The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-06-19

ut lightning that night and the camr
ires of unusual size, cleaning in the
pitchy darkness, seemed to illuminate
our position. and may possibly have as.
sisted the rebels in gathering nm idea of
the bearing Of things. Just before the
storm had reached its fury there was
some skirmishing between the artillery
on both sides. This com menced again
in the morning, several shots fying
over our camp, indicating that tn he rcb
els had in some way gained more cor.
rect idea of our position.
THE ATTACK ON SATURDAY.
Shortly after noon the grand attack
commenced, Gen. Casey's pickcts he.
ing driven in all along the front after
a spirited resistance, the rebels advanc.
ing in force along three roaas-tho
Williamsburg road, to orr left. the
railroad in the center, and tho "Ninc.
mile road, " as it is called. on the right.
With his feeble division greatly weak.
ened by extension, Gen. Casey had no
backbone TO .oppose To this sudden at.
tnrk' But no thought IF yielding his
ground entered the mind Of the old
soldier Scared with the wounds Of
Mexico and disciplined to danger by
hundred fights. His troops were in.
stantlv formed into position. and three
brigndes maintained their relative po.
sitions on the righ', eft and cen'er, and
ne thorough preparations. were made
for resisting the attack rs its sudden
ness would admit Of Regans Now
York Battery was stationed just tn the
right Of the Williamsburg road Bates
Battery of Napoleon guns further to
the left across the road, and Fitch's
Battery three or four hundred yards TO
the rear, the latter sending its shells
over the heads of our troops at the enc.
nv. The fourth battery was near the
railroad, further to the right.
The vigor with which the enemy
pressed forward tn the attack, indicated
the confidence of superior strength. A
battalion OF two regiments pressed
against Gen. Nagel on the right, an.
other fell on Gen. Wassell at the center.
and third on Gen. Palmer on the left,
pouring in at once a fire hot and heavy
and advancing with great reso uton in
the face of a steady fire Of canister and
grape from the guns in front, and shell
from those further to the rear, moving
down their ranks in all directions
The rebels had hut little artillery, and
were evidently disposed to make good
tn deficiency by pressing to close quar-
t'rs with their superior force, to bear
d wu at once by superior weight of
numbers the feeble skeleton regiments
of three or four hundred men who com.
posed the advanced division.
Most Of Geu. Casey's troops were
thrown forward to the edge Of the woods
in front Of his position to meet the ad
vance Of the rebels, a few regiments
being left behind the partially complet
cd rifle-pits, a short distance to the
rear. Thus a division nearly new TO
warfare, was suddenly exposed. in an
open field, to the heaviest of Ire from
an enemy covered to n considerable ex.
tent bv the woods through which they
were advancing. Tcrribly the tempest
ragged, the air almost growing thick
with musket balls; officer after officer
fell, or was borne from the field a
man; the men dropped by
'cores, and the usual number oc weak
lointcd ones were falling to the rear
But in spite of the rapid thinning of
their ranks, the regiments generally
held their ground until the enemy sue
,eeded in rushing around on the left
Hank, and poured in an en6lading fire
rom that direction, against which the
riAe-pits we're no protection. The six.
~ rounds Of ammunition with which
hey entered the fight we're nearly ex.
lausted, aud no more was at hand,
ARRIVAL OF REINFoRCEMENTs.
Meantime, one ofGen Couoh's brig
ldes. commanded by Gen. Abercro IN.
,ie, was ordered up to the support Of
5en. Nagel on the right, Gen. Devens.
'f the same division, sustained General
VESSEL on the center. and Gen. Peck
With the remaining brigade, supporting
zen. Palmer on the left. When Gen.
Jasey's troops we're forced to give way,
he rebels fell on those brigades 'of
Jouch's Division, who disputed every
nch Of ground, until sustained by Gen.
Kearncy, pressing up the Williamsburg
Dad with reinfOrcements to meet them.
by the Division of General
Hooker in his rear. Pressing rapidly
Onward, Gen. Kearney advanced along
he williamsburg road to within short
distance o'our original position, where
ne bivouacked for tho night 10 front of
he enemy.
1t was along this Williamsburg road
that the main attack was made, and
lere our troops were forced back half
J mile or more, before the arrival of
Zen. Henintzelnah's corps, the feeble
'rigades of Casey's Division, avera sing
ess than 1000 men, being completely
broken up, many, if not most of the
'ficers killed, wounded, or missing, and
he privates scattered through the
woods and along the road. hravely
md well did Gen. Casey do his duty,
pressing on to the extreme front, aud
cheering on his men, regardless Of the
storm of fire and hail that ragged about
him, cutting down his officers on all
Iides, but strangely esolping his own
person. Bravely and well did most Of
his officers stand by him, until, one af- !
ter another, they were borne from the
field dead or wounded.