The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1863-01-03

history OF the Peninsular campaign against
Richmond, written BY the Prince de Join
vile, IN which he bore unaffected testi
mony to the mastery generalship Of Gen.
McClellan, and showed how, in number
of ways, his complsts success in that
campaign only failed by reason Of the
most insane and unaccountable interior
ence from NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. which
have been fully borne out by the recent
courts of inquiry at Washington.
We have now before us another tribute
to McC.ellan's generalship. equally sponta.
neous and disinterested, in the form of q
history of the memorable Seven Days
I Fighting before Richmond, by Prussian
officer Of h:gh rank in the rebel service
The sketch is too lengthy for publication
entire in our columns, and We shall run
over It briefly, giving few striking points.
| It is translated from the felniseks Zeitung
cologne Gazette, Germany
The account begins by rapidly sketching
the siege of Yorktown, the abandonment
Of that position, the fight to Williamsburg,
and the rapid pursuit Of McClellan-so
rapid that, although McGruder had erect
ed the most elaborate works there, (which
he loved like child and wept to abandon"
there was no time to occupy. Then comes
a most graphic and amusing description
| of the panic in Richmond-followed by
only en- allusion to the battles of Fair
Oaks and Seven Pines, which by no means
tended to restore confidence. But in these
engagements Johnston was wounded, and
the chief command devolved on Gen Lee,
Just the man to bring quiet and order
| again out of this unreasonable chaos"
On the 18th Of June Lee calls great
council of war, lays before the Generals
his plans, and assigns to each one his part
to perform. On the 26th opened the great
battle of the seven days jackson hasten
ed by forced marches to Ashland, there to
commence his out thanking operations
Hill opened the offensive at Meadow
bridge, and with the aid of Branch's divi
sion finally drove the federals from Me-
chanicsville. This was the first days
operation. ....
On the morning of the 9th, the order
was given to advance all along the line
Jackson and Longstreet on the right, Hill,
Anderson, and Whiting in the Centre
Magruder On the left "All our preceding
operations" the account proceeds, "must
have given Mcclellan knowledge of our
intention to turn his right flank
He should, then, have Instantly ordered
| the srniy corps Of Gen. Mcdowell, which
| for four months had lain inactive near
| Fredericksburg, to make demonstration
along the Richmond road By such move
ment even the flank march of Gen Jack
son would have been rendered mprac,ca-
BILE. But General Mcclellan must have
been deceived in the character of General
Mcdowell; for notwithstanding all the
communications in reference to our com
blned manoeuvres, the latter remained with
imperturbable indifference in his secure
position, and left General Mcclellan arwy,
which has suffered greatly by sickness and
desertion, prey to the heavy conclusions
of our attack. Scarcely. therefore, had
General Lee received reliable intelligence
OF McDowells inactivity than General
| and simultaneous attack on Mcclellan s
whole line was resolved upon So soon,
| then, as the arrival Of General jackson at
| Coal Harbor, was reported the Commander.
in-Chief, with his staff, repaired to Gaines
Mill and ordered the divisions of nderson,
Hi! llst) Longstreet and Pick EFT to attack
Before these columns got into motion the
thunder of artillery at cur left announced
that General Jackson was already at work.
This called forth in our troops the utmos.
enthusiasm ' a
The writer was not aware how anxious
ly McClellon vas at this very time awaiting
intelligence from Mcdowell, that he sen,
Hooker half way to Fredericksburg 10
open communication with him, and that
then only he learnt that Mcdowell had
been sent to Manassas to hunt Jackson,
who Mcdowell himself, Mcclellan, and all
the world except the panic stricken old GO
vernment at Washington knew " as at Rich
mond and not in the Shenandoah valley. ]
McCiellan's disposition" the account
proceeds, revealed comprehensive fore-
thought, talent and GOODNESS. The divi-
sions of his army took their position with
admirable precision, and awaited our onset
with frn2ness. Hill, Anderson, and
Pickett opened tae attack. d..
The hostile Meashers brigade. compos
ed chiefly of irshmen, offered heroic
| resistance. After fierce struggle, our
people began to give way, and, at length
all orders and announcements were vain
they were falling back in the greaeet
| disorder. Infuriate, foa1ning at tn e mouth,
| bare headed, saber in hand, at this critical
moment General Cobb appeared upon the
| field at the head Of his legion, and with
| HIM the 10th North Carolina and 18th
! Virginia Regiments At once these troops
renewed the attack, but all their devotion
and selfsacrifice were in vain. The Irish
held their position with determination
and ferocity that called forth the admra
| ton of our sxn officers Broken to piece.
and disorganized, the fragments Of that
| fine legion came rolling back from the
| charge. The 18th North Carolina lost
eight standard bearers, and the most of
| their staff officers were either killed or
| wounded Again Generals Hill (lst) and
| Anderson led their troops to the attack.
and some regiments covered themselves
| with immortal glory. But the enemy,
| nevertheless, quietly and coolly held out
against every attack we make, one after
the other; and it was only when the news
came that jackson was upon them in the
rear that, ABOUT eight, they retired before
our advance Despite the dreadful car
mage in their ranks they marched on with
streaming banners and rolling drums
Here ended the second days fight Tie
writer describes the scene that night, say
ing Although 1 had been upon SO many
battle fields in Italy and Hungary, never
had my vision behsld such a spectacle of
human destruction"
On the third day we have Jackson's de