Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1862-06-26

Casey's Division-The Rebel Lo.
Greater than our own-Heintze
mans Fore-thought.
We give below a very accurate an
detailed account of the great battle be
fore Richmond 1t supplies all the min
utie that the official reports entirel.
omit; and its vivid description gives I
clear idea of the terrible fight.
Correspondence of the N. Y. Tribunel
SAvAeE's STATION, June 4, 1869.
The Chickahominy is the drain of {
swamp. The stream is deep, though
sluggish. Densely timbered, msrshy
land fringes it on either bank. The
rebels had gathered enormous reser.
voirs of water BY the use Of dams, as {
weapon of military offense north o.
the Richmond and York River Rail.
road bridges. When the awful rain;
of last Wednesday and Friday had sci
every square rod of this part of the
Peninsula to work to contribute the
elements of a food to the Chickabom-
iny, there was glee in Richmond, and
mutual congratulations among military
men. They surely reckoned that Bot
tom Bridge would be afoat, and that
on the other side of the swollen stream,
wherever Mcclellan had made passage
ways for bis troops and his transporta-
tion, his artillery would be motionless,
hub-deep in the water, and his trains Of
ammunition and of food immovable,
and from 40, 900 to 10000 of his best
troops in the army standing useless up
on the brink of a river, beyond which
their brothers in arms were being
crushed in their ranks by overwhelm-
ing numbers, or driven at the point OF
the bayonet to death by drowning be-
fore their eyes. H
On Friday night the reservoirs Of ac-
cumulated waters on the Upper Chick
ahoniny were cut open. On SATURDAY.
morning Bottom Bridge was ahoat.-
On Saturday noon, an hour occupied
by soldiers in cooking and eating and
favorable to attack, because leaving
little time to the assailed to call for and
receive help, $4,000 of the choicest Of
the rebel troops who fought at Bull
Run, circled our Left Wing with cres-
cent of danger within the woods in
front Of our pickets.
Now to the situation. Casey's di.
vision held the advance. Couch's was
on the right. To Peck was committed
the care 81 the left.
This left rested on the White Oak
Swamp. which runs parallel to our line
of march to Richmond. The Charles
City road TO Richmond lies beyond the
Swamp. Numerous wagon ways from
this road cross the swamp, and come
up TO the Williamsburg turnpike, on
which our center rested, and on which
the whole Left Wing had marched up.
Finally, a new road, branching off from
the turnpike from Richmond, beyond
Casey's camp, could deliver upon
Peck's flank $4,000 troops unseen and
unheard. The key of our position was
held by Peck.
His recennoitering upon his flank
through the swamp, and all its trsverses
to, and up and down, the Charles City
road had been constant, careful and
Thorough. Every one of these had
drawn FIRE from the enemy. His
Aide, Capt. Morris, had been fred on,
and Capt. Titus repestedly shot at, as
had been Stirling, and Loder, and Kin
caid. The thick presence of the enemy
all through this vast hiding place, had
repeatedly been demonstrated.
Peck's vigilance alarmed and mis-
lead Longstreet. He thought we had
massed our forces on the left, and that
his secret purpose of an overwhelming
flank attack. had been OWNED. He re-
sorted to strategy to ascertain our
strength. A German artilleryman,
whose mother lived on the nearest farm
to Peck's headquarters-an exceeding
ly shrewd and cunning man--was sent
home in uniform, with pass from bis
General. Our pickets took him as he
emerged from the woods just next to
his home. He was forwarded to Nc
Clellsn. The Mayer Of Richmond fur
nished a sharp and adventurous fellow
with civil pass through the rebel lines,
and Longstreet instructed him to trav-
erse the ground that the artilleryman
had been sent to spy out. Peck's
pickets picked him up, and he did not
return to make report. An Aide oil
Joe. Johnston, sent on similar errand
was pounced on the evening before the
fight and sent to the rear as a prisoner
The loss of these spies exaggerated
Longstreet's .spprehensIoDs Of the
strength of Peck's force; and. although
he had, on Saturday morning, tire,
6rigades in White Oak iSscanp aUenu,
: be Thesitated to attack, and finally
! changed bis plan Of battle.ess 7,ara
- This plan had been to drive in Casey'l
pickets, to engage him moderately ir
action. with such Superior force, thai
= help would be semitic him, and when at
tention was concentrated on the front
s to fall like lightning on Peck on the
left and on Couch on the right, and
anuihilate them on the spot. or star
them on panic run inte the Chicks'
hominy. The destruction of two entire
army corps had been carefully planned
s'do Casey was at his dinner table wher