Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1862-07-24

events which happened around Richmond during tie late
battles which took place the 25h of June, and ended
the Jnly 1892 it necessary that should copy
some extracts from correspondence Of the Cincinnati
Commercial giving the Federal account of the situation of
MCCLELLAN ling his retreat to the James River
We may no. get through with those to-day. We
commence with
friends, could you reaZe tie 6I ctions of the past
five DAYS, could almost shed tears OF blood said
bic and gallant solder whose visag9 whose voice
tremuous with expressive emotion wi hose beard
matted with his precious bjocd-the crimson crops
trcking from his wound then" Oh my filmed,
it horrible horrible 10 this proud army 30 wretch
eddy pressed upon every sde destruction threatened wher
turn; hope ofexteaueg save that which
is born Of despair. horrible and the devO>ed sol
der who had faced the foe all day ard far into the night
which had passed. into the forest hide his manly
grief OBJ gloomy counteEenCes and anxious
those dark days Woud Sod such Gays lad parsed away
Oh my counrymeD. you cannot comprehend the
of murderOus!y unequal comhat-cOItiicI simply wnh
superior disciplined sodiery-but contertoa a.
empowering fatgue-and aer hng apd norcbing, and
prVations by day, and suffering by night ard fighting
gainst fresh forces hurled upon them OVerp0werDg
I'LL exhausted nature almost sunk beneath such fearful
VSatoDs to be pressed to the imminent verge of despair
was almost too much for human nature to endure.
~" ~ YOU HAVE TEARS, PREPARE TO EHED THEN NOW"
The soil OF Virginia Is sacred. 1t is bathet with the
redeRt God OF this broad laEd Every rood Of it, from
Upper Chickah0mny to the base OF Malvern Hill crim
soned with the blood Of your brave brethren. he dark
forests htng canopy Tor sqch wot0i sacrccecho with
tie walls of w0undel ard dying There u bloody
corpse IN every cOpSe and soldiers
OF tDa ensaDgulned field ie by side they lie and die
friendly with The misguided foe whom they lately fought
God only knows how many of the weary banged head
long into the shade Of those gloomy pies for orief
spite from pressure OF wars iron heel who lie
now to sleep the sleep that knows waking. Bus while
Wre theee hes the 1903 presses haf nur soldiers turn
their breasts TO the steel their backs upon the river
Oh Goo, shall they not stand where they ght stenly
such brave souls should be pressed almost to the ey brink
Of ruin Ihey stood STILL with pressing heD with
fatigue crushing them, and ut every to the field
they followed tie Old flag with cheers like the songs Of
FACT TO EE PARTICULARLY NoTED-THE CHANGE CT THs
81 BASE OF OPERATIONS " WAS c -MPULsoRY
On Wednesday June 18th Cen NfcUe IAN made the first
distinctly offensive movement by drecti Gen Hooked
take advanced position Fair Oaks Fam, the
Williamsburg road provoked sharp resistance, which
we oVeTcae, ard accomplished cur OF ect 1t is ncessa
to note tE fact particularly because bears strongly
ucty contemplated changing his base of operations to
James ver-a perilOrs thing attampt before;
that were ell: nearer the enemy. II pron0un-
important achievement" by Gen NcCHe Al him
self because gave hu advantages the position
which he had Lot enj Eyed before. Some during the
night, however tdings received of a movement Of
StOue wall Jackson on right wing 1t deemed haz
ardOus to maiutan the advantage OF thu previous day. and
me me was ordered 10 resume us od p2sion thursday
afternoon the anticipated attack upon right wing
made, and handsomely repulsed but IL disco cred
th@t had not Deen MADE 6y Jacksons coiGEnaud IL
formation recei ed that jackson sweeping down
the PamUnkey, probably TO capture military
J "hHe House. 10 cut eli out communication with our
water base, and menace Orders given
eVacUate that poizt Matters began to critical
appearance, and danger eliminated ia the disaster
OF operations to James river 1t seems TO me THIS
compulsory. The enemy had turned right evidently
outuamoered "a in great d5OrOpOon strong ii
front for Us to break through and in position to crush
US IN front and rearand per haps intended to
that grand combination The Kret re:rCgrade movement
really begun Friday eVecirg, by the transfer of head
quarters from Trents Bluffs 20 -avages Station, bnt
grand exodus did not commence until Saturday, and did
swell into iuli proportions till nBhttail of tbat day.
THE BATTLE AT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS or STORES
HOUSE.
The fight seemed incre tury progre SEED
it finally became the most terrific artillery combat OF
war. had been accustomed fer months incessaGt
of heavy guns but until that period had faed
comprehend the terrible subimy Of great battle with
field pieces The uproar ncessant and deafening n
hours, At times seemed il fifty guns exploded sim
ultaneousy, and they eff at intervals splendid file
fring-if may apply infantry descriptive terms 10 can
nOnadng But language describe awful grandeur.
~ was row ascertained from prisoners that Stone;
wall jackson had not Joined Lee. Hence it inferred
that be sweeping down the banks the Pamunaey
seize the pubic property, and eff that
direction. General oneans command was moved swift
y downtO watch operations there and orders
fer the removal destruction of all pubic the
hle House. TIE situation apparently placed en- the
surface, developed troubled u0Aer current. Genera!
Mcclellan directed Gen. Mccall to fall back aud take up
position front of our military bridges to resist an
attack which was anticipated next DAY (Fiday). II was
thought tie enemy vas not successfully rel ulssd he
could he drawn across bridges upon terms,
where he CT uid be Oughy hand ed.
Meantime all the trains and eq1page Of tie right vii
Withdrawn to Trents B.uh right bank Of the
river during the night aid wounded conveyed to
the hospital at Savage stationto be deserted aAs to
danger but other evidences of it not wanting.
THE BATTLE AT GAINES MILL-CL0sISG SCENES OF THE
For hour and half cur left line withsood this terri
be shock of battle. Brigade brigade of enemy
hurled against devo ed daring dying heroes
ter6ed with hat in hand rallied cheer and Leu his
forward again aDd again. Though decmated every dis
charge, osng heavily i'll chcers and with overwhelming
force il 'front.' they still continued fight. The gallant
Colonel NcLane and Major Nage of the SD Pnns lvania
fell deathshcken while inc officers stricken dowr
by and by the hundred Suddenly they found
themselves CuHaEked the right the ent;Hy breaking
through martindaes le and surgiDg down the hi
to cat OF and capture the struggling brigade They thus
saw was Ia vain to longer continue. The right giving
away rapidly, and black crowds of rereatiug c01d
seen making their way toward the river. Once more my
gallant men,, cried the brave BUtterfeld and, raj vim.
again. the their way through the opposing host
which assaed them III front, in flank and in
fell back upon the river crossing upon remains En-
ersOns bridge, which had been blown by forces Gu
ring the fight.
PANIC AMONG THE YANKEEs-A PRECIrTTATE RETREAT.
When the LETT gave way, the and finally the r,gh
also pressed back, and the retreatDg columns
became mingled into one black Of troops The il
tantry supports have fallen back, ALIENS, Nesdens Hart
and Edwards batteries left exposed and all of then
lost part OF their When the order fall
s distant from each other, on the road to Woodbury.
bridge, Que stampede took place among the straggers
had been detailed to brig In the wounded from their
ments and who had failed to return: They made
for the bridge followed by of the troops but betor
they reached the last hospital near the end Of tie bridge
they speedily and summary checked. In almost les
time than it takes to write OF nde8oIibabe
element, of mingled confusion and defn disorder ha
been ob!iterated yes, literally crushed and compdratg
order restored Of almost chaos tie prompt,
getic and fearless action of brave officers the rush
and rereaDg tide began to pour precpatey toward tn
bridge dozen officers in my sight drew their sabre
and pistols, placed themselves in front of the straggn
J. crowd, and every devico physical mental
could invent rallied and formed column after column
: men FROM the broken mass that swept over tie plain
:, A DEFEAT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS officers seemed to fgt
not much to win victory as to display the
endurance of soldiers Instead standing
forest, that the enemy might be compele
to tight on terms, they advanced open felt
cut down by by the crafty foe. 81