The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-09-01

Andssws; ~ Wiseon q eeeimsnt, Col. Ruesr. and
the a7sh indiana NJ Col Celsrove.
should state that ey companies Of the Sd Wis.
cousin regiusent, pruysp8sly dsployed as skirmish
ees IN this sains simbet md been ordered by you to
join Gen. Crawfords - nnand. which, after enRse-
9ng the enemy with - gallantry, had been cota.
eiDsd 70 retirs. asflyd in the timber as Colonel
Ruger was rnlyin8 h't ulsn. and added them to my
command. The eneshy were posted In the edge Of
the woods, ON the opposite side of newly mown
wheat Geld; distance Acf9ss the field two hundred
ssdi ,n l.. A spprossesa the opening the enemy.
pd and destructive ss. INT my regiments, partcl,.
lAriy the Second MAssahhusetts aud Third Wiscon.
sin, coolly took their AAigned places and replied
with commcndable c9alAass For ut least thirty
minutes this terribis ~ continued Companies
were left without cfiiesA and mon were falling In
every direction frosR thA fire OF an enemy which
largely ontnumbered Elf brigade. Sill. there was
gensr al falling baN disgrarefui instances
of cowardies there wersebut these only served to
abOw IN boier relief theAnaesty Of the courageous
bearing Of others The ,aE,emy having gsned my
right and rear, which, sty their superior numbers
they were enabled to do without a check from me
poured Ia q destructiyestire from this new direc,
ton.
The Gre from ths front had not been diminished
IT too evident that tls spot that had witnessed
moments the grave Of miiss. had resisted the sug-
gestions OF staff officer III your command to with,
draw when the contest &tmed hopeless but now
my duty had been pss sptmed, as the reports will
1AoW. - had iO6A fNa&H3hau tulfty III every nun
dred Of my command xrefore reluctantly with.
drew. AsHsMfaet my d5czi 1sst nnlnAes2 lsstwea,a
tne Timber and my first position. and fell back TO
the right OF the line which 1 had held since tho
morning. This position occupied until relieved
at q late hour Of the night by troops from General
McDowels division. There we slept upon our DO.
Stion. We had not driven the enemy from his :;
further than that, il he has anything of which to
boast, 1t Is not in his numerous dead which fell be-
fore the rifles Of the First and Third brigaaes of
the FIRST division.
With my shattered brigade occupied the front of
the centre of onr line of battle until near daylight.
In conclusion, Ought--as thus do--to mention
the names OF Col Andrews, I'd Massachusetts reri
ment; Col. Ruger, I'd Wisconsin regiment and Col
Colgrove, 9th Indiana regiment as deserving praise
for gallant conduct. ] by means limit my COM
mendatl0n to the names mentioned. / would add
the names of many commissioned and non commits
stoned officers Of my command
The dead, the honored dead speak for Themselves
they gave up their lives for their count-y's sake
The living. yet live for their country, and the
TVoanded in their suffering, may be cheered by the
consciousness that all this, and more they can bear
for the cause OF American freedom.
Among the killed arc Lieut. Col Crane and Capt.
O'Brien, Sd Wisconsin regiment; Capt.. Cary, VIII
liams, Abbott, and Goodwin, and Lieut. Perkins of
the I'd Massachusetts These are some of the names
that our country may survive.
carried into action less than 800 men. I lost
in about thirty minutes 46j killed, wounded and
missing refer specially to the reports of Colonely
of regiments appended.
ann sir, with great respect,
Truly your ob't servant
GEO. II. GORDON,
Brig feE Coug Sd Brig lst Div % Army
Corps Army Of Virginia.