New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-17
A View or 'he Late Battle Field.
Correspondence Of The ". Y. Tribune.
MEAN FAN OAKS BATH. FIELD June

NEn. FAIR OAKS BATTLE FIELD June 10, 1 90
Rain again. Water, water everywhere, aud not
drop t. drink, ess YOU be past al qualms OF dirt
ana pcJwogs. Tie snusel last night gave no indica
tioDs OF storm, but about O'Clock this morning tie
rain commenced u ial, and kept steadily al 1t TIL
noon to-day.
The boom Of cannon was heard hero al day yes
terday, and at intervals during the night The
sound came from tie front, hut whether from gun
boats the james, or from the artillery on our or
The enepys advance lines, no could tell. Prob
ably our guns were sheiifs the Rebels out OF the
woods ahead. Wien we went TO bed, the exvsc,a-
ton throughout the camp was general that we wouu
he ordered 10 prepare Tor action at daylight in the
morning Nor would there have been much time
needed for the men 10 form. Disencumbered with
heavy baggage plenty rations ready for the hayer
sacks, the boys oil anxious to spopd their next SUI
day in Richmond the order 10 move on would be
joyfully received aud promptly obeyed. But morn
ing has and gene, and we are still here aud still
constantly expecting the summons to battle
l was not certain, therefore, when started out
some four bouts ago, to see what 1 could OF the
Battlefield Of Fair Oaks, that l sholld find the
regiment where my quarters at the place left il.
Ii one has never been over field where lately
uen had been engaged in sGnSunaiy contest, let BIN
not get bis first experience save III company with
somebody, white or black, man or animal. ] think
AN0uDoU WAS nOt 70 HUGH lUiiHtshtu WIN 'Hc tOf-
nado which overlook him in tie Western wilderness,
IA he was when he saw the frigLtful desolation it
bad made. AT first, lie WAS excited, Hurried, IN
manner beside himself and II WAS not TIL lie saw
the wild havoc, aud heard the birds sing, that the
depths Il his nature were reached. doubt whether
thcad have been more impressed had witnessed
the battle than was 10 day Tor the first hour Of my
walk. The trees We're everywhere marked with
The evidence of the fight. counted Ia distinct bullet
marks tree not more than four inches through
,.n1 s.14 Iafx tfntI had
such parks on sapling. The ground was thick
with limbs and tors OF trees CanteeIs shot through,
baversacss, not d few knapsacks, caps, cartridge
hoXes, hundreds of every garment OF a soldier,
broken guns, pistols, and swords, decaying horses,
and the graves Of tie dead, were everywhere 10 be
seen, more or less leuifuly according as you stood
where the ight ragged hottest or approached the
outer limits OF some iercey contested spot. Now,
YOU rass through the thick underground of pines, all
bearing the marks of bullets presently you emerge
into an open space where there had been camp,
and find it row graveyard; again you enter the
woods, pass again into field, cross point Of
forest yet again, and then come into that open
space where the first bavonet charge was COM
mendsd, and which is now slrewn with COO re-
nnders Of the red carnage Of that fatal Sunday. IL
is not more than mie and Il half from where now
write 10 the point OF which have just spoken, but
not to make the trip again in solitude on dark
rainy morning, with the cannon roaring couple
miles or so ahead.
Upon my return, fell in with two privates Of the
Glst Pennsylvania, who had been IN the battle
They showed nc the very spot whero they had first
fred: told lie whence The men on their .f. first
commenced to fall back, and took rae along then
line of retreat. till The retreat was STOPPED by sup
mort coming M. There were many dead Rebels
along the line. They were net placed IN graves
bnt i1er,ly covered with enuth. One poor fellows
head bad been left uncovered. aud lis skull was
now protruding, with hole in the forehead, and
another through the top. One had been covered
inst ar be had fallen, while IN the act Of drawing
ralnrod 10 load, and ho still clasped gun and ramuer
in his hands as was evident from the part Of
the gun visible. The mort of the Rebels were
buried In large pits. Our own dead were generally
buried separateiy. though close together and rude
head-marks now give the name and regiment TO
which each one belonged.
.,r,,tp pypr, rurp,Trrr
parora ra,,ed from my new PennsyIyania
f,;snds vs bsd become r,ubt we'll acquainted, and
,h;nI ibev lncw M once from ths yery ent OF INV
In ,hat I uas corr~snon9ent and each one gave
nc Pch., Latter he had "captured" one wss
ssor, Ii w Enmer, 20 Z" Dear Foss." and was
5asaJ a, g Cam UoIl;ns near Centreyille jan H.
1870 ;, II I. Yritten in nencil but In a beautiful
honJ arote an s,ecaut .Itrast or two; "Our quar-.
teIs arc bnilt on the battle-ground Of Boil Run, July
d-n Yankee, with one log stuck W IN the ar: