Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-07-02
The Great Battle.

June lS62-rdst armies on ench side-the Con-
teaeratts make the attack turious'y-driue Me-
CtetMnS forces before Mem-capture Of thou
sands Of Prisoners Great Confederate Victory!
For some weeks all eyes have been turned to
Richmond, and the coming off Of the great battle
there as the erent of the war; if not settle the
destiny of the Confederacy. The opposing force
was perhaps the largest, best equipped and best
provided force ever assembled on this continent
Every body knew that the Confederate force was
. large, but smaller than the enemy-more poorly
clad, provisioned and armed than the enemy yet
our army has been confident Of success and the
people Of the South have been assured of victory.
The long looked for event began on Thursday
last. The ball, it is said, was set in motion upon
McClellan's left wing, by North Carolina brigade
commanded by Gen. Branch. Soon other troops of
Gen. A. P. Hill joined in and drove back the foe
The troops of Gen. D. II. Hills and General Long
streets divisions followed suit, carrying the strong
redoubt of the enemy at Mechanicsve at the point
Of the bayonet. On brave troops pressed,
driving the enemy before them, capturing retloubt
after redou6t until the enemy had fallen back sew
eral miles. The cost in killed and wounded to US
was severe, causing many heart in our good old
State and the South to be wrung with anguish, but
our arms have been triumphant up to the period Of
this writing.
Of the battles on Friday, Saturday and Sunday,
but little idea can be formed, the accounts have
been meagre which have came to hand, and the dis
patches and rumors varied and contradictory. 1t is
however, certain, that wherever Sur troops have
come in contact with the enemy, he has been forced
to retreat, and our victories have been signal Yet
so far as see there had been no route of Nc
Clean's forces up to last accounts He had retired
before troops is said orderly burning and de-
stroying his stores &c, and in instances carry
ing off his wounded and dead Rumor has it that
from to 4, 6, s, 10000 Yankee prisoners have
been taken-75 to 200 pieces of artillery captured
among the prisoners 100 commissioned officers and
one Major General and two Brgadiers
The following are among the officers reported
killed and wounded from this State: Maj T. L.
Skinner of Perqumans, Col. r. P. Campbell of Ire
dell, Capt Jas. A. Wright of Wilmington, Lieut.
Duncan Haywood of Raleigh, 1t. Grandy of Oxford
and It. Miller, are named among the killed Gen.
Pender, Col. Stokes, Col. R;ddick, It. COL Nc
Dowell, Maj. Hammerskold Maj. Savage, Capt W.
A. Blount, Aid to Gen. Branch, and Adjt. Riddick
are named among the wounded
The following dispatches from friend Crutch-
field, of the Petersburg Express, were received on
Sunday, and contain, perhaps, as correct general
view of matters, as had then been made public:
PETERSBURG, Va, June 90, 1862.
W. W. HOLDEN, Esq.The great battle before
Richmond commenced on Thursday afternoon, at
half past three o'clock. 1t ragged without scarcely
an intermission up to Saturday o'clock, since
which time Mcclellan has offered us no regular front
of battle We have driven the enemy ii miles, ta
king Notifications considered impregnable- always
at the point of the bayonet
Several thousand prisoners reached Richmond on
yesterday-among them Gems. Reynolds, Simpson
and Rankin and 100 commissioned officers
Yesterday afternoon. Saturday at o'clock, Gems
jackson, Hill and Longstreet in McClellan's
rear having possession Of York River Railroad and
guarding every avenue of escape. The general i'm
preston is he will lie forced to capituate All ac-
counts agree that the Yankee army is utterly dis
comfitted, if not routed, and can make no show of
effective fighting.
The galantry of the Southern troops has never
been surpassed III the worlds history and the North
Carolinlans have immortalized themselves Gen.
Lee, who is in command reports to the President of
Fridays fight, that our victories were most signal
and complete. The loss of life among officers and
men very great Gen. Elzey, it was feared, was
MORALLY wounded. Col. Wheat, of New Orleans
was killed; COL Lamar reported killed, and Col
Lane, of the 2Sth n o. regiment, lost an arm. C.