Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-07-10
TIE RIaHrEEyTa GEORGIA REGIMENT.
CAMP lsrH GA REs'r, HOOPS BRlaADE,
Is miles from Richmond, Va


10 tie Eaitor of the Rhig:
For the qualification of the relatives and friends Of
the members of this Regiment dssre to give brief
account Of the particular part enacted BY them on FRI
day, 9Th June, in the engagement at Coal Haibor or
Gaines Mills Having b,en with them through the
whole action, and taken part them, your cOrSes-
pOndent had perhaps better opportunity than any one
else Of kuowirg exactly what they did. twill be re.
nsmbsred that the fight began early in the afternoon
aud was raging with great fury while Hoods Brigade
vas vet at q considerable distance from the scene
hEcling rapidly through the woods and helds, Ap'
plrently with a view to turn the enemys extreme
right. The whole Brsake was halted about O'Clock
and formed in line Of battle in the following or
der, 18Th GeorgiA, lst Texas, All Texas 9Th Texas
The position of the All Texas subsequently changed
to the of the in this order the Brigade advanced
through the woods which being 80 very thick we soon
los. sightof all except our Regiment. Advancing
across . deep muddy swamp, and up steep accent
they placed 10 position to support battery and
ordered lay down. Here they just 10 range oil
heavy battery Of the enemy End the missels fell so
thick that battery soon became disabled and had TO
Withdraw. Another came but ALEC compelled to re-
tire after few rounds. After Whici the Regiment
VAS ordered 10 cbarg position, moving by the right
lnk at "doubl quick. They remained behind this bat
terry about thirty minutes aud Loot some twenty or
thirty men killed ard wounded. After marching BY the
flank for about hal mile they halted IN an open
space to the right of piece of woods and in rear of
an apple orchard aud formed inliue Of battle. Then
advancing under shower Of shot Gnd shell down
lorg slope which was completely commanded by body
Of the enemys infantry on their left posted wood
| a.. nf h vip
| foot Of the slope. Here We LOST many more men but
passed on without returning the FIRE of the enemy
poured into ranks and crossing the rSvne at the
point where the 4.h TeIs had so CALAMITY driven the
enemy back advanced up the steep hill on the opposite
side and here for the Rrst time, obtained view Of the
terrible work that then remained for them to do. Several
regiments claim have taken batteries and doubt
lsy too for there were enough for all to have show
rg Several had been taken up to the moment the s;h
reached the crest Of the H. but the main battery on
the I'm in the f,ld, said to be the Hoboken Battery Of
fourteen splendid brass p sces which was filing the air
with its deadly missiles, and dealing destruction al
around, the whose position is said TO have been
chosen by Mcclellan himself and whose guns, according
| TO the account Of numerous prisoners and Wouad-
ed men, had been directed by him, still playing
with terrible effect It supported by large body
| Of infantry in the rear, and detachment Of the
2nd Regular Cavalry on the left, besides the sp-
prOach 10 it completely commanded by two o;ber
batteries So admirable vas this disposition of the
forces and the natural conformation Of the ground that
Mcclellan said to have assured his that it i'm
pregnAble. In front Of the lStl, at the moment II
came 10 sight of the battery, lay long ping bill at
the foot of which, three hundred yards distant
was deep, and in some places, an impossible ditch,
tleh quick rise that sjrded some protection from Il e
guns above. Preceding regiments had done their work
| we'll and calamity had they driven the enemy from
of his strongest works and taken several batteries
Some bad even advanced on this battery but found
their forces much sclttered after crossing the ditch
that they became poWerless and could do little else than
seek protection under the Of the hill from the guns
above. Down thfrs slope the Is advanced 10 splen.
did order, at tsdble lick, und>r a cross f from
two batteries the right and left and terrible direct
FIRE from the battery in front Shot after shot tore
through the ranks leaving vide gaps which quiek
" closed up 1.-THE lar shril voices OF Maj Gfs and
Adj. Patton coud be distinctly heard amid the burst
log OF shells ard Whisling OF Shots cooly commanding,
Closs up" "Dfess to the right" left" while every
other officer exerted himself preseye the line unbro
ken. Dead and wounded meh fell on every side while
tue living pushed on to the work before them. Here
Lieut. l. A McCuIock, Of Company C, Jackson County
Volunteers, fell terribly nApgsd with a shell. Lieut.
ST man, who succeeded him in command Of the com.
parry, was wounded few steps farther on Lieut.. Gala
ban taking command of the company. Lieut. John
Grant commando company Il, was also wounded and
left the command devoVing on lat Sergs Cotton. On
reaching the ditch the line necessarily broken, the
men being compelled to get beet they could
Advancing a short distance they found themselves
der of the hill in company with detachment OF
various oiheEtC nenis who 10 a brCk,n aud dis
Organizes condition. Some had ost their leaders some
their regiments, and all for the time being, seemed,
to have lost Their organization. la front of all these
the eolors OF the ls.h p,lnteG AID the quickly
rallied and formed short consultation among the Of
aceFs held Of action, after which,
small detachment of the llIh Mississippi, under the
oOmuAud Of Colonel Liide, formed in support Of the
right, and another from the 4ih Texas under Captain
roSusend, supported the LETT. Thus supported 81 the
command "FJrvri," the Is h moved steadily Up the
nil in tho very of DAlh liself As soon as they
discovered The enemy's cavalry made desperate
charge st the right vii which nigh! ava broken and
ruined the ins, had they been reoeiveV b much
Goodness and elaboration by the gallant Eeu composing
Companies a, and Q, commanded respectively by
Captains Oral, Stewart and Lieut. Callahan, who hdd
their fire until the enemy we're within good range and
then poured 10 deadly vOlley, that broke their 'front.'
brought down their kaier, and so discondsted them
that they charged their direction and erdeavOred to
make their escape, b.; bet2ro Toy pucseeded in
doing SO scores Of their saddles enpte-
and many q crippled stsed Lett hobSiOg Acrcti
the field, Just this charge was made the LETT
wing hkd u9 within range Of the guns, when one
of them delivered voiey Of ape full into the ranks
Of Company K, Instantly killing Lieutenant Dow;ez
and a man, and Wounditg lAlfdt4,n others. The
whole line halted deliver their fire. which they did SC
eie tuAy that ior moment the firing Of the battery
ceased ans to- i:T7 began TO fall baok' Sc eng the
opportunity, Colonel Eah ordered the charge and rush
inc 10 the lrnnI Int in ham NliYei ta hn-a nnnard