Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1862-07-16
The Standard.
WAR MATTERS.

word in vour naper from soldier who was in
the late great battles be interesting to some eS
pecially those who have friends and relations IN
the regiment which the writer belongs, viz, SSth
Regiment n c. Troops On the 25lh of June our
regiment and large portion of our army before Rich
mond took up its march for the grand scene OF ac
ton; on in silent procession it went I'LL some III
o'clock, when Blankets spread and repose Ia
ken till the dawn Of Thursday aroused us. About
. o'clock ON that day, the 26th of June oar march
commenced. We passed the ChickahOminv, on tie
Meadow Bridge, which is little East of North from
Richmond; now the Yankee picketS commenced
fleeing for their lives leaving behind them oLcothS'
knapSackS, aaversackS, portfolios, books, ana every
Yankee notien ard trick imaginable. But soon 'l'e
booming OF cannon announced that 'he ioe was
going to meet US in deadly conflict Cur numerous
regiments thrown out in line OF battle attack
ins their extreme right. Nv IN goou earnest Tue
Yankee shells commenced flying and bursting IN
every direction around US; on our brave columns
advanced towards their laundering batteries; soon
our batteries opencd upon them and such awful and
terrific cannonadipg many "f Us never heard before
Onward moved our troops barring their breasts 10
this storm of Shells until the command came
.'tharge that battery" When this regiment charged
that one, and that regiment charged another one,
&C Then volley after vOlley of musketry was
poured into our brave ranks IN RAPID SUCCESSION
with frIghttu effect. Now We learned the horrors OF
war. The roar Of thousands upon thousands of mus
kerry added to the terrific laundering of be!chng
cannon and bursting shells, made the scene more
wild and awful than any ever witnessed by many OF
our brave boys but onward was our motto.
As it is only my purpose to say a word aoont our
regiment for the interest of those who connected
with 1t, | must be pardoned for not mentioning
others and the noble Fart they acted. Then our
regiment the 3Sth n. Q. T., under Col W. j.
Hoke, rushed forward according to orders to charge
battery. As We swept onward double quick,
perfect hail storm of lead whistied by and fell
around us from the Yankee entrenchmentS, made
for the protection of their battery. Before we
reached their entertainments our Colonel saw 1t I'M
possible to take the battery creek was between
US and it. and then in front of their bitches they
had cut down host of large pines in every direc-
ton, SO that it was impossible almost 10 crawl
among them, much less charge through them. Then
in addition to all that there at least four an
KEGS in their bitches shooting deliberately at u.s. to
one of u.s. trying under every disadvantage, to run
them out. So our brave and quick discerning Col
Onel seeing the muTderOuS fire poured into our ranks,
and the impracticabIty of capturing the battery,
Immediately ordered retreat which was executed
with as good order circumstances would allow,
our regiment only falling back out of range of their
guns In this charge regiment lost about one
hundred and fOrty-six in killed and wounded out OF
less than 400 who entered the actlonanother regi-
ment charged upon the same battery and shared the
fate Of ours, not even being aJle to get to
their entertainments for the Instructions thrown N
the way. But troops swept other portions of
the field and by flank movements we would have
driven the last foe from the field if the mantle of
night had not closed the We all slept upon
the field the dead and wounded around u.s. From
our little repose the dawn of the 9th called US and
again into line of battle placed. Our whole
brigade Pender's) now charged upon the same bat
terry throwing oursel under the protection of
our batteries, aid it amusing 10 them skip
ping from their Notifications and fleeing to the
bushes and ravines for shelter and protection from
the keen eyes even of our boys. Though our loss
heavy YET q general ShOut of victory went
from every heart as we stood victors upon the field,
knowing that thousands of Yankees were in STAIN
pede calling upon their young Napoleon" to save
them FROM the cold steel of our brave Southern
boys. The Yankees, you will recollect, were in
camp all along down the North side Of the Chicka-
honiny for miles their batteries and Notifications
fronting Richmond. Instead of crossing the river
in front of these Notifications, they expected.
commenced our attack, assaefDre stated. their
IRENE right; and having put them to flight in the
first fight. as We have described, We commenced our
march down the North side Of the river after thcm
passing through camps upon caap>, finding CON-
miSSaTy, quartermaSter and suffers stores in great
abundance, and all kinds of equipments, accoutrc-
Inents and ordnance stores, tn every Sjc-
cits OF Yankee tricks and notions On We marched
for hours without moisstari0n passing through this
Yankee city Of camps until about three "cinck in
the evening, when their guard resisted with
great bravery IN order to give the main body of
McClelianS army ii1e to form itself with the great
. est advantage. '" ne" tnc Young Napoleon was
ready the bloody tragedy was "ycaed ard the col
lison was awful Truly, thinks now. Greek has
met Greek. Ali seemed busy in this awful scene;
thousands upon thousands were barring the missiles
of death; it seemed as though the heavens were
raining bullets aud balls hundred were engaged in
carrying the wounded to the rear and Of am
balances were running conveying them away t. the
hospital Thus there Was the Communicating roar of
cannon and muSke;ry blending with the zroans of
the 1nangled and wounded until near dusk when all
this horrible noise of misery and death died awav
to be followed by the thrilling notes of praise and
loud shouts of victory That rung through hill and
dale from many Thousand hearts wild with tie JOY
OF victory. When our brave Southern BOYS made
the lasb grand charge which swept the whole field
and routed every Yankee that was able to travel
such yes and enthusiastic screams and shouts of
JOY never rose upon any field of victory Again we
slept VlctorS upon hard won field while the enemy
sought repoSe and safety, no doubt at a considera-
bic distance away. We then amused ourselves at
seelhS the 1ahKee prisoners pass on in regiments
companies, battaIl0nS and SouadS-all bound for
richmond. Saturday was spent in burving the
dead, both ours and the Yankees. Early S,bbath
morning we took up line of march for the South
side OF the ChickahOmlny all the enemy having
croSSed-a now on the South side of the river be.
tween 1t and the James. About 10 o'clock p NJ
Saooath evening, we spread our blankets under a
gripping SKY to catch few minutes repose after
tolsome march through a continued cloud of dust
curing the day. The gliding Of the western hill
tops by Mondays rising sun bid us pack up and
pursue our Yankee chase, which had been our daily
business since Thursday before Soon fell upon the
ears OF our almost WORKOUT boys the word fall in"
ana again our column moved off down the Chicka-
homIny. About o'clock p NJ our br;rodo mo-,
filed out in column by regiments in the woods near
the road and Immediately like incessant peas of
thunder from an angry sky, the enemies artillery
opened upon US from hill just in our front The
bowling shells flew thick among US; so ncessant,
FREQUENT uraS tbair
1t was Tor long time before our artillery could ret
IN position IN TACT, it accomplished very little in
TINS nght- The only chance being left us was to
drive them by the cold steel. So our brave bows
were spread out in line of battle and poured volley
t Gpon VoIsy ol muSketry upon them, charged upon