The Memphis union appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-07-09


musketry had been the most familiar sound of /
our camps for n1onths-criticised their senses
sharply, but still the uproar was so wonderful /
/ " like battle, that we could not shape the /
| opinion from our minds that night fight was /
going on Five minutes elapsed, l suppose, /
/ before the ragged crown of black cloud in /
the distance reared itself above the forests, |
and dispelled the gloomy deception.
I Morning beamed upon US again brilliantly
/ but holly We thanked Heaven that it had |
4 not rained. The enemy had not yet appeared /
/ in our front. Sumner had brought of his
| splendid command, Franklin posted
4 strongly on the south bank of White Oak
/ Creek, Heintzelman was on his left, heyes'
corps was moving swiftly to james river down
4 the Charles City and Quaker road, Porter and /
part of Summers corps were following rap
4 idly. 4
Moving to the rear to learn the fate offriends,
| the history of Yesterdays bitter conflict was
sketched for me in the haggard features of the
weary men who had fallen exhausted INTO
| their forest bivouac. Brave old Sumner face
bore traces Of the excruciating fire of battle,
but his features were radiant with smiles. He
was eloquent in his praises of his command.
"Blrns had borne the brunt Of the fight and
he did II npGg1ifceratly, sir" Sedgwiek. who
had been sick for days, had stemned the tor
-
was Burns fight. He showed himself splen-
did soldier. Let the world know his merits
He deserves ali you can say" Sedgwick sell
dom praises men, But he is a gallant soldier
himself, and he appreciates merit ] found
Gen. Burns stretched under lofty pine and
his warriors were slumbering around him
painfully. His eyes were bloodshot, his hand
some features pale and thin, his beard and his
clothing cotted with blood, his face was BAN
daged, concealing ragged and painful wound
in his neither law--lt was enough to make a
Syphnx weep to look upon the work of an aw-
full day upon such man. His voice was
husky from his exhortations and battle cries,
and tremuons with emotion, when grasping
my hand, he said with exquisite pathos, smy
friend, many of my poor men lie in those for
ests. II is terrible to leave them there.
Blaekeney is wounded, mcGonegal is geae,
and many will see US no more We are hEn-
cry and exhausted, and the enelny--the forest
is full of people-are laundering at our heels.
1t is an awful afliction. We win fight them,
feeble as we are-but with what hope" To
know such man, TO feel how keenly he rea-
ized his situation, to watch his quiveIins lips
and sad play of features, usually so joyous
oh friends it was anguish itself.
And there was a townsman of yours there,
who won imperishable honor WIn. q. Jonts
Northumberland who but one short week ago
took command OF the First California regi-
ment. He handled it like a veteran, and be-
haved like Bayard His new command,
fired by his enthusiasm and daring even be-
: yond their old proves, done ueeds which
Gen. Sumner himself said entitled them to the
glory Of heroes. So hot was the fight and so
r hot the work, that Jones once fell headlong
from his horse, from exhaustion, but recover
, ing sooa he resumed his sword and again led
his gallant fellows to the charge. Gen. Burns
speaks SO warmly of the devotion and herolsm
: of Geo. Hicks, OF Camtlos, and Blakeney, and
/ Grihths, his staff and his Coils. Morehead,
j Baxter and Owens, their eountrymen should
5 know their worth. s. Sedgwick speaks Of his
L adjutant, Capt Sedgwick, and of Howe, his
aid. So Sumner speaks of Clark and of kipp,
/ and of Tompkins, Of Col Sully, and of all l..
b his command. In that FRAY Sedgwicl's divis-
e ion lost six hundred men, and four hundred
r more of Vaious corps are not among their
r comrades. Gen. Brooks also was wounded in
] the right leg, but not seriously. The enemy
/ first attacked at Orchard Station, near Fair
e Oaks, in the morning, bat were soon driven off.
At about noon they returned in heavy force
from the front of Richmond while a strong
column was thrown across Chickahominy, at
g Alexander's bridge, near the railway crossing.
|. They first appeared in the edge of the woods
: south of Trents, and opened upon our column
q on the Williamsburg road, with shell. At the
same time they trained a heavy gun upon our
e They still seemed deluded vito the belief that
q Gen. Mcclellan intended to retreat to the Pa
L munkey, and all day long they had marched
IS heavy columns from their camps in front of
g Richmond across New Bridge, to strengthen
e jackson still more.} Happy delusion.
e Their first shells exploded around and over
9 the hospitals at Savage Station, but it is just
/ to say that it was not Intentional. They next
: opened upon a cluster of officers, including
e Summer, Sedgwiek, Richardson, Burns and
: their stats, missing them, fortunately, but
I covering them with dust. Our own batteries
; were. now in full clamor, and both sides
handled their guns skillfully. The object OF
j the enemy seenfed to be to break our right
center, and consequently Burns brigade was
L the recipient of The principal share of their
I favor. As the afesrnoon wore awav the com.
batants drew closer together, and the conflict
u became one of the sharpest of the battles on
: Virginia soil. Two companies of one regi
II ment stampeded. Gen. Burns flung hinaseli
e across their track, waved his bullet shattered
n hat, ex postulated, exhorted, entreated, threat
D ened, iEnprecated, under a storm of lead and
at last, throwing his hat, in agony of despair
Il upon the ground, begged them to rally once
g more, and preserve them and him from dis
n grace. The last appeal touched them. The
Is men wheeled with alacrity, and fought like
y heroes until the carnage ceased. Each regi
1t ment distinguished itself so conspicuously
" that in happier times their names viii be in
o scribed in general orders. But there was sucf
y q number Of regiments and officers engaged
II that the record would make volume Suf.
g flee il that none but those excepted, and whC
IS redeemed themselves subsequently,, faltered il
2t the fight. Summers corps held the field til
: Heintzlman's eerps had retired, and theI
t moved qaietly and swiftly back, under cover
l9 of night and tie forests, across White Gal
9 bridge.
0, Our trains had now passed White Oak
q Bridge. Such an achievement, in such order
% under the circumstances, might well be re
e garded wonderful. The retreat was most abb,
. conducted. Until this day, Monday tn
y enemy seems constantly to have operated
g upon the superstition that our army was in
o. tending To rafiras 10 the Pa n,unlav frbav he,
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