The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-06-25

D41CoA000s
Seven Pines. Monday. June ., 1855.
There are dGeiing at long range between ths
ensmy's pickets and our oun-and there m.
movements and preparation on our side, and nm.
doubtedly on their side, Tor the great battle -.
to be fought. Ard l viii candidly tel -,
friends that they must make up their mind. ~
hear the details Of q conflict before Richmond
compared with which the battle Of the SEQ
Pines was but skrmish The eueuy Are ,r.s..
ly superior TO US in numbers. Their earuessnes.
is OF course greater than ours-for they 6eh, "a
repel an invasion OF their homes and 6rrsidea--
Their courage, as daring. if not as tenacious =.
our osn, IL by nature savage, and has been AMI
mated BY politics into implacabls hate. Thev
have our own discipine-sn equal experience in
the camp and in the feld-snd possess in their
despised smooth bore muskets and their cart
ridges OF one round bullet and three buckshos q
far better weapon for this wooded fighting ground
than our boosted Minie rifles Mol ssw the..
rebels fight under the Seven Pines. and | sav IA
all those people Who think sc are TO march iu,s
Richmond sifhe1 fgh'ing erery ;aek Of tAe
ra., that they nurse a delusion which the klled
and wounded and eaptsrei ~ill wake them from
shockingly, ii they have sons. brothers and neph.
ews in the battle. tell YOU New Workers. th,,
this rebel army has purpose of retrea,ine he,
They sit in their trenches and lie under ,he;,
cannon TO save the Southern Confederacy. Thew
desire 10 fight BY evacuation q: s,ronsholds
and retreats from positions OF advantage. hsld
Just long enough 10 weaken US by deays thew
| have drawn US where thes can flank ~ And
where they will compel US 10 fight, whether %
want 10 or not. They consider rhs' the comi.S
battle will decide their fate, and that of their
Confederation that il will conclude the var
They know its importance. and thew are brseed
10 Its duties. To ship this rebel army to nor
ro~ or next day, We shall have to dsstroy IA
To march into Richmond must pave our vsv
With 10000 dead S0utherners. Can We do IN
But to this coming fight There ere sous
things ! would like to see done before the rssi.
ments are formed for il
| l, II it we're possible to get the lob dose I
would rub NY hands 9th glee at witnessing he
rrial translation. by divine or diabiabolic possr.
OF all the coward officers in the army. I know
that brave and determined officers can hold aha.
Ky troops under fire aud make then fight And
| also know that. under cowardly command and
example, the bravest men will become demosul.
lied and break aud run. learned at the Seven
Pines What | shall ever hereafter consider the
hrst military msxms. "Select your oHicers With
the most anxious scrutiny. They give character
TO armies, a d win victories or lose battles"
| ?. would ike TO hear general order resd
to the regiments forbidding soldiers to leave
their ranks TO Assist the wounded TO the rear.
F,om twO 10 ten was the escort which the vouu.
ded had at the Seven Pines-thM 10 every
sounded man, becoming useless as q combataat
took out OF the fight from two TO ten sound 6eht.
ing men. Supp"s. that q regiment has 600
that its wounded, a. happened here on the Ale.
auounts 10 IL per a., cs ~ 49,
three as the average OF the snea1s, 80, .".
faced procession get out Of fire usder the prs-
tense OF assisting wounded comrades 70 the ear.
geOns. That would make a de.erton from The
regiment 1872. Four per cent. may be sdded
for killed and mssing-which is 24-aad vs
have total of dimnution Of fighting numbers Of
2s2-aboat halt of the entire regiment The
wounding of &c men causes to lose the services
of 1872 beside, and the care Of these wounded
could just a well not be deferred to the elise
OF the action, in most Of the cases. In some Of
these cases, it could better be deferred. have
not deemed IL necessary to say that the sad -.
corts Of the wounded never return to the Sight
l did not see them return either at Williams.
burg or at the Seven Pines, nor in the military
talk about the camp fires onights have ever
heard OF these faithful escorts returning. They
stick to their bleeding trusts-hours after he
surgeons have got them.
3. should like to see the General in command
OF the reserves stretch line Of cavsry-a whole
regiment Of cavalry in single .ine-away across
the field, to catch stragglers, With pe'emptosy
orders % fire upon them with their carbipes, and
aa,,asrsd In On hack. they h..i..,.A tnr . nom.u,
to do SO. This NAV seem harsh; but after nv
experience at the Seven Pines, and my cIaar
perception Of the truth that the struggling Of Q
tew regiments, whether from being over helued
or from cowardice, may demoralizs an entire o..
ny-nay ruin campaign-may wreck . great
and holy cause. KNOW that il 10 the duty Of Q
commander TO promptly take the lives Of the
few uDfaithful or timid men whose fight can
magnetic brgades with irresolutiou or lear
There can be no doubt about this duty and Il
Gen. Peck would take on a sternness equal 70
his bravery, and strike dead With close mus.
xetry fire the head Of the column of stragglers
should one stream out Of the coming battle Of
Richmond, he would double the moral power 81
the army aud render il invncible believe thas
the essence OF the soldiers contract 10 20 die
sooner than run. lie bargains With his country
to face the foe and be shot down II necessary.
II he will not fulfill this contract from . sentiment
of honor, or from pride. he should be made 70
fulfil il by ball cartridges and sAbre-blsdes The
soldier who backs out of fight, under any cir
cumstances, should be driven back into IT, or b
killed.
| 4. would Ike to hear whispered thresgh
this. LEI. Wing, an order from the Commander
in Chief 10 the Colonies to have their regimesv
receive the enemy, il they attack, With one IRE
delivered kne.i,pg, with bAyonets fxed-aol
then to start TO their feet With the command:
/" Up, boys, ard AZ them" The bsyonet 10 our
weapon. We have nearly demonstrated that
these Williams won't and can't stand il. Our men
are larger heavier, aud higher-toned thaa the
rebel rank and file These are advantages 10
- l. -. l.
bly, equalize. The troops which have the enshsr
siasm and determination TO use this weapon, a.
ways make short battles and yin comparatively
boodl-ss victories For Jayonefs nsrey get
cyossed Men face FIRE Of balls because they
cannot see them IL is not in human nature 70
impale Itself on a line OF visible coming bayosets.
! will hardly be credited when say that there
Vas but one bsyonet wound dressed By oil toe
surgeons at Wilismsoureh. among our Own men
and rebels. For foIr days and nights l ~
among the wounded Of the Seven Pnes and ~
sociaied with the surgeons Who attended 70 the
| injuries OF iul three thousand Of both srmies,
and ! could not hear Of a single bayohes wound
among them al. There are Brigade Surgeons
ard Medical Directors Of Divisions noe In the
army Tor more than a year. Who have never seen
8 bsyonet wound, and What is more, don't eI.
pect ever TO see one. Whist power there IL,
then, 10 q Weapon so terrible that the oldsse
troops a3d the stesdies, under FIRE shrink froa
its touch As from Lightning. We should calf.
vate IL.