The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-07-05
the GREAT BATTLE BEFORE
RICHMOND,
Three Days Hard Fight
ing.
ALL THE AVAILABLE REBEL,
FORCES ENGAGED.
STONEWALL JACKSON
DRIVES IN OUR
RIGHT WING.
The Rebels Repulsed at
all other Points.

SSES&AA0SSA CIV
all other Points.
IMMENSE SLAUGHTER.
NEW YORK, June 30.-The Tribune has is.
sued an extra dated at the battle field giving an
account of two days desperate fighting.
A company of Bucktails was surrounded and
captured. Our right wing retreated Over
1875 900 men we're engaged.
All civilians have been ordered away from
the White House.
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
a successful strategy movement, into which the
enemy had unwittingly been drawn and which
Will soon result in the capture of Richmond and
the entire rebel army.
The attack was made by the enemy in i'm.
mense numbers who crossed the Chickahominy
near the railroad above Mechanicsyille Thurs
day afternoon. They fought desperately, but
were unable to drive our men single rod tho
the enemy were ten to one The only forces en-.
gagged that day was AcCall's division-the bat.
tie lasted from two until nine in the afternoon.
when the division was ordered back.
Gen. Mcclellan was on the field and expressed
himself satisfied with the result
Thursday about noon, the enemy made an at
tack upon Gen. Stoneman's forces, in the vicin.
ity of Hanover Court House, probably for the
purpose of accomplishing an out-hankine move
ment on the right, and to engage our attention
in that direction. Shortly afterwards they COM
menced vigorous cannonading from their works
on an eminence opposite Mechanicsville, about
one and half miles distant Also, from two
batteries, one above and the other below. They
were replied to by Campbell's Pennsylvania bat.
teries on picket duty, one on the Mechanicsvie
road and another from behind earthworks. at the
right of grove.
About two o'clock, P. n, the enemy's infantry
and squadrons of cavalry crossed the Cickahom-
my in immence force, short distance above the
Virginia Central Railroad, making rapid ad.
vance towards Gen. McCall's Division, who were
entrenched on billy woodland across swampy
ravine, about a mile in the rear of Mechanics.
ville The First Pennsylvania Rifles, the Buck.
tails and Campbell's Penn'a battery, were on
picket duty. all of whom, except one company,
fell back behind the breastworks and rife pits,
where q line Of battle was drawn up.
Company K, of the Bucktails, who were on
picket duty, beyond the Railroad. were sur.
rounded by the enemy, and the last that was
known Of them, they were trying to cut their
way through. 1t is presumed that the greater
portion were taken prisoners.
The enemy advanced down at the rear of Ne
| Gainesville on low marshy ground, to where
our forces were drawn up behind rife pits and
earthworks on an eminence on the northern side
of the ravine, when the conflict became most
| terrible. The rebels with most determined cour.
age attempted to press forward over the miry
ground, but the bullets and grape shot fell
among them like hail, moving them down. This
continued till dark, when they withdrew. The
cannonadiEg was kept up on both sides unit
about z o'clock P. NJ, when the battle ceased
Our forces were covered by earthworks and suf
fered but slightly
Below DR.. Gwine's residence late in the after
noon the enemy made charge with cavalry
About one hundred of them came rushing down
and attempted to cross the ravine, where theil
forces became mired. A squadron of our cav
airy seeing their position rushed down the hill
when the cavalrymen abandoned their horses
and fed. The infantry fight was then renewed
and according to the statement of my informant
Surgeon Humphrey Of the Pennsylvania Buck
tail regiment, continued until about a. m
when q retreat was ordered very much agains
the will of the Pennsylvania boys who begged
to be allowed to hold their position. The outer
forces then began to fall back. Porter's corps
were some distance below.
OF the next days battle correspondents So,
the caunonading and musketry was terrific.
Duryea's gallant Zouaves were lying upon tn
ground for two hours while our batteries wer'
shelling the woods over them. Finally, toward
night, the enemy attempted to break the cente
line in front of Duryea's Zouaves. The musketr,
firing became terrific, lasting twenty or thirty
minutes. Shortly afterwards an attempt wa
10 <o tho rioht
pulsed, and half an hour later another attemp
was made on the left with the same result. Th'
battle had then been raging for some hours
without any apparent change or advantage OF
either side Reinforcements Of artillery and in
fantry then came steadily along the bridge t,
the field of battle.
The enemy then seemed to make their las
desperate and determined effort. and came for
cling our men back into the lew ground betweel
the bills and the bridge, where they could hav,
been slaughtered by tens of thousands befor'
thew could have crossed that long marrow
b.idge. Wagons, artillery, ambulauces an.
men were hurrying towards the bridge, ard
panic was almost inevitable, when stronI
guard was placed across the bridge. At tn
time when the enemy had almost reached tn
main hospital, half mile from the river, Thos
Francis Meagher's men came over the bill, strip
ped to the bare arms, and were ordered to g
in. They gave yell and went to work, ant
the result was that the enemy fell back to tn
woods, and thus matters stood up till IL o'cloc]
yesterday.
Sunday morning an attack was mad
along the front of the entire line and was renew
ed at 2 q m. in 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 at
tack our lines, our rife pits and redoubts.. Pol
ter with fifty guns and Hooker's, Summers and
Ayers guns moved them with death harvest
Their loss was horrible.
| The same correspondent under date OF Frida
midnight, saws the guns were taken from us b.
a sudden flank attack covered by the thicl
smoke which hung around.
Count De Paris captured Rebel Major VIII
belonged to Jackson's army. He said ne ha'
been in the valley Of the Shenandoah all winte
and came here yesterday with part OF jackson
k.r,,c ho roat ofi IL arrived this morning.