The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-06-28
Kir|lllrnnn 8ispatrb.
SATURDAY MORNING. .JuisE - isn


SATURDAY MORNING .........J JUNE -, iSm.
THE LINES, Nc.
Az generally an,ielpatea our brilliant scss o
Thursday evening - The ssshs wing Of the snsmys
line. was vigorously followed up yesterday with
still further ssccess 10 oar es1ns
n apnears that Gen. Il r. Hill. commandln9 our
extreme left, advanced dcwnthc Hanover tDrook)
turnpike early In the day rhasday) aud sooa after
noon crosscd Meadow bridge IN face OF the enemy,
driving Them before him with much rapidty and sue
ees. .scvine his ccinmn by the right towards Nc.
,hsnicsvilie serica Of brilliant encounters ensued
in which the enemy were successfully driven from
eu,rcnchn,en,s aud rife rits with tho loss of many
sun. Ono. in command of the Mechanicsvills
rad Gen. Iongstrcets division immediately cross.
cd formed junction. and began to CO operate
Towards sunset, Gen. Ripleya brigade {Hl's d.
x;,,oal moved dewn small road almost at right
: angles with the Mcchanicsville road, aud pro.
teeses towards Ellyson.s Mills, where the
enemy were in force, and commanded
AL approaches a, pursuit. with strong retfoubts and
fife pits on an eminrnce to the right Of the mill
Thsre was but one approach to this mill, and that
by the road, country somewhat lower than
the battery. Proceeding to the spot across the
country, the enemy opened terrific Gre upon our
advance. and although the fifth Georgia and Sd
North Carolina calamity formed lime of battle for a
charge the ground impracticable, and our ,oss
heavy. Standing in an open field. exposed to the
euemy's destructive fire, the G eorgians and North
Csrolinans saw nothing bat q swamp in front,
covered with feiied timber, while the face
If the opposite III was swarming with pitfalls
and shaIrshootcrs. Mortal men could not have done
than they aud 1t was not until repe aictly or
der~i tina; they withdrawn from the scene
The 18th Georgia and Cd North Carolina form a
part of the brigade. but did not suffer SO much.
his the occasion Of the heavy and rapid Ting
heard about T. NJ. Thursday. During the night
the enemy withdrew some of their pieces but early
in the morning Gen. Msxcy Gregg fianked the bat.
terry and took II without much loss capturing many
of the Pennsylvania ''Bucktails who were not sui
hcien,iy gh, footed to escape Longstreets forces.
however had proceeded parallel with the swamp and
towards nigh'full Thursday of his brigades Dry
ors aud Feahers;ones,) bvouacked in tho woods to
the right and left of very heavy battery that was
sweeping tie whole horizon at the moment of their
advance At twilight the enemy opened fire upon
chr troops and broke their short repose Almost
Simultaneous with Greggs attack en- Ellysons
mills Pryor and Featherstone also commenced.
As all approach TO this battery was
through open field, SOME few pieces
90 Ttorlas's tha nonelisonvi,e. and Carriers bat
teries were brought up, which vigorously replied
to the enemy. and drew of their attention from the
Mss.ssippans and Louisianans who were eudeav-
oring to fank IT, Al the footof the rise was wide
and deep (natnraD ditch, unbridgei. temporary
on. was made by the 10th Mississippi, under FIRE
while ST. Pauls battalion busily oec upied the enc
mv's skrmsh.rs. All being in readiness, our artil
leTy moved up closer. and redoubled their en-
eisv, while Pryor and Feahers,one hanked
the enemy the first the left, while the lat
ter moved with great celebrity the right, to
prevent al, escape. So eager Were our men tn
capture every YANKEE that most of them passcd
the captured work without entering 1.-THE only
ones who into !: being the 13h La. Iath
Mi-s. and some other regiment. These, how
ever niulby jumped among the guns, stopped all
tsrees, end bayonettad right and left with gre,t
fury Wiioox's brigade now took UP the lead and
proceeded through heavy timber by old road
while the main body still moved parallel with the
Chick ahonny, moving rouad dense growth of
timber and concealed by its shadow. Arriving at
this edge o. the woods Wilcox and picke.rs bri-
cad.s formed line OF battle passed through large
FEDERAL camps, and stood for time expecting
and inviting an attack. The position occupied by
these brisades in the open field was midway be-
3
time being about a. NJ. The fields of farms in
this neighhorhood being large and fiat, We're un
t.okea by woods Or underground, and had been
occupied by several very large Federal camps. and
q1ar,ers of some Generals of Division, &c
Extensive Comnissary, Quarternaster, and wagon
camps were here found en- every hand, but
all was in blaze, and bon fires had been formed of
many wagons. 1t this time of the morning in
hn,5, .l,rl-
dense columns of smoke. standing out like lofty
pillars against the cloudless sky. Skirmishers aud
horse Iickets were sent out in advance to reconnc
tie, but nought could be fou nd of the enemy al
though flames arising every hand, in the woods
10 the front, told plainly that they not very
far in advauae. Failing to draw them out Wilcox
and Pickett took up the line of march again, and
had proceeded as sar as Walker Hogan's farm when
halt ~ sounded. and columns proceeding on
parallel roads cenae to stand 1t was fortunate for
the enemy that they did not accept the invitation
attack Wilcox and Pickett, for Longstreet's flank
movement would have captured every man and
va, one ot the most beautiful man puvres imagin
able for the large column advance d 10 rapidly and
s,-althy In the shade of timber that its head
emerged upon the main road Just as Wilcox and
Pickett did So
Having thoroughly secured The woods to our
front. and far in advance, without finding the foe
they were al last unearthed, and operations com
m-need again with much spirit. Hogan's farm on
the north bank, being nearly opposite to Mrs. PriIe's
farm on the south, rockets were thrown towards
Gen Magruder's position, that his batteries
might participate the fight and shell the enemy
i-pm their position in front Of Longstreet. Dab
ney's heavy guns now opened, which, toGe leryyith
Lanes and Browns batteries, completely silen,ed
the enemy OF the north side, and disabled the only
fel! work that remained uncaptured; for not less
han six had fallen to us without blow since pass
iug in their rear ard the guns Gun now be plainly
from our position on the south Lane and
Brown, however, said to have had not less than
some dozen killed and wounded each; tor before
htY finally retired from the conflict, the dueio was
l1t. rapid and yndictive, The Federais seemed
particularly amazed at Dabneys heavy guns
long Tom and Long Charlie"for could
H. ny sc shells bursting around them in all drec
'eas, 5at d. laE we could learn, without any
-.
II tssng now in readiness, Lengstreet's forces
-a ratod the dense timber by three roads, and
A,s diminishing quickly commenced, prisoners
2an TO arrive and the Donaldsonvil,e artillery to
bag way. An hour or more was thus consumed |
70 .tarp lighting through the timber. when, emerg |
'aa int 'l.e open again. the enemy discov
re a iorce, and preparing to dispnte TIE ad |
yar.~
'lvairy new sent 10 the front TO clear the |
t..t, when the Yankee skrmshers retired in great
4.,'o leaving the ground undisputed. Being still, |
Land in force. srtiiisry opened it'll great spirit
~.,h.r ride and infantry ia contact, all |
sab,d-d into the lively rattle Of ride and musketry
,.y,y d,iviuf, the enemy before rs for more than