The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-07-03
a GEeas RaI.le Refofe IsieImond
TWO DAYS HARD FIGHTING,
l25,O0O MEN ENGAGED.
The Retrea. Of Our Right Wing.

Ihe hetredl OF Our Asight wing.
Details of tie tVO Days Eightiag-Des.
perate Effort to Break the National
Lines Furious Charges By The Rebels
Tie Slaughter Reported Terrific, DC,
do. s 3E
NEW YORK. June 29,--Tho Tribune has
issued an extra dated battle Field"
giving an account OF two days desperate
lighting. A company of Buckiails was
surrounded and captured; rstreat of our
right wing; over, 10000 men engaged;
all civilians ordered away from White
House, d..
A tevere and most determined battle
was fought on the right wing. on Thurs.
day and Friday. which is claimed by
some Of our officers as successful strate.
gic movement, into which the enemy had
i,tiDgly 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 Chcks.
hominy, near the railroad about Mechan.
icsvillp. Thursday afternoon. They
fought desperately, but we're unable 10
drive our men single rod, though the
enemy wero ten to one. ~.
The only forces engaged that day was
McCalrs Division, the battle lasting from
2 till p. NJ, when the division was or.
dered back. .su La5
General Mccall was on the field, ex
pressing himself satisfied with the result.
Thursday about noon, the enemy made
an attack upon Gen. Stonqman's forces in
The vicinity oi Hanover Court House,
probably lpr the purpose ofaccomplishing
an outnanking movement on, the right,
and to engage our attention in that d;rec.
ton. Shortly aiterward they commenc.
ed vigorous cannonading from their
works on al eminancc opposite TO Me.
ohaOicsville, about one and half miles
distant; also from two batteries, one above
and the other below.
They were replied 10 by Campbell's
Pennsylvania batteries, on picket duty,
ons on the Mechanicsville road and anoth
er from behind carthworks, at the right oil
a grove. +.,.
The First Pennsylvania Rifles, "Buck.
tails," and CampbelPs Pennsylvania Bat,
terry, were on picket duty. all Of whom
except one company. fell back behind the
breastworks and rifle pits, where line Of
battle was drawn up.
About Q p. NJ. tho enemy's infantry
aud squadron Of cavalry crossed the
Chickabominy in immense force, a shorl
distance above the Virginia Cen.ral Rail.
road, making rapid advance toward Gen.
McCalPs division. who were entrenohed
on billy woodland, across swamp ra
vine. about mile in tho rear Of Mechan
icsville. st1 oe. .,s 5si.
Company X, Of the Bucktails, who were
on pi,ket beyond the railroad, were sur
rounded by the enemy, and. The last tha,
was known Of them. they we're trying to
out their way through. ~ lft
Ii is presumed the greater portion wer,
taken prisoners. The eusmy advanced
down at the rear Of Meclanicsville, on
low, narshy ground. to where our forcel
were drawn up behind rihepits and earth
works. on An eminence on the northerly
side Of tho ravine, when the conflict be
came most terrible. ..1
The rebels, With the most determined
courage, attempted TO press forward Oyer
miry ground. but the bullets and grape
shot fell among them likelhale. moving
them down. This continued till dark, wheI
they Withdrew. .s
The cannonading was Kept up on boil
sides until about 9o'clock p. NJ, wber
the battle ccased. Our forces were GOV
cred by earihwocks. and suffered bu
slightly. Late in the silernood the enc
my made a charge with cavalry.
About one hundred Of them came rush
ling down, and attempted to cross the ra
vine. whom the horses mirsd. A. squad
ron ofour cavalry seeing their position
madc charge down tho hill. when The
cavalrymen abandoned their horses anC
fed. 'e ' "f
I The infantry fight was then renawed
and according TO the statement OF my 10
formant Surgeon Humphrey, of tbt
Pennsylvania BuoktAil Regiment. con
linued until about 4 A. N when aretrcat
was ordered very much against the viii
of the Pennsylvania boys Who begged Ia
be allowed to hold their position.
The outer torces then began tofall back
Porter's corps were some distance below
Dr. Gaines residence. OF the next days
battle correspondents say the tannohAdine
and musksiry we're terti6o.ia 1870 qFpa
Duryea's gallant Zouayes were wing
upon The ground for two hours, while ouI
batteries we're shelliDg tho woods over
them.
Finally. toward night, the enemy at
tempted tc break the center line, in front
Of Duryea's Zouaves.t .ssy ola bra htsi
The .musketry fling became terrific,
lasting twenty or thirty minnies. Short
" afterwafd an attempt was made &c
break through the right, which wac re.
pulssd, aud half an hour later another
attempt was made on, the left, with the
same result.
The battle had been raging 10 ior some
hours without any apparent change, OF
any advantage on either side. . Rs.en
fOrosments Of artillery and infantry thor
came eteadily along over the bridge ,c
the 6eld Of battle.
The enemy then seemed 10 make theil
last. desperate determined effort, aut