Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-06-07
THE RATTLE OF JUNE lsT.

he following letter from Gon. CGGngnlan
crs an isiss sii... I, aCs5i.s Q. i., batsic q.
lie lst irst. Is will be seen thst y brigade
N lis leli, wl,;sf, gave way. waa mistaken for
Ii: 7vn ali {, published account af the engage
nen::
Il he EJifaia Of Ms.Eaquirsr:
ffnQ'ks. CEINuAAN's RRIa'ps,
rald fiarbor, June ), 1864
Gc:l.ien,.r: aiy attention has heen called
:, 4 s:atc,;:ll IN your paper, that IN the bat-
lie of the ii ,rst., "Clirslnan's brigade gave
wAy to7 4 ;;mc.." rs this statement does
g,est iaii.,i:. to the gallant and patriotic
2fn nnder .;y command, earnestly request
ggg 10 publish, N yea. next issue, tits note.
NJ brigade I:as in line OF battle On that &C.
:;.5n, saA las heavily attacked along its en-
tire fron. frDn, right to left. The enemy cd
valced not rni3 il line of battle, but on tie
i.:: Sipg also in heavy columns, masked by
lie line u battle in their front. This
attack VIZ -igaa!iv and repeatedly re
E!.el with srta; loss to tho enamy in my
s,;re frort. Near cur left, where they came
ID columns, :bcir dead were much thicker than
] h,ye ever seen them on any battle field
iu7 .lIl, GdvaDiing il ftont would have teen
d-:,:6Jed 6. :ast ns it could come ,p, t3r r'y
ata wire ragHlc7lv supplied with fresh an
rGn!.on, and fought with the utmost coo;-
n:':. cou!ac" aud chcerfulueSs.
There WIS. 10" ever, in tho beginning ct the
tlsagemoat, brigade from another State
:t,1 nj 0au stationed on our left. This br-
sI!= iil give way, aud. while the contest WAS
soac On in our front, the e:.elny il large force
r,a3 kbn ,r,A 1oCt 10
Aaes we had repelied the last attack in front,
end the me we're cheering along the iiue, the
c.h regiment. whiuh formed NY left. was sud-
:4li7 attacked u, It's left flank and rear. Ths
Tgts there i.eiag thick and the sraok" dense,
i:s enemy had approaches: within I few yards,
sd opened g hea ~ ire On the renr of the 9Th
q: veil ~ liz loft> If this regiment had then
si'en way, it might have escaped with much
les loss; bur, true to its ropUtstion sad its
H':' conduc. it, by facing i'll two directions,
s.ampted TO hold its position, aud thus lost
aaju: two thirds Of itB numbers. The lett
wing OF the 5lst, next it, suffer ed in The same
manner, heavily, because it continued the
s5ht By facing in two directions. THY per
nSered in this cver after the time wheu, ssc-
!as that the contest could not be continued III
IL: modo, ordered them back, ard with the
I'D Of their ofioers Withdrew the survivors,
IL.v were then formed in line of batsle Ier-
Faticular to the original one, with the 3lst
%! 6lst regiments, which had also reIclled
81 the enemy, in their front. Tho brigade
T. thus under constant FIRE from tine emo
NJ farmed in new lire of battle ccrosa the
zen field. While it was 8 doing, the - Tn
G:lrgia regiment, Of Gen. Colquitt's brigade,
sas up from our right handsomely, and I'D
'aaeed with us Tie enemy were then. a'i.r
5 :h9r. struggle, driven back, and the whole
mY original line was recccupied; hut the
I':t'i0n of the brigade on my left remained IN
At Possession OF the enemy, without Any AT
t-1tt ever being made to rstako it. feel
Hhitart that r', brigade from any State IN
us "ar. or az y other war, ever acted petter
e.l III u.ine under such circumstances
/: my nG be amiss to state thai,
s'illa tho last three weeks, 1t has los'
In battlel eleven hundred and ssventy.three
N,!13) a.au. 1t is singular fact, too, but
"a: thar is indisputably true, that in every
ieAsrce in whiehit has been engaged, whether
Etcsing OF defending itselt, it has de-
t3sdiy snd signaily beaten the enemy in its
IoA ard that fonr- -ffths Of its losses have
ssea sustained solely because its TANKS have
,ssn lti; unprotected by tho troops winch
h:q:d have Ecen there. They have suffered
this Way on six different occasions.
VII! not, however, trust myself further to
,lsaS Of ,hess things. Having been for full
i -sh'a III the trenches every night and day,
es part ot the time without single stat
...ses, al The members of my etaf present
S'7los BEEN shot down in the late engage
I-eats, have little leisure to write at length.
S IBIS statement is not long, earnestly re.
w. tdsusAthose editors whose papers have copied
S ,ss aftica above referred to, to publish this,
Jasmbering that next to his country, the
Soldier values the reputation and glory Of
'fown good actions.
Very respectfully, yours, &c,
IT. L. CIINaxAE. Brig. Con.