The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1862-07-05
LATEST TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
The Great Fight at Richmond
Commenced
GREAT LOSS ON BOTH SIDES
WASHINGTON. June e8.

/
House. probably for the purpose of accom-
| plishing an outflanking movement on the
right, and to engage our attention in that
direction.
Shortly afterwards they commenced Wig
orous 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 Penn
| sylvania battery on picket duty, one on the
! MechanicsvilIe road and another from be-
hind earthworks, at the right of grove.
/ About P. NJ, the enemy's infantry and
! squadrons of cavalry crossed the Chicka-
hominy in immense force a short distance
above-the Virginia Central Railroad. making
| a rapid advance towards Gen. NJ Calls d.
vision, who were entrenched or a billy
woodland, across swampy ravine, about
mile in the rear of MechanicsviIle.
| The 1st Pennsylvania Rifles, Bucktails
and Campbell 8 Penn. battery were on pick
ct duty, all of whom, except one company,
fell back behind the breastwork and rifle
pits, where a line of battle was drawn up.
Company K of the Bucktails, who were
on picket duty beyond the railroad, were
surrounded by the enemy. and the last
known of them they were trying to cut
their way through. It is presumed the
greater portion were taken prisoners.
The enemy advanced down at the rear of
Mechanicsville on a low marshy ground to |
where our forces were drawn up behind rifle
pits and earthworks on the northerly side of
the ravine, when the conflict became most
terrible. The rebels, with the most deter
mined courage, attempted to press forward |
over miry ground, but the bullets and grape
shot fell among them like hail, moving them
down.
This continued until dark, when they
withdrew. The csnnonadIng was kept up
on both sides until P. NJ, when the battle
ceased. Our forces were covered by earth
works and suffered but slightly.
Late in the afternoon the enemy made a
charge with cavalry. About 100 of them
came rushing down and attempted to cross
the ravine when the horses became mired.
A squadron of our cavalry seeing their posi-
ton, made charge down the hill when the
cavalry men abandoned their horses and
fled.
The infantry fight was then renewed, and
according to the statement of my informant,
(surgeon Humphrey of the Pennsylvania
Bucktail regiment, continued till about 2
O'Clock, A. M, when a retreat was ordered, |
very much against the will of the Pennsyl |
vania 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 DR.. Gaines's residence.
Ofthe next days battle, the correspondent
says the cannonading and musketry were
terrific.
Duryee's gallant Zouaves were lying upon
the ground for two hours while our bat
81, h. dc
Finally, towards night the enemy attempt |
ed to break the center line in front of Dur
yee's Zouaves, and the musket firing became
terrific, lasting twenty or thirty minutes.
Shortly afterward an attempt was made to
break through the right, which was repuls-
ed, and half an hour later another attempt
was made on the left with the same result.
The battle had then been raging for some
hours, without any apparent change or ad
vantage on either side. Reinforcements of
artillery and infantry then came steadily
along over the bridge to the field of battle.
The enemy then seemed to make their last
desperate and determined charge and came
on forcing our men back into the low ground
between the hill and the bridge, Were they
could have been slaughtered by tens OF
thousands before they could have crossed
that long narrow bridge. Wagons, artil-
lery, ambulances and men were hurrying to-
ward the bridge, and panic was almost
inevitable, when a strong guard was placed
across the bridge at the same time when the
enemy had almost reached the main hospi
tai, half mile from the river.
Thomas Francis Meagher's Irishmen
came over the hill, stripped to the bare arms,
and were ordered to go in. They gave a
yell and went to work, and the result was,
the enemy fell back to the woods. and thus
matters stood up to ten O'Clock yesterday,
Sunday morning.
At dark an attack was made along the
front of the entire line, and was renewed at
A. NJ, in front Of Gems. Hooker, Kearney,
and Sumner, without material result.
Another correspondent says of to-day's
battle: Twice all along the front, did the reb-
els attack our lines, our rife-pits and re-
doubts. Porter, with fifty cannon, and
Summers, Hooker's and Ayres's guns now {
ed them down with death harvest. Their
loss in killed and wounded was horrible.
Under date. of Friday at midnight, the (
same correspondent says ten guns were Ia
ken from US by sudden flank attack, COW /
cred by the thick smoke which hung around
Count De Paris captured rebel Major {
who belonged to Jackson's army. He said {
he had been in the Valley of the Shenandoah |
all winter, and came here yesterday with
part of Jackson's army. The rest of it ar
rived this morning, aud the whole of it was |
here now. He said that in the attack On
our right the rebels had from six to eight
thousand troops. This will explain the
enormous fire under which our men were