The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-10-02

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noltering in person. They came at last to a
IoPen grass-sown field, incosed on two side
with woods protected on the right by hill
and entered through a c0rn-6eld in the rear
lSkrmishers entering these woods were in
stanty met by rebel Shots but held thei
ground, and as soon as supported advanced an,
cleared the timber. Beyond, on the left, ant
in front, voleys of musketry opened heavily
and battle seemed TO have begun a littl,
sooner than it. was expected.
Gen. Hooker formed his lines with precis
ion and without hesitation. Brackets diyis
ion went into the woods on the left in force -
Meade, with the Pennsylvania reserves, form
ed in the centre. Doubleday was sent out OF
the right, planting his batteries on the hill anC
Iopening ut once on rebel battery that began
to enfilade the central line. 1t was already
dark. AMI the rebel position could only be dis
lowered by the flashes of their guns. They
pushed forward boldly on the right, after los
ling ground OH the other flank but made no
attempt to legain their first hold on the woods.
The light flashed, and glimmered, and faded,
and finally went out in the dark.
Hooker had found out whet he wanted to
know. When the firing ceased the hostile
lines lay close to each other--their pickets so
near that six rebels acre captured during the
night. 1t was inevitable that the fight should
recommends at daylight. Neither side had
suffered considerable loss it was a skirmish,
not a battle. 1--WE are through for tonight,
gentlemen, - remarked the GeneIal "but to-
morrow we fight the battle that will decide the
fate of the Republic"
Not long after the firing ceased, it sprang up
again on the left. Gen. Hooker. who had ia
ken up his head quarters in barn which had
been nearly the focus OF the rebel artillery,
was cut at once. First came rapid and unu
tsualIy frequent picket Shots then several
I heavy voIIeys. The General listened mo-
ment and smiled grimly. "We have no troops
there. The rebels are shooting each other
1t Is Fair Oaks over again." So everybody
lay down again, but all the night through
there were frequent alarms.
Mcclellan had been informed of the nights
work, and the certainties awaiting the dawn
Sumner was ordered to move his corps at
once, aud was expected to be on the ground
at daylight. From the extent of the rebel
lines developed in the evening" it was plain
that they had gathered their whole army be-
hind the heights and were waiting for the
shock
The battle began with the dawn. Morning
found both armies just as they had slept, al
most close enough to look into each others
eyes. The left of Meade's reserves and the
right of Ricketts, line became engaged at near
ly the same moment, one with artillery, the
other with infantry. A battery was almost
Immediately pushed forward beyond the CEN
trail woods, over plowed field, near the top of
the slope where the corn field began, On this
open field, in the corn hey ond, and the woods
which stretched forward into the broad fields,
like promontory into the ocean, were the
hardest and deadiest struggles of the day.
For half an hour after the battle had grown
to its full strength the line of fire swayed
neither way. Rockers men were fully up to
their work. They saw their General every
where in front, never away from the fire. and
all the troops believed in their commander, and
fought with will Two thirds of them were
the same men who under Mcdowell had bros
ken at Manassas. ..... .... III ..-
The halt hour passed, the rebels began to
give way a little, only a little, but at the first
indication of receding fire Forward was the
word. and on went the line with cheer ard a
rush. Back across the corn field, leaving dead
and wounded behind them. over the fence and
across the road and then back again into the
dark woods which closed around them, went
the retreating rebels.
Meade and his Pennsy lvanians followed hard
and fast-followed till they came within easy
range of the woods, among which they saw
their beaten enemy ppearing-folowed
still, with another cheer, and flung themSeve.
against the cover. .e
But ont Of those gloomy woods came sud
denly aud heavily terrible volleys-volieys
which smote, and bent, and broke in moment
that eager front, and hurled them swiftly back
for half the distance they had wen. Not
swiftly, nor in panic, any further. Closing up
their shattered lines, they came slowly away
regiment where brigade had been, hardly
Il brigade where whole division had been vic
torious. They had met from the woods the
first voleys of musketry from fresh troops
had met them and returned them till their line
had yielded and gone down before the weight
of Ere, and till their ammunition was exhauSA
ted. -..
In ten minutes the fortune of the day SEEM
ed to have changed-it was the rebels now who
were advancing, pouring out of the woods in
endless lines sweeping through the corn field
from which their comrades had lust fled =
Hooker sent in his nearest brigade to meet
them, but it could not do tue work. He called
for another. There was nothing close enough,
unless he took it from his right His right
might be ia danger if it was weakened, but his
centre was already threatened with annhila-
| ton. Not hesitating one moment, he sent to
Doubleday: Give me your best brigade in
stantly." H tzse a.. .-.....
The best brigade came down the hill to the
right on the run, went through the timber
! in front through a storm of shot and
bursting shell and crashing limbs. over
the open field beyond, and straight into
the cornsfeld. passing as they went the frag-
ments of three brigades shatte red by the reb-
| ell fire, and streaming to the rear They passs
ed by Hooker. whose eyes lighted as he saw
these troops le by soldier whom he knew
he could trust. II think they will hold it," he
said
| Gen. Hartsuff took his troops very steadily,
but now that they were under fire, not hurried>
| ly, up he hill from which the corn field begins
to descend, and formed them on the crest
Not man who was not in full view-not one
who bent before the storm, Firing al first in
voileys, they fred then at will with wonderful
rapidly and effect. The whole line crowned
the hill and stood out darkly against the sky,
but lighted and shrouded over in fame and
smoke. There were the 18th and 18th Massa
chusetts and another regiment which l cannot
remembcr--old troops all of them.
| There for half an hour they held the ridge
unyielding in purpose, exhausiless in courage
There were were gaps in the line, but it no,
where quailed. Their General was wounded
badly early in the fight. but they fought on
Their supports did not come-they determined
to win without them They began to 90 down
the hill and into the corn; they did not stop to
| think that their ammunition was near y gone :;
they were there to win that field and they won
it. The rebel line for the first time fed through
the corn and into the woods / cannot tell how
few of Hartsuff's bngade we're left when the
work was done, but it was done. There was
no more gallant, determined, heroic fighting in
all this desperate day. Gen. Hartsutf is very
severely wounded, but l do not believe he
counts his success too dearly purchased.
The crisis of the fight at this point had ar
rived; Ricketts, division, vaiuly endeavoring
to advance, and exhausted by the effort, had
fallen back. Pagt of Mansfeld's corps was or
dered in to their relief, but Mansfeld's troops
came back again, and their General was NOR
| tally wounded. The left, nevertheless, was
too extended to be turned, and too strong to be
broken, Ricketts, sent word he could not ad,
vance, but could hold his ground Doubleday
had kept his guns at work on the right. and had
finally sienced rebel battery that for half an
hour had poured in calling enfladipg fire
along Rockers central line.
There were woods in front of Doubleday :
LII u, Linh ia rnhals hnld Int 81, ln,,,r 4..r,.o