The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-08-24
The Late Campaign on tho North Side of the
James.
In CAMP, NORTH SIDE OF TuEaJAMEs,
Auu1,ot 2 afIOrt

| Inc Late Campaign on tho North Side of the
James
In CAMP, NORTH SIDE OF rursJAMrs.
August l3, 1854.
TO the Editor Of the Richmond Dispatch
Preparations have been actively made for the last
few days to open mortar battery upon the enemy s
pontoon bridge near Deep Bottom, and it was an
nouneed everything would be in realiniss by 10 A.
| NJ Our four guns Third Richmond IHowitzers)
Were posted on New Market Heights. wf4re wehayt.
been on picket for the past week, Two fen-nels
mortars We're sunk short distance If1ront of our
| battery and at the base of the hill which we
were posted, whilst to our left, and about eight hun
area yards Ill our front, four eight-nch sea-coast
howit.erS were placed, to be used as mortars Near
| the village Of New Market, and several hundred
yads 10 the lett and front of the seaeoast howtzer
section OF Major Starke's Local Defence Artillery
Parrots) We're posted protection to the front and
left of the mortar howitzers. Our main line of en-
trenchments Were only a short distance in front of
our company, but strong line of rifle-pits have
been thrown up on line with the mortar howitzors.
We opened with the mortars at T. NJ and the
great huge shells We're sent whirlng over towards
the enemys line, causing little confusion in their
camps. Ihe mortar hoTltzers and Starke's Parrot
guns joined in the fracas
Pretty soon gunboat came steaming down the
river, and leisulely "heaving to-" commenced an
accurate fire upon lines. A slow fire was kept
up during the day, but nothing of Importance was
accomplished.
Sunday, August l4th.-Fighting at and near New
Market Heights.
MajorGeneral Field is in command of our line,
composed Of -- biigades. The morning dawned
with never cloud upon the horizon, and for time
an unusual quietude prevailed; though during the
night the tramp OF Federal suldiery crossing the
pontoon bridges distinctly head. The enemy
have pontoon bridge above, and below,
Deep Botton therefore, to appear on our right they
are compelled to cross the upper pontoon not being
able to move to our left without re-crossing the
James passing immediately in front of our bat
teries on New Market Hill.
splendid brass band on right strikes up that
hntx nf
ly through the calm Sabbath mornings air comes the
soft melody of that Heaven-boin hymn; and as
those notes rise higher and higher yet upon the
morning breeze, they seem carving an invocation
upward to the Throne Of Grace to aid us in the COIN
ing struggle. Hark the changes; a short dis
tance TO our right the sharp ringing notes of the
sknmlshers rifle warns us of danger ahead-and
men hurry to gather up their implements of death
The skiImishing on our right increases, and loud
cheers are heard i'll the woods; in breathless sus-
peIlse We await the issue; presently our come
running across the field and it is evident that
our sklImlsh line Ia very strong one protected by
nhe-p PITS has been driven from its position and
forced back to the main line. This so exposed the
right flank ot the line protecting the mortar howit
Zer battery that it was compelled to fall hack TO the
entertainments running across New Market Heights
There being horses to the battery, it was mpos-
slble to save 1t, ana for time thought Stalke's
Parrots would "go up; but finally succeeded in
getting them on the hlh.
Far away in our front we could plainly see the
enelny moving heavy columns OF infantry TO our
IClI, ana III the WOODS could distinguish the
cleaning OF muskets innumerfble.
Skirmistling Oh our left commences; the situation
becomes interesting and precarous; tauI pas and
the day will be lost. General Field rapidly masses
his troops to meet the enemy, and whole line is
i'll commotion. On right and front the eneniy's
skirmishers press close to lines, and infantry
have all moved to the left. We are without protec-
tion and we must fight hard else the hill is lost.
We open a rapid fire upon the enemy, and in the
meantime, withdraw Fright section," under the
command OF Lieutenant II. e. Carter, and send it
off at "double-quick " to the left. Not one mo-
ment too did it arrive the left for tue enemy
pressing closely. Going into position at the
Fussel House, near where the Darbytown road
crosses Baileys run, this section opened destuc-
tive fire upon column of the advancing enemy, and
broke them at the first round. Five Yankee bate
ries replied, but boys held their ground, and the
enemy were ctcctualy checked.
1 herewith make few extracts from the Phila-
delphia Inquirer of the 18th:
''The enemy fell back to strong position, and the
Second division, Second corps, drawn up in line
of battle beyond where Hancock captured the four
guns two weeks ago. ('rlns would bring the Yankee
line Just where the Darbeytown road crosses Bal
leys run, near Fussel's mill) Here the First bri
gade, under Colonel Marcy, took the lead and
charged across corn-feld, over hill and down
into q ravine, where they came to swamp with a
stream Baey's rum on the other side the ground
covered with impenetrable brush on the margin
During AL this time they were exposed to a
heavy fire from the rebel artillery, which did great
deal of damage. 1t was found impossible to cross
the ldVlne, ana the men were halted ana COLI
eealed as we'll as possible until dark when they
were withdrawn Colonel Marcy had his horse shot
| under him, and mounting General Barlow's horse,
the animal became unmanageable and fell Oh the
Colonel badly bruising him.
"The division lost at least three hundred men in
| the engagement. The First and Third divisions,
winch were III support lost about two hundred and
| fifty men from the effects of the rebel artillery"
In referring to the shelling on Saturday the l3th
| the Inquirer says
/ ~ The AgaWam. fnJJuto3t1 while aOpaDiup n rabeI
| battery, received SHE'LL which exploded, killing
| three men and wounding eight others
| This "rebel battery was "section" of Hurts
battery, Mcintosh's battalion, Lieutenant Ferrell
| commanding.
Towards night the enemy charged our skirmish
line on the right with heavy line Of battle, but
We're held in check.
Our loss to-day was one man: private E. N. Ma
honey, wounded ill the arm. Several others were
struck; but not disabled, among whom Corporal
| $. His "suspender" was cut i'll two by a
she'll After dark our right section returned to the
heights, We having BEEN reinforced by the re-
malng companies of our battalion, Lieutenant-C
mel X. A. Hardaway commanding.
August l5th.-Al quiet to-day save occasional
picket sklrmishing.
August lGth.-The enemy charged on our left, in
front of Wrghts brigade, and for time held pos
session of our works but they were finally driven
out with great slaughter, the poor deluded black
being the chief sufferer. In front the fighting
| amounted to nothing more than very heavy slir-
mshing and an extremely unpleasant shelling from
land batteries, gunboats, &e AT one time during
the day it became necessary to of guns
some distance "by hand +" and in the very teeth of
the enemy: This was done under terrible mus
kerry fire, during which priyates NJ III. Gardner
and William NJ. Mann fell, both painfully wounded.
August l7th.-Al quiet to-day.
August lSth.-Our troops on the left made a re-
connoissanee force the which amounted to finding
the enemy still in force and strongly entrenched.-
Shelling and skirmishing passed up and down the
lines, but none of our company were hurt.
August 10th and 10th. Our skirmishers have be-
quite amicable with the enemy sharpshooters,
and everything is quiet.
Sunday, August 2lst.-The enemy have all re-
turned to the south side after having accom-
and the loss of fully thousand for each gun
in killed, wounded and missing. W. s. W.
EoR THE RpSrrIr OF SOUTHERN PRISONERS