The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-06-21
In Front OF Richmond.
BATTLE FIELD OF FAlR OAKS, Va !

The whole line OF battle on the right bank OF
the Chickahominy quivered with excitement
yesterday. There was not = moment in the day
in which battle did not seem imminent. Firm
resistance by our picket guard to dash Of the
enemy in the morning, or On effort made by US
to recover what they ignobly rloss, would have
plunged the threatening hosts into q murderous
maelstrom. The armies stand guard all day and
all night long upon the lines separated from
each other by fields and belt Of timber not
three-auarters Of mile span. Their respective
attitudes are unchanged. They still confront
each other menacingly, and the hem of the for.
esta is necessarily disturbed by picket spasms
aud brisk artillery practice. The slightest ad-
vance BY either line would involve both in de-
cisive and desperate conflict sa.5tl
The hostile forces were brought into critical
juxtaposition by limited advance of our lines
toward the Confederate pivot ut .'Old Tavern"
a point upon which the crossing of the Chick
ahominy by our right wing, near New Bridge
and above Summers bridge, turns. That is con.
sidered key point, because the roads from the
peninsula there debouch into the thoroughfare
which leads Into the heart Of Richmond. Il il
understood to be . commanding elevation rela.
tive to oil the strategic and tactical operations
before the Confederate capital Although not
upon the immediate river bluffs, Il supports all
the exterior lines Of the LEFT wing Of the enemy.
But they likewise stand related to il 90 init.
mately that encroachment upon them tends to
weaken Il. After the enemy were fepulsed at
Fair Oaks, our more advanced lines we're drawn
in to give the whole line uniform strength, and
the enemy Fe.occupied the vacated territory. -
This threw rs upon the general line Of the bat
tic Of Sunday, with the right Of the forces that
had CROSSED the river resting upon Elmw ood-a
fine defensibie bluff Of the Cbickahominy. which
covers two Of our crossings. But il was dc emed
advisable to drive the enemys pickets from the
field and surrounding woods, say three. fourths
ofss mile In advance, to the leftward Of Elm.
wood, and to the right Of Fair Oak statior. A
Reconnaissance BY BigAdier General Burns. and
Colmsei Russell, Of the Seventh Massachusetts,
and four companies Of men, Friday afternoon,
developed the fact the enemy occupied house
in the field referred TO- and had protected il
with ri6e-pits, and that they had been working
aIfleld battery At that point, in the morning,
upon Gen. Porters batteries on the opposite
side Of the river, training their guns occasion.
ally towards our Lines. sg5falsgat2 E41,a8al
sss9 CARsURS AND REcAPTURE. a
Saturday mosning eeneral Burma wss directed
to occupy thate position, and he accomplished
the enterprise Handsomely, with loss Of only
five men SOUNDED. Ascertaiping his premises
cautiously, he moved forward quietly, and sud.
denly svooped upon the rife pits, intending to
elvel0ps and capture the strong rebel picket
guard. But the friendly thicksts afforded them
cover, and they escaped before Il vas possible
to execute the cleverly planned maneuyre. But
the rifle pits were captured, and our own pickets
substituted for those Of the enemy. Yesterday
morning they suddenly avept forward In strong
iorce, with Artillery and cavalry, and after :
brief, ineftectual resistapc6, our picksts ran In