Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-20

yisible-biankets, clothing, and other sup
niles had been recklessly abandoned. -.
n. Hill. who had the advance. gathered
M probably 1900 strasglers and so many
small arms that II became necessary TO
dctach two regiments to take charge OF
them and to see 10 the security OF the
prisoners.
TO KEEP THEM APART.
About noon We reached White oak
Swamp. and here the enemy mace
determined effort to retard our advance
and thereby TO prevent an imineoia'e
junction between General Longstreet ana
myself.
we found the bridge destroyed and the
ordinary place Of crossing commahue'
by their batteries on the opposite sue
and all approach to 1T barred by "e-
tachments Of sharpshooters. conceaied III
a dense wood close by.
a battery OF twenty-e!ght guns iroi,
Uilrs and Writings artillery was p'ac,'
by Colonel s. Crutchiield in iaVordn'e
position FOR driving OF or sHenc'"s ~"
opnos,ng artillery. About J.. NJ. IL
onrned suddenly upon the enemy. lie
fred a few shots in reply. then withdte"
from that position, abandoning part OF
HE ARTILLERY. Captain WoOding was In,
nodia,olv ordered near the bridge 10
ebeu the sharpshooters from the woous'
which was accomplished. and Munioru
cavalry crossed the creek, but WAS sum
co,nneI,ed 10 retire II was now seen INA
the enemy occupied such positlo'i ~
vond a thick intervening WOOD OH .,I'
,irh, OF the road as enabled MN 10 oo'"
mand the crossing .. oo,se.
captain Weddings battery was oV lio'
ouently recalled and our batteries III, ,,,,
IN tho new direction. The hre 50 oien'
an both sides was kept up until ia, -,
We biyouacked that night near '''
swamp. Al, e., front an.
,,H',rccd tho engagement OF Geherai
or,,streot at Frazier's Farm anu ma
..o oocer Ia press forward; out 'lo
,ar.hv character Of the SOIL. the W
structlon Of the bridge over ,ne ~ e.
ard creek. and the strong posi'iOii VI
enemy for defending the pasSas
vented my advancing un,h 'nc 1891.
,,,orntnp During the night the eu'i"',
me-. MI THE bridge was rapidly repair"u
-, vh,ting's division. which soon ar. arr.
orosscd over and continued the PuiSu',
T., hitch I, was followed by the reinaii'u
OF my corps. titan az
j, Wh,tc oak we captured portion .,
,ho oncmv's artillery. and also louI',
- bosn,tai with about $50 SICK anu
,.oyrded which fell into our hands
At FRAZIER's FARM.
,,,o, reaching Frazier's Farm ] fouila
General J,ongstrects advance near thc
,o,d Tbe commanding general soon
arter arrived and in pursuance Oh no
| continued 10 press i"r""i'i-
The head Of my advancing column "dS
coon Gred ,pon by the enemy, VINO never
.h.iass continued 10 fall back untli ne
,nached slalvcrn Hill, which strong po-
,i,ion he hold in force. General w ii'inS
was directed 10 move TO the lelt anu ''N,
nosition on the P0indcXter farm beherai
u. II. Hi 70 take position iafther "
the right. Taylor brigade. OF "eherai
Ewelrs division, to move forwara p'>
tween the divisions OF Hil ana w hi''hs'
the remainder of Ewell's division TO re-
main ia rear OF the first Inc jackson !
division was halted near Willis's Church.
In the wood. and held IN reserve.
General y. II. Hill pursued the route
indicated crossing an open Held ana
creek. His troops were then brought IN
full range Of the enemys artillery ana
suffered severely. Brigadier-General An
dcrson was wounded and carried from
the field The division was halted under
cover of a wood, which afforded an op-
for a more particular eXamina-
tion Of the ground in front. The enemy
in large force were found strongly posted
on IL commanding hill. all the approaches
10 which IN the direction OF my position
could be swept by his artillery ana were
guarded by infantry. The nearest bate
ries could only be approached by travers-
ing an open space of 800 or 400 yards, eN-
posed TO the murderous fire or artillery
and infantry.
MISTOOK THE SIGNAL.
The commanding general had issued an
order that at a given signal there should
be n general advance OF the whole line.
General ID. H. Hill, hearing what he be-
lieved to be the signal, with great gal
lantry pressed forward and engaged the
enemy. Not supported by a general ali
vance. as he had anticipated. he soon saw
that IL was possible without support
to sustain himself long against such over
whelmng numbers. lie accordingly sent
TO me for endorsements. ! ordered that
portion Of General Ewelrs division held
in reserve and Jackson's division 10 his
relief; but from the darkness Of the night
and the distractions caused by the swamp
and underground through which they had
TO march none reached him in time 10
afford him the desired support.
General Hill, after suffering heavy
loss and inficting severe one upon the
enemy, withdrew from the open field. In
the mean time the reinforcemcnts order
ed-aftcr struggling with the difficulties
of their route and exposed TO the Smelling
OF the enemy. which was continued until
about 10 T. M.-camc up too late 10 par
ticipatc in the engagement that evening.
THE ENEMY'S STRONG POSITION.
on my left General Whiting moved his
division, as directed. to field on the
PondeXter farm Batteries were ordered
IN. The position Of the enemy, as already
shown. naturally commanding, was mate
rally strengthened by the judiciOus dis
tribution of his artillery. The first bat
terry placed In position, finding itself eN-
posed TO the superior cross fire OF the
enemy. was compelled to retire with loss.
Balthis's POague's. and Carpenters bat
teries held their positions and fought well.
The position occupied by the artillery
rendering infantry support necessary.
Whiting formed his line accordingly, ana,
supported by Trimble's brigade on his
left and by the Third Brigade of Jack
sons division as q reserve. was directed
To remain there until further orders. Some
Of these batteries were well served, and
Cffcctually drove back at one time an adj
vance of the enemy upon my centre.
Toward night Whiting received orders
TO send General TIimbcs brigade TO the
support Of General -. II. Hin. on the
right. which order was promptly exc
cuted, but the brigade did not reach its
destination until after Hi had withdrawn
his division to the woods.
Our troops slept in front Of the Federal
army during the night. expecting Il re-
newal Of the action, hut early the next
morning the enemy had withdrawn from
the field. abandoning his dead ana leav.
ing behind some artillery and a number
of small arms.
THE KILLED AND WOUNDED
/ herewith forward to you official re-
ports of the casualties OF this corps. from
which it will be seen. as far "a | have
been able to ascertain, that in the battle
Of Cold Harhor, on June 9th, there were
$50 killed. 261l wounded and 81 missing
and in the engagement at Malvern Hill
on July list, S3i killed, l,1i6 wounded. and
SO missing.
regret that | have not before me the
data by which 10 ascertain with absolute
precision the loss sustained. respectfully.
at Cold Harbor and Malvern Hnl. or Of
distinguishing throughout the entire corps
the number OF officers killed and wounded
from the enlisted men. But Brigadier-
Generals Garland and Anderson. botn
since killed, having omitted In their re-
port to state the separate losses Of their
brgades in those two actions. and Sri
gadier- Generals Colquitt and Ripley hav-
ing omitted to classify their losses as be-
tween officers and men. | have. so far as
IL relates 10 the two first-named brigades