The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-07-09


By superior force, they got position to
the right and swept the bitches length
wise. Our boys could not stand grape
and canister administered in such .
sweeping manner, and they were finally
obliged TO get out Of them and retire for
the night.
THE SECOND DAY. as
Riding past General McClellan's head
quarters, we approached the road leading
to the Middle Bridge, over which Slocum's
Division was just passing. The Sixteenth
New York Regiment was the one that
particularly attracted our attention, and
one that identified the division, from the
fact that all the soldiers Of the regiment
wore straw hats.
Previous to this, however, we made a
tour Of our lines, extending from the
railroad northward, and including the
divisions of Richardson, Franklin and
| Smith. A long line Of aba'tis separated
the troops of Smiths Division from the
dense woods ranged in front Of them, in
which heavy picket was stationed, pa
tiently waiting the approach of the Rebel
troops, who were mOmentarily expected
| TO make an attack upon our lines. Be-
| hind this abattis was concealed a large
force OF soldiers, who, with muskets in
hand, awaited the signal that should
| cause them TO pour "a volley of shots into
the woods beyond. Captain Mott, with
his battery drawn up to the line Of the
| abattis, was ready 10 welcome the Rebels
approach, and all seemed prepared for
the coming battle.
To the right Of Motifs Battery, and az.
| the exterior right end Of Smiths line,
were planted four powerful siege guns,
with which our cannoniess were engaged
in shelling out the Rebels who were con-
| gregaged upon DR. Gaines farm, some
! two-and-a.half miles beyond This
fire was aided by smaller one from
eight field pieces in the fortiiicatiOn i'm
mediately to the left, and SO precise was
the range of the guns that almost nc the
first fire the Rebel forces fell some dis
tance beyond the house, the shells falling
and exploding directly in front Of them.
| This firing was kept up for over an hour,
while at the same time there was an oc-
casional discharge Of cannon from the
f0rtiiicaiions Of Richardson, on The rail-
road. By degrees the firing at this point
ceased when we started over to the right.
Leaving SIocum's division ON the left,
we jouneyed onwards 10 Summers
Bridge, which was guarded at the lOwer
end by few cavalry The firing at this
time, from musketry and artillery, was
l almost deafening, and although unac-
quainted with the topography of the
country, IL was not difficult matter Ia
identify the location of the battlefield
As we gained the hilltop for the fret
time, we were afforded view Of the
death scenes that were being enacted
around US, for to our left stood Adams
house, the grounds encircling which
were covered with the dead and wound.
ed, while scores Of others were fast beinl
added TO the number by the numerous
ambulanees plying between this poin
and the battle ground. Upon the road
beyond numbers Of wounded soldiers O
the Fifth New York Regiment (Zouaves)
with bleeding wounds and torn garments
were Fastening outside tho reach Of bull
let's TO the hospital named
Some of these hObbled along alone anC
unaided, while others were brought il
upon stretchers, or supported by claspinl
their arms around the neck and should
ers Of their comrades. There were al
manner Of wounds 10 be met with Som
frightfully hideous ones Of the face, SOM
Of the head, and others OF the limbs.
fragment Of a shell had almost tori
away an arm from its socket, whilst
bullet had destroyed the light Of an ey,
forever. Upon stretchers there wer
ghastly looking cOuntehances, that TO-
truly told how speedily death had claim
edits victim. Yet for all this suffering
hardly a murmur greeted our ears as W
passed along the road. Even in the az
} onies Of death, there was naught 20 de
note pain, save the rolling Of the ey
and the conyulsive twitching Of tn
+ frame. Like soldiers they bore thei
I wounds, and like soldiers they forbore 3
! speak Of them.
The immediate ground Of the battl
{ was close at hand. Right in front Of uJ
3 and about equi- distant between the tw
J sub wings Of the right, was a dens
D wood, approached by a narrow lani
= which led down a decliyity into Oh
woods, where Che firing was the thick
) est. TO the right of the path stood
d small log house, and 10 the rear Of 10
structure Of similar size, which appa
Q rently served the purpose Of q granary
I Behind these two houses a force Of troop
. was posted, waiting the signal 10 pou
J, into the woods beyond. On the hill 20
in the rear Of them, thousands Of troop
: were drawn up in line Of battle, an
their nambers were constantly aug
s mented by Che addition Of others.
. Upon our right and in the rear wa
= planted several batteries, all Of whie
Z were engaged in throwing shot and she
4 into the bends towards which the Rebel
Y were approaching. On the brow Of n
d hill 10 ihe left, extending from thence
n a small road 10 the left, some one hun
. dred yards distant, were ranged Oh
II batteries Of POrter's Digision--Whee
Z don's, Aliens, Martins and 6rilln's-
several Of which guns on the right WEI
i in action. This constituted the iirst hr
y Of defence in the rear Of the troops a
r ready in action. Behind this was 81
IA toned a heavy reserve force.
k In this ravine, as we have before stal
y cd, Che firing was most terrific, Reg
5, mont after regiment was marched IN
% the support Of those troops who hi
X preceded them, and 90 rapidly, zoo, th
p the names Of neither regiments nor br
D. gades could be- ascertained. The attac
j. had been received BY the Fifth Ne
y York Regiment Then followed Ma