The Placer herald., 1862-08-23
SATURDAY,


A correspondent of the Daily Times writes:
Early in the morning of Saturday our entire
force which had been engaged the day before
left the east side of the Chckahominy. and cross
ed over 10 the opposite side. The bridges, four
in number. were then blown up, and batteries
were planted on Trent Hill, to command the
river below.
At 10 o'clock, A. NJ, it was discovered that the
rebels were crossing the river ut New Bridge
from the west side. in large numbers From this
it WAS inferred that they intended to move round
towards Bottoms Bridge and cut off our railroad
and tclegraphc communication. That they had
not done this before was surprising. Tor they GER
anly had free access to that portion of the Pen
insult.
No attack was made during the day. The enc
my was probably busily engaged in burying the
dead and attending to the wounded. They had
not only their own but ours TO attend to. We
were Obliged to leave our dead on the field Of
battle, also those Of onr wounded who were una
bic to walk away.
A Herald correspondent writes of this day:
The scene on that memorable Saturday morn
ing can never be forgotlen-Whte House resi- gn-
ed. our supply depot cut Off Il part Of our line Of
earthwurkS deserted, and the army grouped tent
less and eXpectant. in the open field sleeping af-
ter the labors of The battle. Hundreds OF soldiers
were lmping hither and thlther. their arms III
slincs, asking for their regiments. Hundreds Of
others started upon painful and almost hopeless
pilgrimage to the james, where they fOndly
hoped the Union gunboats would be- and felt that
under their watchlul ports there would be rest.
safety and shelter. The long lines of fevered
staggering people struck out for the river. and
many Il drop of blood spattered the sand us they
filed through brook and wood over hill and dale.
nervc up the certainty that every football ensur-
ed more directly their deliverance. Some OF the
wounded hobbled ten miles the first day. upon
crutches, and we saw one MAN with ball through
one hip and the other ankle broken that kept up
with in ammunition wagon throughout eleven
hours The ambulances were crowdei with men
until the springs bent fiat upon the aXles. and
very common matter was to see several wounded
men sitting in the tail of the wagon with bloody
feet dripping upon the steps. All day long the
loggy files, and the troops sauntered towards the
same ultima thule. Great siege guns and great
er pontoons went ringing in the cortegc, and
horsemen, ttamsters and negroes We'd with each
other in cursing and swearing
SATURDAY NIGHT on THE FIELD.
Very few slept on Saturday night; for the is
sues of the down came upon many with heavy
forboding, and that soictude for the army and
it's General that every individual felt pressed
home with u bitter promontion OF dangers to
come, 1t was said that The enemy had pushed a
great column between us and the James, and that
When we reached the river itself Beauregard WAS
there. backed by hundred thousand men to in
terpose between US and The gunboats.
SUNDAY.
The Tribune correspondent, rs. A. +. "writesre
sarding Sundays Operations:
From 10 o'clock until s. the front OF the COL
umns halted Gems. Mcclellan, Keycs, Porter
Peck. Butter6eld. and others, were In anxious
consultation Had the enemy penetrated our ae'
sign in season 10 intercept with any considerable
force! He was close and strong upon our lear'