The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-10-19

most profound and solemn silence, but only
| for a moment; then follows from the whoie
| column as from one man gufterai cry
| the Confederate yell-a cry so fierce that u
strikes terror 10 the ranks OF the enemy
/ All the prisoners of war unite In declaring
/ that when that cry reached their ears IL
brought a sensation Of fear which they
could compare with nothing but the APP
preach Of death. II seemed to rob them OF
their courage. they lost control OF their
faculties, and only sought TO save them-
selves by flight.
campaign in the Peninsula, which TOOK
place on the 1st OF July, 1862; the battle OF
Seven Pines or Fair Oaks, May 3ist and
June LIST Of the same year, and the recent
| fight at gettysburg. have robbed the army
| of Lee Of many heroic soldiers. Had 1t con-
sisted OF men less daring in their yalor
these hecatombs would have numbered
many less victims.
The result Of this campaign in the PENN
sula has given prestige 10 the arms 81 tne
| Confederates and has caused the complete
evacuation of the Peninsula by the large
| army commanded by Mcclellan.
| General Mcclellan is considered Dy the
Southern generals as the most efficient com.
mand, that has ever been placed at the head
OF the Northern army. IL ne failed IN MS
plan of investing the city OF Richmond IL was
only because lie had 10 deal with men VINO
were ADLER than himself. In the beginning
everything seemed 20 promise him success.
From the time that he disembarked his sol
diers at Fortress Monroe until be arrived
| at the entertainments of Richmond nothing
interfered seriously with his progress. AT
Williamsburg there were only few slight
skrmishes. Yorktown was evacuated
without blow. The diminishing at Will
| liamsburg took place between the ad-
vance guard of the Federal troops
and the rear guard of the retreating Con-
federares. After passing Williamsburg,
which took place about May D, 1867, NC
ClelIan encountered no further resistance
| on the part OF the Confederate troops. Ihey
were slowly falling back upon Richmond.
| A rapid march, few bold strokes on the
part of the Federals, would most undoubt-
| edly at this time have been crowned with
success. but Mcclellan was not Napo-
| leon!
ON the contrary, instead Of Fastening his
advance he undertook plan OF campaign
which consisted in the construction OF first
class military roads across a country filled
with marshes, with the idea, no doubt, OF
preparing himself an easy outlet; ana pro-
| fitting by the woody nature OF the country
he built, at short distance from each other.
forts and entertainments behind which his
troops could fight TO great advantage.
It was not until the month Of June was
drawing 10 a close. greatly 10 the chagrin OF
the Government at Washington. that Nc
Clellan found himself near Richmond, with
the base of his army resting on the Chicka-
hOminy river.
The Confederates had had time to mass
their troops around their capital. and to
furnish them with supplies, and General
Lee. whom President Davis had called from
Charleston in order to entrust to him the
chief command of the army, had matured
his plan of defence.
The roaring of the cannon, which could
be heard distinctly in the invested city,
announced on the morning of the 10Th OF
June that the combat had begun on the
| Chickah0miny, and all knew that upon its
| ISSUE IN all human probability, the fate OF
| Richmond depended. The battle ragged
| through the entire day and the approach of
evening brought no hope of success TO the
C0nfederates, when suddenly, to the aston
ishment alike of friend and toe, the brigade
| of General Jackson appeared upon the fleld;
| Jackson, who was supposed to be far away.
closely encircled by three corps of the en-
envy: but this skilful general had not only
found means to escape his pursuers, but
| had attacked and beaten each OF the three
| separately, and by forced march had ar
| rived most OPPORTUNITY on the field OF bat
| tie. The news Of his arrival seemed to infuse
new courage into the disheartened army.
| They rallied with yigOr and to victory, for
the enemy was repulsed ana compelled to
fall back on the other side Of his lines upon
| the ChickahOminy.
The success Of this first day was due in
the greater part TO the arrival Of Jackson.
The Confederates, exhausted with fatigue,
slept on the battle-feds, while the federals
| withdrew under the cover of night behind
| their second line of entertainments.
The following morning the Coniederates
| followed up their victory of the day before,
and attacked the enemy in their entrench-
ments, and by their heroic courage had
| V the night Of the second day,
scored a second victory. Again they slept
upon this new battlefield, and again the
| Federal troops repeated this manTuvre Of
the eve before. And thus during the seven
DAYS of this memorable campaign each day
| il was necessary 10 seize some new posi-
ton, or drive the enemy from some strong
| hold.
The battle of Malvern Hill at last termi-
mated glOrlously this lab0riOus campaign.
We know that Mcclellan fingered awhile
| longer in the Peninsula Hntil malaria began
TO make greater havoc among the remnant
OF his army than had the bayOnets OF the
COnfederaies. lie evacuated it definitely to-
wards the end Of August leaving behind
him, as monument Of glory, the road
which he had built, which fell TO Virginia a.
a lawful Inheritance.
Wherever the Federal troops have been
able TO attain fOOthOld upon Confederate
soil their first care has been TO construct
strong and defensive works behind which
they entrench themselves. To effect this
they have a corps Of sappers furnished by
the State Of Maine, composed almost en-
trely OF wood-cutters, men trained to ham
| die the axe; a "corps of miners" mostly
lTshmen, men accustomed 10 the use Of the
spade; and lastly, "A corps Of ''mechanics"
drawn from the New England States where
carpenters and blacksmiths abound. These
corps Of non-cOmbatants make ii possible
for the fighting men 10 find the rest before
and after an engagement which they sorely
ened.
| Each Confederate army corps has only
| ''piOneer corps" which prepared the road,
so that all other labor has TO be done by the
| soldier. AS consequence, their defensive
works are never very elaborate, generally
consisting of few earthw0rks or breast
works, behind which they can lie TO shelter
themselves from the deadly fire OF the
enemy. Thus they fight generally at a
| great disadvantage, and the Federals are
| frequently astOnishSd TO find only some
slight defences where they expected TO find
strong Notifications. was informed that
at Charlottesville. where the Federals had
no time TO build Notifications, they made
ramparts Of the bodies Of men and horses
which covered the ground during this fear
| full battle. The people Of Europe have no
| idea of the large number of engagements
| which have taken place between the bel
| igerents. They hear from time 10 time of
| some great battle. lasting one or perhaps
| several days, but of the lesser combats, the
skirmishes, etc, ETC., in which many are
killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, the dis
patches, for the greater part, make no men,
ton.
often, too, it happens that several en-
gagcments take place on the same day at
plac IS widely distant from each other, and
bety cen different army corps, and the di-
spatches received in Europe confound the
places and people in the most extraordinary
fashion. Up 10 the LIST of January, 1863,
about two hundred and fifty engagements,
Of more or less Importance, have taken
place, and of these about twO-thirds have
resulted TO the advantage OF the Confede-
rates.
Tney estimate that the Confederates have
lost in killed 2O,s93; wounded, 59,6l5;
urisOnprs % i69-tOtai 100 671