The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-06-12

the service that regiment rendered that day Ii scat
tered everywhere and members OF IT, well OF other
regiments were seen wandering down towards Bot
toms Bridge during the whole afternoon. Some went
even further, and have not returned their encamp
msnt yet.
General Vessels brigade also distributed In line
OF battle. The Nneysxth New York, Colonel Fairman,
ordered to the front. The One Hundred and First
Ponnsylvania Lieutenant Colonel Morris, followed
speedily and took up position tho right, while the
Eighty nth Pennsylvania occupied the re pits the
left OF the Richmond road, the One Hundred and Third
Pennsylvania having previously gone far in front and
melted away before the enhading FIRE which the enemy
had fastened round il.
General Pamer's brigade was likewise placed 10 posi-
ton. The Eighty-hrst New York sent to the left
to depoy in the open nsd the Ninety eighth and Eighty
nth New York went into the rife pits and the Ninety
second New York. having the immediate ground loss
than two hundred men, went or to the right.
BATTLE BEGUN.
The enemy seen coming down in tremendous force
IN three separate lines The first line would fire and
fall then the second and then the third and By that time
front line had reloaded advanced and ready to
Gre again. Thus q continuous stream Of death was
poured upon At the first fire Lieutenant Colo
mel De Forest, the Major and several officers OF the
Eighty first New York. fell dead upon the ground. Lieu
tenant Colonel Welman. Of the Eighty fifth, and Colonel
Hunt Of the Ninety second, disabled. all tho fold
officers Of the One Hundred and Fourth were lost and
many or tho officers, well scores Of privates In
other regiments, were killed and wounded
In the meantime bat -eries had opened fire on the
enemy, and the rapid roll Of musketry was doing not
less execution in his ranks than In General Nag
ee and Colonel Bailey Chief OF Artillery in the division,
who had been down Chickahominy experimenting
the construction Of bridges shortly arrived The
General advanced to the front and exhortcd his men to
fight like heroes and stand their ground General Casey
also the spot and continued TO send for reinforce
ments which furnished by General Reyes until he
could spare without weakening tho second line.
The main portion Of these troops held their ground for
perhaps couple OF hours, while the enemy was still
sweeping down like torrent upon them All did not
stand, however. for the ranks being constantly
thinued well by those who shamefuy deserted their
posts by those who shot down.. In this just
but necessary implication officers largely included.
The reply to those who endeavored to rally
the was, eve following ofcers;' or "Our
officers are killed. and the regiment is cut to pieces be-
tho rebels came down in tremendous force upon
u.s. Then the guns in the redouDt and two other pieces
which brought up poured in destructive fire into
the advancing enemy. The One Hundred and Fourth
Pennsy lvania and Eleventh Maine fol- back fighting with
three pieces Of Captain Sprats battery, one Of them
being left because the horses had killed The Fifty
mel De robsiand being sck brought up by General
Naglce placed the right Of the road and, with the
others fought best they could for nearly an hour
Colonel Bailey who forward give. directions for
spikng the guns it should be necessary TO leave
them shot dead, the ball passing through his head
Soon his Major CYAN valkenburg), who was attend
ing to similar service, was also killed. General
Naglee, in order to two batteries which
were the right Of tho Richmond road, ordered them
to the The proogues were so arranged that the
gunners retired firing with their pieces. AT the same
time the guns in the redoubt ordered to open with
grape and canister, but the ammunition having been
expended the horses killed. and the supporting troops
having retired there alternative but 10 spike
them. This was only partially accomplished. for subse
quenty when the redoubt captured two Of thu guns
were turned against 1t then that some Of our
cannon were taken.
GENERAL coucHs DIVISION
encampeA half mile in the rear, had in the meantime
gotten into action Captain Brady's battery and two
regiments Of General Abercrombe's brigade had been
detached before the battle to guard Fair Oaks station In
the begnnngof the action Gen Gen Pecks
brigade and placed the road connecting the Richmond
road with the Charles City road to guard LETT
nank. With this brigade and portion OF the remainder
OF Gen COUGHS division Gen. Ksyes formed his second
line Of battle. The Ninety third Pennsylvania, Col
McCarter the front the left OF Gen. Ca
seys position, and held his ground until compelled to
fall back with the others. part Of Gen. Psck's
command bravey held the approaches to the Richmond
road the left while Of his regiments Ohe Sixty
second had been sent to Gen. Couch at Fair Oaks
station and another tho Ninety eighsh) away with
Gen. Slovenian.
Gen Devins' brigade was also prepared for action.
About O'Clock the Tenth Massachusetts, Col Briggs,
led BY Gen. Devns and placed the rife pits the
right of Capt McCarty's battery and on the
left Of the Richmond road. The Thirty sixth
New York moved up the road, and, filing
to ths right, three companies placed In
the rifle pits while the remaining five companies lay
down the open field in front Of Captain Floods art
lsry. Soon Afterwards the Tenth moved forward
TO the fallen timber from which it was soon driven
back into the rife pits and subsequently taken by Gen
Reyes TO the right General Downs was wounded by
ball in the thigh and the Tenth regiment became con-
sderably scattered The First Long Island, Col Adams
about the time took MP position still further to
tho right in the rifle pits In front Of Captain MIXERS
battery Afterwards 1t removed towards the railroad
meet advancing force and, being aanked by supe
body OF rebels, after losing nine officers killed and
wounded Of twsnysi engaged, was compelled TO
fall TO the rear
RUSHING
Our forces in front had been holly engaged for
least three hours with the fresh regiments Of the enemy
which could be coming down In overpowering
numbers, and the skrmishers pressing forward like
dense cloud few Of the shells from
of batteries in the had burst the rife
pits. This had the effect of multiplying the dsadvan
taaes and increasing the stampede among our men
General Naglee, about four O'Clock finding few of the
Fifty sixth New York, and four companies OF the
Eleventh Maine, which had retired, placed them in
slight depression the ground between the Richmond
road and tho railroad Colonel Van wyck had been car
ried from the Ged, 81 was thought, severely
| wounded, though afterwards his injuries, IL any,
found TO be slight The Eiftysixth and Eleventh
then near the First Long Island They had been
thsre than half hour when the fearful fire from
the enemy sweeping down on right and left, together
with IRE from the redoubt which he had cap
.ured rendered perfectly impossible them stand
and they retired in confusion. AZ this time fragment
OF the One Hundred and Third pennsy came along