Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-07-18

down 10 a less soping manner and oderlng {
better progress to troops advancing up tbt
hill. But they sadly mistook this point o
attack. General Neagher, wounded th5ugf
he was, was there with his brigade, and The
boys only wanted 10 be let loose to send each
successive approaching column skeddading
down the hill as fast as they could be filed int
place and ordered TO advance.
As the battle grew warm, General Griffin
until recently in command of Griffin Battery
and the battle of Chickahominy was bis
first command-who bad, during the idleness
of the infantry, again taken his accustomed
place directing one wing Of the artillery, but
seeing that the services Of his brigade wort
needed, returned to his command, and at his
first advance was met by ten regiments of reb
els.
On the right the rebels we're later in theil
approach, but when they advanced it was
with desperate attempt to turn the flank
General Couch's division had seen less ser
vice, perhaps than any other, and was fully
prepared TO receive them, and the men were
impatient to get into action.
They were gallantly led by Generals Howe
Abercrombie and Palmer, and held their OWE
without moments finehing, until. when the
day seemed to waver, they gavea new impetus
to the fight, which seemed to extend along the
whole line in a contest which lasted over an
hour, when he drove the enemy from the field
bis men climbing over the piles of dead as
they advanced in the charge. His horse was
shot under him during the engagement. Il
was now approaching night, and the fortunes
of the day had only wavered momentary al
times toward the rebels, and the fight was
growing desperate. The troops were getting
used to the smoke, dust and din of battle, and
the roar Of cannon and bursting of shells, more
terrific than ever, seemed to have less effect
upon the rebels. They pressed up with fear
ful determination, column after column OF
fresh troops, and the courage of the whole ar
my was at its best.
Even the General Commanding showed
signs of apprehension for the result, and the
safety of the heavy seige train, so dreaded at
Yorktown, and the other artillery and ammu-
aition. But it was no time for fatering-
Troops who had fought with courage, gal
lantly repulsing the enemy at every step for
five days, must use desperation now.
The line of the enemy's attack was conceH-
trating. and General Porter rode in front OF
the army, ordering the two wings of Morell
aud Sykes, and Couch, to concentrate, and
Withdrawing Meagher. placed him in a posi-
ton on the left, to flank the approaching col
umns with orders to charge at advantageous
opportunities, and giving the same orders to
Bulterfield's brigade Of Morelrs division, and
Colonel Warren OF General Sykes and to Gen
eral Abercrombie in General Couch's.
At this moment General Sickles' brigade
came up, profered by General Heintzeman,
anu was received by General Porter, and con
dacted to a point little neglected.
The engagement now became a scene of
matlncss-a force of thirty thousand conten-
ding against fully three times their own num-
Der, plungiug with rapid charges and deafen-
Ing shouts, and successfully driving them from
the field. A brilliant charge of the New
York 44th, under Colonel Rice. captured a
secesh flag, with the motto "Seven Pines
Our troops were in no condition to follow the
enemy beyond the range of the artillery, and,
they cou' ented themselves with leaving them
at a range where the effect of the artillery
was most terrible. The roar of mu+ketry died
away, and the engagement became an artillery
contest, neither side attempting to advance.
The force formerly beaten by the mishap
of cavalry blunder~ at Chickhominy, had,
in the battle of Malvern, successfully repulsed
The rebels in every quarter. Our killed and
woundet-were numbered by thousands and
what the loss of the rebels WAS can be mag
ired.
As night closed in the firing gradually
ceased until not an alarm gun was heard
De;achmeuts of each company were sent out
to gather in Tie wounded and bury the dead,
and judging from the appearance of the feld
Yearly the whole army was out recognizing
friends and members Of their companies killed
and wounded, and bringing them off.
The Union aud rebel soldiers mingled pro-
mseuously in the search and separation c
those on either side, hardly noticing that d
few minutes before they had been opposed tC
each other in deadly combat. All the wag
ons, guns and the immense siege train were
sa feIy removed 10 Harrison's Bar by WedHes
day noon, and the army was set at work tc
recruit and reorganize.