St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1862-07-03
TELEcRAPHIc.
n GREAT BAT TIE
BEFORE RICHMOND!
The Greatest Battle Yet.
Attack on Nice lellan's Right
4 q. ! i !!
TERRIFIC ENGAGEMEaNr
THE ENEMY MOVED DOWN
BY THOUSANDS
OUR COLUMNS STAND FIRM

OUR COLUMNS STAND FIRM
7y|MAI r.. ,<t@i, !'---- 'ctf,' .,th G.,p
THE RESULT SATISFIES MfCLEL.
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r;9tt ri 2~.,s II 90 : y ',,:. 80 o.; :":!nI~
'*,>-.. ~ liz 1.-vDNEw YORK, June 80. :
~" The, Tribune issued an extra, dated
battle field, giving an account of two
days desperate fighting. a. company of
Bucktail Rifles were surrendered and
captured on the retreat Of our right wing,
Over l25,000 men were Engage. All the
civilians were ordered away from White
House, &c. Z, -, n...
Tribune Ertra. "a severe and most
determined battle was fought on the right
wing on Tuesday and Friday, which is
claimed by some Of our officers as a. sue,
cesstul straogic movement, into which the
enemy had unWillingly been drawn and
which Will soon result in the capture Of
Richmond and the entire rebel army.
The attack was made by the enemy in
immense force, who crossed the Chick
ahominy near the raj road above Meohan-
icsville, Thursday afternoon, and fought
desperately, but were unable to drive our
men a single rod, though the enemy were
ten one. The only forces, engaged that
day was McCalrs division. The battle
lasted from two till nine p: NJ, when the
division was ordered back. General Nc
Clellan was on the field and expressed
himself satisfied with the result.
Thursday about noon the enemy made
an attack upon Gen. Stoneman's force; in
THO vicinity ofHanoyer Court House, prob
ably for the purpose Of accomplishing an
outfanking movement on the right and to
engage our attention in that direction. -
Shortly afterwards they commenced a yig-
orous cannonading from their works on an
eminence, opposite Mechanicsville and
about d mile and half distant; also from
two batteries, one above and the other be-
low.t They were: replied to BY Campbelps
Pennsylvania batteries on pick et duty one
ON the Meohanicsyille road and another
from behind the earth-works at the right
of the grove. About two o'clock in the
afternoon the enemy's infantry and squad
rons Of cavalry crossed the Chickahominy
in immense force a short distance above
the Virginia Central Railroad. =
Gen. McCalPs division, who were en- J.:
trcnched on billy woodland across a
swamp ravine' about a mile in the rear of
Mechanicsvillo, the First Pennsylvania
Rifles, Bucktails and Campbell's Peansyl-
vania Battery were on picket duty, all of
whom except one company fell back be-
hind the breastwolks and rife pits where
= line Of battle was drawn up. Company
Z, Of Bucktails, were on picket duty be-
yond the railroad surrounded by the enc
my, and the last that was known of them,
they were trying to cut their way through.
It is presumed the greater portion were
taken prisoners. The enemy advanced
down at the rear Of Mechanicsville, on q
low marshy ground to where our forces
were drawn up behind rifle pits and earth
works on an eminence on the northerly side
of the ravine, when the conflict became
most terrible. The rebels with most de-
termined courage attempted to press tor
ward over miry ground, but the bullets
and grape shot fell among them like hail,
moving them down. This continued till
dark, when they withdrew. The cannon
aiding was kept up on both sides until
about nine O clock A. M, when the battle
ceased.
Our forces wore covered by earthworks
ard suffered but slightly. Late in the af.
ternoon the enemy made a charge with
cavalry, about 100 of them came rushing
down, and attempted to cross the ravine,
when the horses became mired. A squad
ron Of our cavalry seeing their position
madea charge down the hill, when the
cavalrymen abandoned their horses and
fed.
The infantry fight was then renewed,
and, according to the statement of my in
tormant, Surgeon Humphrey, of the Penn
sylvania Bucktail regiment, retreat was
ordered, very much against the will of the
Pennsylvania boys, who begged to be al
lowed to hold their position. The outer
forces then began to fall back. Porter's
corps went some distance below DR.. Gaines
residence.
Of the next days battle the correspon-
dent says: .-"
The cannonadiug and musketry were
terrific. Duryee's gallant Zouaves were
lying upon the ground for two hours,
while our batteries were Smelling the works
over them. Finally, towards night, the
enemy attempted to break the line in front
of Duryee's Zouaves. The musketry fir
ing became terrific, lasting twenty or thir.
ty minutes. -
Shortly afterwards an attempt was made
to break through the zig hit which was re-
pulsed, and half an hour later another at.
tempt was made on the left with the same