The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1862-07-03
Arrival Of the Schr. Fanny and
Bark BOreaS.
BATTLE BEFORE
Of General Beauregard
from COrinth!
CHARLESTON, S. c., SURROUNDED

touched AZ this port on the morning Of the 9th ult,
Is days from San francisco, en- route for Shanghae,
and left the American mails and Expresses. for which
the public are under obligations to Capt. Turner.
On the afternoon Of the same day, the Hamburg
bark Boreas arrived, II days from the same port,
bringing Il mail and later adyices.
From our exchanges, we condense the following
summary Of Eastern news
Affairs in Virginia.
THE BATTLE BEFORE RIcHNoND.-On Saturday
morning, May 81, in the midst Of "A great storm that
flooded the valley Of the Chicklhomiuy, the rebels
DASHED hrercely upon the advance guard Of the Union
army which had crossed over the westerly side Of the
Chicklhominy creek, 9 miles from Richmond. The
first line Of our advance was the Division Of Gen.
Casey. 1t rcelcd before the shock, fell into contu-
sion. gave way, and its guns and baggage were lost.
But Generals IIeiutzelman and Kelrney brought up
their troops ga!lantIy, and checked the progress of
the enemy, while Generals Selwick and Richardson
brought up their forces across the river, and at the
point Of the bayonet turned back the tide, driving
the rebels into retreat, and covering the ground with
the dead. General Hem tzelman's division coming
no charged the rebels with the bayOnet, driving
them back like sheep, and regaining the ground,
except half a mile, when night closed operations.
Gen. Summers two divisions then crossed the Chick
ahoniny, at 8 O'Clock 7. NJ, on Saturday, taking 4
position on Heintzelman's right. Here they encoun-
tered General LOngstTeet, Rains, and IIuger's divi-
visions. composing the flower of the rebel army.
The fighting was desperate, every inch being holly
contested. The enemy stood fire, but in every
instance fled before the bayonet. These two divisions
did nobly, defeating the rebels at every point.
The country in which the battle was fought is
swamPy, and most Of the Sighting was done III the
woods; and owing to the nature of the ground, very
little artillery was used. Four seperate bayonet
charges we're made on Sunday. In one instance the
enemy were driven II mile, during which 175 rebels
were killed with the bayonet alone. The enemy's
dead lett on the field number over 200. We have
taken over 500 prisoners. The fight on Sunday COM
menced ut daylight b. Gen. Sumner, and lasted
nearly the whole day. The ground gained by him
was over TWO and IA half miles.
\ dispatch from Gen. Mcclellan Yesterday saws
the rebel officers were unable to rally their troops On
the morning of the p, and have retired toward Rich
mond, and our men moved forward to Fair Oak, five
miles from the city. JET. Davis and Gov. Letcher
were both at the fight.
Every one seems sIuguine of the fall of the rebel
capital when our troops advance for an engagement.
The fight on Saturday and Sunday seals the fate of
the city. They threw the main body of their army,
composed OF their best troops, on our left, with the
view to crush it. and were defeated after two days
hard fighting. and forced to retreat.
During the whole time Of the battle before Rich
mOud, every movement of the enemy was reported
from I balloon, 1000 feet in the air, which connect
ed with headquarters and Mcclellan by telegraph.
This is believed to be the first time that n balloon
reconnaissance was successfully made during battle;
certainly it is the first time that n telegraph station
was established Ill the air to report movements of the
enemy and the progress of battle.
\ dispatch from Gen. McClellan's headquarters
says two deserters just in, report that General Joe
Johnston was seriously wounded through the groins
by Il rhinie bali during the battle, and Gen. G. W.
Smith now commands. Other intoI nation corrobo-
rates this. Ii is also stated that the rebel loss is
estimated at 10000 killed, wounded and missing
No material change has occurred in the enemy's
position.
y contraband who left Richmond, yesterday, rep
resents that the city is in a terrible confusion. Nc
troops in the city except those doing guard duty. and
no sign of evacuation. Everything shows the inten-
ton of determined resistance. 1t is rumored that
Magruder intends TO resign.