Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-07-09

n the absence Of all official details of af.

events. About all We do know is that after
seven days almost incessant fighting Gen.
McClellan's army had been brought into a
position with its left resting on the James
river, near Turkey Island, on reach of the
river nearly opposite City Point, and its ight
extending to White Oak Swamp, which fills
up the intervening space to the Chlckahom-
my river. The army is thus on high ground
in defensible position, and where 1t can be
reinforced The battles through which it has
passed are represented as terrible, and very
desi ruCtive on both sides. Our loss is esti-
mated at fifteen thousand killed and wounded
and five thousand prisoners The loss of the
Rebels, except in prisoners, is believed to
have been far greater than ours. On our
side Gen. Mccall was wounded and captured
and Generals Reynolds, Meade and Burns
were wounded. We took many prisoners,
but had to release them. A few of our siege
guns and from thirty to forty pieces Of field
artillery were lost. The large Parrott guns
and the eight-inch howitzers, the most Valua-
BILE Of the siege train, were saved. From the
Rebels we captured a number of pieces of ar
tillery, but probably not as many as they got
from US.
Beginning with the right at Mechanicsville
on Thursday, Goth June, our advance forces
while steadily falling back, have had a con
tinuous running fight.
On Friday one Of the severest battles which
was ever fought on this continent, occurred
on the right of the Chickahominy, near
Gaines Hill. On Saturday, after our forces
had retired in good order across the creek
and destroyed the bridges, we were attacked
in front of our encampments, but Gen. Smith
repulsed the enemy, leaving the ground strewn
with his dead.
On Saturday morning. the arrangements
having beeu completed. the wagon train was
started on its way to James River, and was
followed on Sunday morning by the artillery
and commissary trains.
Meantime the enemy, getting scent of our
movement, strongly recOnnOitered our front,
and finding that several of our positions had
been abandoned, pushed in and attacked US
vigorously. Generals Hooker and Rich.
ardson drove them back, and Gen. Meaghcr's
Brigade, always on hand at the right time,
charged and captured two of their guns
The rebels paid dear price for the informa.
ton which they obtained. Their chief strug-
gle was near Savage Station.
Antici pating movement on outright flank,
the railroad bridge over the Chckahominy
was DESTROYED on Saturday morning. The
rebels, supposing we had fallen back on the
White House, sent large force of infantry,
cavalry and artillery in that direction, but
after long, rapid and weary march, discov-
cred they had gone on a wild goose chase in
the wrong direction. They only found
small force of infantry and cavalry scattered
down to guard the rear, who fell back and es-
capped from White House Landing. The rest
was one of those "howling wildernesses,"
which the rebels intend to leave for u.s. All
the quartermaster and commissary stores had
been removed two days before, and the rub
bish burned.
Gen. Mcclellan and Staff left the headquar
ters at Savage's Station at daylight on Sun
day morning with body guard Of the Fourth
United States Cayally, and halted some five
miles cut, after crossing the i bite Oak Creek
There were, on Saturday, ,GbYut one thOu
sand Of the waundrd and sick, chiefly accu-
muIated from the battle Of Friday, many Of
whom it was found Impossible to remove.
owing te the nature and severity of their
wounds, and as Il matter Of humanity, as
well as uF Necessity, they were left behind
\ great MANY, however, who could walk
slowly followed the track OF the army. and
the anbu!aLces brought away great many
others.
withdrawing. .tron tie Front.
General Hookera Division broke camp in
the entrenchments at O'clock Sunday morn
ing, and General Sickles' and Growers Bri
gades proceeded to the outposts to relieve
General Patterson's' New Jersey Brigade
At O'Clock A. NJ, the three brigadeS fell
back to the second line of redoubts, where
they formed line of battle with Richardson's
ard Kearney's Division, and remained until
8 o'clock P. NJ On discovering that Gener-
al Hooker had fallen back, the enemy advan
ced his scouts with two field pieces, and open
ed brisk fire upon his rear, along the line
of the railroad. General Meagher's Brigade
made a movement on both the enemy's flank
while the Eighty eighth New York charged in
front, and captured two of their guns The
enemy then fell back under cover of the wood
On the approach of the rebel force to the
Savage Station, where the hospital was es-
tabli she'd, white flag was sent out, and it
was met by Lieutenant Colonel of the Con-
federates who gave assurance that the hospi.
tai should be respected. There was no firing,
purposely, in that direction and, if an occa.
sional shell exploded near the house, it is be-
lieved to have been accidental
Sedgwick's Division left the front at day.
light, and were engaged by the enemy half
way to Savage's Station, which they reached
at 5 P. NJ Here the enemy's infantry, with
battery, came out of the woods on the right
and attacked them.
The first Maine were advanced on the left,
with line of skirmishers in front. They
had twelve wounded, three mortally, viz
Smith, Wren and Taylor. C. W. Haskell
Company G, was slightly wounded, in the
hand by shell. Sedgwick's Division cross
ed the creek at White Oak Swamp about four
o'clock A NJ, Monday. His rear was not
annoyed during the night.
Keyes' and Porter's Divisions had already
preceded US on the march, and had reached