Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-09
BY MCLANAHAN & Dill.

burg road. It provoked a sharp resistance
which we Overcanet and accomplished our oh
liect. It IS necessary to note this fact particu
larly, because Il bears strongly upon the ques
ton whether Gen. Mcclellan had then distinctly
contemplated changing his base Of operations tS
James rivers periCus thing TO attempt beiere
more so now that We were still nearer the enc
my. 1t was pronounced an important
| achievement by Gen Mcclellan himself, be
cause it gave him advantages over the rebel pO-
siticn which he had not enjoyed before. Some
time during the night, however tidings were re
ceived of q movement of Stonewall Jackson on
our right wing It was deemed hazardous tc
maintain the advantage of the previous day, and
the line was ordered to resume its old position
/ Thursday afternoon the anticipated attack upon
our right wing was made, and handsomely re-
pulsed but It was discovered that it had not
been made by Jackson's command lnlorma-
/ ton was received that Jackson was sweeping
/ down the Pamunkey, probably to capture mill
| tary stores at White House, to cut off our com
municston with cur water base, and menace
onr rear. Orders were given at once to destroy
all public property az White House and eYacU-
ate thst point. Matters began to assume a criti-
/ cal appearance, aud danger eliminated in the
disaster of Friday. It was then fully determ-
ined to " change the base of operations 10 James
mgern Il seems TO me this was compulsory.
/ The enemy had turned cur right, evidently out
numbered us in great dispTOporti0n, was too
strong in front for US TO break through, and wss
! in position to crush as in front and rear-snd,
perhaps, intended to strike on cur left flank.
/ Apparently his army was numerous enough for
! that grand combination. The great retrograde
movement was really begun Friday evening, by
the transfer Of headquarters from Trent's Bluffs
/ to Savage Station, but the grand exodus did not
i -. - m 1s~k..
! full proportions till uightfall OF that day. The
history Of that movement viii follow in due
course.
The reader being supposed to be familiar with
the war map, VIII now follow the course pursued
by the army In order TO preserve the morale OF
the army as fer as possible and obtain supplies
Of ammunition and subsistence, it was deter
mined TO carry through all the wagons loaded,
and the ambulance Gsin-making mighty car
ayan-vastly increased by artillery trains. There
was but one narrow road to pursue. 1t struck
almost due south from the Williamsburg road,
through White Oak swamp to the Charles City
read, into which It debOuched about eight miles
from Turkey Bend in James river. The course
then lay up the latter road toward Richmond,
where It struck a little southwest by the Quaker
road, which terminated in New Market road,
leading from Richmond. The river was but
short distance south, and Malvern Hill-a beau
tiful, lofty bluff overlooking the river and COM
manding the surrounding country, being our
goal. Although there was but a single road
with slight exception-st had the advantage of
eoursing through White Oak swamp, upon
which we might rely in some degree for the pro-
lection Of our hanks. There was great danger
that the enemy might cut us off by moving col
umns down the Charles City, Central or New
Market roads, or all three but these chances
were necessarily accepted General Mcclellan
acted upon the suppOsitiOn that the enemy would
not guess his determination until be was able 10
defeat their movements. At all events, it was
the only hopeful course, because the enemy was
watching for him on the left bank of the Chicka-
hominy The road was a narrow funnel for such
Eighty torrent of trains and men, but fortu-
nately it was smooth and dry. In order 20 make
the movement successfully, it was necessary to
fight at toe outset, because il was morally GER
tain that cur line of battle could not be with
drawn from the front without sucking theenemy
after them-so that due preparations were made.
The events vii now be recorded IN their order,
with as much Of the spirit Of the perilous entel-
prise thrown into the sketch as / have time to
engraft The affair at Fair Oaks farm was the
real beginning Of the dTeaIy drama. You will
find a description of i. in another letter. The
Mecbauicsville battle was the second act which
you viii now read:
When l closed my last communication, (2Gth
ult } a fierce battle was raging on the left bank
Of The Chickahominy, on the east side OF Bea-
yer Dam Greek. Our extreme right wing, con-
sisting Of MeCalPs Pennsylvania Reserves,
E 500 strong, with FIVE batteries, were strongly
intTenched there in admirable position for de-
iense. Information, leading General Mcclellan
to expect an attempt upon bis right had been
received during Wednesday night, and we were
as well prepared for resistance as our limited
forces would admit Gen. Fitz John Porter's
! corps, consisting of Mouelfs Division of Vol
l,nteers and Sykes Regulars, some > GOO strong,
increased by Duryea I0uaves, was posted near
New Bridge, within supporting distance Gen.
Stoneman, had also been sent TO Old Church,
with a regiment Of cavalry and two Of infantry,
as corps OF observation and to check thanking
movements; or, if possible, TO decOy the enemy
down the Pamunkey. At about noon, power
ful corps Of the enemy, consisting Of Gen. A.
P Hlls, d. II. Hills, LoDgstreet's and Ander
sons divisions-thoR SugpOscd to be Jacts0A's
(0rcs-under command Of Major General Robert
Z. Lee, crossed the river at Mechaniesville
Bridge, Meadow Bridge, aud at Atlee's, and be-
/ tween one and two o'clock attacked cur flank.
Two regiments Of Mead's brigade, (MeCalIs
Division,) were in reserve, and one on picket
1 duty. They did not ct any time fully engage
! the enemy Gen. Reynolds brigade held the
/ right, and Seymour's the left The fight was
opened with artillery az long range, but the
enemy, finally discovering our superiority IN
this arm, fo-eShortened the range, and came into
| close conflict. He was evidently provoked at
his own ineliieieney, since bis shell were not de-
| stTuctive IN our intTenchments, while our gun
ners played upon his exposed ranks with fearful
effect. The fight seemed to increase in fury as
it progressed, and it finally became the most
terrific artillery combat Of the war. l had been
accustomed for months to the incessant roar Of
heavy guns but until that period l had failed to
| comprehend the terrible sublinity Of a great
battle with field pieces. The upTosr was inees-
SAINT and deaiening for hours. At times it
seemed as if fifty guns exploded simultaneously
and then ran of al intervals into splendid file
fiTing--f / may apply infantry descriptive terms
10 csunonading. But no language ean describe
1 its awful grandeur The enemy at last essayed
q combined movement. Powerful bodies Of
troops plunged into the valley to charge oul
lines, but our men, securely posted, swept them
away Tuthlessly. Again and again the desper-
ate fellows were pushed at the breastWorks
only TO be more cruelty slaughtered than before
Meantime cur force had been strengthened by
GTihiith's brigade, which increased the volume
Of infantry iiTe and Mar .indale's brigade CANT
up TO be ready for emergencies. At dark it wa'
evident the rebels had en5Ugh-much more thar
they bargained for.
Their infantry FIRE had entirely subsided ant
/ It was obvious that they were Withdrawing un
der cover of their artillery. Our own batteries
2 which had opened in full cry at the start, hs'
? not slackened an instant Comprehending tn
J situation fully now, the eannoniers piled them
selves with tremendous energy to punish th
! retresting foe. We have no sure means to de
} termine how many were slaughtered, but prison
ers who were in the fight, and an intelligen
, contraband, who escaped, from Richmond th
, next day and was al over the field, are conf
dent that three thousand fell. Our loss wa
eighty killed and less than one hundred an
liify wounded The conduct Of cur troops wa
admirable, and the galantry Of the officers cor
! spicuous. Gen. Mcclellan Was not in the ba
e -tie, but was at Gen. Porier's headquarters unit
2 It terminated.
i 1t was now sseertained from prisoners ths