, 1862-06-05

L.
t&ining tien. Nasscll On the center, and Gen.
Peck, with the remaining brigade, supporting
ten. Palmer on the left. When Gen. Casey'5
troops were forced to give way, the rebels fell
on these brigades Of Coucl's division, who
disputed every inch OF grouud, until sustained
By Gen. Kearney, pressing up the Williams
hurEh rold with rcinfOrcemcnts Is to meet them,
SUPPORTED By the division Of Gen. Hooker In
hls rear. Pressing rapidly forward General
hra1ney advanced along the Williansburgh
road to within short distance of our original
po:itien, where he biyouacked for the night in
trout Of the enemy.
It Was along this W1lliamsbursh road that
the main attack was made, and here eur troops
were forced back Tor half mile or more. be-
fore the arrival Of Gen. Heintze1man's corps,
the feeble brigadcs Of Casey's division, aver
aging less than 2, 900 men, being completely
broken up, many, if not most Of the officers
klllcd, wounded Or missing, and the priEates
scattered through the woods and along the
road. BrslEcly and well did Gen. Casey do his
duty, pressing On to the extreme front and
cheering On lis men, regardless OF the storm
Of fire and l!all that ragged about him, cutting
down h1s officers on Ill sides, but strangely
escaping bis own person. Bravely and well
did most Of his officers stand by him, until
one after another, they we're borne from the
held dead Of wounded.
TIE DISASTER AND ITS CAUSE.
Gen. Case5's division went into the engage
nlent only Elk thousand strong at the outside,
while the force OF the enemy was at least four
times that number. One cause Of the disas-
ter to Tic division vas owing to he great num-
ber Of officers rick and unit for duty. Some
OF the regiments went into the action with
Only one 1eld officer, aud very few Of the
companies contained their full complement Of
officers. The division has suffered more from
sickness than any other On the peninsula,
from the fact of its being composed of troops
raised last, some Of the reginents ia fact hav-
ing been IN the field but few days, while
The Other divisions had al opportunity, while
encampcd aro1ud Washington, TO get in
measure accli1nated and accustomed to camp
life. 'N w S'''1e
Besides the GuEs, Gen. Casey lost ill his
camp cquilage, his tents being pitched upou
Tue htld OF battle in 6ncl near proximity Of
the rebels as to render their loss inevitable in
case g, Of the slightest yielding OF his troops
The generals ii his division must also nave
lost their effects, which, fortunately were Of
no great value, ell the baggage OF the officers,
as well as the knapsacks Of the soldiers, hay
ing been come days before ordered to the 9th
eF E'de OF the Chickahominy, with the wag-
OBS, qaartermaster stores and everything not
absolutely indispensable. So the loss was
slight, except III the disappearance Of papers
OF considerable value, Which Wtre left in Tie
tGnts.
No man who knows Gen. Casey can do 9th
erWlsc than sympathize with him in the mis-
AoAtAASE VI A1hE~ASG AAu u1Ea5LEf WHICH nave
lett him with but the skeleton Of d division
no" able TO muster scarcely more, if indeed,
rs nlrrh, as The strength Of a brigade. Occu-
lying the Elost exposed position IN our lines,
Els raw troops found themselves in the battle
uf Saturday before they had fairly warmed to
THEIR work, subjected to musketry fire of
nofe than ordinary intensity, the balls pour
ing in upon item III constant shower, appa-
stntty from all directions, whizzng and buzz
Ing through the air with q murdero1s spiteful-
ness. Oyerborne a,y numbers, failing in sup
port, they gaye way, but not until they hat
hctd the enemy in check sufficient length
OF time to give our reserves an opportunity
to press forward to retrieve the fortunes Of
the day, which they did nobly, All that a
brave 1nan could do By personal exertion, Gen.
Casey did; and how we'll he Was second led b7
liE officers, LET the list OF casualties tell
GEN. SUMMERS ADVANCE.
Meantime Gen. Sumner had succeeded in
and vas advancing on the right to maintaia
our position there, where less ground had
been lost. After several days Of 1abor Gen.
sumner had thrown two bridges across the
ereek between Bottena's Bridge and New
Bridge, where local reports held it to be iul-
possible to lind any foundation for piles to
support the superstructure. One Of these
bridges was some two miles above Bettom's
Bridge, the other mile further up the stream.
The lover Of these Was carried away duriu.
the heavy storm On Friday night, and Gen.
Sumner was Obliged to depend upon single
eha6y structure for the passage Of Ills
troops who nearly all succeeded II crossing
that night, the head Of the column reaching
the nine mile road, along which the rebels
we're pressing our troops, at about seven
o'clock, holding the enemy in check for tue
night, preventing them from following up in
ihat direction the advantage .thay had gained
during the day
As the troops under Generals Heintzelman
and Sumner were seen coming up the railroad
and turnpike at double quick, every one
seemed to feel relieved and felt sure that now
the day WAS ours, and that the enemy,
&c driven back beyond our former lines
TEE FIGHT on SUNDAY.
Flushed with their seeming victory of Sat-
urday, the rebels awoke with confidence on
sunday to follow up their movements, sure
OF driving HIS this time to the ChickaAon1iuy
and beyond. But they had made the nnfor-
turate mistake Of estimating the strength of
our reserves BY the weakness Of our advance.
Pressing eagerly forward with confidence Of
ID Troops q Meinze@an ea oy snd 'hs suas3 araa
whose unyielding. columns checked their
neFee ne Sst,,s assut, turning the tide Of
Ing them at the point Of the bayonet on to-
ward Richmond. It was their turn now to
break and run, and their losses Of the Sabbath
LIFT them little cause Tor rejoicing over the
trjhing gain Of Saturday. Ter7ib1y II did the
rebels suffer on this, As well as preyi-
' ous day, from the well directed fire Of our ar
tille1y, piing the ground with the slain. Ter
rihlc n1so to them were the frequent charges
Of onr solid columns, pressing item back, step
by step, to the last point Of endurance, when
they broke and ran, inglorious1y leaying be-
hind them many Of their men and officers.
as well as prIyates, prisoners in our hands.