The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-05-23
HERoIsM OF THE MICHIGAN BOYS.
BLUNDERS OF GEN. SUMNER.

WILLIAMSBURG, VA, May 1O.-A chill
north east rain storm was in full sweep over
the country. Sumner did not commence
the attack which be had spent the night be.
fore in wandering through the forest to
make, but he commenced conference.
Heintzelman earnestly advised reconnoiss
sance. 1t was ordered. While in progress
from east to west the officers conducting it
sent back word that on the enemy's extreme
left were two unoccupied forts, part of a
chain extending away across below wills
liamsburg. Negroes accidentally at head.
quarters, offered to guide US to them by a
road which was in part a mill dam. Sum-
ner intimated that he should wat till the
reconnaissance was finished before he acted.
On Heintzelman's suggestion that in the
meantime the enemy might occupy these
forts, Hancock was ordered to pour his
troops into them. This laid the foundation
of the victory of Williamsburg. Freed
now at headquarters and alarmed by the
heaviness of the battery firing from
Hooker's division, Heintzelman instantly
went to the nearest practicable road to his
position, and about one l o'clock found the
gallant General sOrely pressed and in great
danger. Hooker inquired for the rein
forcements he had sent for, by q path
through the woods only mile long-sent
to Heintzeman for. His written message
was received and read by Sumner soon after
Heintz Imam left headquarters. Heintzel~
man Immediately sent two Orderlies with
another message to Sumner for portion of
his 30,000-sent two, so that if enc was
killed the other could 60 through. He also
began sending to the rear to hurry up the
march of the brigades laundering through
the mud. Officer after officer he sent to
the rear on this painfully anxious mission -
till he was frequently alone on the field. l
told yesterday how he encouraged the troops
how be rallied and led back broken com
panies-how he gathered the fragments of
two bands of music, and while awaiting
the coming of the reinforcements from
Sumner on his right or from out OF the mud
in the rear, animated the dropping courage
of Hooker's outnumbered and almost over
mastered men, with yankee Doodle" and
the 'Star Spangled Banner" To the res
peated messages he sent to Sumner for aid,
he got no reply whatever. At five o'clock,
and not before, Sumner ordered Hancock
to the front. Before five, Berry had come
up with his brigade, and saved US from the
most imminent ruin that has lowered upon
our cause since Bull Run.
The thousands who unnecessarily wear
mourning in the North and West, for our
victory at Williamsburg will now under~
stand the causes of the terrible mortality
which accompanied the demonstration of
our superiority to these barbarians To
further elucidate them-regard the plan of
the field, and see where the Yorktown road
comes upon the cOrn6eld, directly in front
of the Fashioned Fort Magruder. That was
our direct line to Williamsburg. The
swampy woods on both sides are a mile
deep, the abattis Of fallen trees about 500
feet deep; beyond that were rife pits away
around the horse shoe shaped plain beyond
them were batteries of flying artillery then
Magruder, beyond all, vomiting shell, can.
lister and grape. In that mile depth of
thick woods, Heintzleman and Hooker, and
their brave comrades, fought the principal
part of the battle. 1t was principally there
that in the long struggle from eight o'clock
in the morning till two o'clock in the after
noon, 5000 men he'd their own against
$4,000. But the battle ragged with despes
rate courage on the edge Of the woods in
front of the abattis, in the Internal
abattis itself, and through it, up to the
rifle pits and beyond them and finally with
triumph, into one of the forts. The only
ground On which we could use artillery was
small angle of the corn field, where the
road debouches upon the plain, aud which
our infantry had cleaned OF the rebels to
admit of our gunners wading with their
pieces into position. No sooner were
these numbered, than men and horses be-
gan to fall--the recOl of guns soon buried
went more men and more horses the enc
my made dash at the batteries and they
were lost. The assistance Heintz!eman res
ceived from Kearney's division, enabled
him to do what he had vainly tried and
hoped to do, all day-to attack in flank.
The 38th and 10th New York charged
through the abattis upon the rife pits and
threw the rebels out with their bayonets in
double quick. Berry's charge at the same
time, all along the front, settled a part of
the dispute between the North and the
South. The rebels were whipped.
The Williamsburg battle was indeed, as
/ have said, an infantry battle. Very much
of it was hand to hand, bayonet to bayonet,
musket. butt to musket- butt. After Berry's
brigade came up, and after Ward and Ri.
ley led the 38th and 4Oth New York into
the rifle pits, swarmiDg at the time with the
savage tatterdemalions, the battle was pures
ly hand to hand conflict. As soon as We
got them where we could reach them, the
question Of the comparative manhood of
Northern and Southern men received
speedy solution. Sixty three rebels lay in
heap in one section of the rifle pits-fury
and the outlay of the last and best powers
of their savage natures Get with iron hardi-
ness by death upon their coarse and brutal
faces. Not a corpse of Union man was
near them. 80 .'... =; ...'-., ....t s.....
On both sides the fighting was ten times
L. Il 1--lIr