, 1862-07-21


FARTswoRTH,s REG7MENT.
The 6th Illinois Cavalry at Gadness
MILL.
Correspondence Woqdstock sentineL1
ON JAMES R1yER, NoRTH srDE,l
Three miles above charlee City Point,
duly :, 1881.
which have occurred during the change of /
basis. Will put the dfurnal movements In /
order, to prevent confusion. :
-. THURSDAY, June as.
This morning came bright and clear. We |
were up at peep Of day, and getting breakfast I
when the sun rose in majesty to witness |
bloodshed. The first intImasion I had Of an |
attack was when firing was heard in the 7di- |
recEon Of Smiths post, and On coming up
out Of the field to the top Of q hill, we saw |
the post near at hand had fallen back {per
order) TO headquarters fastening towards
them. We formed On the LEFT, and waited
the approach in line. Then NE learned thas ::
captain Hooker 'Egas woanded- dangez9usly
and taken prisoner. He -was out on the Han
some three quarters Of a mile when, as they
ware turning in at a CUTE, an" ambush fred
rifle and hit the captain. Each then put
spurs TO bis horse, and made dash for The
lines In circuit; hut the; captain failed to ;
Companies G and 6, Captains Cleveland aud
Medin, (reserye( came up, and we fell back as
the enemy forced Us. Our boys we're placed
Therethey could see the enemy, and many :.
leaden messenger Mas ~ sent to check the ad-
cautiously and slowly, from fear OF masked
batteries or the deadly carbine.
We deployed IN every field, and remained
as long as possible, and then passed the de-
file. We thns continued till noon. 4 like
our lef On reaching Shady Groy eChurch we
become more consolidated, and with reg1~
ment Of infantry that came up, We manRn.
vred until three O'Clock, for the rebel skir-
mishers were hid in the dense foliage. All
was silence, and as ne did not know what
! movement the enemy might make, ne fell
back, leaving but 8 watch to notify us Of their
| advance. At every deti1e we felled the trees
| across the bridge, 60 that they were impeded
from an advance Of artillery in haste
| We vent to camp, and were Immediately
| alarmed, SIS the attack became general, in
| front Of an unfinished infantry red0ubt The
8th was ordered to support battery to guard
the right flank near our camp. Our infantry
| after brisk fire fell back behind the redoubt
When yolleys we're poured into the advancing
| lines, the plan then was to 1eaVe this, fOr 1t
| was almost useless to the rebels, and get un-
der cover Of the brush in the Intervening
B~amp, while q long rifle pit, behind which
Was battery Of artillery, and brigade OF IN
faDtry, Vas to make the 'front.' The rebels
got their artillery posted, and the earth was
fairly shaken with the roar Of cannon from
either height. This appeared to be VeSations
to the rebels, and q charge Was ordered ;
down the hill they came, and were nearing the
ambush on The double quick. This was some
forty rods from the rifle pit, and eighty from
the redoubt. As line appeared over a little
hill within few rods Of the hidden line, y
they rose simultaneously, aud poured aeverll
vo]leys into the frightened, terrified and
routed enemy. The artille1lsts had looked on
in breathless suspense, but now came theil
amid the routed line, and they fairly laid II
heaps. The redoubts on the Left had a1st
been at work, and our line extended all along
the swamp. Night put an end to the struggle
At3a.m. we {sth) went to Gaines' Mills
The firing was renewed at Mechanic5ville
lasting two to three hours. But Gen. McC.
aware Of fierce attack On hiB right wing, an,
knowing that Jackson had been reinforced
from Richmond by Longstreet and Smith, hi
right Ning oTer the Cbfckahominy, and evae
uating White House, 60 en- route to Jane
River. This we surmised, as train after trail
, Of the right wing crossed New Bridge dnrin
, Friday forenoon.
The troops were ordered to fall back, au
i eross IN as good order as the, day and nigh
, would permit. Porter was in command, an
, had his OWL and McCalrs divisions. Th
, thing operated well till reaching our last g
nest to last check batteries.
- Our troops resisted their furious adyane
+ In 0 praisworthy manner, but on came th
I fresh columns Of the rebels, with viesoriou
i cheers. and fresh cartridge boxes, while OF
n mems we're nearly empty. Tae reserz
j across the bridge, under Gen. siocum, w
. ordered to the frnnt, and the enemy Vel
l-s~%r H. .6-
Il and canister again were moving down the
~ squares and colurnns. Reinforcements
rehels kept coming, with lively Imagination
Of the result, and some Of our regulars, vi
did not enlist to fight, but to get five yea
easy employment. came struggling t. the rea
~ way to the hospital. The ranks were beir
Is dangerously reduced in the front, till lii
is was but scattering few, and the dust, conf
Eiou ond roar OF artillery, announced to eve
one that panic was imminent. A few bra
regiments, who had but an hour before rush
b to The rescue Of the broken front were fa1iu
% back, thinning every moment The whole y,
:. r IL t6s hi Iii = and ADtS swamp, pNs and '"'
r which three Or four regiments Of cavalry we
ie wohhded. The scene was heartrending. 7
T. colonel issued quick orders to form by squs
n rors into single line, across the field, and
"a none but wounded and an attendant pa
ST Win dTaWn EnOTe5 Ht demanded Q aait TO
he but the bleeding, and several times ",
its officers and men ordered to halt and 70
be into line. when they Wou1d often OF
he their shirt bosom, and exhibit a wound,
ey lift their cartridge bog Ide, and reveal 1
ne facts, or show shattered gun. Some VI
IT coming with an arm or finger dangling.
re- could see our line falling slowly back throu
M the clouds Of dust and smoke. No ranni
LOT YVES seen, but the picture OF surrow and ho
pie lessnees was seen in every face Of the inf
he Try. The scene grows terrible. Not mar
'or the cavalry but awaits the order "Charg
I'D. but it never came.
of Those that were rallied were soon ct
on. pact line, and forward they moved, with
ers the bayonet IS defense. The coming stl
glefs halted voluntarily, thinking they "
oW fresh troops, and joining them formed
ing ond line Of battle, awaiting the enel
he Cheer after cheer arose from this line as
the advanced. The rebels threw shells into
of very midst-we watched them but no
tho was hurt, Our two reserve batteries, as q
TIL resort, poured forth In second guns, "
the rebel rush began. The firing Stacker
on aid darkness, pitch darkness, put an en-
the massacre.
During the night detachments went out
seq brought in the wounded, for the enemy '
No, somewhere else.
lich Thus ended Is The Battle of New Brids
r. k-n1