Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-06-10
gbe Ohio 6tatesnram
Tne GEeat Battle of Fair Onk, or
the seven Pines-FuIl Details OF the
second Day's Fight Near Rich mOnd.
lRrom the New York TimsS.l
BATTLE -FIKLD. Mnndav T,na O 10

SocOnu DaysklRht Near Rich hmOnd
From the New York TimsS.l
BATTLE-FIELD, Monday, June 2, 1862.
The rebel army still occupied the camps Of
Casey's and Couch's divisions on Sunday morn.
Ing, with strong picket force guarding the
road facing Snead'S house and the wheat fsId
where our earthwoSks we're thrown up, extend
Ing from our extreme left to the railroad, near
FAIR Oak Station. The distance from the poin.
where our earthworks were located to the edge
OF the wood could not have been more than four
hundred yards. This position the rebels held
until day daWned on Sunday morning.
| TO our right on the otnsr side OF the rail-
road, the divisions Of Generals Richardson aud
Sedgwick were formed, In o ssmi. circle, with
tnelr bead resting on Gen. Hooker's right, at
the railroad, and their right Aanking the enc.
my These divisions were composed of parts
Of the brigades of Gen, Burns, Gen French
and Sen T. F. Meagher, with four batteries Of
artillery.
Gen. Hooker's division were euoamped in The
wood fronting SaeAd's house, on the Williama.
ourg road, occupying the center, and little In
advance Of our right and left wings On our
leit the remaining portions Of Ooush's and
Oasey's divisions rested, with reserves of fresh
troops extending to our extreme left, near the
|
Gen, Heinlzelman was op the ground at the
front as soon ss day daWne6, accompanied BY
two Aide Gen. Hooker met him, and the two
Generals sat down at the foot Of tree behind
our oreastWorks, arranging plan for the day
proceedings. -.
Generals Jameson, Reyes and siokles arrived
az the front soon after, and the nght Of satur.
DAY was talked over se one of no particular ad
Vantage TO the enemy, as they had concentrated
their main force upon this portion Of our front
lipes, and the eject WAS more disastrous TO
them TkiS loss in Killed in Satuyday's foht
seeetdsa ouTs too 10 Ons, and OF their numOer
sounded IL 10 impossible to form an estimate.
Several OF their men brought In as prisoners
gsVe their loss In killed ard wounded ss upward
OF three thousand. They made desperate at.
tack, 10 is true, and gained considerable ground,
besides large number OF guns, camp eouipaee 3,
etc., a. trophies, tchteh they immediately seat %
Richmond 80 dsZzle the eyes OF It's up in
haoitants, who doubtless secretly wish TO zee
) the CITY tall into the hands of Mcclellan.
THE BATTLE ON SUNDAY,
IL was about quarter Of seven when Gen.
Heintzelmsn ordered Gen. hooker to attack
the rebels In bis front, and drive them from the
woods. The Excelsior brigade marched ont
from their camp IN the woods to the Williams.
burg road, the New Jersey Fifth and Sixth fol
loving The Excelsior brigade filed In the
wheat field in front Of our earthworks, to the
right Of the road, while the two regiments Of
New Jersey troops took position to the left. As
the Second regiment, Excelsior brigade, was
forming In position to the front Of the wood,
the rebels opened a rapid and heavy 6re upon
II. killing two or three privstes, and wounding
about six. Among those wounded at the frat
FIRE Of the rebels was Lieut. Lswrin formerly
aid to Gen. Sickles) and Capt. Nolsn.
The hre Of the enemy Immediately becoms
Simultaneous along their entire line.
The New Jersey troops fought splendidly
loading and firing without fincbiug from theiI
position. Gen. Sickles'a regiments did great
execution, advancing at every Are upon thS
rebels masked BY the wood. However, 1t VA
plainly TO be seen the enemy had every advan
tsge, ana e s0as VssOiDed 10 clear the iOOods Al
the point Of tie 6GyOnst.
Gen. Slckles rooe along the front of his men,
In the mitst OF an Iron hail which the rebels
poured In, and gave orderB for the Second reRi.
ment, Col g. B. Hall, to charge bAyonets. No
sooner was the order given than the men hxed
bavonets Col Hall gallantly led the charge
--ene of the most brilliant made in any battle
Not man shiyksd or strGSqksd from The ranks.
Tne rebels presented strong front to the
cleaning bayonets Of our men, not hundred
yards distant
As the Second advanced on the double quick,
cheering and shouting, the rebels held back
their fire until our men were hardly one hun.
dred feet from their line, when they fred mur-
derous volley into the ranks of the Second. It
proved too low, and few were killed or wounded.
Immediately after the rebels fred this volley,
they broke ranks and fled through the wood A
few Of their braveet remained TO resist our pas
sage, but they were soon moved down BY the
steel front of the gallant Second Excelsior.
Major Hebert, of the Eighth Alabama ReRI-
ment, was taken prisoner at this time. His
horse had been shot under him, and as he fell
he received a shot In his side. He spranp to
his feet, however, almost instantly, and seeing
several OF our men In front of him, mistook
them for some OF bis own regiment.
| "Rslly once more, boys - he cried, but they
corrected HE mistake by presenting their bayon-
cts and dem Anding him TO surrender, which he
did with all the grace and finish that an original
Secessionist, aa he afterWard informed me he
was, could do under the circumstances. The
rebels made two or three attempts TO flank us
on the left, after retreating from their centre.
but they were beat back with great loss, our
troops pursuing them for nearly two miles.
Richardson's Brigade, before the ehemy's
centre gave way, had hard 1ght; the ground
was hotly contested by the rebels. The Fourth
and Fifth Excelsior Regiments were sent to
support one of Richardson's Bttterles, but be-
fore the battery got In fair working order, the
enemy began to show slgns OF retreat, The
rebel officers could be heard distinctly urging
the men to fight, but they would run away
The Irish Brigade fought splendidy, and rout-
! cd the rebels st the point OF the bayonet
None of our forces on the left aank partici-
psted in the fight. The rebels we're defeated
erd driven back by Hooker's and Riohsrdson's
| Divisions, =
Advanced parties secured the woods on both
sides Of the Richmond road, and succeeded in
capturing nearly two hundred of the rebels.
among them three Lieutenepts.
AT IL O'Clock the firing on both sides ceased,
The rebels had fallen back to beyond our origin.
sl lines, leaving guards stationed to watch our
advance and also to bring their wounded of the
held. o ~ = ~
The enemy were driven from every positiop
they occupied BY our troops. The m ain column
resLed q mile In advance Of their positiop, ss
the com mDebcement OF the light
A. about IL o'clock Gen. Mcclellan rode up
to the front. accompanied by his staff and bod,
guard, and met Gen, Heintzelman seated at the
foot OF tree. Little Mao demooratioall seat.
ed himself at the eide OF Helm sslman, on the
ground, when bis Staf grouped themse elves, rent.
ing on stumEe OF trees and logs, There was
the Prince de Joinville, Count dc Paris, and the
Duo du CharIress formiDE q select group Of
three, conversiDg quite Animatsdly in Ftenoh.
and the other members Of McClellan'a SssS
Joining in with . little Edglish. l77l- : q
"They hght on Sunday always" Said tbe Due