Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-04-22

making the entire circuit of the army unharm-
cd. and discovering the nature of our COM
munications with the York River.
JACKSON THREATENS AN ATTACK.
On the Oath and 25ih OF June, Gen. McCiel-
Ian felegraphs the Secretary of the Warthat
he is informed by deserters and contrabands
that jackson is contemplating an attack upon
/ his right and rear. As this dispatch Of Gen.
Mcclellan, and the one of the President in re-
ply, dated Immediately previous TO the
.sscven dsvs' battle.'' they are given here in
! fnll e-se, u -
Received $50 p m.
McCLKLLAs's, June 25-6.l5 p. m.
al have just returned from the field, and
/ find your dispatch IN regard to jackson. Sew
erai contrai,ands,, just in, give information
confirming the supposition that Jackson's ad-
vance is at or near Hanover Court House. and
| that Beaurcgard arrived, with strong re en-.
forcements, in Richmond yesterday. incline
/ TO think that Jackson will attack my right
and rear. The Rebel force is stated at 200,-
/ 900. including Jackson and Beauregard. /
shall have to contend against vastly superior
odds ii these reports be true but this army
will do all in the power of man to hold their
/ position and repulse an attack. j regret my
| great inferiority OF numbers, but feel that /
am in wav responsible tor il, as have not
tailed to represent repeatedly the necessity OF
| re- endorsements; that this the decisive
! point and that all the available means of the
! Government should be concentrated here. 1
.
will do all that general can do with the
splendid army have the honor command
! and if it is destroyed by overwhelming num-
| bers, can at least die with il, and share its
/ fate. But if the result of the sctiou which
will occur to morrow. within short time,
| is disaster, tho responsibility cannot be
| thrown on my shoulders; IL must res, where
| ii belongs. Et .ss -.se.
.Since commenced this, have received
additional intelligence confirming the suppo-
sition in regard to Jackson's movements aui
Beauregari's. I shall probably be attacked
tom orrow, and now go TO the other side of
the Chirkahomny TO arrange for the defense
on that side 1 feel that there is in my
again asking for re endorsements.
''GEo. B. MCCLELLAN, Major General.
'Hon. +. VI. STANTON, Sec'y OF War"
The answer of tie President Is as follows
"WAsHIseroN, june 26, 1862.
'sYour three dispatches OF yesterday in re-
lstion to the affair, ending with the statement
that you completely succeeded In making
your point, are very gratifying. e1
s.The later one of 6. p. M, suggesting the
probability of your being eyerwhe lined by
200 900 men. and talking of whom the respon-
sibility will elong, pains me very much. /
give you all can, and act on the resumption
that you will do the best You can with what
you have; while you continue, nngenerously.
think, to assume that / could give you more
if would. have omitted, / shall omit, no
ever possibly can. ga. LINCOLN.
"Major- General McCLELLAs.,' 5ar
BATTLE OF MEcHAsIcsvrLLE.
On the afternoon of the 26th OF June be-
tween and O'Clock, the enemy, in consid- |
erable force, made a vigorous attack upon the
troops of Gen. McCalfs Division, stationed at
Mechanicsvii!e, consisting of the two brigades
of Seymour and Reynolds. The action lasted
until nightfall, when the enemy We're repuls- |
ed. Troops were sent up by Gen. Porter 70
the assistance Of those engaged; but they
were not i'm the battle, though some of them
were IN positi ITO support the right of the line
About II O'Clock that night the troops were |
ord cred to tall back to Gaines's Mill, which |
accomplished without loss.
BATTLE OF GAINES MILL.
On the 9th the battle of Gaines Mill was
fought, principally by the troops under Gen.
Porter. Onr forces there engaged were from |
u 900 to 30, 900; the force OF the enemy being |
from two to three times that number. The |
enemy were 10 such superior force that. al |
though our troops ionght. with exceeding I
bravery, they were driven back with loss |
OF about 8, 900 men, in killed, wounded and /
missing.
Gen. Mcclellan was que esfioned as 10 the |
policy Of leaving the right wing, consisting |
OF only about so 900 men, to meet the attack |
of the superior force of the enemy, instead of |
withdrawing il to the right bank of the Chick
His testimony on that point is as follows:
ssQueston. Whatever might have been the
intentions Of the enemy, as the attack was to
have been made by him, would it not have
been better to have placed both wings of our
army on the same side Of the Chickahominy
prior to the battle of Gaines MILF
zstAnswer. do not think they ought to
have been brought to the same side of the
river.before they actually were.
"Qnestion. What advantage was gained
by leaving the right wing of our army to be
attacked bys greatly superior force7
ssAnswe:. 1t prevented the enemy from
getting flank and rear, and, in my
opinion, enabled us to withdraw the army and
its material.
ssQuestion. VIII you explain what was
done by the right wing Of our army at or
about the time the left was engaged which
saved our flank from attack and enabled the
army and its material TO be withdrawn
"Answer. By desperate lighting they In
hicted so great loss on the enemy as to
check his movement on the left bank of the
river, and gave US time to get our material
out Of the way"
RETREAT OF THE WHOLE ARMY DECIDED or.
During the night after the battle OF Gaines
Mill, all our forces were concentrated on the
right bank of the Chickai ominy, and the next
day the movement the James River Was
determined upon. Gen HeinfzeIman testi-
fed that the night after that battle he was
sent for by Gen Mcclellan; that be found
everything packed, ready to leave that Gen.
Mcclellan said there were two. things to be
done-to concentrate his forces and risk III on
q battle. or to withdraw to the james River;
that if he risked a battle there, aud was beat
en- the army was destroyed. Gen. Heinfxelman
advised him not to risk battle under such
circumstances, for if that army was lost the
cause wonld be lost; that it were better te