The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-07-11
AN ALARM AND sKIRMIsH.


The hours glided along with comparative
camps were more jolly than l had seen them
before since we crossed the Chickahominy.
A furry in the forest in front of HoOker's
line checked hilarity. Then furious volley
startled every man to arms. There were
many symptoms of q general engagement.
Meantime several of our batteries had
opened in full harmonious diapasOn. Shell
and spherical case shot were dancing madly
above and around the hostile column. The
Goth n. Y. Irisbmen had leaped out of their
rife pits upon the parapet and responded to
the saucy foe with great, hearty cheers,
which were caught up by regiments and
rolled away upon the long lines with inspir.
ing effect. Meagher's color bearers mounted
the ramparts in wild Irish frenzy, with the
"Old Flag" and the emblem of Green Erin,
tanning their standards deep into the
packed clay, as if to say" here stand the
Irish-come and try us!" Oh, the fiery
inspiration of the Irish battle slogan. But
far and near, wherever the eye could reach,
the eye raced along our bayonet fringe and
gloated securely upon the martial prospect
friendly embrace.
The banners of beauty and glory
snatched eagerly from regimeptal quarters,
were planted in front, and foated proudly
above the ready host; fatigue parties we're
dashing in quickly from the trenches, ex-
changing iron picks for steel bayonets and
deadly rifles; bold horsemen, in battle PIANO.
ply, careered over the pain in well ordered
haste signal officers climbed to the tree
crowns to watch the shifting of the fray, and
direct the line OF fire enc, with powerful
glass, mounted a tall telegraph pole, and
squared himself upon its peak to look into
the secrets of the hostile camps, which his
powerful glass disclosed, Several batteries
were roaring, thunderously. Mouths of can.
non were developed with clouds of fiery
smoke-wbich borrowed lurid radiance
from quickly consuming powder. Destroy
ing bolts tore through the air with shrek.
ing fury, ripping and irving, and SCATTERING
the forests which masked the now retreating
foe, and scattering their column as if with
lightning strokes. And now, brave old
Sumner-aIways pushing to the 'front.'
rode calmly down, and swelled the uproar
by ordering new thunder to unite in the
splendid chorus.
All, those delicious, decisive cheers of tri-
umph which our ready lads sent after the
scattered foe. Our death dealing missiles
followed swiftly and remorselessly, like
avenging furies, now On the tanks, and now
in the rear, and now where their front might
appear. A few of those Whitworth instru-
,nents, which the Yorktown rebels said were
lamp~posts," were hurled wrecking and
rending through the forests, grinding trunks
and crashing branches as if they were brittle
glass. This stirring music, begun with SO
much vigor, and executed with such superb
spirit, was but the feeble prelude to the aw.
full overture which must close the tragedy oil
Richmond.
We had few men injured, and our
pickets were driven in. We have some
rebel prisoners, few of their wounded, and
they tell me there are many dead men in
rebel uniform decomposing on the edge Of
the plain where they debouched, and in the
forests where the batteries aimed. A pris
oner says the enemy proposed to dash upon
one of our batteries, and spike its guns
We have seen how they were foiled.