New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-10

the help OF the Provost Guard. But the woods On
either side Of the road alive with them steady
in their rearward walk, and quick and ingenious in
their excuses for it, from "atacks Of collie" which
all at once bent the questioned travellers double to
the Totally QUITO pieces dodge, and the being
sent after ammunition" Al o'clock in the after.
noon 1 saw Gen. Casey riding about On the field
without command
buried q nephew yesterday, an acting Captain
in the Ncw-York Tooth, whose body recovered
way in front Of the bastioned fort, beyond Casey 8
headquarters, where hear runor that his regi.
ment made charge to rspel the attack that iirsf
burst upon the Division in front Of that work. He
shot in the breast and lay in advance OF oil the
dead upon the field: feel perfectly willing to ac'
cept the solution Of the disappearance Of bis reg'
ment, that it was overwhelmed by the fire Of iSn
or three Rebel regiments, and blown right of the
held, as was the case say with all the regiments in
Casey's Division. But will interrupt the Darra-
tive Of this great battle TO say that if the same care
had been taken of the regiments in this division,
which bad been taken of the regiments in Couch's
Division ard Berry's Brigade-if the same care had
been taken to form them into soldiers which John
Cochrane gave 10 making the Chasseurs perfectly
organized fighting machine, and Col. Poe gave TO
making the % Michigan as deliberate and manage
able in battle as they are on parade, the eld OF the
Seven Pines would have been deadly TO the Rebels
as honorable TO u.s. Cochrane, on the extreme right
for two hours and half poured deliberate fire into
the enemy across an open feld-so deliberate that
every one of his men, obedient 10 orders. covered
bis Rebel accurately with both sights, before he
pulled the trgeer-and be littersly pilod the
euemys front into line Of oorpses-and
after 4 fight in the woods, which always favors
skulhiug, and in the course Of which he resisted
artillery mufketry and a charge Of bayonets, be
called the regimeptal roll, and there uas not man
" missing" The dead and wounded were answered
for by their comrades. When the dead FELL they
Law az they fell. When the wounded fell, they
handed their muskets and cartridges TO their COM
rades, aud crdricd out of the ranks. No sneaking
and doefnl procession of from four 10 ten towards
bore them backward. For Staler, the Lieutenant
Colonel of the regiment, and HamlD, the Major, had
trained them for the sacred dates OF battle that
it was impossible for them TO weaken the regiment
and weaken their by deserving their ranks on
any pre.ense whatever, or TO waste ammunition by
wild firing or firing contrary 10 orders. 10 II was
with Poe I'd Michigan. Out on Dtcs,t dHty upon
a line four miles long, they, within the short space
of two hours, came III, foImed answered every man
TO bis name, marched, and reported TO Gen. Heintze-
man on the field Of battle. Berry led them through
the woods TO a position which hanked the swarms Of
Rebels in possession of C8seys camp and bis head
quarters and his FASHIONED fort There thin regiment
OF seyerely-trane and carefully-wa'ched wootsmeD
In connection with two others OF Berrys regiments,
opened deliberate fire upon the enemy, 30 deadly
that they were cleared out of the open ground
around the iort-twept from the spaces between the
houses and the huge wOod-pile-kuocked wholly out
Of the camp, and when they ran for refuge into the
clapboared buildings, the bullets cent IN alter them
drove them out, and swept the Whole crowd oil the
ground. The %, in turn, Of cocrse, sustained II
furious fire. for the Rebel attack WAS nowhere made
by towards. But when the roll was called ut even.
ing, not man was " missing" Of dead ana
wounded there was tho inevitable list. Take, siso
the care Of the 93d Peunsylvania Col McCsrter:
Sen, 10 support Casey Immediately after the attack
ON him was made, this thoroughly trained body OF
troops, conscientously looked alter for half year
by a commander once distinguished for his zeal rs
Methodist preacher, fought furiousy for an hour
were driven back from their position, but not
broken--halsed at the word of oomnabd-loaded,
wheeled, and 6red-retreated, halted loaded, aud
fred again and again, and came of the ground in
perfect order with their two coors ay ing and present
ing to the whole army striking proof that the inc-
cess Of battles 10 an the discipline ~ troops, and the
excellence Of soldiers IS uhoHy derced from the
sctenfiOusness and uor0Rghnsss Of their 0botrs.
But the theme is not a grateful one, and my per-
sonal interest III IL Ne full Of PAIN. Now, after long
pauso ia the writing of this letter. and careful col
lection OF the facts Of the case al the distance h'an
the scene of action ut which ams placed, carefully
collected 10 IA 10 correct any errors OF judgment
may have formed IN the heat Of the battle, j am
clearly Of the opinion that the su1tenness with
which Casey's diyition disappeared viii be account
ed for by proof tina, least ten twelve thousand
of the enemy, bursting out of the woods swept the
Uniformed aud scarcely formed regiments, with II
whirlwind Of lire and steel, night oil their feet-ri
round the intrenchments and occupied them In sn
instant killing the artillery horses ~ they went
and Selling the batteries-and III twenty minutes
taking full possession OF the advanced position OF the
Union army But i am ~ clearly Of opinion that
distant picke,ing and thorough picketing would have
averted the disaster, aud, that neglected. that thor
ough discipline would have made q protracted hight
Of what was sudden rout, and would have held at
bay the Rebel avalanche until Couch or Hooker
could come up with Jeenforceucnts.
To resume the narration. Peck stood on the ex-
IRENE left waiting attack from force which, we
have learned Since the battle was composed of three
brigades. An erroneous caution restrained the
attack. just before p N. word came that Couch
wac in danger Of being crushed, ana Reyes ordered
Peck to march 10 bis help. His brigade had been
redised by details and other causes TO 2,2tO men.
With theee he came out of the side rohd where he had
been in line Of battle, marched across tie open space
swept by the enemy's shell and our own slrgglers,
and went into the woods far through which Couch
was hard at work with three regiments and battery.
But wall Of fire WAS suddenly raised NJ in from, VI
Peck. The immense force which had hung over hls
left threatening all the day had been rapidly eouB-
termarched wav round the front, and fungsnpon the
riVld Of the center. Here Peel, met the enemy
which lie had watched since the battle opened 4
quarter OF al hour before L had watched
two s'rcams of soldiers gong from left
to right in the edge OF the woods beyond
Casey old position and through his camp this ride,
dOuOIe quichis VII hoiio '"'0''' va A'''',i Ou' Va
sight the fiery and furious Ut hand drove them
out Of mind, till the recol Of Peck's men before the
infernalist Niagara roar OF muskeiry ever heard on
Ibis continent announced the arrival Of that immense
concentrating force 70 smash in our flank, and put
the wreck of the Left Wing in motion to the Chicka-
hoInny. And it was done, too almost. Mortal men
could not stand before it. Itwas the fire OF brgades
Peck horse was shot from under him. Hentzelmans
was shot, Keyess was sho. Staff officers and colonies
were everywhere dismounted, and the air Kissed,
screamed, and roared with missiles and our men
fell fast and thck-but must say, that felt in this
hell of unequal strife the influence OF the enormous
Al raoglinR Of Casey men, distinctly as bad an