Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-05-16

who mad to be heapeQ up AROUND tnem outs
though they uttered no complaints and bore
their fate with stoical courage, their exposure
to the midday heat of a June sun soon be-
came intolerable, and they were then seen
using all their remaining strength to crawl
away in search Of little shade. shall a.
ways remember cluster Of rose-bushas, the
pprfumed flowers Of which / was sdmiyiut -
I conversed with friend, when he pointed
out to mo under the foliage one Of These poer
creatures who. had just expired. We look
at each other in silence, our hearts oppressed
with the saddest emotions. Sad scenes. from
which the pen of the writer, like the eye. .of.
the spectator, hastens to turn away. - IA .
Toward noon the fire gradually decreased,
and then ceased, and the enemy retired but
the Federals were in no condition to pursue
him. 1t was not then known what lose the
sou,hernprs had had in the person Of their
leader, General Johnston, who had been seri-
ously wounded. 1t is to his absence that was
chiefly owing to the unconnected character Of
the attacks made in the morning upon the
Federal army When the fire ceased at
noon, the confederates, wearied by the long
struggle. and having no longer any leader,
were, it is said, (for in these immense forests
nothing is seen and everything has to BE- con.
jectured,) in state of inextricable confusion.
Let it be imagined what would have happen.
ed if at that moment the thirty five thousand
fresh troops left on the other side of the
Chickahoniny could have safely crossed the
bridges and appeared on tho flank Of this
disordered crowd.
Such is the history Of this singular battle.
which, complicated as it was by incidents
above the will of man, may yet be taken %
a type Of American battles.*p. The. conflict
had been bloody, for the northern army had
lost FIVE thousand men, the southern army at
least eight thousand but OH both sides the
results were negative The confederates, in
very superior numbers. had attacked vigor-
ously, driven back their adversaries about =
mile, and taken several cannon; /; and there
they had stopped, satisfied with having
earned the right to claim the victory. The
Fctrrals had had the defensive battle that
they desired, had repulsed the enemy. and
had captured general and many other priso-
ners; but. stopped by natural obstacles which
perhaps We're not insurlnountable. they had
both sides hal fai!e,! for want Of organization,
for want of subordna.ion, aud for want Of
the bond which results from it between the
soul Of the general and the great body called
an army-;llat powerful bond which enables
general to ask Of his soldiers. and to obtain
fiom their blind obedience, those sxtraordi-
nary efforts which win battles. Yct, though
the losses of the enemy exceeded those Of the
Fedcrals. the check was especially unfortu.
nate for the latter. They had lost an unique
opportunity for striking decisive blow. Such
opportunities never return and besides, in
the circumstances in which they were placed.
time was against them. @,.n 8f a tiaa,
| The day after this battle. Mcclellan retook
without a blow the positions of Fair O4kS
and Seven Pines, SO that the two armies were
exactly in the same situation "a before. For
nearly month they thus remained face to
face, in a state Of inaction, which, however,
was not rest. On the contrary, this month,
with its alterations of rain aud oycrpower-
ing heat, with the immense work imposed
upon the soldiers. with the ceaseless alarms
and partial combats, were tedious and labo-
rious.
The Federal army was unwilling either to
commence or provoke another conflict like
that Of Fair Oaks till The bridges should "a
finished and communication between the two
wings established. Floods Of rain bindsred
the construction Of the bridges. "A HsSt1k,
something had been learned from experience.
and it was resolved to give to these, bridges.
together with monumental solidity, an ,-sx.
tent that would embrace not only the curte1t
Of the river, but also the whole valley. And
thus. theA would be nothingm more to bs fearul
from foods ; but such work required lmnah
time and trouble. As long as 1t remained
unfinished, the left wing must remain exposed
to attacks from the whole body Of the conft1-
crate forces. We there hastened to provide
against this danger by throwing mp intrsneh-
men!s along the whole line. This was ap iu.
nense work. AS everywhere else. rsdouhts
with embankmsnts had to BE- raised, and ride
pits had to be dug. and all under burning
sun. Moreover. trees had to be- cut down
over the whole space occupied by ttsee
works, and for several hundred yards 10 Eopt
of them, in order that we might be able TO
see litls before us. In some places. 10
earthworE was raised; only tho trveS wStU
cut down so as to give the outline of re9eAr
fori6cations The denssr portion of f6gspl.
left standing and salient. served as bastien.
The artillery aud tho sharpshootsrs, plactd
in tho forest, Aahked with their Ere the mar
| The defenders Of these new-fashiohed wotks
had no other protection againat the snsnyt
fire than the foliage. behind which i WA IN
possible to take direct aim at thems ,4,ss;
All these works we're made With sdmirahls
energy and intelligrnce. Ia this respect, the
American soldier is unyivalsd.s He q pa4ient
Of fatigue. full Of resources. god ditswsn "a
excellent wood-cutter. good caFpsatss. ahd
even something Of civil eneipeer. &. \. ~
eral times happened in the course q .lhs 60
4 nsiorn tkat UA rannN 1,tsnr = AHly. t}231Y ~ y