Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-07

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Capture of EIlyson's Mills!
THE BATTLE OF BEAVER DAN CREEK
TIE FIGHT .gT G.sEyBS MILLS
From the Richmond Dispatch, June 3O.l
When Cen A P Hill had steadily driven th'
enemy from MEADOW Bridge, and hsd taken NJ
the line of march toward MechanicSville anC
the road, evening had fer advanced, and was
supposed that halt would take place. Gen
Ripley, however, with the 44th and 4Sth GeOr
gia, and % and Sd North Carolina, made an at
tack upon the Yankee fortifcations at EIlyson'
Mills, ia which the 44th Georgia and ID North
Carolina suffered extremely, and did not succeed
! in taking them, owing to the impracheable na-
| tare of the ground. Operations were then sus-
/ pended on our side, but the enemy kept up a
desfenng roar of artillery till late IN the night.
| Longstreets forces had meanwhile crossed, and
marched parallel with the Chickahominy The
! brigsdes Of Gems. FeatheTstone and Pryor were
in advance, and proceeding some distance, halt
ed for the night.
About midnight Featherstone received orders
to change his position, and to occupy skirt Of
woods near Beaver Dam creek, and facing the
Federal batteries lie did so, and the men were
scarcely asleep when, twilight approaching, the
enemy discovered the bivouac, and Immediately
commenced 70 shell it vigorously. The men,
t TINS uncerimoniously y aroused, seized their mus
| kets and fell in;-ahd Gen. Featherstone, just
arrived from headquarters, led them to storm the
position-mounting ten guns, and supported by
/ two or three brigades. Sharp fighting now
commenced on ali sides, when Gen. Pryor sent
| for assistance, and Wilcox soon came upon the
ground. To cover the infantry attack, and
draw off the artillery fire. the Sd Richmond
Howitzers, some pieces of the Donaldsonville
| and Thomas Artillery, moved up and played
upon the enemy's position magnihcently Hav-
ing engaged the enemy for long time, and lind
inc Il impossible to cross the creek without
bridge, one was constructed by some of the 18th
Mississippi and 14th Louisiana, under fire when
the whole force advanced, and closed up with
the enemy, driving them in great confusion
from the field The difficulties of attack at this
position were such that it is impossible to give
a correct idea without maps-the battery being
on hight, fanked by rife pits, deep creek at
the foot of the hill, and covered with thick
hedge.
a DARING ATTACK.
The attack of cur men on this position was
impetUous and daring, bat the loss was great,
for the foe were so screened by their position it
was impossible 70 get at them properly. Their
loss was severe. Gen. Featherstone's adjutant-
general, Gao P. Foote, was shot while riding far
in advance of the 10Th Mississippi and although
hailed TO return, he did not, and was quickly
singled out and mortally wounded His body
was shortly afterwards found despoiled-wstch,
money and sword gone The 18th Mississippi
went out in the morning with 3g7 men, lost in
this engagement - killed, 63 wounded and 9
missing; the regiment was commanded by
Major w. II. Lilly, who was wounded while
leading charge-the colonel being absent and
sick, asd the lieutenant colonel wounded. The
I9th Mississippi went into action with 52l men
81 killed and $50 wounded. The ID Mississippi
battalion, Col. Taylor, went into action with
234 men, and had 30 killed and wounded. The
loss Of Pryor's brigade we have not learned
but hear that the 24th Louisiana and the rem
nant of St. Paul's battalion suffered severely
Wilcox being in support, did not lose many.
The general speaks in high terms of the execu-
eutiOn of our field pieces in this attack, the 81
Richmond HOwitzars, some of the Donaldson
vile sad Thomas artillery, having caused great
destruction among the enemy, and with slight
loss to themselves. The Tapidity OF their fire
quite astonished the Yankees and could be dis
tinctly heard over all cur city, long before dawn
had fairly broken.
FIGHT AT ELLYsoN's MILLS.
While Featherstone, Pryor, and Wilcox were
thus successfully engaging tie enemy on the
right Of our advance, Gen. -Maxcy Gregg and
bis brigade were also hard at work, and success.
fully stormed the strong position Of EIlyson's
Mills, and took up the line Of march on the left.
They did not advance on the Mills by the road,
as had been done on Friday evening By Ripley,
but simply made feint in that direction, crossed
the main body higher up the creek, took the re-
doubts and rife pits on flank, carried them with
the baycnet, pushed through the camp, and fol-
lowed the road toward Gaines Mills, whittier
the enemy were retiring.
At GAINES MILLS.
From prisoners captured at both positions
who proved to be of the Valley srmy-it was as
certained that we might expect stout resistance
at Gaines Mills, since three or four whole divis-
ions were strongly encamped there, Mcclellan
commanding in person, with Major Generals
Mccall, Porter, Sedgewick, and otheTg-their
estimated force being not less than thirty odd
thousand men. AS our three columns msyed by
parallel lines, we followed and conveTsed with
prisoners, who informed US that their loss on
Friday at Meadow Bridge, MechanicsviIle, and
Ellyson's Mills, had been fesTful, and that the
whole night had been occupied in burial. The
Federals carry of al their dead aud wounded,
as fast as shot, and we only discover those who
fall and are left at the actual moment Of retreat
The information we believe to be correct.
The heads of our three columns having reached
Walker Hogan's farm north bank of the Chick
ahoIniny. about nine miles northeast of Rich
mond, all came to halt, and Generals Lee and
Longstreet took up quarters in the house and
made dispositions for further advance toward
Gaines mills distant about one mile through
the woods. Featherstone's brigade having suf
fered much in the morning, Wilcox led, being
followed by Pryor and Fe2therstoae IN reserve.
The composition of Wilcoxs command is mostly
Alabsmians Pryor has the l4th Louisiana, st.
Peul's battalion, Sd Virginia, and one other reg-
ment; Featherstone has The 18th and 18th Mis-
sissippi, and I'd Mississippi battalion.
CHARACTER OF THE GROUND.
Emerging from the woods the road leads to
the left end then to the right round Gaines
house, when the whole country, for the area of
some two miles, is an open, unbroken succession
Of nndulating hills. Standing at the north door
of Gaines house, the whole country to the right,
for the distance of one mile, is a gradual slope
toward a creek, through which the main road
rlns up an open hill and then Winds to the right
Ia front to the left, are orchards and guileys,
running gradually to deep creek. Directly in
front, for the distance of a mile, the ground is
almost table land, suddenly dipping to the deep
creek mentioned above, being faced by timber
covered hill fronting all the table land. Beyond
this timber.co hill; tie country is again
open, and perfect platesu, farm house and
outhouses occupying the center, the main road
mentioned winding TO the right and through all
the Federal camps
To the left and rear of the second mentioned
farm, read comes in upon the fat lands, join
! ing the main road mentioned Thus, to Ieca-
pitulate, except the deep creek and timber
! covered bill beyond it. the whole country, as
seen from the north door of Gaines house, is un-
broken, open, undulating, and table-lsnd, the
right forming q descent to the wood-eoyered
creek, the left being dips and gulhes with dense
tiberstil farther to the left the front being for
the most part table-land. These particulars Of
The position are as correct, perhaps, as can be
mentioned; butwithout a map it viii always
hs fIifctlk TO understand the topography of this