, 1862-07-26

Interesting Fars1eutarA of the Move.
ment-EFayery uf the Rebel Troops
Cox. ReroA1asB Services.
EXTRACTS from q Private Ietter,1

HA1R1soNs LANDING. Va,
Saturday, July II, is6a.
DEAR B: In order to understand what fol-
lows. let me premise a little. Our guns were
placed in q line along the brow OF gentle in
clinaf1on, and were about ten feet higher than
the level <p ice in front. Before the batteries
On the right was large field covered with
grass and bushes, q loot or eighteen Inches
high. On heleft vas s corn field, with the
corn about as high az the bushes. 1t was
about twenty hundred feet to the woods in
front, and on the right the woods ran around
nearer the guns little.
The rebel army made two attacks, one from
the right and one from the lift; both were
the right was by far the shortest but the most
MAJ n'fcent. After driving ia our skirmishers
on the right, COMPANY E, from the New
Hampshire Sharpshooters) the retcls sheled
Us terribly. For an hour 1t WAS hell peraoni-
fed, but to one who has never been under fire
Dt batteries, shooting these most internal OF
all contr1rances, shells, it is an utter waste Of
time to attempt to convey realizing sense
OF what the words 'bsinS shelled" meaus.
All at once the bomb1rding ceased, and an
ominous silence ensued. From expert
ence ne knew what vas coulng, and
from what point they would emerge. Every
nerve vas braced for the coming hand -to-hand
deadly struggle. In moment, rs 1t we're,
the woods on the right were filled with o
dense mass Of human beings, and in another
momenta long, steady line advanced firmly
daring! What madness! Infantry charging
immenee batteries at distance Of half mile
over q level plain r2ked By nearly forty can
non. Throwing aside all did from their own
cannon and cavalry, they desperately formed
on an open plain, and pitted themselves
against our infantry, cannon aud cavalry. It
was eub1ime-and forgetfm Of all else save
their boundless courage and daring, I swung
my hat and cheered til the tears ran from my
eyes
| rot guns and four urge howftzers begun the
| dreadful work Of death and destruction; GOV
! cred with dust, whole companies, as it we're,
| going down at every discharge, the cannon
| playing quicker and faster still they closed
up, aud closed mp, sud closed up their shat
| tered ranks, aud advanced further and further
| into that awful arc Of certain death shot and
shell, canister aud grape, moved them down,
| yet firmly IS ever did the veterans of NApn-
leon theT advanced, and ta1teEea Dot Already
the remnant had dreaehed 50 near that the loud,
| clear tones Of the officers could be dis
tinctly heard, and the batteries seemed DOOM
| ed. Thousands were killed, but hundreds
survived. The guns were doomed lneld my
breath, when loi right from under their faces
in the long grass came. vol1ey from
cur gallant men, who up to That time had ~ lain
concealed In little raviue, OF rather ditch.
Flesh and blood could stand no more, They
broke and fled, and our men lay down again
| while those terrible cannon hurled destruc;
ton into the fleeing mass: Three:fourths Of
thar br gsde Here left on that field, and all
have related did not occupy more than ter
J minutes.
We were whipped at Gaines Mills The
cavalry appeared Oh our right and appeared
an11ous TO Charge on tie bridge In our IeaE
They con1d have done It easily Tnen the
Whole army would haye been ruined It was
the most critical moment OF the battle or the
war. l. beaten army, bridge and InoTass in
the rear, stampede, add to sh&t charge bs
5000 cavalry on the bridge. and any one mss
see the terrible resnlt- To, Col Rardan i
due the most Of the credit OF saving tue army,
Rally ing the men, forming nucleus, he be
! gan 10 inspire the men with the idea that Ill
was net lost. Sill they waveted. Officer
! and men were forced into the ranks; others
assured by the colonel, assisted hin ia tht
terrible struggle not to win the dsy. hut tt
save the army At length our lines wers
formed, and at this critical juncture the car
| airy appeared On our right They had MOI
seen our rout, and supposed the lines were re
|, jntDTct meDfs- They Wers not decided, ami
/ appesred to be calculating the chancea+ Oh
their decision depended the fate of every
thing. Colonel Btrdan seeiug this
oroered an aid to ride to the rear and CALM
taken: He did so, and fhe:eaect Mas n agi
ca1. The men chee1ed, aaga we're waved, mi
the cavalry thinking our ~hoie army Va
there, halfed, and we were saved. Whe1
they afterwards learned fom prisoners th