Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-08-07
CAMP MAR JAMES RIVER,
TIL, o 1870

|
DEAR BROTHER Your very welcome letter
was duly received, but owing to the lively
times that have taken place since then, l have
been unable to reply to it, antil this morning
Our Regiment has been on duty, and on the
march, almost day and night for nearly two
weeks, and the men ere getting almost worn
out, and are yet doing picket and fatigue du
ty almost constantly. TO give you something
of on idea OF our condition at the present
time, will commence back, and give you an
account of events as they have occurred during
the passed two weeks: AS you are aware, we
came back aud camped near Bottom Bridge,
after the battle of Fair Oaks-in which we
suffered so severely-for the purpose of resting
and recruiting up little. Yet while there,
the details for guard duty were very heavy
especially ou the Fifty second Regiment, as
we were less than two hundred men fit for
duty and we had full regiments duty to do
Bat this is considered as nothing compared to
the duty we had been doing previous to the
battle. After staying there abont two weeks,
and during the recent battles OF the right WIug
of the army it was ascertalDed that stroug
force of rebels had come in from the right On
the east side of the Chickahomuy River, be-
tween us aud the White House lauding, and
were coming up in our rear, with the evident
intentions of crossing at Bottoms Bridge, aud
attacking the main right wing of the army 10
the rear and thus cut US off from the intended
fail back" to the james River. According
" General Naglee, tour Brig. .GeneraD re-
ceived orders to guard well the bridge, and
dispute the passage OF the enemy across i. to
the very last This was on Tuesday, Juue
"a That night our regiment marched to the
bridge and remained Oh guard until the next
dav, when we went back TO camp about noon.
Aga. that might've were ordered back to the
bridge, aud commenced entrenchng ourselves,
by way OF breast works rife pits, &c, and
made preparations TO tear up the bridge at a
moments notice. Tnus the night was spent,
and tue next day (Thursday,) We had so far
completed the earth works that we planted q
battery OF six guns behind them. In the mean
time we received information of the enemy S
advance toward the bridge in close pursuit Of
u large baggage tfain of Wagons, extra hor
ees. &c, which were on their way from the
White House to the bridge. During the day
the wagons came pouring III across the bridge,
omM perfect stampede Of some seUen or elght
kundred extra horses which had been turned
losse, aud came on in a drove When about
the last wagons had crossed the bridge, the
plank were torn up, aud the timbers cut
away, and in short time, our cavalry pickets
came % on double quick, hotly pursued by the
Rebel cavalry, and even mixed up with one
auother, cutting and slashiug with sabres and
occasionally Was heard the sharp report of
revolver. Thus they came on 10 within three
hundred yards of the bridge, when the rebels
turned aud went back as fast as they came
But the main hody came on and planted a
battery on bill to our left, nearly opposite
the Rail Road Bridge, and commenced throw
ing shells among rs. Their guns were well
aimed, and they had rakiug shot at Us, but
our breast works protected US so that they
did US no damage, meantime, our battery opeu-
ed on them and at the same time battery
from the rail road bridge opened on them,
which soou sienced their guuS, and they ske-
dadded in good style. They did not again
modest u.s. but they kept their pickets station.
ed in sight of Us, so as to be able to observe eli
that was going Oh among US. Thus things
rested until Sunday. Our regiment staying in
the rifle pits day aud night all this time, doing
all the guard and picaet duty. The men had
no opportunity to rest or sleep, ouly as they
could occasionally lie down in the dust and
dirt for an hour or two at time, with all
their equipments on. We had orders to hold
the bridge until the naiu glt wing of the ar,
my could fall back from the vicinity Of Sav
ages Station across the White Oak swamp,
where, it Vas determined to check the enemy,
should he attempt to follow US At about 5
O'Clock Sunday afternoon after most Of the
army had moved toward the swamp, train Of
cars at Savage Station, was loaded with sur
plus ammunition, &C., and set on fire, aud with
til loTct toA ,hof al,
ahominy, where the rail road bridge had been
burned, directly over the main channel.-
Bottom bridge is from one-halt TO three-forths
of a mile below the rail road bridge, and por.
ttou within sight of it, so We couid occasional.
ly get glmps of the burning mass of cars as
it came toward the river at fearful rate of
speed making the earth over which it passed
fairly trembie, aud making a sound like That
of a terrible hail storm, until itcame to "where
the bridge Was, but it vas not there" and with
crash 1t plunged into the River and at almost
the same Instant, the AMMUNITION and boiler OF
the engine exploded, and such an explosion, |
think was never before heard on the American
Continent. Large sticks of timber were thrown
into the ar to a fearful height, and pieces of
the engine and boiler, were thrown in every
direction. This seemed to De the signal for
the Rebels to attack our rear guard near Saw
age Station, and Immediately tne attack was
made, but the enemy found more left there
than he had evidently bargained for, and he
was repulsed. aud driven back with great loss.
While this was going Oh. oar battery was be
ing removed, silently, and with as little stir as
possible, SO that the enemys pickets should
not know what was really going on among US.
One piece. however. was left which stood iD
full view of the rebel pickets, until dusk, W hen
it was drawn off by hand, behind a piece Of
woods where the teams were attached to it aud
started for White Oak Swamp. Our cavalry
pickets were sent out over the river