New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-07-04

Attack on Psrter's Corps Good ARTILLERY
Service against Superior Numbers-
Every Assault Gallautly Repelled-Our
Lose from 300 70 lOO-Order 10 Fall
Destruction OF 100000 worth
of storcs- Description Of the Fighting
The Pennsylvania Reserve-A Panic.
, rom Our Special Correspondent
sAvaes's STATION Saturday Juue 2S 1862.
Tire events of the last two days recounted in
detail with inll liss Of the casualties would require
triple sheet of TIE TRIBUNE. Set forth with the
Ordinary discursivepess OF army correspondents
Mcclellan might push forward to Richmond or be
pushed back to Yorktown, before the task were COM
pleted by one pen. l shrink from even 20 much as
mark ont for this letter. At no time in the history
Of the campaign have events tread upon each other
and at This hour they seem to thicken in whrl Of
the immediate future. God grant that these lastt
days OF June, which loom up so poreutous, may
hasten .dvent into Richmond, more than the lss
fory-ei< nt hours seem " baye done.
Day before yesterday PorterS corps was strongly
attacked in his position az the extreme hight, near
Neohauicsyiiie, at late hour in the afternoon. Not
being on the ground am unable to give detailed
account: but the general features are given me by
the brigade commanders.
McCalls Division bore the brunt of the encounter,
though Morre was severely engaged Our suPe-
Iioriiy in artillery compensated in measure for
their superiority in numbers.
DUNG long hours Of the declining day and through
hall the night, anxious thousands OF brave hearts
who Geht under Hooker and Keys and HeintSlemap
and Sumner irtened 10 that tremendous csnnonading,
and wondered how it fNed with their brethren in
arms.
Every attack wss magniGoeuily repellcd, every
inch Of ground retained. Our los was 300 10 400
Ii was the opinion Of Generals that the position
could have been maintained yesterday, but auihen-
tic information having reached Gen. Mcclellan that
the enemy had been re-enforeed by S,onewal Jack
SOL. our whole force was ordered 10 the Chcka-
hoinny, and tie movement commenced during the
night. The Sth Illinois Cavalry. Col. karnsworth,
formed the yisilant rear quad The enemy followed
closely took numbers Of prisoners, including Com
p.ny X, Of the Pennsylvania Bucktsils, and forced
our qusrterma,tero TO burn at least 800 900 worth
of stores. Capt, Hooker, one Of the best officers Of
the 9Th Illinois, was MORALLY wounded and left on
the field. But the concentration Of forces designed
was effected with less loss than was doubtieFs g.
pected when the order Was given. fpfly in the
forenoon of yesterday the pursued columns had
taken position on the bank Of the Chckshominy
and awaited the pursuers. They had no, to wait
long,
At this lunetuie your correspondent reached the
field aud bencsforth the narrative ~ that Of An eve
witness
The battle was fought in dense woods. Our forces
were posted on the south sde Of belt Of forest on
line nearly two miles long, the general course Of
which was nearly parallel with the Chickasominy
The woods vary in depth from 40 to 100 reds; q
small stream lows the entire length. and TIE ascent
on either aide IL quite sharp. Cultivated fields cover
the brow and crest Of the hills either side God IL
the right rear Of position extend half a mile to
the bot,olnland Of the Chickahonliny. On the LETT
the fringe OF woods reaches TO this botoniland Al
II a H., whsn ] reached th. Geld, our pckes occu-
pisd the top Of ito hin across the rayns along its
whole winding length. 1hoy reported battery Of
The enemy at Gaines House nile north in his LEFT
rear. and numbers of Rebels in distinct view. This
battery soon exchanged shot, with guns right
Half an hoar later they suted our len with an oc-
casonal shell from position 80 fAr westerly a. TO
su6I.de our liae. Meanwhile an occasional report
from . .hsrpsIooisrs ri1s warned Of The enemy
annrn,eb. The fire Of our batteries on The right
gradually grew more rapid, but the day wore away
until II was p M, sui there had been few casual
t;.s. Woyld N. enemy mo,e a s-ciOus deD'on'fra.
ton, volley from one company Of regiment on
The left, din eotsd al many Of the enemy who az
reared on the crest OF the opposite hill, causing them
70 hurry back, did not answer the question con-
cns:vely. for it was followed BY dead silence
Twenty minutes later the answer came, and II was
unm irskable-it was tornado Of musketry.
Butsr6eld's Brigade was on our extreme 'e't,
Ma1iudales at his right, Gririns next and at orr
ertrem, right syke.s Division Of regulars. Nc
Calls Division formed the second i'he' and were
held IN reserve
The ball opened with the center, but only mo
mont ind the tornado swept right and left As II one
current Of electricity had discharged every man
luusket. Our men disappeared, sending BACK cheer
fnl shout. as they rushed into that densc wood "nere
now corpses are thick as the trees. spatter oil
Rebel lead lifted little pus Of dust on the Dill non
which with straining eyes, in vain sought 70 PeH''
tra,e those dark recesses. A dull heavy undercur'
rent Of murmur a. Of the swarmiDg OF oees' INC
sharp ring Of random Mimic overhead, the ,nee',
SAINT roar of musketry, and now the wounded sno
H. k,,,. ~ fhcSe laws gf dc2sl