Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-07
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Dispatches to the Associated Press North
New YORK, June 29-The Tribune has is
sued an extra dated " Battlefield, giving an ae-
count Of two days deliberate fighting.
A severe and most determined battle was
fought on the right wing on Thursday and FRI
day, which is claimed by some Of our officers as
q successful strategic movement, into which tho
enemy had u~nwilingly been drawn. and which
viii soon result in the capture OF Richmond and
the entire rebel army.
The attack was made by the enemy IN inn
mense force, who crossed the Chickahominy near
the railroad, above MechanicsyiAe Thursday az
temoon They fought desperately, but were I'M
able to drive our men asiDgls rod, though
they ~outnumbered US ten 20 one. The only
forces engaged that day WAS Gen. McCalrs di-
vision.
The battle lasted from two till nine P. NJ when
the division was ordered back.
Gen. Mcclellan was on the held, and expressed
himself satisfied with tho result.
LATER.
Thursday about noon, the enemy made an at
tack upon Gen. Stonemsn's forces, in the vicini-
ty of Hanover Court House, probably for the
purpose Of accomplishing an ou~t1snking move
ment on the right, and to engage our attention
in that direction.
Shortly afterward they commenced a vigorous
e~annonading from their works on an eminence
opposite Meehanicsville, about one and q half
miles distant, also from two batteries, one above
and the other below.
They were replied to by Csmpbelrs Pennsyl-
vania battery on picket duty, one on the Me
| Gainesville road, and another from behind
earthWorks at the right of a grove. About ? P.
ii. the enemy's infantry and squadrons Of eavaL-
ry crossed the Chickahominy in immense force
a short distance above the Virginia Central rail-
road, making a rapid advance toward General
MeCalFs division, who were iairenehsd on a
billy woodland, aeEcss-arswampy ravine, about
q mile in the rear of Meehanicsyille
The lst Pennsylvania rifles, Buektails, AID
Campbelrs Pennsylvania battery were on pick
ct duty, all of whom, except one company, fell
back behind the bTeastworks and rife pits,
where q line Of battle was drawn up.
Company X, of the Bucktails, who were on
picket duty beyond the railroad, were surround
ed by the enemy, and the last known Of them
they were trying to cut their way through. 1t
is presumed the greater number were taken pris-
oners.
The enemy advanced down at the rear of Me-
Gainesville on a low marshy ground to where
our forces were drawn up behind rifle pits aud
earthworks, on the noTtheTly side Of the raYine,
when the conflict became most terrible.
The rebels, with the most determined courage,
attempted to press orwsr over miry ground,
but the bullets and grape SHOT fell among them
like hail, moving them down. This continued
until dark when they withdrew, The cannon
adng was kept up on both sides until 9 P. d
when the battle ceased. Our forces were Gov
cred by earthworks and suffered but slightly.
Late in the afternoon the enemy made a
charge with cavalry. About 100 of them came
rushing down, and attempted to cross the rayine
when the horses became mired A squadron Of
our cavalry seeing their position made q charge
down the hill, when the esvalrymeu abandoned
their horses and fed.
The infantry fight was after this renewed,
and according to the statement of my inform
ant, Surgeon Humphrey, of the PennsJ lvanis
B1cktail regiment, continued till about two
o'clock A. NJ when 9 retreat was ordered very
much against the VIII Of the Pennsylvania
boys, who begged hard to be allowed to hold
their position.
The outer forces then began to fall back. Por-
ter's corps were some distance below DR.. Gaines
residence.
Of the next days battle the correspondence
says the c~annonaSiBg and muskatTy was terrific.
Duryea's gallant z2uaves were lying upon The
ground for two hours while oaT batteries were
Smelling the woods over then. Finally, toward
night, the enemy attempted 10 break the csnter
line in front of Duryea's zeUsves, and the mus
kerry became terrific, lasting twenty OF thirty
minutes.
Shortly afterward an attempt was made 70
break through the right which was repulsed,
and half al hour later alosher attempt was made
en- the lelt with TIE same result. The battle had
been raging for soms hours without any appa-
rent change or advantage on either side. Rein
forcemenis Of artillery and infanty then came
steadily along over the bddge to the fed Of
battle.
The enemy then seemed 20 make their last
desperate and determined Effort, and cams on
F,ro1u~ nnr m haoE inf. tho tav oro7rr1 he
tween the hill and the bridge, where they c5uh
have been slaughtered by tens Of thousands be-
fore they could have crossed that long narrow
bridge. Wagons, artillery, ambulances and
men, were huTTying toward the bridge, and a
panic was almost inevitable, when a strong guard
was placed across the bridge AZ the same tins
when the enemy had almost reached the main
hospital, half a mile from the river. Thomas
Francis Meagher's Lishmen came over the hill,
stripped 70 the bare arms, aad were ordered to
60 in. They gave a yell aud went to work, and
the result was that the enemy fell back to the
woods, and thus matters stood up to 10 o'clock
yesterday Saturday morning.
AT dark an attack was made along the front
of the entire line, and was renewed at p. N. N
front Of Gems. Hooker, Kearney and Sumner,
without material result.
Another correspondent says of Fridays bat
tie Twice all along the front did the rebels az
AalA Jul Ai4Csf uuA fAn4 pts anu 4NuluDAas W {
ter, with hity cannon, and Summers, Ho0ker's
and Ayres' guns, moved them down with a
death harvest. Their loss in killed and wounded
horrible.
Under date OF Friday midnight, the same
correspondent says ten guns were taken from US
by a sudden flank attack, covered BY the thick
smoke which hung around. Count de Paris
captured rebel major who belonged to jack
sons army.
He said he had been in the valley of the
Shenandoah all winter, and came here yester-
lay with part of Jackson's army, The rest Of
I arrived this morning, aid the whole ofit was
mere.
He said that in the attack on our right the
had from 60, 900 to SO, 600 troops.
This will explain the enormous FIRE under
our men were borne down and swept
way, precisely as some of the regiments were
Iwept a@ay at the Seven Pines.
Yesterday the Pennsylvania reserve drove the
attacking regiments Of Jsckson's command
friday they were OYerp0wered by the
anne troops reinforced. Sykes regulars were
,alled up and proved unequal to the task Of
them, and Sl0cam's command was
to them.
The Count de Paris t~esEiies TO the remarka-
by good conduct Of all the regiments that sus-
aimed this unequal stack on Porter. They gave
way, indeed, but not ono Of them rsn. Their
osSes are
The 18th regular infantry was about annihi-
ated. Nearly every officer IN i was killed or
The I4sh also suffered severely.
Msj0r Russell, of the regulars, a knsuan Of
Ten. Mcclellan is killed. Col. Pratt, of a New
(oTk regiment, is also killed, and Lieutenant
5olonels Black and Swiizers Our lossin officers
S very marked indeed. The disproportion in
numbers was SO extraordinary and h eobstinacy
{ our troops 50 unyielding, that our losses were
inevitably large. :
The artillery in both Porter's and Smiths
vision, piled the rebels in heaps. The ire was
effective.
Gen Mcclellan ordered Gen. Porter to with
raw to two miles this side Of Gaines millseaTly
n Friday morning, which done, the enemy fol-
up, thinking they had gained a Victory
W men slowly moving back in order, fighting
5 they went, crossing she Chicsahominy, and