Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-07-02
Heavy Fighting Before Richmond
Bravery of the IRISH Brigade.

Bravery OF the lr1Sh Brigade.
From the Geographic columns of the
Cleveland papers, we copy the following
account of the battle before Richmond on
Thursday and Friday last.
Thursday about noon the enemy made
an attack upon Gen. Stoneman's forces in
the vicinity of Hanover Court House, prob
ably for the purpose of accomplishing an
o~utflanking movement on the right and
to engage our attention in that direction,
and shortly afterwards they commenced
a vigorous ~cannonading from their works
on an eminence opposite Mechanicsville,
about ode and a half miles distant. Also,
from two batteries, one above and the
other below.
They were replied t o by Campbell's
Pennsylvania BATTERIES on picket duty,
one OIL the Mechanicsville road, another
from behind earthworks at the right OF a
grove. About 2 p. m. the enemy's in
fantry and squadrons of cavalry crossed
the Chickahominy in immense force u
short distance above the Virginia Central
X. R., making a rapid advance toward
Gen. McClellan's Division, who were en-
trenched on a hilly woodland across a
swamp ravine about a mile in the rear OF
Mechanicsvilie.
The First Pennsylvania Rifles, Buck
tails, Campbells Pennsylvania Battery
were on picket duty, all of whom, except
one company, fell back behind the breast
works and rifle pits, where a line of battle
was drawn up. Company K of the Buck
tails. who were on picket beyond the rail-
road, were surrounded by the enemy and
the last that was known of them they
were trying to cut their way through
1t is presumed the greater portion were
taken prisoners.
The enemy advanced down at the rear
of Mechanicsville on a low marsh ground
to where u forces were drawn up behind
rifle pits and earthworks on an eminenee
on the nOrtherly side of the ravine, where
the conflict became most terrible.
The rebels, with the most determined
courage, attempted to press forward over
miry ground. but the bullets and grape
shot fell among them like hail, moving
them down. This continued till dark,
when they Withdrew. The cannonading
was kept up on both sides until about 9
o'clock p. m, when the battle ceased.
ON forces were covered by earthworks,
and suffered but slightly. Late in the
afternoon the enemy made q charge with
cavalry. About 100 of them came rush.
ing down and attempted to cross the IA.
vine, when the horses became mired. A
squadron of our cavalry, seeing their DO
%sition, made a charge down the hill, when
the cavalry men abandoned their horses
and fled.
The infantry fight was then renewed
| on1 occOr1inr 20 tho gkk0,,a,F ~ -. -.
formant. Surgeon Humphrey, of the
Pennsylvania Bucktail Regiment, contin
ued until about : A. NJ, when a retreat
was ordered, very much against the viii
of the Pennsylvania boys, who begged t.
be allowed to hold their position. The
outer forces then began to fall back.
Porter's Corps was some distance below
DIR. Gaines residence.
Of next days battle the correspondent
says: The cannonading and musketry
WAS terrific. Duryeas gallant Zouave:
were lying upon the ground for two hours
while u Batteries were Smelling the
woods over them.
Finally towards night the enemy at
tempted to break the centre line in from
Of Duryea's Zouaves and the musketry
firing became terrific-lasting twenty OF
thirty minutes.
Shortly afterwards an attempt was made
to break through the right, which was re-
pulsed. and half an hour later another at
tempt was made on the left with the same
result. The battle had her been raging
for some hours without any apparent
change or advantage on either side.
Reinforcements of Artillery and infant
ry then came steadily along over the
bridge to the field of battle
The enemy then seemed determined 10
make their last desperate determined eff
fort and came forcing our men back into
the low ground between the hill and the
bridge, where they could have been
slaughtered by tens of thousands before
they could have crossed that long narrow
bridge. Wagons, artillery, ambulances
and men erehurying towards the bridge.
and a panic wa almost inevitable, when
a strong guard was placed across the
bridge.
At the time when the enemy had al
most reached the main hospital, half a
mile from the river, Thos. Francis Meagh-
er's Irishmen came over the hill, stripped
to the bare arms, and were ordered go
in"
They gave a yell and went to work, and
the result was that the enemy fell back
to the woods, and thus matters stood up to
ii o'clock yesterday Sunday morning
At dark an attack was made along the
front of the entire line, and was renewed
at 2 A. NJ. in front of Gems. Hooker,
Kearney and Summer, without material
results.
Another correspondent says of Fridays
battle Thrice all along the front did the
rebels attack our lines, u rifle pits, and
redouts. Porter, with fifty cannon, and
Summers, Hooker's and Ayres' guns,
moved them with a death harvest.
Their loss in killed and wounded was
horrible.
Under date of Friday, midnight, the
same correspondent says: Ten guns were
taken from US by a sudden flank attack,
covered by the thick smoke which hung
around.
Count de Paris captured a rebel major
who belonged to Jackson's army.
He said he had been in the Valley Of
the Shenandoah all winter, and came
here yesterday with part of Jackson's ar
my, the rest of it arrived this morning
The whole of it was here. He said that
in the attack on our right, the rebels had
from 10000 to $4,000 troops.
This will explain the enormous fire un.
der which our men were borne down and
swept away precisely as some If the regi
ments were sweptaway at the Seven Pines
Yesterday the Pennsylvania Reserve drove
the attacking regiments of Jackson's com,
mand. to-day they were o~verpowered BY
the same troops reinforced.
Sykes regulars called up proved une.
quail to the task of stopping them, and
Slocum's command had to be added tC
them.