Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1862-07-17
The Battle Before Richmond.

| Of the late movements before Richmond, is
| this: The rebels, by the aid of conseription,
| of troops brought from the West, and OF the
| recall of Stone vail Jackson from the Shenan-
doah Valley, gathered a force not improbably
double that of Mcclellan. Then they hurled
one, half of it upon our exposed right, which
was not covered or supported By anything at
all. Fortunately this move had been toreseen,
and measures successfully taken to transfer
stores ard trains round to James River. But
while the supplies were thus preserved, this
powerful attack was continued day by day,
and our army, though fighting like an army OF
giants was ontmaneuvered, oVerwefghted,
steadily forced further aud further back, and
compressed into small space on the bank OF
the James River, where the army of the Poto-
mac would have been totally annihilated, had
not the gunboats from the river driven back
the triumphant enemy.
From anous the conflicting stories Of letters
from the field, and of the totally unreliable
haif-trutbs Tor whole es-for what is the dit
ference p with which some authority insults
the loyal North, we extract, to the best OF our
Judgment, a summary of the fighting mp to
Tues ay night July |, since which time both
the rebel aud Union forces have been resting
and recognizing.
Mcclellan has been driven in all about 20
mi les, from the region of Mechancsvlle and
White House to his present post at HarrlSon's
Bar, away down the James River being the
whole extent of the line Of his position, and
more
The successive battles, not including the
fighting of Wednesday, June 26, may be stat
ed as follows:
l. The battle of MechanicsVille on Thurs
dav the 9th the rebel force said to have
been some 50, 900, under Stonewall Jackson,
Hill and Longstreet Union force, Nc,
Calls and StOnemanS divisions. Oar forces.
after hard lighting from noon till Cark. fell
back some FIVE miles along the ChlckahCmIny,
to New Bridge.
3. The battle of New Bridge or Chickahom-
T my Friday, 9th Here, General Fltz John
Porter was in command Of our troops, lncud
ing Morrejl'S, McCalIs, Sykes, and SIocum 5
; divisions The enemy attacked at sunrise,
with overwhelming strength, and pressed our
brave troops furi0usly with constant rellelS OF
fresh regiments all day long until night. Oar
artillery did great execution upon them but
in spite Of the tremendous lighting OF our
brave men, it was evident that they would be
exterminated there aud during the nlgnt,
Gen Porters army crossed the Chickahomiuy
leaving our killed aud wounded, sixteen ganS,
baggage, &c, &c. During this day the rebels
took possession of White House, aud the rail
road aud telegraph to 1t.
3 An artillery duel Friday night, after our
army mad crossed the Chickahomny, without
much resnl.s.
4. Attacks during Saturday by both wings
of the rebels, whose left had now crossed the
Chckahominy, upon the rear-guard OF our ar
N.Y. now retreatng altogether across he " bite
:, Oak Swamp toward JaueS River. The rebel
design was to oulfanE aud cut off our rear
guard, but fighting desperately, and with hea'
w losses in men and material, our forces sue
ceeded in repeIiiEg them, and getting our
, trains across the White Oak Swamp. II was
on this day that Gen. Mccall was wounded
and taken prisoner
5. Two battles Gu Sunday; being other al
: temptS to destroy our rear guard, during its
evacuation Of the lines north Of White Oak
Swamp, ana its further retreat southwark to-
ward the James Both were terrific aud
sIaughterou5 battles, but our weared forces
succeeded iii repeng the enemy aud contInu-
: ing their movement.
G. A long fierce fight of ten hours on Non
day, June SO, between our forces, still cover
ing the retreat and the rebels, coming throngh
White Oak Swamp after U.s. while other rebel
forces coming out OF RichmoEd endeavored to
flank US on onr left. The battle vas of the
I sane obstinate and murderops character with
t all the preceding fighting In the afternoon
our troops fell back to a position three and q
half miles of Turkey Island, on the James.
where a renewal of the fight resulted in the
) euemy'S withdrawal a. night.
r I. Two more battles, on Tuesday, the final
$ ones Of the dreadful series, and perhaps the
most furious of all. Our army, however, now
at last upon its final position, fought with the
desperation of necessity, aud repused the enc
: my in the morning. Returning in the after
: noon, they found US still more strongly drawn
up, and protec ed by the gun-boats in the
James, whose ten-inch shells soon drove them
awav.
+ Thus ended gigantic series of battles al.
s most unprecedented in the history of war, and
whose losses we canaot vet estimate. 1t is
claimed that our loss in killed, wounded and
prisoners is in Az about 10000, aud that of
the enemy has been estimated at nearly four
) times that. Our artiIi ~ certainly did tre-
j rmendous execution among their unusually
dense masses. 1t is claimed that our loss OF
artillery is only about thirty field guns, and
that our siege train is safe. No confidence
: can be placed in what the Government per
d mits to be said on such points these state
/ ments may or may not be near the truth.
Spirited Address of General Mcclellan
to his Army on the Fourth of July.