Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-06-07
FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE
BATTLES BEFORE RICHMOND.


greater and more Important victory than at first
supposed. When viewed Ia every lig bit we have
occasion for great rejoicing at tue fact that the
great attempt or the enemy to defeat that portion
Of the army across the river, and thus
ly disable II, has been most completely foiled
and the attacking party thrown back upon his
original position with a force which staggered
and greatly weakens, II II does not entirely para
lyze him.
WHAT WAS INTENDED.
Capt w Arlington. Gen. Johnst0n's Aid, cap
tured on Saturday, admits that II was intended to
attack our line on Saturday in three places-rght,
left and centre. Whether this be 30 or not, one
thing Is certain, they didn't do Il. Why is not
known. A theory deemed far more probable by
our leaders, and may say by Gen. Mcclellan
himself, 10 this-that they had knowledge of the
extent OF our force the left and opposite side OF
Chickahominy; that they rightly supposed that
the recent heavy rains would render the passage OF
the river impossible; that, to add to the volumes
OF rushing waters, they destroyed all the mill
dams on the small streams above, that they
thought to fall upon and crush Heintzelman and
keyes before assistance could be rendered from
this side. So far an the very swollen state OF the
river and the xposed condi iton of the two corps on
the left are concerned the enemy were nearly rig ht
In their calculations. In regard to the facility
with which we could succor them ey were al 80
nearly correct. But Sumner managed TO cross on
the very skeleton Of a bridge during SATURDAY.
afternoon, threw his corps into the conflict, re-
deemed himself, and saved not only that day, but
likewise the morrow
This iswhat the Rebels did not count on. They
knew we were not over, and could not speedily
get over on the right. They knew it was four
hours march from right TO left by Bottoms
Bridge, and so they attacked with great vigor,
hoping to overwkelm and scatter our forty thous.
was left. They did oyerwhelm Casey; they did
repulse Couch, thoue he scattered death among
them at fearful rate; but they met metal In
Hooker and Kearney too heavy for them; their
further progress was stopped; they pressed per-
sistenty and pertinaciouslY, failing in their
tracks as though mown down by scythss but
they could make no further advance. Then came
Sumner, with the gallant Sedgwick and ''Fight-
ing Dickn Richardson, at the heads OF their d.
visions This entirely unexpected reinforcement
was more than the enemy had expected, but II
only nerved them for greater efforts
They gathered strength during the night and
In the morning, threw two fresh divisions into
the fight The best blood Of the south flowed
like water. Ohacers rallied, time after time their
wavering columns-but all to no PURPOSE We
met them successfully everywhere oar troops
foug ht with great desperation, not 10 sly mad
ness; they were disposed to make short work of
Il, and at every appearance Of the enemy yester-
oaycnet, and he uniformly fed before the gleam-
ing steel.
THE OVERLOOKING ckAHoMiNY.
We to-day consulted the 80 oldest habitaut
He says that very rarely does the river reach its
present stage; thatit cannot now be merely the
effect OF recent rains, though they have been
copious, but the loosing Of confined waters above
The latter statement is proven by the fac, that
the river after the last heavy shower showed the
effect very plainly but after the rush Of water
from that cause lad actually began TO subside, II
suddenly rose again TO greater height than ever,
oveEnowng the banks and meadows on each side
for hundreds Of yards, aud rendering all attempts
70 cross, even upon the completed bridges useleas
To-ni9h ht the stream Is as suddenly falling
SUMMERS BRIDGEn
This corps crcsssd Just at the precious moment
on bridge Of logs, whose proximity TO the
swelling waters beneath, to say nothing Of the
precaTiOus foothold afforded by round and loose
slpl'ng hastily thrown upon bending stringers
was exceedingly dang0O1s. By daylig ht OF sun
day morning the rising food had swept away the
beat part OF this hastiiY-formed bridge and IL rs
not even yet reconstructed.
BOTTOMS BRIDSR.
Sunday afternoon the river rose 10 so great an
extent as to carry this bridge away also. There
Is no communication now, save by telegraph,
ScantY rations are being fshed across at the rail-
road bridge, and with defeated enemy before
them our divisions may be In no really great dan
ger until Tomorrow, when we shall be able to
reaCh them.
ThEL LOSSES
AS usual 10 Is very difficult to es.imate the losp
OF the enemy. His practice upon the field Of bat
tie was this; TO carry or the wou nded promptly
but 10 leave the dead upon our hands This was
extensively done, and but few Of the Rebel
wounded Were found. Ufhcers and men from
that over one thousand Of the eRemy's dead had
already been found, and the labor was not by any
means done. If the wounded Gear the usual pro-
portion, the total Rebel loss Is not whit less
ers taken, now numbering nearly six hundred
Our loss Ii not estimated higher than three thou
sand.
REAL BAYoNEr CHARGES.
The carnage by the bayonet upon this field
probably exceeds anyth ing recorded In history
Tor many score Of years. The English could
tnd but half dozen men killed by the bayonet
al Waterloo. The Excelsior Brigade and the
lrish Brigade, both from New York, distin-
gulshed themselves greatly by the impetuosity of
their onslaught: with this terrib BILE weapon. They
Were maddened by the Pefsistency with which
the enemy sought every cover and shelter, from
which they drove them repeatedly. At every
charge the enemy reeled and fed before the ua-
wavering line of hashing steel. Frequently the
con1lcis would be hand 10 hand, but the great
ardor and superior muscle OF our men over.
powered the cadaverous and weak-kneed south.
erners, and they fell pierced with glitterIng
blade. Gtrs them sAs bGyOnst,
Correspondence Of the New York Herald
LITTLE NAPoLRoNO
Gen. Mcclellan had ridden over very early m
Sunday morning, and when the fight began he
Immediately rode down the williamsburg road
and over the whole scene Of action, which he
directed. His presence excited the most intense
enthusiasm In the troops, both on the field and
iater In the day, when he rode along the lines and
tooEed kindly ON the shattered regiments that had
Iows-''few and faint, but Fearless .tiii,otSs
young Commander addressed few words Of
pleasant encouragement that thrilled eyery ear.
ana then rode away.
The scene In the woods on Sunday told a story
that VIII be heard with sad ears NO doubt.
throughout the South. There Law in heaps the
dead, and those in mortal agony terribly
mingled-men, young and old-mostly younpZ
from every Southern State.
AL day sunday, after our own men had been
ssen 70, we had out parties In the woods with
stretehers bringing In the wounded rebels, and
other parties engaged In burying them Our
enemies, tired Of the fight employed the greater
part OF the day In the same way. And SO went
Pines.
TnE THIRD DAY-wHAT WAS DOME on MONDAY
On Monday morning our position could be
summed up about thus Two divisions. much
reduced In strength from various causes, had
been attacked by greatly superi or force OF good
troops and driven fully mile from the frst point
OF attack; but by the arrival OF fresh troeps the
enemy course had been arrested, and his p,irpoae
TO drive Us into the Chickahominy decidedly de.
sition he had taken.
On sunday he had attacked " and been COM
PEELED 70 retire with loa- But though Richard.
son's division had aven him on the railroad, ana