The National tribune., 1882-01-14
HARRISON'S LANDING, 1862.
REBEL ACCOUNT OF THE NIGHT ATTACK.
Tbs first days fight was over.
To be continued. !

Some time since we gave the readers of The
NATIONAL TRIBUNE brief sketch of the night
attack upon the Union encampment and ship
ping at Harrison's Landing, on the Peninsula,
made August /, 1862. As an interesting supple
ment to that narrative, we publish the following
extracts from the rebel report of the affair. Brig
adier-General S. G. French, commanding the ex-
petition, in reporting to General D. Ell. Hill, says
"On the morning of July 29th you directed me
to have the brigades commanded by ColOnels
Manning and Daniel ready to move the following
night: but when I had an interview that even
ing at ten D. NJ. you directed me to have them
move at o'clock the next morning together
with six batteries of field artillery. All started
at the hour named and, according to instruc-
tons halted at a saw-mill some seven miles dis
tant, on the road to Coggin's Point. left Peters
burg at ten a. M. and, on arriving at the mill,
found you, in company with General W. n. Pen
dleton of the artillery, who had marched there
under YOUR orders, in command of thirty-two
feld-guns and four siege pieces. Although you
had on the day previous shown me General Lees
letter suggesting that | would have charge of the
expedition, it was then for the first time made
known to me that you designed the attack to be
made at night, and showed me sketches of Cog
gins Point, a sort of peninsula round which the
James River sweeps, diminishing its width to
about thousand yards, and directly opposite to
which is Harrison's Landing Beyond this land
ing were large encampments of the enemy, his
shining extending above and below distance
of two miles. No time could be lost; so in COM
pany with General Pendleton and some of his
field officers, proceeded to examine the ground
and select positions for theguns, and observe the
enemy This reconnaissance occupied us until
about nine o'clock, and caused delay in the
advance of the artillery. On our return we met
the advance guns and ordered them to be halted,
and, at the suggestion of General Pendleton, 1
determined to report to you that an attack could
not be made that night I found you at Mer-
chants Hope Church, where you had posted the
two brigades of infantry In company with
General Pendleton, 1 explained toyou the neces-
sity of delay in the attack. You expressed ap-
prehensions of a failure if not made at once, be-
lieving our position and force would be discov-
cred by the enemy On the morrow, and then,
announcing that the expedition was under my
command, informed me that you would return
to Petersburg
Inc DaIahce OF the nlgnt was mostly passed IN
placing The different batteries in the shelter of
the woods to prevent them being seen by recon-
noissances from the balloons of the enemy thus
it was four a. m. before the men or horses got any
rest The better to secure success, found it nee
essary to order the particular part that each COM
mand was to perform and directed that the Off
GERS of artillery who were to command guns,
should be sent to pass over the intricate roads
the difficult grounds, and examine the sites
selected for the batteries, and erect stakes to d
rect the fire of their guns at night, according to
the position of the enemy, The ground not ad-
hitting the advantageous use of all the guns,