The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-08-28
FROM OURV0LUKTEERS.
The lIth Penna. Reserves i'm the
Battles before RichmOnd---
Colonel GaIIagher's Report to
Gen. M'Can, Sc, sc.

Gen. M'Call, &c, sc.
| METRopoLITAN HOTEL, WASHINGTON, D. c..
| -4ugust Is, 1862.
| Correspondence of The Alleghanan.
[ arrived at this place last Saturday
evening, from Harrison's Landing, on the
James river. amongst the Prisoners of
War who were exchanged at Aiken's Lam
ding on the 18th inst. and knowing that
deep interest for the welfare of all in
the army is felt by friends at home, and
not only felt but manifested by the wiling
ness Of Cambrians to come to the rescue,
[ will devote little leisure this evening
to writing you, hoping what [ write may
20 some extent interest your readers. [
viii not at this time say anything concern
ing Prison Life in Richmond, reserving
that for future letter.
On arriving at Harrisons Landing, the
! exchanged prisoners reported to General
| NJ 'Clellan, and were ordered to join their
| respective regiments in the field for active
duty. This order may SAVIOR little of
harshness, as the prisoners from confine-
ment of nearly two months in the close
rooms of the Southern "Bastiles" are so
much Gebilitated as to be scarcely able
physically for the hardships of camp life !;
but | believe the xigency of the service
requires it, aud so far as l know, none
murmur.
During my short stay at Harrison's
Landing I learned one thing, which is,
| that the soldiers of M'Clellan's army are
more than ever attached TO their young
commander [ would not insure the mans
eyes who would attempt to disparage him
in their midst do not hesitate to say,
that no other general in our army could
have withdrawn the forces in the late bat
ties before Richmond in so mastery
manner as did he. The Army of the
Potomac, although not successful in the
capture of Richmond, has accomplished
much towards the crushing Of the Rebel
lion Every battle field along the Chick
ahominy has fully shown the rebels that
the "Yankee" will fight, and that too with
all the bravery and daring which has
characterized war in any age Of the world.
Though the rebels in Richmond pretended
after the late battles before that city to
claim a victory, yet the cypress was so
closely interviewer with the laurel that
gloom and sadness overspread that doomed
city. Fully $4,000 Of their army were
killed and wounded, many of the wounded
forever rendered hors de combat, and but
few Of that number can again enter the
field this campaign.
The fairest account given by the rebels
of those battles | presume is to found in
The First Year Of the War;" by Pollard,
author of the "Black Diamond" He does
not claim victory, but admits a defeat at
Malvern Hill. On our part, however, let
us not underrate the rebels They too are
americans, and battles almost as fierce as
Sir Walter Scott's Imaginary last engage
ment Of the Clan Chattan aud Clan Tuhele
at North Inch on the Tay must yet be
fought before Treason will go down. /
despair not of ultimate success. When
our generals haze sufficient force, (Which
they soon VIII have, and learn celebrity of
movement and rapidity of action which
always render an invading army almost as
irresistible as Heavens artillery-tfen
will another page of history record the
superiority of Northern men.
L will not further generalize There is
much [ would like to say, but long letters
are frequently voted a nuisance. Know,
ing many of your readers will feel an in
terest in the part taken by the 1lth regt.
p. r. V. c. in the battles before Rich
mond, copy from Col Gallagker's Report
to Gen. M'Call
81 have the honor to submit so you the
following report of the part taken by the
Regiment under my command 10 the bat
ties of the 26th and 9Th of june, at
Mechanicsville and Gaines Mills, before
Richmond On the evening of June 25,
eight companies of my regiment, including
/. field and staff officers, were ordered to do
picket duty on the north bank of the
Chickahominy, relieving the 7th regiment
p. r. V. G., Col. Harvey. During the
afternoon of the next day, June 2Gt6, the
enemy in large force attacked your divis-
ion in close proximity to where the right
of my picket line rested. The two com
panies which had been left in camp were
ordered out by Gen. Meade to strengthen
my line. 1 was ordered to stand fast in
my position, to keep the enemy from eros
sing the Chichahominy in the rear of your
division, while the division engaged the
enemy in 'front.'. | did So At about
T. n the enemy opened battery from