Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-07-05
The Standard.
THE GREAT BATTLE.

mond papers full authentic and circumstance az
count Of the great battle before Richmond as it pro-
crossed, with the particular part which each reg-
ment brigade and division has borne in the conflict,
obliges us to give readers what seems to be the
most reliable, and best adapted to convey to the
mind a correct idea of the affair. The following
account of the Examiner brings up the affair, added
to what appeared in our last issue, to Monday night
last
REVIEW OF THE SITUATION.
To keep the track of the battles which have swept
around Richmond we must have reference to the
principal points of locality which have become IA
milar in these accounts. 1t will be recoleCted
that it was Thursday evening when the attack
was commenced on the enemy near Meadow Bridge.
This locality is about six miles distant from the
city, on a line almost due North This position was
the enemy's extreme right. His lines extended
from here across the Chickahominy, near the Pow
hite creek two three miles above the crossing Of
the York river railroad From Meadow Bridge to
this railroad the distance along the Chiekahomny
on the North side is about ten miles. The different
stages between the points indicated, along which
the enemy were driven, are Mechanicsville, about
mile North of ChckahomIny; further on, Beaver
Dam creek, emptying into the Chickahominy; then
the New Bridge road, on which Cold HarbOr is To-
Gated; and then Powhite creek, where, it will be
recollected, the enemy was pursued after having
been driven from his strong position behind Beaver
Dam creek
The York river railroad runs in an easterly direc
ton, intersecting the Chickahominy about 10 miles
from the city. South of the railroad is the Will
liamsburg road connecting with the Nine Mile road
at Seven Pines. The former road connects with
the New Bridge road, which turns off and crosses
the Chickahominy From Seven Pines where the
Nine Mile road joins the upper one, the road is
known as the old Williamsburg road, and crosses
the Chickahominy at Bottoms Bridge
Of in
the reader will readily understand how it was that
the enemy Was driven from his original stronghOldS
on the North side of the ChckahOminy, and how,
at the time of Fridays battle, he had been COM
PEELED to surrender the possession of the Frcdercks
burg and Cent al railroads, and had been pressed
10 position where he cut off from the princi-
pal avenues of supply and escape. The disposition
OF our forces was such as to cut off all communca-
ton between Gen. McClellans army and the White
House on the Pamunkey river; he had been driven
completely from his Northern line of deences; and
it was supposed that he would be unable to extri-
cate himself from his position without victory or a
capituati0n In front of HIM, with the Chlckahom-
my, which he had crossed in his rear, were the
divisions of Generals LongStreet, Magruder and HUI
ger, and in the situation, it existed on Saturday
night, all hopes of his escape were thought to be
impossible.
On Sunday morning it appears that cur pickets,
on the Nine Mile road, having engaged some small
attachments of the enemy and driven them beyond
their notifications found them deserted In short
while 1t became known to generals that Nc
Cellan having massed his entire force on this side
OF the Chlckahominy, was retreating towards james
river, having stolen a march of twelve hours
Gen. Huger, who had been placed in position on
his flank to watch his movements.
INCIDENTS OF THE CONTEST-SCENERY ON TIE BATTLE
FIELDS, ETC
There appears to have been some imperfect state
mentS as to what forces were engaged in FRIDAYS
assault on the enemy works at Gaines farm, where
was, IN fact, the great wrese of the contest. From
the best information we can obtain, it appears that
Gen. A. P. Hills division, supported by General
Plcketts brigade, from Gen. LongStreet's division,
made the first assault up n the cnemy'S works, and
were afterwards reinforced by Gen. Writings d.
vision, when the enemy were diSlodged. Writings
division is composed Of the Fourth Alabama Elcv-
enth Mississippi, Sixth North Carolina, Second Mis-
slSSi2pi First Fourth and Fifth Texas and Tenth
Georgia.
hill east of Mechanicsville offered an esninence
from which could be observed much Of the progress
of the three days combat; the smoke of the battle
aOrding the outlines to the positions of the forces
engaged
All day Friday and Saturday. as well as yeSter-
day, there could be seen hanging the woods
heavy haze, yelling up from the scene Of the fight
below. The shells often went up to great cleva-
ton, and falling and exploding were generally harm
less. In the woods beyond Mech4nicSvie some Of
the trees, thick around as mans body, arc shot
through and through by round shot, and the bushes
are everywhere cut and nippcd by the bullets
Signs OF human habltat0ns, fences and fruit trees,
have been swept from the face of the country, as
far as our army or that of the enemy has progressed
in Hanover county.
The woods and swamps are represented as full of
Yankee descrterS, and they could be brought in in
any numbers if troops desired to leave the reg
ular lines and go to the front for that purpose
The farmers residing in the neighborhood of the
battlefelds have, with great unanimity and pa
triotc devotion, responded to the demand for hos
pital accommodations, and have opened their dwell
lings and out houses for the use and occupation of
the wounded.
Among the trophies of our victory are several
very fine Federal flags taken from the enemy ON
Saturday and Sunday. One belongs to the Buck
tail Rifles" of the Eleventh PENNSYLVANIA Reserves
and two others to the Fourth New Jersey regiment.
Around MechanicsV!lle the houses had been occu-
pied by the troops of both armies, and the SCIENCES
of devastation and desolation are very great.
Throughout the whole country the houses are
shattered and nearly shot into pieces by the cannon
balls Of the opposing armies. At Mechanicsvile
the explosion OF shell knocked large house into
fragments and killed six men who were resting
there.
In Hanover county the scene of destruction is
wide and appalling At Ellis mills the wounded of
both sides were lying though Saturday and Sunday
A great many of the dead were picked from the
canal at the mills. One poor fellow was found w.
ing on the side of the hill with his musket beside
him and shot through his breast.
AT Dr.. Atkinsons farm from which the enemy
bore off after the fight at the mills the fighting was
terrific and the loss heavy on both sides. The
house of this gentleman is filled with the dead and
wounded, and the enemy's surgeons were among
them, they being furnished with every facilityS
They laid unattended for miles, sick, Frustrated and
wounded. The Yankees have their hospitals in the
woods, and thousands lying around under the
attention of their surgeons. Amputation IS going
on at all times, but the green leaves furnish great
relief to the wounded. The demand for collins is so
great that some of the houses were torn down on
the route to make collins for the dead.
Some fifty bodies were taken out of the canal at
Gaines mills. Over five hundred horses were lost
belonging to the several batteries and their carcases
are now injecting the air.