Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-09-05
The Battle on Monday Night - Heavy
Loss in Gen. RenO's DivisiOn-'rhe 2Ist
Massachusetts, Again in the Field.

Correspondence OF .he New York Tribune
WASHINGTON, Sept 3.-The battle on Mon
day night between Gems. Reno and kearney
upon our side, and the rebels, was fought
three miles to the rear of Centervile and
about mile to the right of the Centerville
road. 1t was a complete victory on our side,
but dearly bought by the loss Of Gen. Kear-
ney and Gen. Stevens. Gen. Reno's division
had been posted there during the day, to OBJ
serve the rebel movements. The approach
of the enemy was ascertained in the after
noon, and Gen. Kearney was ordered to adj
vance to Reno's support. The enemy were
attempting to turn our right flank, and in Or
der to move more rapidly had left their artillery
behind them, and were advancing over the
fields. Their movement threatened both flank
and rear, and, if successful, would probably
have placed them at Fairfax Court House,
and once more broken Pope's communication
with Washington. They attacked Gen. Reno
about o'clock in the afternoon. The en-
gagement between him and the rebels cOntin-
ued for about an hour before the arrival of
our reinforcements.
Gen. Reno had posted his troops with his
right resting against wood. Gen. Stevens
division was upon the left, Reno himself hold
ing the right. After the line of battle was
formed, the enemy attempted to turn Gen.
Reno's left flank. Gen. Stevens, to anticipate
and prevent this movement, advanced at the
head of his division to the attack. The enc
my were posted in a corn field, and on the
further side of it partially protected by the
woods. In the center of the field was a ra-
vine, into which Gen. Stevens advanced. As
he was leading his column some distance be-
fore reaching the enemys line, he was shot
dead by bullet through the head. His
1ie,on al b,,b 10
eddy outnumbered fell back in considerable
disorder. Gen. Reno found himself at this
period without any support upon his left, with
his troops mostly out of ammunition, while
the enemy were approaching in heavy force
upon the left flank, and threatening to turn
his position and cut his forces in two.
1t was at this jjuncture that Gen Kearney
arrived upon the field. The night was very
dark, the rain falling very heavily, with ter
rible storm of thunder and lightning. 1t was
nearly impossible to discover at once the eX-
act position of the enemy. On the exposed
left flank of Gen. Reno they were supposed
to be advancing, and Gen. Kearney detaching
one brigade to the left, rode forward to make
reconnaissance in person. He was told that
there were no troops OF ours in front of the pO
sltlon which Gen. Stevens had held, and that
through the Gap the rebels were rapidly adj
fdClilS put, uiSISSdIulIlS VI ulSD6llGNllS the
information, went forward, accompanied only
by an orderly, and coming suddenly upon the
rebel advance, was shot dead His death re-
manned unknown until the following morning,
bnt as he did not return to his command, and
was supposed to be Il prisoner, Gen. Birney
took command OF the division and arranged
the order Of battle. Gen. Reno had at this
time Withdrawn entirely from the fight, and
Gen, Birney found the enemy in front of him
considerably to the left of Reno's original po-
sition, and even threatening to turn his own
left flank.
Our dead were buried, and the wounded
carried off the ground. Some prisoners were
taken from the enemy. Among them were
the adjutant general of Gen. Jones and his
chief of ordnance. Our loss in killed and
wounded in Gen. Birney's command was
about 200--among them Major Tilden of the
3Sth n Y, who was MORALLY wounded, and
died Immediately after the victory. The en-
emys forces consisted of parts Of the divis-
ions of Gems. jackson, Ewell, and Hill
numbering from 10000 to 10000. The bat
tie was fought upon our side after Kearney's
arrival entirely by Gen. Birney's brigade.
Gen. Birney's conduct was distinguished by
great skill and gallantry. With less than
5000 troops he restored the fortunes of a
fight in which greater numbers on our side
had already been worSted, and then by his ad-
mirable disposition of his troops, and their
steadiness and courage, drove three times his
own strength from the field and held it for the
night
The loss in Gen. Renos division is estima-
ted at 1000 men. The names of the following
officers Of the 2lst Massachusetts, regiment
appear in the list of killed: Col. William S.
Clark of Amherst Lieut.. Col. Joseph p. Rice
Of Ashburnham, Major George P. Hawkes.
Of Templeton Capt. Ira j. Kelton of Holden.
Priyates VIM. Cohen of Clinton, and Fred. s.
Fairbanks of Holyoke, Of the same regiment
are named among the wounded.