White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1862-07-03
TERRIBLE BATTLE
NEAR RICHMOND !
Fighting Along the Whole Line!
The Irishmea Strip, and Go in for
. Free Fight!
ALMOST A PANICI
The Rebels Routed!
HEAVY LOSS ON BOTH SIDES /!

UeAvI IVOO UN DUH O1U6O !
New YoRk. June 29th. P. NJ.
V The Tribune has issued an Extra, dat
ed Battle Field. giving an account Of two
days hard fighting.
A Company Of Bucktails surrounded
and captured Retreat of our right wing.
Over l25. 900 men engaged. All civili-
ans ordered away from the White House.
&c.
A severe and mos, determined battle was
fought on the right wing. on Friday and
Saturday. which is claimed by some Of
our officers az successful stragetic move
ment, into which the enemy had nnwit-
tingly been drawn. and which will soon
result in the capture Of Richmond and the
entire rebel army.
The attack was made BY the enemy in
immense force. who crossed the Chica-
hominy near the Rail Road. above Me.
Gainesville. on Thursday afternoon
They fought desperately. but were unable
to drive our men single rod. though
they outnumbered us ten to one. The
only force engaged that day was General
McCall's Division.
The battle lasted from two to nine P. NJ.
when the Division was ordered back.
Gen. Mcclellan was on tine field, and ex.
pressed himself satisfied with the result.
NorH.-The reader will observe mark
ed discrepancy between the above dis
patches. but they are faithful transcript
Of the report as received by telegraph.
REPORTER.
WASHINGTON, June %.
The city is full of exciting rumors Of
severe fighting near Richmond. and are
believed, but no reliable intelligence con-
cerning them has transpired.
LATER.
Thursday about noon the enemy made
an attack on Gen. Stoneman's forces, IN
vicinity Of Hanover Corrt House. prob
ably for the purpose Of accomplishing an
outhsnking movement on the right. and
to engage our attention in that direction.
Shortly afterwards they commenced a
vigorous cannonsding 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 Pennsylvania battery on pick
ct duty, one on the Mechanicsville road,
and the other behind earthworks at the
right of grove.
About 2 P. N the enemy's infantry and
squadrons Of cavalry crossed the Cbicka-
hominy in immense force a short distrnce
above the Virginia Central Rail Road.
making rapid advance towards General
McCalPs Division. who were entrenched
on hilly woodland across q swampy
ravine. about a mile in the rear of Me.
Gainesville.
The LIST Pennsylvania Rifles. Bucktails,
and Campbell's Pennsylvania battery,
we're on picket duty. all Of whom. except
one company, fell back behind the breast.
works and rife pits, where line Of bat
tie was drawn up.
Company K Of the Bucktails. which
was on picket duty beyond the Rail Road.
were surrounded BY the enemy. and the
last known Of them they were trying to
cut their way through. 1t is presumed
the greater portion were taken prisoners.
The enemy advanced down at the rear
of Mechanicsville. on . low, marshy
ground. to where our forces were drawn
up behind rife pits and earthworks on
the northerly side of tho ravine. when the
conflict became most terrible. The rebels
with the most determined courage at
tempted to pass over miry ground. but
the bullets and grapeshot fell among them
like hail. moving them down.
This continued until dark, when they
withdrew. The cannonsding was kept
up on both sides until nine P. NJ, when the
battle ceased. Our forces were covered
by earthworks. and suffered but slightly.
Late in the afternoon the enemy made
q charge with cavalry. About 100 of
them came rushing down and attempted
to cross the ravine. when their horses be-
came mired. A squadron Of our cavalry.
seeing their position. made charge down
the hill. when the cavalrymen abandoned
their horses and fed.
The infantry fight was then renewed.
and according to the statement Of my in
formsnt. Surgeon Pumphrey, of the Penn
sylvanis Bucktail regiment. continued till
about 2 o'clock a. n, wheo retreat was
ordered. very much against the will of
the Pennsylvania boys. who begged to be
allowed to hold their position. The opt.
or forces then began to fall back. Porter's
corps were some distance below Dr..
Gaines residence.
Of the next days battle the correspon-
dent says: The csnnonsdiug and musket-
ry were terrific. Duryea's gsllan, Zou-
aves were lying upon the ground for two
hours. while our batteries were shellipg
the woods over them; finally. towards
night. the enemy attempted to break the
centre line in front Of Duryea's Zousves,
and the musketry firing became terrific,
lasting twenty or thirty minutes. Short
ly Afterwards. an attempt wss made to
break through the right. which wss 70.
pulsed; and half IN hour later smother at
tempt was made on the left. with the same |
result.
The battle had then been raging for
some hours. without ant apparent ehsngsl
or advantage on either side. Reinforce |
ments of infantry and artillery then came |
along over the bridge The en-
emy then seemed to make last, desperate |
and determined effort. and came on, fore
ing our men back into the low sround. be-
tween bill and the bridge. where thev !