The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-07-11
TERRIBLE EFFECTS OF THE UNION SHELLS
The Battles Of Mechanicsville, Enyson's
Mills, Beaver Dam Greek
and Gaines Mills.
To Famous ssSeventh Regiment0 Of New
York scout to Pieces and Captured.n
NAMES OF UNION PRISONERS In RICHMOND.
Fiorcenoss Of Tuesdays Battle,
July 1,
10. he IN

The Enemy In Full MISUNDERSTANDING
Of cha nicsvii.e-Capturc OF E1iyson's
Mills-Battie OF Beaver Dam Creek-The
Fight at Gaines Mills, &c.
From the Richmond Dispatch, June 30.1
When Gen. A. P Hill had steadily driven the enemy
from Meadow Bridge and had taken up the linz OF march
towards Mechanicsvlls and the road evening far
advanced, and 1t supposed that halt would take
place. Gen. Ripley, however with the Forty fourth and
Fortyeighh Georgia, and cond and Third North Caro-
lima, MADE attack tho Yankee rortihcatiens
Elyson's Mills, in which the Forty fourth Georgia and
Third North Carolina suffered extremely and did not
succeed IN taking them owing to the impracticabe
ture Of the ground Operations then suspended
our side, but the enemy kept up deaening OF
tillsry till late in the night Lcngstreets forces had
meanwhile crossed, and marched parallel with the
Chckahominy The brigade of Generals Feather tone
and Pryor were in advance, and processing some dis
lance, halted for the night About midnight Feather
stone received orders TO change his position and TO
supy skirt Of woods Beaver Dam creek and facing
the federal batteries. He did SO, aud the
scarcely asleep whcn twilight approaching, tho enemy
discovered the bivouac and Immediately commenced
shell It vigorously. The men, thus uncsrrmonieusly
aroused, seized their musksts aud fell in and Gen. Fea
therstonc just arrived from headquarters led them to
storm the position, mounting ten guns, and supported
by two three brgades. Sharp lighting com
msncsd ell sides when Con- Pryor for assistance
and Wilcox soon came upon the ground To cover the
infantry attack and draw of the artillery fire. the Third
Richmond Howitzsrs pieces OF the Donadsonvle
and Thomas Artillery moved up and played upon the
ensmy's position magnihcsntly. Having engaged the
enemy for long time and finding IL impossible to
the creek without bridge. one was constructed by
some OF the Ninetssnth Mississippi and Fourteenth Lou
isana under nrs, when the whole force advanced and
closed up with the enemy, driving them in great confu
sion from the hsld Tbs difficulties OF attack At this
position wore such that is impossible to give correct
idea without maps-the battery being on height flank
cd BY rife pits deep the foo. OF the hill and
covered with . thick hedge
ATTACK.
The attack or our men this position impetuous
and daring, but the loss great the foe
screened by their position impossible to get at
thsm properly Thor loss was severe Gen. Feather
Adiutapk EOpf h0l yNh{
riding far in advance Of the Twelfth Mississippi and
although hailed 70 return he did not. and quickly
ly Afterwards found, deSpoied-watch, money and
sword gone The Twelfth Mississippi went out in the
morning with as7 men lost in this amusement twelve
killed. xtyeght wounded and missing. The rsgi
mont was commanded by Major W. H. Lilly, who
wounded leading charge the colonel being absent and
sick aud the lieutenant colonel wounded The Nineteenth
Mississippi went into action with 521 had thirty
killed and hundred and fifty wounded. The Second
Mississippi battalion Col Taylor went into action with
ga men and had thirty killed and wounded The loss
Of Pryor brigade have not heard but hear that the
Fourteenth Louisiana and tho remnant o! ST. Psus bat
talon suffered severely Wilcox, being in support, did
many The General speaks in high terms Of The
field pieces tn attack the Third Richmond How
tzsrs some OF the Donaldsonvile and Thomas artillery
having caused great execution among the enemy, and
with slight loss 10 themselves The rap!dty OF their
IRE quite astonishsd the Yankees and could be
" heard over all our city long bstoresdawn had fairly
broken.
EILYsoN's MILLS.
While Featherstone Pryor and Wilcox thus sue.
cessfully engaging the enemy thu right OF our ad-
vance, Gen Maxey Gregg and his brigade hard
work and successfully stormed the strong position OF
Eyson Mills and took the limo Of march the left
They did not advance the mills by the road as had
been done on Friday event by Ripley, but simply
made lsnt in that direction, crossed the main body
higher up the creek took the redorots and rifle pits
lank, carried them with the oayone passed through the
camps, and followed the road towards Gaines Mills
whittier the enemy was retiring.
AT GAME MILLS.
From prisoners captured at both positions--who
proved 20 be Of the valley armyt ascertained
nt.rbt afgnfr l.,a
three four whole divisions strongly encAmped
there, McClelqn commanding in person, with MAJOR
Generals MCCal Porter, Sedy wick and othss-ther es
snated force beng not less than thirty odd Thousand
AS our three columns moved by parallel lines,
followed and conysrsed with prisoners. who informed
that their loss Friday At Meadow Bridge, Mechanics
vile and EysoD Mills had bsen fearful and that the
hole hit had beon occupied Ia burial The federaIs
carry OF all their dead ANA wounded as fast as shot and
only discover those who fall and the actual
moment Of retreat This information We believe to be
correct.
The heads OF three having reached Walker
Hogan's farm north bank OF the Chickahomny about
nine miles northeast of Richmond, all came to q halt
and Generals Lee and Longstree took quarters the
house and made dispositions for further advance
wards GaiUes Mills, distant about one mile through the
woods Fsatherstones brigade having suffered much
the morning, Wilcox led being followed by Pryor and
Fsathsrstons IN reserve me composition Of Wilcoxs
command Is mostly Alabamians; Pryor has the Four
tesnth louisiana St Palls battalion, Third Virginia and
other regiment Festherstone has the Ninsteeuth
and Twelfth Mississippi and Second Mississippi bat
talon.
Emerging from the woods the road loads TO the left
and then to the right round Gaines house, when the
whole country for the Of some two miles open
nnbroken succession OF undulatng hills. stand ding Mt
the north Of Gaines house the whole country
the right for the distance Of mile gradual slope
towards q creek through which the main road up
opsn hill then winds 10 the right. In front,
the left orchards and gugs running gradually 10 a
deep creek Directly in front for the distance of mile,
The ground Is almost table lad suddenly dipping tia
deep cresk mentioned above, beiag faced by timber
covered hill frOntin. ali the table land Beyond this
timber covered Lii the country IS again open, per-
fsct plateau farm house and Ouhouses occupying the
centre the main road mentioned winding 10 The right
and through all the federal camps To the lett and rear
Il the second toned farm road comes Ia upon the
tat lands joining the main road mentioned. Thus 20
rscaptuale except the deep creek and timber covered
bill beyond II, tie whole country as seen from the
North door " Gaines house, s unbroken, open undu-
ating and table land the right forming descept TO the
the left being dips and gulles, with
dense timber sti farther he left the front being for
The part table land These particulars Of the posi-
tion rect perhaps, can be mentioned; but
without map II will always be difficult to understand
the topog Apply OF this hard fought aud victorious ned Of
Gaines Mills.
Blu, 10 the southeast Of Gaines house Is large tract
,f timber, commanding all advances upon the main road
and in this Mcclellan and Mccall had posted strong
body of skirmishers with artillery, to annoy flank
aud rear when advancing on their camps the high
grounds if did 30 by the main road the table
uoRxrSa NrREscHsESrs
n now being three r. ~ aud the head OF our column
In view OF the federal camps, Gen Pryor was sent for
ward with his brigade to drive away the heavy 81
,kirm shes posted TO rear TO annoy the advance
This being accomplished with great success and with
little oss TO US Pryor returned and awaited orders
Mean while the sderas from their camps and several
positions the high grounds swept tne Whole face Of
tbs country with their artillery, which would
have annbilated entire force II not screened in tho
dips OF the land and In guliss TO our lett Advancing
cautious but rapidly In the skirt Of woods and IN the
dis 20 the lett Wilcox and Pryor dsployed their men
int9 line of being In the rear-and
suddenly appearing the pateau facing the timber Co
vsrsd hill rushed down into the wide gully, crossed ~
cIambered over all the fellod timber, stormed the tim
Der brsasworks beyond and began the ascent oil the
bi under terrible are OF sharpshootsrs and an incss.
saint discharge OF grape aud canister from pieces posted
ON the brow Of the bill and from batteries In their
camps to the right the high fat lands. Such posi-
tom was never stormsd before. In descending into the
deep creek the infantry aud artillery IRE thu sssaied
the three brieades the most terrible on record.
pieces we're Numbering At them, and per-
feet hsstorm Of lead fell thick and fast around them
syns on wilcox regiments wavsrsi down the General
sriously sword In hand and threatened 10 be-
.sd ths Hrss man who hestaed. Pryor steadily ad-
but slowly and By che time that the three or.