The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-07-11
The great Battles before Rich.
mOnd.

We try to give this week, beginning upon
the first page, connected account of the
battles before Richmond on the last three
days of June and the first four of july. 1t is
a terrible record, such an one as we hope
never again to be obliged to chronicle. We
do not mean by this that our noble army was
defeated in its encounters with the rebels be-
tween the James and Chickahominy rivers.
vet our brave soldiers did not achieve the
success we so ardently wished, or which
reserve force of 10000 good soldiers would
have so gloriously given them. Still as Gen
Mcclellan says in his 4th of July address.
they "Lave in every conflict beaten back
their foes with enormous slaughter"
The news from the Peninsula, when we
went to press last week, only gave accounts
of fighting up to Saturday. 1t now appears
that fighting was continued on Sunday, Mon
day and Tuesday; and that the greatest
slaughter of the week was OH Monday. Still
later accounts give a severe engagement on
the fourth of July, IN which the rebels were
driven with great loss, tie federal troops tax
ing many prisoners and several field bat
teries Thus it will be seen that our army
has kept up continuous fight every day for
a week, and after resting two days renews
, the conflict with great vigor. The events OF
these days must impress every one who reads
the accounts with the daring bravery and for
titude of the army of the Potomac No ore
will hereafter talk about Gen Mcclellan
2 holiday soldiers and the fighting qualities o.
a the western troops, intending thereby stu,
upon our eastern army. AS their gallant
young commander aptly said. each one witt
pride may hereafter say, 81 belonged to the
k army of the Potomac"
u The rebels fought like demons. They were
!. conscious of their great superiority of mum
y bers, and they seemed determined to max,
d an end of this war by destroying the Unio'
l. army which they almost had within the
grasp. They were reckless of life the,
d charged right up to the lannon's mouth will
n daring which would have been most noble
e in better cause. They failed; not perbap
y through bad generalship, and certainly no
!. for want of courage to attack US at all time
3 and at every attackable point, but faile,
II merely because of the enduring pluck of tn
Union soldiers-they would not be beaten
). they could die but yield never. All honor t.
.e the brave defenders of our liberties and tn
d Union!
J. OF the losses in this week of successiv
. battles, all is conjecture as yet. Some est;
A. mate the federal loss at from twelve to iftee1
lie thousand in killed, wounded and missing
e. while Gen Marcy of Gen McCl clans stat
;e puts our entire loss at 10000, which We al
70 IDENTIFY hope is twice too high. The rebel pa
> pers acknowledge a loss of 10000, and som
rebel prisoners set it as high as 10000, whic
is probably altogether too high. At a
3 events the slaughter was terrific on bot
ID sides, though it is generally conceded tina
u the superiority of artillery in the federal al
ID my made a great difference in the losses su.
IS tanned, and told fearfully upon the dens
;r masses of rebels.
it. There was a terrible havoc made with tn
officers of our army, who seemed everywher
s' to lead their men and take the most expose
~ .. =,
rs. positions. SO many were wounded and fe
IT. into the hands of the rebels, or were sep:
We rated from their commands and taken prison
- ers, that just what loss in officers we hav
lv sustained cannot now be known. 1t is n
= ported that Gen Mccall is wounded and
re prisoner. 1t was reported slso and confrme
~ that the rebel Gems "Stonewal" Jackson an
~ Barnwell Rhett were killed and Gen Magrr
49, der taken prisoner. This has since been cor
a tradicted, but only upon the authority of ret
FL prisoners. We believe the Richmond ps
ell pers announced Jackson's death.