Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1862-12-06
SIOUX CITY, IOWA SATURDAY., DECEMBER g. 1862 ' cd
OF Porter moved rapidly, and about mid.
day on the 9th came upon the hostile di.
vision Of Branch, at Hanover Court House.

VI Eorter moved rapidly, and about mid.
day Oh the 9th came upon the hostile di.
vision Of Branch at Hanover Court House.
This they assailed with vigor, dispersed it,
and took one of its guns. Assailed in
their turn by Confederate troops who had
Suffered them to pass by the woods in
which they lay hidden, the Federals turned
on their new enemies and scattered them
also This brilliant affair cost the Fed
erals one hundred men. and left Gen. Por.
ter in possession Of a cannon, of 500 pris
oners and of two bridges, one on the Fred.
ericksburg and one on the Virginia Cen
trai road. The advanced guard Of Me
Do"el was then at Bowling Green, fifteen
miles from that of Porter. 1t needed on.
iy an effort Of the will. the two armies
were ualted, and the possession of Rich
mond certain! Alas this etfurt was not
made. | capnot recall those fatal moments
without a real sinking Of the heart. Seated
in an orchard in the bIvouac Of Porter,
amid the joyous excitement which follows
a successful combat, | saw the Fifth cav
airy bring in whole companies of Conied,
crate prisoners, with arms ard baggage,
their officers at their head But neither
the glad confidence of the Federals Lor
the discouragement Of their enemies de-
ceived me, aud | asked myself how many
Of these gallant young men who surround
ed me, relating t!.eir exploits Of the day
before would pay with their lives for the
fatal error which was on the poin, Of being
nmitted. Not only did not the two ar.
mics unite but the order came from Wash
ing,on to burn the bridges which had been
siezed This was the clearest way of say.
ing to the Army of the Potomac and to
its chief, that in no ease could they count
on the support Of the armies of Upper
Virginia ~"'s
The Prince now sketches with graphic
simplicity the unequaled retreat which
was carried on through six days Of almost
continuous fighting terminating in the
successful battle of Malvern Hill and in
the safety Of the Federal army Through
out bis grand and daring movement
he observes, nothing disturbed the sercn
ity oi the commander. Ga the terrible
Both of July, when the aids sank under
the beat and excitement Of the task they
were accomplishing. | saw him, writes
the Prince, stop 10 rest for a moment
and SIT down in the veraudah of d country
house on the road. Tue mistress of the
house came UP and complained that the
soldiers We're eating her cherries With u
smile the general rose himself and went
out to stop the pilsgers'
= For the last effort at Mavern Hill Gen.
McCleilan's preparations receive the high
est praise. his battle, says the Prince,
was - for the Contederates q useless butch.
cry. The federal success was due to two
causes: First, 10 the fortunate foresight
of the Genera, who, in spite Of numerous
natural obstacles to the passage OF artil.
cry, had spared nothing to bring his on,
and next 10 the frmness of his troops
Men do not make such ca ampaisn, aud
go through such experience, as they had
endured, without coming out more or less
formed to war. If their primitive organi-
zafion had been better, the survivors of
this rude campaign. l 60 not fear to as
sesi, might be regarded as the equals OF
the best soldiers in the world