The national Republican., 1862-07-07
Monday, July I, 1852.
OuTsIDs.-See outside for interesting new
matter, from the South, poetry. etc.
TnE MILITARY OPERArIONs Bc.
FORE RlCHmOaO,

TnE MILL FAIRY OPERATIONS Bc-
FORE RlCHmOaO.
tn, correspondent Of the New York World
gives the most intelligible account which we
have seen OF the disastrous defeat Of General
Mc'Clellan's right wing at Gaines Hill, on Fri
day, the 9Th Of June. OF ihe forces engaged,
Of the position, and Of our losses, this CORES
poudent says:
We bad engaged just forty seven regimsnts
vt infantry, not counting Meagher's and
Frrn,hs brigades, who came across the
brdg. just at dark and check.d the disastrous
tide Vi sffiirs, but who. mind you, were
in that action, all reports TO the contrary not
wi'hsiandng. These regiments were al that
fought, Oh an average, they did not number
over tive hundred Ard nfty men each in fact
ttis is very liberal estimate making a force
If barely twenty six thousand men. OF bat
teriss VIZ bad oine or fifty four guns. which
actually went into action, the reserve artillery
not being used Several Of the batteries did
little or no service, and were only all upsup-
ported bait for the sneiny's charges The cav
ulry engaged on our side we're only the Fifth
regulars, who made dashing charge on The
left during the afternoon, only to be met by q
withering fire, which was the death Of many
gallant trooper. and more than one brave Off
''i. ihu Ekutu iluuOlb ChVaHy Wtrt OraWu
u2 In line in the rear Of the field, but were not
engaged, though losing some men during the
raliying OF our broken columns, In which they
Dor. conspicuous part.
The position chosen at Gaines Hill, or rather
under t-for the enemy's position was higher
than ,Srs-nmy have been for the purpose Of
merely checking the enemy. while the main
body Of the right wing crossed.
The position itself is looked upon by many
army officers of high standing. rs n very unfa
v"rahle one for our side, and II Is an undoubted
fact that our men fought under many disad-
vantages arising from their position.
Our loss Ia enormous. Ths regiments have
had their rollcalls, and though we know many
Of them will yet return, we cannot sac how the
loss can tall under eight thousand. But At east
two thousand Of these were taken. We do
not stop To compute the enemy's loss now, but
We know II 10 have been enormous. They sui.
Tered terribly from our canister tre, and alsu
from our musketry, when they precipitated
such huge masses upon one f our dev voted
hat'alions. As usual, n very great proportion
"i our men are slightly wounded"
The greater part OF the regulars" Of tie
army OF the Potomac were iu this battle Of
Friday. They acquitted themselves. we'll, bu,
not better than the volunteer troops General
Mcclellan, telegraphiug Immediately after ihit
battle, said he had lost heavily in men, and
what was greater than mere numerical force
had lost The best part Of his army. referring ~
the cutting up Of the "iegnlurs.' THIS mai 4.
the obs,inacy of the prejudicss Of West Poin,
education. Three days later, wh. II the new,
was brought TO General Mcclellan If the re
pulse of the enemy at White Oak Swamp BY
cur uhyielding volunteers. he may have con
cluded that, although the best" paIt Of Lil
Amy was cut up, Ls hal rome good troop,
left. The country know, II he does not, wha
noops have won the Victories in this war
Th,. battle Of Friday ought not To have beer
fought, or should have been fought iu n YER,
different manner. There IL No EXCUSE tor allow
log our men to be overw helued by supe,i 10,
numbers at particular points. Either the righ
wing should have b.sn further Withdrawn upol
the centre, nr, If halted for fight ai Gaines
Hill, should have been supported by the troop,
OF tho centre and left, which were kept idls snd
useless. ur those troops should have beer
prccipiiatsd upon Rchmoud, where the rsbe
strength wa, 10 much reduced by the great
fore. sent to attack otr right wing
That the total army Of the rebels exceeded
ours H. by no means. certain. IL is not proved
by the fact that they exhibited AL ovsrw helm
log superiority Of numbers at the points o
actual cotfiict. That may only show thsi,
superior gsnrralship.
Gu Saturday there WAS no aghling. Th,
force which hal driven our right wing over III,
Cbickatominy could not itself cross that nov
historical stream. commanded NJ II was by ou
artillery, aud the bridges having been de
s,royed. The enemy exhibited no disposition
TO attack our centre aud lett in their entrench
ments Would he have done su II there has
been no evacuation A Mexican would ausws
"Quea sate," " who kIOSs?" and that IL per
haps as good an answer as snyboiy eau make
The probability is, that he had then and ther,
no iorce disposabls for an attack, aside from
tis trcops cngpg'd ID Ia the operations sgaint
our right wing.
All is well that ends we'll; but Of the iw,
things, retreat to the James river was mol,
dangerous than steady holding OF our en-
trenchsd lines. Nothing is 30 haz ,rdous u,
evolutions In the face Of an enemy. The re
treat proved TO be a success, thanks to the gal
lantry aud per6istency Of our Incompatible
soldiers. II might have proved the complete
destruction Of our army.
The weeks fighting, ending with Tuesday
the first day of July, has been great advan
tage 10 the national cause Anything was bet
ter than that nigbtm. IRE Of torpldity which la,
brooded over the army OF the Potomac fo
mouths. We have lost more men, twice over
by inglorious disease in the swau,ps of th,
Chickahominy, than iu all this seven dsys
fighting. Our losses in these battles have lHe,
cruel. Ia the first III lm'ut OF III. nationa, An
guish il may seem uni..ling 10 suggest AZ
considerations OF compe0sating advantage. b.,
the truth IT, wars cannot be pros. cuted 10
successful termination without fighting an
least OF all, such war US this H. Ths reboi
are not 10 bo put down by blockade, by star
walton, or by any form OF the anaconda" POI
icy. 1t is to bs done by lighting, and by kill
ing oil their leading spirits In battle. An
while that is not to be accomplished withou
deplOrable losses on our side the sacrifices