The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-05-24

Interesting and Authentic Account Of
the Whole Affair.
The Commencement and Pro-
gress of the Action.
One Of the Fiercest Fights of
the Rebellion.
BRAVERY OF THE C0NTENDING FORCES.
Treachery of Some of the
Ru11ian Rebels. ~
-,o~,,~.~----~,>-~~-,.~--.
HEROIC CONDUCT OF THE UNION TROOPS.
REPEATED CHARGES ON THE ENEMY
rNl
The "Star Spangled Banner'' and the
Wounded Soldiers.
- -~~~>>~~---.-
Distinguished Courage Of Com
manding Officers
GEN. HANCOCK,S CHARGE.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED,
&C., &C., Go.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED,
&C., &C.. GO.

BIvouAc BEYOND TIE BATTLE FIELD, May 10, 1882.
The battle OF Williamsburg, which took place on Mon
day last OF the most holly contested engage
ments Of the At the close OF tho conflict in the
evening knew Of the action the troops
who had participated in It the loss had sustained
in killed and wounded But that the noise Of tho
battle has ceased and the smoke has Disappeared
that tho rebels have been routed the killed boon buried
and the wounded nursed understand the chaac
ter and magnitude Of the encounter in which the op
posing forces engaged Since the days OF the great
Napoleon, to say the least, apprehend that the mar
tial annals Of the world contain the record
OF no harder fighting OF sangui-
nary struggle So many agmentary reports Of the bat
ehayc appeared in PRINT all Of them necessarily ncom
pete and most Of them grossly Incorrect that immediate
justice to all tho gallant soldiers who took part In the
gagement less than the truth Of history has made
Il incumbent prepare tho following connected
narrative or the whole affair." Most Of tho lighting from
morning until evening took place in and about the forest
through which three roads that converge Williams
burg run that impossible for any individual
than tho nconsderabls portion OF the
battle. This narrative however, after personal exami
nation OF the field ID compiled from widely drused and
authentic OF information and may be relied upon
entirely correct.
FIRST PURSUIT OF TIE ENEMY.
After tho evacuation OF Yorktown by the
enemy on Sunday morning, full account
Of which sent you, General stoneman, with
several regiments Of regular cavalry followed by light
fed batteries including horse artillery, started in pur
suit OF the retreating enomy.
ADVANCE THE INFANTRY.
About noon Gen. Hookers division left the camp in
front of Yorktown followed by General Kearncys div
sion both belonging to General corps. and
marched towards Williamsburg, TO support General
soneman, and assist him in cutting of the enemys
treat. Our cavalry close upon the guard Of
the enemy at different points along the road there
was oc casona diminishing between them Having pro-
cecded Ave six miles, prudence dictated halt 10
await tie arrival of our Infantry.
POSITION OF TIE TROOPS.
General Smiths division. which had led the advance
OF Gen. Keyes corps, another road, the left Of
our own line, met Gen. Hooker's the intersection
of the roads, and the point whore the cavalry had
halted. Cen. Smiths division continued on tho
Yorktown road whno Gen. Hooker's, At his
own request, permitted to file or a little
TO the left and tskc what IL known as the
Hampton road Both these roads intcrscct again the
vicinity Of Williamsburg Nothing of special interest
TRANSFERRED during the remainder of the day Late In tho
afternoon General Sumner who the senior officer
command contemplated attack the enemy: but tho
latoless Of the hour imperfect knowledge OF the
ground and the exhaustion Of the TROOPS Of whom
had worked all the previous night in the trenches to-
gether with the difficulty OF communicating with his
command, combined to postpone the attack until morn
ing. trr
THE mvouAc-PoeIroN TROOPS FOR THE NIGHT.
The troops bivouackcd that night In the following
derGcneral Hookers division in front Of the conrs
OF the enemy's works, near Williamsburg; General
Smith division and General Sioncman with the advance
cavalry and artillery on the right wing The divisions
or Generals Kcarney and Couch had halted the rear
whlo other divisions occupied the positions assigned
them by the General commanding. That q fearful
night, and that strange, eventful bvouac The roads
being In drsadfuy muddy condition, the troops had
had difficult march, and thcreat night, without shell
Ter from tho rain which falling fast without food or
ishment they ALL officers and soldiers reposed that
sabbath plight q best they could, on the wet ground and
among the forest trees. '-a;.es~ .~
TIE BATTLE FIELD.
On the morning Of the 9Th tho march was resumed,
and by six O'Clock General Growers brigade which led
the advance OF General Hookers division arrived within
sight Of tns snsmys works II win be perceived from
the accompanying map that the rosd which they
went runs through heavy Forest from which il do
pouches through slsd timber in front Of Fort Magruder
This work about eight hundred yards distant and
was the emy's strongest work. ravine runs from
this point through tho woods and along towards tho
right. Fort Magruder B eituhtod lNtlo beyond tho
junction or the Yorktown and Hampton roads, and is
quite formidable fertilization IA tfost As6rse hear.
ly half mile, with strong parapos and ditch in 'front.'
This principal work Is supported either side by
other redoubts each thanking the other and numbering
dozen In all Approaching from the south they are
concealed by the forest from which, ysu emerge tho
works are visible about mile distant Where the natu
raj growth brought the within much nearer dis
lance the timber fscd both 70 obsruet advance
and to give FREQ range the rebel artillery Tho opon
space in front Of the fort was filed with rife pits
rHx RRDouWs.
The othor redoubts located in excellent positions
These to the left are erected the eastern and south
srn verges Of elevated plateau, which 10 we'll pro
tectsd BY winding ravines. Those the right sweep
the open ground 10 that vicinity, Of them command
ing dam about hundred yards long, astream
which flows into Queens creek. The whole chain Of
sarthworks commands the extensive undulatinE open
ground running the entire peninsula from Queens
creek the right TO Achershope creek on the left
where the smptios into the York and the other N
the James river.
WILLIAMSBURG.
Beyond in the distance, is the ancient and beautiful,
town Of wiansbs e. whore, among other objects OF
terest situated tn well known College Of william and
Mary which virginans speak Of with much love and
veneraton One principal road runs through the town,
and II this road that hs whole rebel army was
! rsWss.ins.