Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-07-08
ARMY OF THE POTOMAC.
The Closing Battle-HarFissn's Landing ard
the Pssitisn Of the Army-6en. Nc.
Clellan's View Of the Weeks Fighting.
From different correspondents with Gen. Sc
Clellan's army we compile the following:

The last Of the series of battles in McClellan's
magnificent movement was fought on Tuesday
evening last, July 1, on Malvern Hills, about
seven miles from the position the Army Of the
Potomac occupies at present The ground 10 for
the most part open and undqlating, presentne
splendid position FOR battle neld Aftcr the
army fell back during the night, and took up the
most eligible position the country afforded, until
It was enabled on Tuesday mig bit to fall back still
further to Hdrri, on's Landing.
by the enemy, Gen Mcclellan himself estabiishsd
the lines Of his army, and personally placed his
troops In position, prepsfed 70 meet the attack.
re line formed magnificent semi circle. Gen.
Reyes was on the extreme right with portion OF
his command. Gen Franklins Corps Joined
Keyes' left, and next in order from right to left
were placed Summers Corps, consisting OF
Richardson's and Sedgwicks Divisions; Heint-
zelman's Corps, embracing Hooker's and Kesr-
ney's Divisions; next Gen. COUGHS Divisions;
which was detached from Keyes' command, while
Gen. Fitz John Porter's Corps, consisting Of Gen
Morell's Division and the regulars, formed the
extreme left
The conhguration Of the country rendered the
left almost certainly secures for the lowlands be-
meath were completely commanded by our artil-
na, q. snu .ne ganSC aus t nowever was
Was found to be untenable Afterwards. The ene-
my did not get bis pursuing troops into position
until the afternoon. For several hours heavy
cannonading was kept up on both sdes-our
ponderous siege guns, which were ranged In q
splendid position near the center Of our lines,
pouring destructive voleyJ into the columns of
and formed into lime After the artillery on both
sides opened In the afternoon, the shot and shell
d'led the air, and a most terrific cannonading
wa. Kept up, with intervals, for hours. About
half-Past three O'Clock the en-. my's skirmishers
advanced near our center, and the opposite lines
In front Of Gen Couch position were soon holly
engaged. In this attempt TO break our lines the
enemy signally failed. He was speedily driven
a ha inf n thaA
colors, which we captured
Later In the afternoon the enemy brought out
tnree light batteries, posted them near some
barns In wheat field, and opened fierce fire
upon the same portion Of our line Several Of
our batteries In HOoker's and Kearney's Divi.
sions immeditely returned the fire, and son
silenced those Of the enemy. II was nearly sun
down when the enemy made another attempt to
pierce our lines In front of Gen. Porter's and
COUGHS positions A terrible cannonade was
opened, and simultaneously heavy lines Of rebels
Were pushed to the front, under cover Of the
artillery. Our troops met them In the mcst gal
liant style, and the battle ragged hercely for two
hours or more, the tide gradu ally sweeping
round from n to right.
Heavy columns had been seen in the afternoon
bearing to our right. and apprehensions were en-
tertained that the enemy might burst out In that
direction, but, happily, those painful apprehen-
slons were not realized. The Rebels hurled
tnelf FORCES, however, with fearful fury az anst
our lines. Gen. Couch, who had immediate
command OF that portion Of the line In the most
gallant manner placed the colors of bis regiment
where he wanted them, and inspired his soldiers
iy than those engaged In this battle. After the
nflng was running round to the rig hit Gen Per.
ter sent to Gen Sumner for reinforcements and
several regiments including the Irish Brigade,
intrepid Gen. Mesgher. arrived In front In time
| to render the most sig nal service.
Lieut.. Colonel Burke, OF the ODD New York, is
among the wounded. During the engagement
n ms iHron fstc n 70,
Ing shells, infantry, artillery and cavalry moving
inside the semi circle, with remarkable celority
TO different parts Of the field. Gen Mcclellan,
accompanied by part OF bis staff, rode along the
Held, and was loudly cheered by our troops In
this battle, which closed soon after darkness set
In, the rebels did not gain one inch Of ground
we drove them back at every point with fearful
loss. Where our artillery opened with grape and
canister the killed and wounded re bells were &C
tuallY piled upon each other. Several rebel re-
gimen's which came out In Defiant line OF battle
Were terribly cut up. The battle was brief, but
bloody. The rebel loss must have amount, d to
several thousand. 1t is in possibe accurately to
estimate cur own, az circumstances compelled
Us to l ave many on the field. IL Is believed
however, that one thousand will more than
During the night our troops retired to Harrl-
sons Landing, where the wagons weTo alsJ con-
viewed, and where we are now receiving REIN
forcements. The fearful rain Storm on w ednes-
day tended to increase the disadvantages under
which our troops have been laboring. They had
been fg hting In the daytime and marching at
night fer six or seven DAYS. The splendid man
Of our troops.
The enemy made no attack on w ednesday, and
the time was occupied by our generals I'm getting
up the stragglers, and In putting the various COM
mands In good fighting order.
DESCRIPTION OF HARRIsoN's LANDING.
tFrom Correspondent New York Tribune.
l came up last evening from Fortress Monroe on
trxn
to this new military depot, or base Of operations
on the James river. This landing is some six or
seven miles below City Point, and about forty
seven miles below Richmond by water, and half
az lar by direct line The camp 10 established
on the farm or estate Of Dr. Powhatan B. Starke,
as hospitals
We had a severe fght Yesterday, which ex.
tended all along the line, In which we had the
misfortune to lose many brave officers and men,
but we drove the rebels back repeatedly; and
although the fght was mainly one Of artillery on
both sides, our men made many splendid Oh 7rges,
In which several batteries Of rebel artillery were
captured.
Our srtillerists are reported to have made the
most hightful havoc In the ranks Of the Rebels,
who were cut down in swathes like wheat fore
the reaper, and still their ranks would be i'm
medlately filled up, and still would they s,apper
ana reel In an apparently stupid and d'unken
state up 70 the very lannon's mouth. That they
were drunk In some instances 10 the almust uni
versal testimony Il our soldiers, and some assert
that they were drunk upon our own whi kew
But drunk or sober, our brave boys drove them al
every point of attack yesterday, az they have done
In tue most OF the engagements during tine move.
ment toward the present camp, which was CON-
menced on saturday morning last. There have
been many untrue and exaggerated reports dying
about concerning our Losses, especially in artil.
iery 1t was quite currently reported at one time
that eighty OF our guns had fallen into the hands
OF the enemv. which 10 an entire mistate Our
losses In artillery are not worth mentioning. We
have saved and brought of ali our seige guns
and have Los; only here and there gun from our
field batteries
Those persons who are unfamiliar with mill
tary movements will perhaps be little puzzled
70 recognize the fact Of our repulsing the bells
SO frequently, so universally, with the fact that
our army continued It's retreat after everv contest
and mat In such haste a. to leave behind, on the
Held, our dead and such Of the W ounded as were
unable to walk thus abandoning them to the
enemy. The explanation 10 this:
The Commanding General, finding his brave
and heroic army on the field before Richmond
OVERCOME by the pure force Of numbers, the
Rebels constantly pouring In hordes Of reinforce.
ments, q. ding bis right Hank turned, and being
satisfied that IL would be difncult IL not i'm DOS.
sble, to hold his position, he very naturally de.
termined to change Ii to one which could be
more easily defended. He decided upon the
point now occupied by the army (where he can
Agr