New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-08-13

taken his position ON tue left and at nearly "a
o'clock, Gen. Banks cent word to Gen. Pope thai
the eoemy had made no demonstration upon HIN,
and that he hardly expected battle that al crnoo.
The courier had but just started before the guus
were heard upon tho left in the direction Of Gea.
Green's brigade.
In q few moments Il line Of fire beched forth from
the monntaio anu extended from the extreme left 10
the right wing. The moment the portion Of the
batteries was discovered, Gen. Prince OCCUPYING the
center, advanced the l02d New-York, the lO9th
pennsy the I'd Maryland, and the Ill Penu-
sylvana, passing Knapps aud Best's Batteries,
which bad been receiving the enemys fire for more
than hour, and reached corn-feld, when they en-
detvored to take the enemy's guns, which continued
To Keep up CALLING fire, which thinned our rank,
by hundreds. But the effort failed.
The fire of the enemy, both from the batteries
and from the masses Of infantry suddenly brought
10 light from behind hill, too much FOR them.
Slowly they were compelled to tall back, but MOI.
until they had lost two-thIrds OF their men, and
until the darkness of the approaching evening pre-
enied them from distinguishing The enemy from
their friends. Gen. Green's brigade, which occu-
ped the extreme left, was exposed 10 terrible fire
from two Of their batteries, but, for some reason
vel III known To your cOfresl Ondent, unable to
return it, aud did hot fire musket during tue bat
tie.
Gen Geary who occupied the right If Gen. Prince
behaved ia the most gallant manner, and advanced
nearly IN tie came line as Gen. Prince. But q Z
Itlflll 'uluuinutItu ulln i've " one. III an iDIl
after the infantry fight commenced in the corn field,
almost the entire brigade were killed, wounded, or
taken prisoners. This brigade Was composed Of the
Goth, 7th, 9TH, ana 18th ONO kcgimolts, and the
18th Pennsy yania, cent oil early iutne day 10 hold
Telegraph iii from which our signal lamIs had
been driven. Gen. Gsary hin-cli WIS wounded,
and nearly all his colonies ard their feG-o tc,rt.
! The brisades ~ Gen. Prince and Gen. Geary
fought with The most desperate courage. There was
10 running sbuikinV, or Sinking Whatever. lUur
~
tie, and saw their ranks thinnod and bleeding, r.
turn by the order of some onc they were sent
where they were sure 10 be slaughtered. Truly lac
the spot where lie many noble dead aud dying
been called Slaughter Mountain.
The brigade OF Gem. Crawl ford End Gordon, occu-
plying the extreme night, and lighting neatly al the
time IN the wOods old not CONS under the obeerya-
ton OF your correspondent, bat from great variety
Of sources ana from several officers in the brig iGc
hear that they encountered the sane overwholn-
ing masses, and Were not beaten back until more
than oue-hai their had fallen ana were taken
prisoners The brigade of Gen. Crawford especially
suffered terribly. and this mOrriug II hardly has m
existence. II viii be inpossiblo - state the actual
loss in any Of these brgades for many days. Ihs
re- imeuts Ia nearly all the bngades were very thin.
come Of them no, having more shau 80 mcu.
/ The lOJih PennHy lyaDia went into action with
80 men, and out with l2J; the l0sd New.
York with nearly 400 men, and has but Major Lane
ana CAPT. Avery with 90 men remaining, and in
about tie zane proportion can an estimate De formed
Of the losses Of Tie brgaGes Of teus Prince Geary
and Crawford The number Of men actually IN tie
! hight WAS not man more tian 1909, and your cor
respondent doubts 4 there were 600 although |
learn the official report will lace II much higher.
Gen. Ausur, commanding the n Division, WIS
wounded early in the fight, and taken from the
het. gen. Geary display ed The greatest cio.as--,
und constantly led hs men; and IL was not until a
Mimic ball shattered his lett that he fell back
ana was carried on.
/ Various reports are IN circulation abou, Gen.
Prince. One II that he was wouuded and taken
prisoner; another, that he wounded and IL now
in a private dwelling IN Cupepper; s'il another,
that he was killed. and the enemy have bis body. |
cannot find any one who has bin since the bat
tie and the report that he ir wounded aud prisOner
is probably correct. Gen. Prince fought as II the
success failure of the battle depended upon HE
efOrs. Gen. Augur, himself severely wounded,
spoke, tins morning, IN terms Of highest commenda-
ton OF tie conduct OF hIs entire DIVISION to your
CORES ondent. lie gave it as his opinion that IL
Gen. Banks had been promptly re-erfoTced by tie
tnousands within short dI,aDce, the result Of the
battle would have been very different.
The division Of Gen. Ricketts, remained thin sour
Of the battle three hours ard did not move an inch
Not however, because the General commanding did
not dosire to take part in the engagement, Tor all
hi A., time himself and his Generals under the
curb of a superior General and that General st
awaiting the orders OF lis superior. Gems Ricketts,
Uartsuif and Prince would gladly have been in the
thickest OF the fight but having been officers in the
regular army, they too much accusione Ell 10 its
peculiar discipline TO march TO the relief of Gen.
Banks without orders.
The only batteries engaged in the fight were the
4th aud 9th Maine knapps, and Be-ts. Best lOst
Que gun, = horses, and about one-third of his
Knapp lOst two calssons, and seven wounded.
Every battery Tough; until every pound of anmuri-
ton was exhausted. Within three miles Of tie bat
tle-feld were eight or ten batteries apparently
doing nothing but moving backward and forward
over a bill 20 the right Of The Orange road. Why
only four batteries were lett 10 fight against seven,
when % many more were " ithin short u distance,
your correspondent If unable TO comprehend.
Between Culpeppcr and tho battlefield we had
artillery enough TO have blown Slaughter Mountain
from IL base but by tie superior si 81 one,
only four batteries were brought into play. Indeed,
so great amount Of artillery was constantly NOV
ing on The roads, that II seemed AZ II the army Of
Virginia was composed Of artillery aud nothing else.
TIE position chosen by jackson was an admirable /.
one The mountain itself defended ia il was b, /.
So ven batteries was mpregnablc to the force brought
npabst it. The Using ground 10 the night oil the
mountain afforded perfect shelter to vast masses OF
infantry, which could be poured upon rs at any mo-
mtnt. $3.50
'Tne position of our army on the battlefield could
not have been worse. The enemy had every advIn-
tage in portion and numbers, and were therefore
success'ul Yes raw successful, although Official
reports will probably announce victory. Zen.
Banke however, covered himself with glory. I.ere
IA not a man living who could have managed his
men with more ski under the same circumstances. /
lie was constantly ia the thekcst OF the hght, ana
shared all the dangers Of me common solaier his
brave httle army was sacrificed for The want OF IT,
MISUNDERSTANDING elte. I
have not time to relate all the individual
instances of bravery. | trust. however, la II few
DAYS to do Justice to every one The officers and
solaiers Of the I02d New-York aud the lUJth Penn
syyania drew special mention. Major Lace, who
commanded the lO2d, and Capt Avery, are the only |
officers left The little band of 60 gathered together
This morning smoke in high terms Of the conduct 81