Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1864-06-08

settle down TO siege in form. The great
struggle did not result in success; ans fnoug'l
the enp,ny's lines were carried and temporarily
held ut two important points. our assuring
columns were finally compel ed 10 ABANDON
rhem. Probably no action so important IN ITS
character was ever crowded nto SO hrlef a
snace of time-ten terrible minutes IN the ear
~ dawn developed on the part OF the enemy
such strength both of position and force as TO
carry conviction that any victory that could
here be achieved would be purchased at too
great cost. ;.
All that n,atchess vaIor directed by con
summate skill could do, was done; but 1t was
in vain. In falling back, however, the army
was far from abandoning all the ground 1t had
gained. It held and still holds the enemy with
unrelaxing clutch. Even now, our lines are IN
many places within fifty yards OF the enemy. $
works on the Chickahomlny, and while, !; IS
not clear how Gen. Grant can again make an
advance on his immediate 'front.'. 1t VIII! oe
equally difficult for Lee TO make his escape -
The situation is such that there viii necessaIi
~ now be very important movements on 'he
part Of our army.
The correspondent Of the Times in his &C.
count Of Fridays battle says The Rebel
front is formed isnuediatey in front OF the
Chickahominy, in three lines. two lines OF bat
tie and skirmish line J, on an irregular line TO
conform with the woods and ridges and
swamps Of the ground, and between the two
armies Is a low, swampy region
Hancock he'd the fl IT the whole Federal
lire # battle. That portion Of BarI"w $
front whore the right IF Niles brigade '!ne
with the LETT of Brooks got over and into
the enemy's parapet, capturing his guns lt':!r
light Il poun'ers), his colnrS ami I've or SIX
huud Ell pr, o lers, about 3UD OF which we're
secured The stormng column, IN fact, We're
j:Gst turning the enemy ) guns On 'hr retreat
Ing Reels, when powerful relnt"rremtnts
from the second Rebel line appeared ad an
cling. The first Rebel line was held by Dr. OK
inridge' troops and was carried bur ''re Is
TOO good General to leave a poDt SO lmpnr,
tant thus weakly defended BrecklIge $ men
were PLACED IN the forefront 10 re'tlEe the
ba ptsrn of fire, but behind these lay tn" veter-
ans of Hill ,rpS, and it is tn Sc that We now
see da.hlug forward to retrieve the hnnors We
had snaTched.
Barlow brigade could have h ID their own
under coniI ions the least short nf desperation,
but the situation in which they now found
themselves O ereaped its limits. Ii was not
merely the overwhelming front that came
pressing dcwn upon them, OF that they had no
fear but the position they had gained placed
them in advance Of the whole line Of battle,
and gave the Rebel artillery the opportunity
for deadly enfading fire: Besides this, they
had lost the directing heads OF two OF the chlet
commanders, Brooks and Byrnes, tell mortally
wounded, and al! the organizations had suffered
fearfully from an unparalleled loss OF officers.
In this state Of facts they fell back.
Gibbons advance was simultaneous with
Barlow's, but in moving forward, he came
upon one of the swamps Of the Chickahominy,
which had to be turned Or overpassed in the
process Of which it became very difficult to es-
tablish the connection between different parts
OF his line.
Parts Of the brigades Of Tyler and Oven