The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-07-15
The Seven Days Battle.


Mr.. WILLARD At this lale day, brief
synopsis Of each days proceedings, with now
and thsn paragraph OF detail and incident, Is
all that you can care TO publish, or that your
correspondent is abio to give you.
On Wednesday, the 25th ullino, early in
the afternoon, occasional firing was heard on
the extreme LETT OF our army-now and then
quite brisk artillery duel, with lnterludes OF
musketry IN volleys and tile firing along the
picket line, extending even to our own division.
Later in the day these random shots began to
thicken up into loud and rapid reports, and
anon into the regular roar OF battle. The fight
ing continued till past shutdown and oa the next
day,
THURSDAY,
We felt very anxious to hear the result. All
kinds OF reports came 10 camp, but nothing Sat
isiactory The loss on both sides was severe,
but the" gam, no one could tell about that.
w hlle specializing concernlDg this fight along
in the afternoon, about clock, should
Judge, il brisk fire all Ut a sudden opened upon
our extreme right. The enemy had engaged
Mccall and Porter jackson and his forces
had turned up IN front OF our right wing, but
" McDowcli and Banks and Fremont had not
formed u JUNCTION. such was the camp dis
cusslon AS the battle ragged. Heavier and
heavier grew the firing, but to the thou
sands OF anxious hearts and listening ears 1t
seemed to grow no nearer. Tins WAS evidence
that our lines were not Droken-that our flank
was not being turned. rundown came, and
from The firing there was every evidence That
the enemy had fallen back and been rcpulsed.
But still there WAS great sollcltude knowing
nothing of our great chleftains plan, we all felt
tina! if that flank was turned, there was but lit
tie hope Tor the army. Ii was growing late,
nine or ten c,ck, and the report comes that
the enemy Is deteAted--he is In full retreat be.
yond Mechaniesville, and our cavalry in not
pursuit. Cheers, lusty cheers, and soui-sllrrlng
shou 90 up-bands play, and National an
tnems disturb the quiet OF tho nearer camps of
Rebellion. Reports come thick and fast, good
and better. AT last W. hear that Little Mac
has SAID, Z" if they will Only attack ny right
wing, will show them something in military
strategy that they never dreamed Of This
was cheering, for they had attacked our right
wing The next day,
FRIDAY,
we were called under arms at about half past
two o'clock in the morning, and then we stood
in line of battle till about five. Hot cuilee was
served to US ut ioar, and In less than half
hour, as the boys sid, they commenced calling
the roll on the right again, and by the time
that the day had fully dawned, the battle was
two-fold fercer than the night previous our
anxiety was increased in like proportion. In
| less than an hour it was evident that our lines
were falling back, giving away, but still the
| roll of musketry, and the roar OF artillery grew
| more and more terrible. Our flank was turned,
there was no longer any doubt of that, and be-
| fore mid day regiment after regiment, brigade
| after brigade from the rebel camp, was seen
filing across the Chckahominy, and taking
| position in the timber and pasture lands near
| Gaines Hill. Anon their batteries are there
| and IN position.
| Tree or four clock comes round and their
| batteries open. They have full command and
| perfect range of our division and camp grounds
| With this position their batteries play upon US
! from three different directions, and IN fact from
that time out till Tuesday night, we hardly
| knew which way to look Tor the enemy Their
| infantry, cavalry, Or artillery were everywhere
| But there was no CONSERVATION, no Bull Run.
BY five o clock the artillery fire became perfectly
terrifc-nothing like it had ever been seen or
| heard on the contlnent,- said old artllerlsts
! From one TO two hundred Cannons We're playing
upon our camp with "a CONSTANT enhladlng fire,
those demon shrieking shells bursting evory
where, while our guns were returning the COM
| pllment. At shutdown all was quiet again
though our brigade was in line o! battle and
drawn up to support redoubt and prevent any
surprise All night they were under arms, but
nothing unusual happened, save little quar-
rel with the pockets. Early
| SATURDAY
morning the ball opened again on our right, OF
rather, as things were now, in our rear. Mil
itary matters now began to thicken ard mix a
little. Order followed order, promlscuously
the last being to pack knapsacks. But this wa,
hardly published before the batteries OF tn,
enemy again opened as the day previous, only
with larger number, and from nearer and better
positions. What was terrible and terrific YES
terday, was to day suptr-terrible and terrific
But few knapsacks were packed and the gene
raj camp was speedily deserted AS all man
: kind dread the coil and hiss of serpents, SO 4,
all soldiers dread the death knell as 1t seems t,
be of these rifed shell By companies and b,
squads the regiments move off, while amid til,
, roar and confusion, shells bursting in an, an,
at his feet, we hear the voice ol our ralan
Lieut.. Colonel Grant, us he stands upon tn
camp ground 50 suddenly deserted, :. Compa
MES of the 9Th Vermont, double quick ronn,
the ravine into line of battle below the timber.