lips OF wounded Virginia.
in after the battle. During the engagement
at Magruder says, "If they are men, ca
OF whip them. aud can out.general then
OF But, If they are devils, cannot, nor Ca
is out flank them" So We must be devil
ers according to his theory.
ity; Yours, as ever, H. M. POOL,
oSs. Co. A, Sd Reg. Mich. Infantry.
fed