The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-10-03

adiutant general, Major Sedgwick, bravely
rallying and trying to reform the troops,
was shot through the body, the bullet
lodging in the spine, and fell from his
horse. Severe as the wound is, it is pro-
badly not mortal Lieut.. Howe, of Gener-
al Sedgwick's staff, endeavored vainly to
rally the Saith New York. They were
badly cut up, killed or wounded, their col
ors shot to pieces, the color-sergeant kill
ed, and every one of the color guard
wounded. Thirty-two were afterwards got
together.
Gen. Dana was wounded. Gen. How
ard, who took command Of the division
after Gen. Sedgwick was disabled, exert
ed himself to restore order, but it could
not be done there. Gen. Sumner ordered
the line to be reformed under fire The
test was too severe for volunteer troops
under such a fire. Sumner himself at
tempted to arrest the disorder, but to lit
tie purpose. Lieut.. Col. Revere and Capt
Audenried, of his staff were wounded Sc
verely, but not dangerously. 1t was i'm
possible to hold the position. Gen. Sum-
ner withdrew the division to the rear, and
once more the cOrnfield was abandoned to
the enemy.
French sent word he could hold his
ground. Richardson, while CALAMITY lead
ing regiment under heavy fire, was Sc
verely wounded in the shoulder. General
Meagher was wounded at the head of his
brigade. The loss in general officers was
becoming frightful.
At o'clock, affairs on the right had a
gloomy look. Hooker's troops were
greatly exhausted, and their general away
from the field. Mansfeld's were no better.
Summers command had lost heavily, but
two of his divisions were comparatively
fresh. Artillery was yet plying vigorously
in front, though the ammunition of many
of the batteries was entirely exhausted, and
they had been compelled to retire.
Doubleday held the right infiexibly.
Summers headquarters were now in the
narrow field where, the night before.
Hooker had begun the fight. All that had
been gained in front had been lost. The
enemy's batteries, if advanced and served
vigorously, might have made sad work
with the closely massed troops who were
unfortunately either partially disabled or
SiOll vi d1Iii!lttlllllOll. pulililtI was COlill-
dent that he could hold his own; but an
other advance was out of the question.
The enemy on the other hand, seemed to
be too much exhausted to attack.
AT this crisis Franklin came up with
fresh troops and formed on the left. Slo-
cum, commanding one division OF the
corps, was sent forward along the slope ly-
ing under the first range of rebel hills.
while Smith, commanding the other divis-
ion, was ordered to retake the cornfields
and woods which all day had been SO holly
contested. 1t was done in the handsomest
style. His Maine and Vermont regiments
and the rest went forward on the run, and,
cheering as they went, swept like an ava
lanche through the cornfields, fell upon
the woods. cleared them in ten minutes
and held them. They were not again re-
taken.
The field and its CHASTITY harvest which
the reaper had gathered in those fatal
hours remained finally with us. -Four
times it had been lost and won. The dead
are strewn so thickly that as you ride over
it you cannot guide your horses steps too
carefully. Pale and bloody faces are every
where upturned. They are sad and terri
BILE, but there is nothing which makes one S
heart beat so quickly as the imploring look
of sorely wounded men who beckon wea-
rily for help which you cannot stay to give
Gen. Smiths attack was so sudden that
his success was accomplished with no great
loss. He had gained point, however,
which compelled him to expect every mo-
ment an attack, and to hold which, if the
enemy again brought up reserves, would
take his best energies and best troops. But
the long strife, the heavy losses, incessant
fighting over the same ground repeatedly
lost and won inch by inch, and more than
all, perhaps, the fear of Burnside on the
left and Porter in front, held the enemy in
check. For two or three hours there was
a lull even in the cannonade Oh the right
which hitherto had been incessant. Nc
Clellan had been over the field after Sum
ner's. repulse, but had speedily returned TO
his headquarters. Sumner again sent
word that he was able to hold his position,
but could not advance with his own corps.
Meantime where was Burnside, and what
was he doing? On the right where | had
spent the day until two O'Clock, little was
known of the general fortunes Of the field.
We had heard Porter's guns in the centre,
but nothing from Burnside on the left.
The distance was too great to distinguish
the sound of his artillery from Porter's left.
There was no immediate prospect of more
fighting on the right, and | left the field
which all day long had seen the most OBJ
stinate contest of the war, and rode over
to McClellan's headquarters. The different
battlefelds shut out from each others view,
but all partially visible from the central
hill which General Mcclellan had occupied
during the day. But 1 was more than
ever impressed on returning with the COM
pletely deceittel appearances Of the ground
the rebels had chosen, when viewed from
the front. ..
HOOker's and Summers struggle had
been carried on over an uneven and wooded
surface, their own line of battle extending
in a semi-eircle not less than mile and q
half. Perhaps better notion of their po-
sition can be got by considering their right,
centre and left as forming three sides of a
square. So long, therefore, as either wing
was driven back, the centre became ex-
noSad tO q very danUerOuS enfiladinr fro