Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-07-11
Of battle at the westward, from which direc-
ton the enemy were advancing.

Of battle at the westward, from which direc-
ton the enemy were advancing.
The firing now become recessant. the ex-
plosion of shells constant and more terrific
from both lines, and the roar Of muskeiry,
mingled with the shouts and cheers of the
contending forces. If we could have seen
then, and estimated their strength or num-
ber, it would have been some relief, but they
were advancing, app arently, to within less
than a mile of our position, under cover Of
woods. 1t was very evident that our men
were driven in, and that, too, by an over
whelming force. At this juncture two Of
our gunboats, the Galeua and Aroostook,
moved forward some half mile and
opened fire upon the left with their Sd
Founders, the shells exploding in the edge
Of the woods along the line of hills where
it was supposed the enemy would attempt
to turn our left No doubt these terrific
missiles had an excellent effect in deerring
them from this enterprise, and in retarding
some Of our men might be hit, and signal
station was established on the top of an old
house overlooking the field, and also COM
handing view of the river. The firing
from the Galena was directed in front by
these signals. The Jacob Bell and also the
Aroostook fred several shells during the
last part of the battle.
i Meantime the contest ragged with terrific
fury along our whcle front and right. Ex-
ploding shells filled the air, and rifled sfot
screamed ever head. So thick was the
|'cloud of dust enveloping the field, II was
impossible, except from the sound, to de-
termine which way the tide Of the battle
ebbed or flowed. The gunboats kept up a
discharge of their heavy shells upon the
enemy's position. Provost Marshal Porter
meantime took charge of the disabled and
sick soldiers, ard conducted them to the
rear. A large number of stragglers filed
llthe road, who seemed to have bushes in an
opposite direction from that in which the
enemy was coming.
The Prince De Joinville, with the Duke
De Chartres and the Count De Paris, took
charge of dispatches for the government,
and Gen. Mcclellan accompanied them as
far as the gunboat Jaccb Beh, on board soi
|, which he bade them final adieu toward
evening. The crew manned the rigging
and cheered as the general reterned to head
quarters.
{ The Days contest wound up Wy . air'a
( inuendo OF musketry, and by dark all firing
! except an occasional shot had ceased. i
was to late to obtain any list Of killed OF
/ wounded, erin fact to learn definitely the
result Of the fight. The Jacob Bell went
down TO City Point, ordering upthe South
: field and all fhe other vessels lying below.
1t should be borne in mind that the wide
J bottoms along the river seperate the gun
boats in many places, some two miles from
} the forces operating on the hills. The gun
boats Galena, Maratanza, Aroostook, Ma
, raska and Port Royal, are near by, and
, ought to be able to render valuable assist
) ance to the army until it can be placed in
|, position to operate. The indications are
, that the enemy will continue to harass our
; position and give the troops no rest, day or
} night, until they have been dislodged, or
!, compelled to embark. Should affairs reach
the latter crisis, where are the transports to
J receive such an army ON boar d, with its i'm
! 'mense material of wari There are scarce
ly vessels enough now in the James river to
, take on board the wounded and sick, to say
nothing of the army.
The Jacob Bell having returned from
City Point, was dispatched, about 10 o'clock
p. m, to Fortress Monroe, with the Prince
de Joinville and companions, who, it was
understood, carried dispatches to the wal
department. When the steamer left, all
was quiet along the river, and it was sup
; posed that our forces we're holding their
position at Malvern Hills.
The results of this contest are not known,
The fight was most determined one on
both sides. Transports and steamers were
proceeding up the river; among them the
Wilson Small of the sanitary commission.
All their vessels will be needed to remove
the sick and wounded. Early arrangements
will no doubt be made by the government
for the recovery of the wounded from Saw
ages Station and from the battlefield al
: Gaines Hill.
Four carloads of ammunition sent up from
the White House on Thursday, for the use
of the siege train, was replaced in the cars
and the entire train, including the locomotive
was let loose to run down the railroad, ard
off the burnt railroad bridge into the Cbicka-
hominy. The whole train moved dJwn the
track, increasing in speed at every yard, and
when it reached the bridge went tumbline
into the river with terrible crash. A
small amount Of commissary stores and camp
equipage was destroyed at Savage's. The
larger portion of the army supplies were at
Fair Oaks. Here we were obliged to burn
vast ouanfities for the lack of TRANSFORMATION