Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1862-07-23
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE -JoJRHA1."

left. who hailed from Cieafuelu county, send
Won sketch of the weeks fight before Rich
mond which has proved so disastrous to the
enemies of the Union. As shall conine N.Y.
self to what personally witnessed, | cannot
commence earlier than about noon on the
2bth of June Oar regiment with the 5th Re.
serve Infantry, was on picket near the Yir-
ginia Central railroad, where it crosses the
Chckahominy, when our cavalry pickets were
driven past from Hanover Court House, re-
porting the enemy as pressing our right faux.
Leaving their knapsacks and haversacks, the
Bucktails deployed three companies as skir-
mlShers, leaving the remaining three with the
9th as a Reserve. This considered a suf-
ficient force to check the advance of a squad
ron of cavalry and regiment of Infantry which
was then the reported force of the enemy.
Company X Capt. L. A. Irwin, Co. d Capt.
JewItt 'and Co. B Capt. Wistar, were sent to
reconnoitre but found, instead Of the mum :
bers reported, that they had to contend with
at least a division, who had advanced so as to
completely surround them and cut them of
from any communication with our camps. eX-
cept 10y fording a swamp which was consider
ed impossible. | was ON the alert, and early
in the engagement informed Orderly Sergeant
Patton Bard that the enemy were coming in
force, and he left to notify Capt. irwin. This
was the last | saw of him or the company
though have since learned from rebel prison
ers, that the Captain with 81 others were in
Richmond. Accompanying Major Stone who
was in command, and whose mare had already
been struck by ball,we hastened TO notify the
other companies when the enemy appeared
in force on every side of us, and amid a Show
er of ball we sought as last resort, TO cross the
swamp-in which We succeeded, though with
the loss OF our horses (who were both wound
ed and part oil our clothing. After two
miles travel on foot and all fOurS We reached
the camp.
The 5th, with the remnant Of our boys, were
soon in the rifle pits supporting s pieces OF
rified cannon which had been hurredly placed
behind the breast works. Scarcely were we
in position when the fields in front were coy
cred with the enemy, who opened fire upon
us with II pieces Of artillery, and then began
one of the most terrific fights ever Witnessed
by those in our camp-Some of whom had
been in the Mexican, some in The Danish, and
others in the Crimean campaigns. The natur-
al advantages of position were equal, but our
rifle pits, only completed the evening before,
served as a shelter to our men. 1t is useless
to attempt description of the fght-as well
try to paint the day of Judgment. The enemy
fought like Goliah, confident in their num-
bers but they were laid low by ball and Shell,
grape and canister, like wheat before the reap
ing machine. Acres were covered With their
dead. For mile, along the road across the
swamp to Shady Grove church, one could
walk their cOrpScS without tOuShing the
ground. In their desperation they attempted
to cross the swamp and carry our works by
storm, but hundreds OF them>were mred and
slain within 40 yards OF our guns. Thus TIL
after niue at night the fight continued-both
sides assisted by artillery and intantry in 9th
er dlrections-wh6n it ceased, and The men
lay down to die, or with strainlng- eyes and
open ears waited to catch the first s. ymptOms
of conflict. The groans of the wounded and
dying would have walked anything but the
dead.
The loss among the Bucktails was very small
owing to their shelter, and the incessant fire
OF artillery by which they were covered So
uninterrupted were cannon shots that the
vents of the guns were burned badly, and d
lighted brand had to be used TO touch them OH
About shutdown Adjutant Hartshorn. who had
taken his place in the rifle pits, was seriously
wounded on the crown of he head by por-
ton of a she'll which burst over him. He
fought not only for the flag and the Union,
but to revenge the loss of the Clearteld men,
whom he deplored A braver man, better
soldier, or one whose loss was more sincerely
regretted by those who knew him, fell not
that day. At last accounts he was still living.
On Friday morning, soon after 3 O'Clock,
the work of death again commenced. AZ in
and again were the enemy repul5ed with fear
ful loss. Wheu the orders were given 10 fall
back TO Gaines Hin. This was about s
O'Clock. For nearly an hour the men were
urged to fall back, bat still the work went on.
The enemy were gaining nothing but losing
everything, and a new regiment only marched
before our rifles and cannon TO be deciminat-
ed before they were withdrawn. Some Of our
men paid dearly for not obeying the order, 10
fall back, by being captured. Step by step,
and hand 20 hand, the fight was continued
the enemy wished to renew il. At Gaines
Hill each side reinforced, the enemy far
outnumbering MS, and in the battle that eusu-
ed they Jared much better than in that of
Thursday. Both days their courage was kept
up by whiskey-of which almost every man
had a supply in his canteen, and under its in
fuence they fought with desperation. The
carnage was fearful. Tens of thousands lay
in their gore and tramped and crushed by the
advancing and rctreAtng forces. Oar men,
at dusk, were giving way, exhausted for want
of food-which, if they had with them. there
was no time to eat-worn out by fatigue, and
in many instances short OF ammunition. At
this auspIcious moment Meagher's Irish Br
gade came mp, and with the bayonet regained
the ground lost, and kept the battle field till
morning.
For several days before the fight commenced,
Gen. Mcclellan had been shipping stores from
White House to this point on the James Riv-
er and on Saturday the order OF falling back
was again resumed. Seven thousand wagons
had to follow one road in single file, and not
one Of these loaded with stores, was abandon
ed, lost or destroyed. A portion of the pom
toon train was abandoned, fter being render
ed useless to the enemy-and the ordinary cas-
uaIities of such caravan would more than
cover all the loss. The stores, ammunition,
&c. destroyed, would not amount in dollars
and cents to the wholesale cost of the raw ma
terial for breakfast for the army in front Of
To say that such unwieldy
train reached its destination in safety, when
the enemy wanted and needed the supplies, is
sufficient to prove that the ''front was chang
ed in the face of the enemy" and that the