Daily Nashville union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1862, 1862-05-16
The Battle near Williamsburg
Revised.
HEINTZELMAN THE MARSHAL
NEY OF THE FIGHT.
Rockers Division and its Supports.
the Avengers Of Bull Run.

! II
the Avengers Of Bull Run.
WILLIAMSBURG, Va, May Z, 18G2-The
! physical impossibilitY Of dividing
man whose horse has been stolen, whose
top boots are on the feet Of a distant
thief, and who is near paralysis from
sleeping on the brick floor of a cellar
without blanket or overcoat (both strap
| ped TO the saddle of the horse) into
three or more editorial parts, each eff
cient for describing an extended line of
battle, will be the apology and justifica-
! ton for the meagre account Of the priH
| cipal part of the decisive action Of Will
liamsburg, sent by me yesterday TO the
readers of the Tribune. To do justice,
and to write history will now, on the
day after the fight say that in Hooker's
| Division and on the left of the Union
line, and under the fighting Heintzel-
mans generalship, was fought the battle
which has at last avenged BullSRun--
which has smitten the rebellion in Virgil
MIA with deep discouragement and great
fear-and has opened to the troops of the
North a pathway Gf need be,) TO the
Gulf Of Mexico and to reconstruction
of the Union.
The second line of the rebel defences
! above Yorktown consisted of thirteen
! formidable earth forts, within sure artil-
| lery touch of each other. One of them,
Fort Nagruder, was Of great strength
| Most of these forts were in front of
Heintzelman, and on his left. With the
exception Of Emory's cavalry and of
| - - 4 - r.
zelman fOrmed-bsar with the repetition,
for the sake of the clearness of state
ment--the extreme left. There was no
infantry whatever beyond him. Full
two thirds Of The Southern army en-
gagged in this important action, were
therefore massed against Heintzelman.
Between and o'clock, Hooker gave
through the down pouring rain the order
to drive in the enemys pickets. The
battle began.
The enemy were not in great force Our
| utmost numbers were 900 All IT these
we're exhausted With a Twelve miles march
lhrou2h tn most atrocious mud. ROADS that
can Disgrace the bnrblrism even of a Slave
State-with a twenty four hours' rain from
which they had no sbelter-with a want Of
food for which official negligence cannot
justly be imputed. But they went to work
with characteristic Northern resoluteness,
aud sent the Rebel pickets in flying. But
re-intorcements from Williamsburg began
TO come in immedately-the oldest aud best
troops in the Rebel army-most Of them Of
the Bull Run aud Manassas experience. At
Q, the enemy grew thicker aud more aggrcs.
siVe. Hook RS second and third bripa les
went 10, and we're soon followed by nOry'
cavalry and Bensnn's battery. The fight now
became furious. The great preponderAnce Of
The Rebels, with their carefully cultivated
contempt Of the courage OF Northern men,
impelled them upon our regiments with an
deciy and the characteristic rage OF their
civl'z alton The steaddess and pluck Of
the Northerners were what was expected OF
disciplined American troops. Our musketry
FIRE was terrible, Rapid In time and with
deliberate aim at the breast. il moved the
enemy in great swarths. The oldest Mexican
war soldiers on the lid noted IFS RAPID and
solid character. and said that they had never
aeen II cqual'ed. Il. however. began 20 eX-
haus the cartridge hOxss. Soon the equli-
brnm Of the fight was lost. and the results OF
HeiUizelmaus eKparisncfd eye, When he sc.
rived on the field at l2l, wore a doubtful
look 10 instantly sent to Kearney for re-
enioncements--'be buried an orderly to
> Gen. Summer % represent The instant ne
oe-siiy Of his re-entorcing him with more
, troops, or by a diversion 10 be made by an
! attack on his part on the ensmy's ceutec.
r To Kearney, Ia biz rear, full eight miles OF
be sent staff officer after staff ollcsr, TO bur
~ him 20 extraordinary Il rts to come up.
For a whole hour at a timi. b. was lett en-
tireiy alone on the field. His impotence
Ike Napoleous Tor the head Of Grouchy 4
colnmu at Waterloo, was so intense. that ia
i've minutes after the return Of bic messen
gers de repeatedly sent them back With new
entreates 10 Kearney 90 move quickly, 20
b save the unequal fight They did not come
ior tha rain had utterly. ruined the swamp
, road. The danger grew fast, aud began ia
. eliminate &C u O'Clock, when The enemy
made determined chsrgs With the blyon9i
On Hooker's Left with column OF O,OOC
= irc5d UooT5 Jusi up rom UTIiimsOurg
They. oi couCse, pushed our few exhausted
1 men back and captured six Ol0ur Geld pieces
; hree If which lhag succeeded iG Gas!ly cessy
= log OF TIL nature Of the ground was such =
covered with IN OK woods and bu-h--lhat
= we could NOT u.s. our ariillery With fall
Effect; bat iis ira compelled the Shouting
!. capt VS. 10 abandon three OF their prizes
= The loss OF these guns vas purely tbe re sui
OF the killigg "a their lhcers aud c1unnller.
D aud a iytrs aud horses iu Numbers suili lent
z 10 disorgauiZs lh sections ana mare esp'.
3 cially a. the tAhAlslion Vf The supply Il
o ammuuiuOu by lle supp rilnS inAniFy
= regiments be1i1d them. Here now com
mencei n @ d-fe'o pment of the crisis OF The
fight VOlleys 10 ball cartridges ciuno
long be geris.rd by he brlysst Of lbe BRAY,
holding 10 their grasp only empty gunbarrela
e Pressed harder add closer BY the new troops
3 that Johnston bad got up irom Williansburl
! Toe 7.h and 5 b Sew Jers gave grQuad
sai sOon IN toto disJgier e wa no