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

hOWltZerS, dl6cnarglng either large rOuno
projectile, which rebounds and rolls, or a large
load Of grape. The simple and rapid fire of
these pieces made terrible havoc in the oppos-
ing ranks. In vain did Johnston send against
this battery his best troops. those from South
Carolina, including the Hampton legion. In
vain did he come in person into the fight:
nothing could shake the Federal ranks. and it
was they who, at nightfall, gaIlantly led by
Sumner in person, rushed on the enemy with
the bayonet, and drove them back with fright
full slaughter as far as Fair Oaks station.
Night put an end to the contest On both
sides, no one knew anything of the result Of
the battle but what lie had himself seen.
Friends and enemies, lost in the unknown
woods, lay down among heaps of dead and
wounded, wherever the darkness found them.
The fatigue Of this obstinate struggle. togeth-
er with the darkness Of the night. caused one
Of those tacit truces 20 common in war.
Johnston had evidently fattered himself
that, by throwing all his forces on the four oi-
visions of the Federal left wing, he could all
initiate them before aid could reach them from
the main body, which remained on the left
he had failed. before the energetic resistance
of these four divisions, and the furious and
unexpected attack Of Summers troops. He
had doubtless supposed that the terrible storm
of the previous day had swollen the Chicka-
hominy, made impossible the erection of any
bridge, or carried away the bridges already
erected but the capricious river bafiled his
combinations, as few hours later it bahled
those of his adversaries. The effect of the
deluge of the day before was not immediate !;
the freshet did not come on for twenty four
hours. Did the Federals profit by this unex.
ppcted delay with all desirable activity {!
This is question which will always remain
in dispute, like so many others of the same
kind that form one OF the inevitable chapters
Of the history of most great battles.
The action had not begun till one o'clock
in the afternoon. Some delay took place be-
fore it was discovered whether the attack was
not feint for the purpose of drawing the
Federal troops across the river, while the en-
emy's main body might debouch on tho lrtt
hank. An end was soon put to all uncertainty
by the violence of the attack, and by the re-.
ports of aeronauts. who saw the whole COLI
ftderate army moving toward the scene of ac-
ton. Sumner was then ordered to cross the
river with his two divisions He executed
the order rapidly. marching at a venture at
the head of his column, with no other guide
than the sound Of the cannon. and arrived
precisely at the critical time and place. Now,
it was then. and is still, thought by some that
it, when Sumner was ordered to cross the
river, the same order had been given to al!
the divisions Of the right wing, it could have
been executed. One may imagine what
would have happened if, instead of fifteen thou
sand men, fifty thousand had been hurled upon
Johnston's flank. Eut Sumuer's bridge would
certainly not have suficed for the passage of
so many. At midnight. the rear Of his COL
umn was still struggling to cross it against all
the difficulties for horses and artillery pre-
s-nted by bridge formed Of trunks Of trees
that turned under the feet, by deep morasses,
and by dark night, made darker by the
thick woods. But several other bridges were
ready to b. thrown across at other points.
These should have been put up without a
moments delay, and regardless OF the oLsta-
cles which the enemy would have tiicd TO
throw in the way. Johnston had made a
parade Of placing brigade, as a sort of
scarecrow, opposite points naturally suited for
such an undertaking but the stake was 80
vast, tho result to bs accomplished SO impor-
tant, the occasion SO unexpected and so favor
able fol decisive blow, that nothing. it seems
to us. should have prevented TO effect this at
any cost. Here. again. the Federal cause
suffered from that American tardiness which
rather characterized the army than it's leader.
1t was not till seven o'clock in the evening
that II was resolved to put up all the bridges
without delay. and cross the whole army by
daybreak to the right bank CT the Chicka-
hominy. It WINS too late. Four hours had
been lost. and Opportunity. more Aee.ing in
war than in all things else. had fled. The
frvshst, on which Johnston had rcckoned in
vain, aud which had not prevented Sumner
from crossing. came on in the night. The
river suddenly rose two feet, and continued
to swell rapidly. carrying away the new
bridges, raising and sweeping away the trees
which formed the floor IF Summers bridge,
and covering the whole valley with it's wild
waters. Nothing crossed over. a.
With the frat light Of day, the battle was
fiercsly renewed on the left bank. The ene-
my came on in masses, without order or meth
cd, and rushed on the Fsderals. who, know.
ing their own inferiority in numbers, and
without hope Of rsinforcements. attempted
nothing more than to hold their ground.
Both sides fought with savage energy, with.
out noise, without shouting. When our men
were too closely pressed. they charged bayo.
nets. The artillery. placed In clearings in
the rear, fred shells over the combatanss.
Oh. that all who. forgstfal Of the past and
influenced by sslfsh calculations. encouraged
this fatal slavsholdsrs' rebellion. copld have
witnessed this ftatricidal conflict! Oh, that
they could have been condemned. n pun.
a