Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-07-04

July Srd, 1852.
To ns Editor Of ds Wig:
To see without attempting Any record Of what is seem
has been large labor for several Gays. On Tuesday
morning, rode ever the battle 6eld Of the previous
day. and everywhere struck with the stubborn re-
sstAncs Of the foe, but mine mission Of mercy
and not Of idle ourosity did not attempt to anAyEs
the sld With ths eye Of military critic, suffice 1t TO
say that the ls and centre Of the enemy position YES
well adapted to rcpt the onset OF our gallant soldiers
Here In unbroksn 'front.' the artillery Of the foe stretched
across the ld sweeping the naked front with bosom
Of destruction This position, defended also BY heavy
forces Of Infantry by imprOmpu defsnces OF
rails brush and other tlmbers rested its left on sWanP
90 that our troops we're compelled In order to dsodge
them, to advance directly to the 'front.' did not St
tempt to learn The Bgades that distinguished them
selves here AnasIsohs Brigade of Loogsreets Division
left sufficient DembsF Of It's gallant dead upon the
ground to attest the determined valor with which it
fought. No doubt soma one knowing the fscs will
do it justice. oos Z gimea Of Picketts Brigade,
though lcsicg bHi few killed, made furious charge,
after having d. ul,R qlCked for mile, broken and
rallied sgain bui the men were - much exhausted
tbas after the fsId uss WOn and the h'g, the 2s'h
Va, waved proudly over the fsllen foe, Lieut'COl
W1.- Watts. oonima aiOsr shOsshOsss HAS wounded,
could not count as many as twenty men in bis com
maud The gal,ntry ard endurance Of Lieut. Grsyb
conspicuous The enemy lost eighteen pieces OF Ar
tillery, thousands Of small arms, 81, and while our
dead we're numerous, theirs was tWofold greater.
searched the bushes and sEsups for our wounded,
and succeeded in re Cung several Of them from their
dsagreeable position.
The wounded mereensies Of Lincoll expressed great
gratitude for the kind treatment they met with from cur
soldiers They did no; expect H. they have been ssught
10 believe that cur troops would take 6endish delight
il insulting ave even in butchsring wounded prisoners
But to the honor Of our soldiers they as msrciful
~ they are brave.
Whilst mui z over this scene CT devastation and
slaughter nv attention reused by furious cannon
Ade to the SOUTH in the direction of James River Just
a, this moment cloud Ct dust the centre Of the
battle field announced tho fact that Hugers division wa
vending its way along to the scene Of action To ore
accustomed 70 seeing only the conquerng eSons Of the
Potomac and the Shenandoah it was easy TO tell that
they had seen but litle fghtiOg They bad no Yankee
guns nor blankets or overcoats They got plenty OF
them next mernng Louder end louder grew the sounds
Of the battle which 'rembtd 10 begin" Nov 1t lula,
fia,er weaker row the heavy booming Of the Yankee
gInboats is heard row the artillery roar again At4,
P n, the battle is fairly lined. The crash Is deaen'
ing The shot and shell from the enemys numer.
Gus artillery posted on rising ground sweeps the iron!
with destructive accuracy OF aim, perhaps unparAle
ed in the history Of warfare in other words they had
the range exscly Our batteries we're ordered forward
through the timber to reply to them. Several splendid
noaitinn the OnaIru
Of their fire was simply signal for their epuss, for the
uhoe artillery force o. the enemy would instantly opea
and concentrate its re upon each Of batteries as
fast a. they successfully got into position and they
we're thus succesvsy dssoed With great rapdity Our
infantry vas ordered forward their ranks broken,
bat on they went slowly but s:ubSornly hyh;ing their
Wsy to within short distance Of the batteries. Here
they we're met b. clouds Of the Yankee infantry, ard
the roar Of musketry became continuous, relieved orly
~ the louder eru.h Of cannon and thus the fight con
;uued without any very decisive results till after 9, P.
" tour serves not brought into the fghl When,
As if by mutual consent the cot ct closed. When day
"a, came TO reveal the bloody field, the enemy vas
found to be in full retreat Oar dead aud theirs lay
scattered over tue 6slG In vast numbers. NaDgled,
bleeding, dead and dying ewCssees, in every hideOus
shape Of contor1n and misery gAruished this bsrqld
Of DEATH which the Imagination may well conceive
ID, griGl.visaged monster might afford to smile with
a once stated appetite.
The Iunber Of apparently able bodied soldiers strSg
cir about is very great They must feel very sheep
So. Ia after yesrs, wonder Il they will say "u' in
spss King of the great bAuIss OF the ChckAhOrliuy
SPECTATOR
PS-At Pm cur army Sss moving in four
columns in pursuit Of tbs enemy, who was by that time
On the bar of James yer.