Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-06-21
Army Correspondence.
STu PENN'A. CAVALRY,
Camp near Richmond, June 3, 80.
Col. Leri l.. Iute,
LENNI LENAPE.

Camp near Richmond, June 3, so.
Col. Leui l.. Tate,
Once more [ seat myself to inform you
of the past two days. On Saturday, the
3lst of May, was taking a nap about 2
o'clock, when | was aroused from my
peaceful slumber by volley of musketry.
1 thought nothing of that, until the second
and third. Soon after the news came that
twenty five thousand rebels had attacked
our pickets and drove them in, and the
grand ball at Richmond had opened. We
soon got orders to saddle up-all hands
jumped to their horses aud were soon in
line, We had orders to get in fighting
trim. We were sent to pack our blankets
! on our saddles, and we soon found that
We would be in the mess with the rest, for
the shell and shot fell thick and fast. The
enemy attacked us on our weakest point
our force was only about ten thousand.-
This was day similar to the battle at
Pitsburg Landing, The fields were strew-
ed with the dead. Our men fought des.
peratcly as we were driven back about one
and a half miles. The enemy was too
strong for US. The fight lasted for four
hours, and we lost about three hundred
killed, and five hundred wounded. The
enemy, think, did not lose SO many.
We slept on our arms all that night
Sunday, June l.-About o'clock, this
morning, the enemy made another attack
on our lines, but met with warm recep.
ton, as we were reinforced with 49, 600
men on Saturday night. The 1st Penn'a.
Battery was planted on the outside of the
wood, and one brigade to support it. The
enemy made a charge out of the woods
which they occupied, on our Battery A.,
First U. S., when the Captain said, "don't
shoot until tell you" The enemy come
within fifty yards, when the order was
given to fire, and no sooner said than six
cannon poured out their contents, killing
near five hundred of the enemy. The
rest of that regiment took to the woods
again. The second regiment came up,
but they were not cut up as much as the
first. They got tired of charging on our
Batterys and stayed in the woods, and
poured their lead at US in torrents. Then
the Irish Brigade (Hooker's Diyision)
made a charge and completely routed them,
capturing one regiment of Sharp. shooters.
There was not much cannonading yes
terday, it was all musketry, and one of the
hardest battles that ever was fought, and
our men fought well all day. To-day the
enemy's loss was ten to our one. Our men
moved them down like grass. The enemy
used their own dead men for breaSt.works,
and would stand behind them and shoot
at us.
Gen. Mcclellan came in the field about
o'clock, in the morning, and cheered the
men-it done our men as much good to
see the General as forty thousand rein
forccment You would not believe the
difference in the men. They then started
after the enemy aud chased them three
miles, capturing several of their Batterys,
baggage wagons, and prisoners. We have
in our camp near a thousand. On their
retreat, the sth Penn'a. Cavalry was sent
after them and our orders were not to
show any quarters. 1t was not long until
we were cutting and slaShing right and
left, strewipg them all along the road
About 4 o'clock our pickets were posted
and they soon drove them in; but it was
soon changed, for the sinners were soon
going again, with their coat tails sticking
straight out that you could sit on them,