The Memphis union appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-07-09


army of the Potomac will be no more.
Night seemed to bring little more relief. I
The enemy could not press US then. But
would he tomorrow 1t was believed he was
massing all his power to crush US in a COM i
bined attack. Oh that our soldiers could rest
a day, even. Alas, they could not rest at
night. Their salvation it seemed depended
more on their Labor now than on their guns.
Into the trenches, We braves, and work till
morn summons you to battle. And so they
labored, some dropping listlessly in the
trenches, exhausted nature refusing TO endure
more.
But there was another picture / had almost
forgot In such march struggling was una
voidable. TIE sick made long, sad process
sion, dragging along the road feebly and pain
fully at every step, until at last the goal of
safety was attained. But beside these were
handreds who were as feeble from fatigue as
the sick were from infrmity. But it was es-
sential that they should fight that day. saw
brigade of them organized and marched
out. 'Who of you viii fight? ?" No answer
but perfect indifference One steps out, Il
may as well die fighting as die of exhaustion"
Those men were heartbroken. They had
fought bravely, would fight again, but they
needed rest so sorely. Reader, it was agoniz-
ing to look upon such scenes. No man whose
sensibihties had not been hardened into steel,
could check a sigh, or even tear, in such
presence. And now go with me under the
river bank and look at the suffering braves,
mangled and torn by shot and shell. But no,
the cup is fall.
I cannot detailthe battle Monday. Brig
AIDES, and regiments, and companies, and frag-
ments ofeach were fought as they could be
used. Ii matters not who were here or
there. 1t was . terrible battle. Gen.
Mccall was lost. Gen. Sumner was twice
! wounded, but not seriously. Bis wounds were
| bound on the field, and he remained in the sad>
! die and N the iery torrent. Col. Wyman, too,
! of the 18Th Massachusetts, was killed. Gen.
/ Meade was severely wounded. How many
otkers | cannot tell. 1t was bloody day.
! There viii Be weeping at many a hearthstone
and many loved one was lost who will be
1 sought for and never found
Sumner, and Helntzlelaan, and Franklin,
and Hooker, and Smith, and Sedgwick, and
/ McCall-Haneock, and Davidson, and Meade,
and Seymore and Burns, and Sickles, and
I Sully and Owens, and dead Wyman, and all
/ the galaxy of brave leaders, won title to glori-
Gus nonors. They tell me that the rebel Gen.
/ LongstFeet was wounded and two other Gener-
ats lay dead on the field, with long lines OF
rebel officers and hectacombs of men. Melan-
choly satisfaction for such dead as ours.
The enemy was beaten again, thank God
4 beaten badly, driven back, slaughtered
fearfully. The gunboats had at least moral
agency in the fight. 1t did not appear that
their guns could do more than protect the
left flank which was much, and the enemy
4 was shy of that point. But an officer of Gen.
| McCalrs staff told zee we ost twenty guns
that day. How?" "By the enemy in over
whelming masses marching up and taking
them" II was said Heintzelman's command
captured twelve from the enemy, and whole
brigade of the enemy. l think the latter
doubtful. Gen. Magruder was certainly not
captured. Prisoners assure me jackson was
not hurt. Here is question. Better err on
the safe side. inquired and was not salts
fed. Nobody knew. 1t was SO reported. !
cant take reports. .. ..
War bulletins are not reliable. L saw about
500 prisoners-could not learn the whereabouts
of the brigade" said 70 have been captured
by Heintzleman. Think it false report-in-
vented to keep up courage--which was not
necessary, for the men, jaded as they were, no
BILE fellows, eheered when summoned to battle
and swore to die game. Said / to rebel officer
do your men respect Yankee fighters r
Yes, sir, they surprise u.s. Said "others
have broken and retired; the genuine Yankees
of New England have never faltered on the
Chickahominy." 1t is true; and Massachusetts,
mourns more dead soldiers, comparatively
than any States quota in the army Of the Pc
mac.
Tuesday and Il title.
Tuesday the lst of July, was not Cheerful
day. The prospect was not happy. TIT
Prince de JoinviIe, always gay and active a
a lad and always where there was battle, haC
Z gone. The Count de Paris, heir to the Bour
bon throne, and the Duke dc Charities, hi
|, brother, the two chivalric and devoted aids Il
Gen. Mcclellan, on whose courage, fidelity, in
telligence and activity he safely relied VIII
served with him to learn the art of war, sud
} denly, without previous warming took pass
} sage on gunboat and futtered softly dowI
: the river. Why did they go? Two officer
of the English army who had accompanied
Gen. Mcclellan to study the art of war, ant
who had intended to remain with the arm.
until Richmond was ours, announced their In
3 tention to depart on the first boat.
) The paymasters were advised to deposit thei
} treasure on gunboat People looked gloom
r lily. All! forgot; correspondents at Fortres
) Monroe, deducting facts from their fertil
imaginations, told you that when the arm,
, reached Malvern Hill, the river at that poin
: was full of transports. Monday noon Their
/ was not one there-excepting schooner ladel
: with hay. Tuesday evening several steamer
, had arrived and few forage boats. But rea
son for yourselves. 1t was gloomy at head
quarters. The troops were intrenching tn
a hill and Standing to arms. The enemy wer
t reported massing their forces. We were pre-
/ pairing to repel them. At noon silence wa
. broken by hostile cannon in the extreme front
S As afternoon wore away, the bombardment in
creased. At O'clock there was battle an
= the Arostook was hurling shell into the woods
b At about seven o'clock the firing was heavy
It but it was confined to a narrow circle. Ayre
: was driving the enemy from his batteries
1 Our boat pushed from the landing. At dar
: we noved from Harrison's Landing, seve
a miles below. The army had not moved there
: the trains had. Soon after we steamed int
a the channel, the bombardment grew heavier
: The gunboats were laundering into the FOL
: ests.
v When L left the prospect was cherries
e That night we met reinforcements Befor
| morning the army was strengthened. Pra
Is God it was made strong enough--to 60 I
Richmond