The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-06-11

ourselves exposed TO cross trlng from
front, rear, and left flank "A few well
directed volleys to the front, disposed of
that, and few on the left put things to
rights in that direction also. Soon We saw
the Rebels in full retreat not disdaining
to take the step sometimes designated
as ''Double Quick" but of the firing in
our rear we did not know what to make.
One thing we knew. The bullets from
that direction few uncomfortably close to
our noddles, but that they came from
Rebel guns was by no means certain.
This was predicament, and being un-
willing to fire Oh friends, the only altern-
ative was to lie down. taking the precau-
tion to "face by the rear rank" and await
'the course of events" We were deter
miued not to FIRE until we saw "Gray
coats" and happily, they did not appear.
Soon came the order to withdraw from our
position Facing to the right we marched
in good order to our camp of the morning.
Of the sights which we saw on the field
of battle we could ill pages giving you
details, but we forbear We have notaste
for such horrible sights as we there wit
messed Suffice it to say we never saw
such sights before. aud God grant that
we may never behold the like again. The
dead were piled four and five deep.
The general conclusions deduced from
the fight are these The Rebels on the
field had force greatly superior to ours,
apparently well disciplined, we'll clothed,
and far better armed than we were. Their
killed and wounded showed them to be
principally young men, in the prime of
life. From prisoners we CLEAN that they
were heavily reinforced on Saturday night
from Richmond That they had conf
IDENTIFY expected we would fall an easy
prev. Their Gen. (Magruder) had told
them McClelIan's right wing was cut of,
and they could easily finish US, that Gen.
Jackson was in Baltimore, and that with
us whipped at this point they could easily
capture Washington. We have no doubt
of this being true Early in the morning
we heard cheer after cheer in their camp.
After the commencement of the battle IRE
did the cheering. Here let me say that
the rebels cheer with a faint, sickly sort
of shout, there doesn't seem to be any
heart in it. When we give one it comes
right from the heart, and indeed it does
ones soul good to hear the Union boys"
give one good, lusty cheer.
Prisoners state that at three different
times the7 had US surrounded or nearly
so, but that each time we fought our way
out. We fought mere like devils than
men. It would seem from persons found
dead on the field, that our front had to
coutend with four different Regiments !;
at all events two Colonels were found
dead fronting our line, one Col Lomax
of an Alabama Regiment One of the
prisoners, Sergeant, said the 23d Ala
bama was played out Many of the
prisoners did not know of the capture Of
New Orleans. 1t would seem that their
leaders rely solely on misrepresentation
to induce their men to come up to the
scratch"
Of the casualties of our Company |
will give you the correct detail up to this
hour. Killed, uCne wounded, Sergeant
5. f. Hamilton, in ankle, slightly; Corpl
Edison Hyde, in arm, severely though not
very dangerously; privates, Chas. Ii.
WesttalI grazed side of head Nelson l..
Cobb, confusion on back from spent ball,
not serious; Uriah T, Glase, in arm, from
buck shot, flesh wound Ira Baxter, IN
head, not thought dangerous; Orman
Blackman, in face, very painful wound
but not thought dangerous Asa Toombs,
in breast, severe, not dangerous; Decatur
Wykof. fingers shot off /; Raymond Cal
houn, dangerously wounded, probably will
not recover. None found missing. A
number of the boys had what we call
''close calls" but were not hurt. Capt.
Jones we believe had his whiskers cut
slightly by one Of the enemy's leaden
compliments, but sustained no injury
Col Brooke had his horse shot from un-
der him; Major Yeagher was shot thro'
the head Adjutant Hatch was taken
prisoner aud for some half hour was IN
the hands of the ''Rebs" who took his
sword from him, but as we pressed home
on the "Secesh' he watched his opportu-
nifty, and as they retreated he effected his
escape The Adjutant represents eur
fire as being rather too close for comfort,
says the Rebels hunted their holes with
rapidity Gen. Sumner says we fought
bully, and gave the Rebels an awful
thrashing, and we say "bully for the old
General We believe the estimated
killed and wounded on both sides is ten
thousand. We do not vouch for the cor
rectness of this as rumor (not much of
criterion by which to go) is our only au-
thority. We hold possession of the bat
tie field, but are required to hold our
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