Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-06
FROM THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
The Recent stsrm-Fiood In the Chicka-
hominy-Ths Rebels Attempt to Interfere
with the Recsnstructien Of New Bridge,
bat are Driven Back.


The Recent stsrm-Fiood In the Chicka-
hominy-Ths Rebels Attempt to Interfere
with the Reconstruction Of New Bridge,
bat are Driven Back.
[Army Correspondence Of Associated Press.]
HEADQUARTERS GENERAL MCCLELLAN, Thurs
set In on Tuesday afternoon lasted during the
whole OF Yesterday. The water In the Chicka-
hominy rose to an unprecedented height. The
railroad trains from White House TO the late bat
tie field were detained several hours, and the tel
egraph line was down In manv places.
A contraband who left Richmond on Sunday
night states that all the carts, furniture cars Om
nibuses and carriages to be found were impressed
into the service for the carrying away OF the dead
and wounded from the battle field; that tie
Spottswood and Exchange Hotels, together with
number Of public and private buildings, were
turned into hospitals. All the information thus
far received shows that the enemy suffered ter
fibly.
The rebels opened with artillery this morning
from Ave different points opposite New Bridge,
with view Ct preventing Its reconstruction.
Three Of our batteries opened on them, cau,ing
them to retreat after a hot Are Of two hours Our
loss was one killed and two wounded. Nofur-
ther interference took place during the day.
Approved by r. b. Marcy, chief of staff.
Gen. McCIelIan's Address to his Soldiers
He Censratulates them fer their Bravery,
and asA Of tn EN- one last Crewning EHort.
RKApouARrKRs GEN. MCCLELLAN, Tuesday
Evening, June The following address was
read to the army this evening at dress parade and
was received with an Outburs OF vociferous cheer
ing from every regiment.
HEApouARrkRs ARMY OF THE PoToMAc, Camp
near New Bridge, June 2. 1867, SOLDIERS Of the
Army Of the Potomac: have fulfilled at leas;
part Of my promise to you You are now face to
face with the rebels, who are held at bay In front
OF their capital. The fnal and decisive battle is
at hand. Unless you belle your past history, fhe
result cannot be fer moment doubtful. IL The
troops who labofed 30 faithfully and fought so
nal Mt lv n tlh IN hrs "
the hard fights at Williamsburg, W. est Point,
Hanover Court House, and Fair Oaks, now prove
worthy Of their anticipations, the victory is
surely ours.
The events Of every day prove your superiority.
Wherever you have met the enc ny you hive
beaten him. Wherever you have used toe baTo-
net be has given way in panic and disorder.
ask of you now one last Crownng effort The
enemy has staked his all on the issue OF the com
ing battle. Let us meet him and crush him here
in the very center Of the rebellion.
Soldiers 1 will be with you IN this battle, and
share Its dangers with you. Our confdenc. In
each other is now founded upon the past. La US
strike the blow which 10 to restore peace and
union to this distracted land.
Upon your valor, discipline and mutual cent
dence, the result depends.
GEORGE B McCLKIL,N,
ejcr General Commanding.
A heavy shower that set In about dark has had
the effect Of again raising the ChickahominY.
Gen. Birney, OF Philadelphia, was relieved Of
his command on the battle aeId by Gen. aeint-
zleman, he having failed to bring his brigade
into action when ordered on Saturday.
Reconnoissances made to day show no material
change In the enemys position.
Further information shows that our troops on
Saturday and Sunday engaged six divisions Of
the enemy instead Of four, making a force Of
IS 900 men.
Approved: r. B. MARCY, Chief Of STAFF.
rhe above dispatch was delayed In its trans
mission by the storm Of Tuesday and Wednes-
day.-Rsp0rter.
General Mcclellan Sends a Corrected Copy
Of hts Dispatch OF the Recent Battle.
The following dispatch hss been received at
the War Department:
Nkw BRIDGE, 10 30 a. m, June To Hon. E.
M. Stanton, Secretary Of War: My telegraphic
dispatch Of June 1st, In regard to the battle OF
Fair Oaks, was incorrectly published In the
newspapers. | send with this correct copy,
which / request may be published at once. I am
the more anxious about this since my dispatch,
as published, would seem to'ignore the services
Of General Sumner, which were too valuable and
brilliant to be overlooked, both in the difficult
passage Of the stream and the subsequent combat
The mistake seems to have occurred In the trans
initial Of the dispatch BY the teIegrapher.
q. B. MCCLELLAN,
Major General Commanding.
FIELD OF BATTLE, ~ O'Clock, June Ito
Hon. Edwin NJ. Stanton, Secretary Of War We
have had desperate battle, In which the corps OF
gagged against greatly superior numbers. Yester-
day at one O'Clock the enemy, taking advantage
of Q terrible storm which had flooded the valley
Of the chickahominy, attacked our troops on the
right bank Of that river. Casey division, which
was the first line, gave way unaccountably and
discreditably. This caused a temporary con-
fusion during which some guns and baggage
were lost, but Heintzelman aud Kearney mos,
calamity brought up their troops, which checked
The enemy.
At the same time, however, Gen. Sumner sue
ceeded, by great exertions, in bringing across
Sedgwickis and Richardson's divisions who
drove back the enemy at the point of the bayonet,
ing the enemy attempted to renew the conflict,
but was everywhere repulsed. We have taken
many prisoners, among them Gen. Pettigrew and
Col. Long. Our loss is heavy, but that Of the en-
emy must be enormous. With the exception of
Gen. Casey's division our men behaved splen-
didly. Several tine bayonet charges have been
made-the I'd Excelsior made two to-day.
g. B. MCCLELLAN, Mai. Gen. Cong.