The National tribune., 1904-06-30


Lee disposed his force on the hither side
of the Chickahominy, in an excellent po-
sition for defense, having the front Of ap-
proach obstructed by thickets and cut up
by marshes. The Union force was drawn
up in the order already given-Hancock' s
Corps on the left; then the Sixth Corps;
then Smiths command; then Warren and
Burnside on the right. The left rested
across the Dispatch Station road, the right
ON TolopOtOmy Creek. Sheridan with two
divisions of horse held the lower crossings
Of the Chickah0miny and covered the
roads to White House. The other cav
airy division under Wilson took post on
the right. The manner Of attack ordered
was of the kind already so often made in
saut along the whole front OF six miles,
to be made at 80 in the morning.
Next morning. with the first gray light
Of dawn struggling through the clouds,
the preparations began: from behind the
rude parapets there was an upstarting, a
springing TO arms, the muffled commands
of officers forming the line. The attack
FIVE minutes after that. or it may have
been 10 minutes, but it certainly was not
later than 45 minutes past 4, when the
whole line was in motion. and the dark
hollows between the armies were lit up
with the fires OF death.
1t took hardly more than 10 minutes Of
the figment men call time to decide the
battle. There was along the whole line q
rush-the spectacle OF impregnable works
bloody loss-then a sullen falling back,
and the action was decided. Conceive OF
this in the large. and we shall then be able
to descend to some Of the points Of action
as they individualize themselves along the
line.
SLAUGHTER WITHOUT GAIN.
Hancock held the left Of the whole
army. His attack was made by the divi-
sion Of Barlow on the left and Gibbon on
the right, with Birnsy supporting. Bar
found the enemy strongly posted in q
sunken road in front OF his works. From
this, after severe struggle, the enemy
was dislodged and followed into his works,
where several hundred prisoners, a color,
and three guns were taken. The guns
were Immediately turned upon the enemy,
forcing him to retreat in confusion from
that part OF the line. But this partial sue
cess was speedily turned into a reverse; for
not only did Barlow's second line fail to
come DIP to the prompt support Of the
first, 40 but the enemy, speedily reen-
forced, forced Barlow's troops out Of the
captured works. They fell back, but not
to their original position: to a position far
in advance of that from which they had
yards from the enemy, where, taking ad-
vantage Of the ground. they covered them
selves in an astonishingly short time.
Gibbons advance was simultaneous
with Barlow's; but in moving forward, he
came upon one of the swamps OF the
Chickahominy, which widened as the line
neared the enemy's intrenchments. This
separated his command: but the troops,
at fearful sacrifice. advanced close up
TO the works. Some for a moment entered
them. Col. McSIahon, with a part OF his
regiment, separated by the swamp from
the rest Of his brigade, reached the para
pet. planted on it his coIors. but fell GOV.
cred with many wounds. and expired in
the enemy's hands, losing his colors with
honor. The gallant Coils. Porter, Morris
McKcen, and Haskell We're killed. and
Gen. Tyler was wounded. Yet Gibbon',
troops. too, clung. tenaciously to the
ground gained; and some remained sf
| close to the hostile works, that the men
could only be reached by covered ways
In less than an hour Hancock's loss was
above 1900.
EVERY ASSAULT A DISASTER.
The story of the advance Of the SIKH
Corps on the right OF Hancock, and that OF
Smith on the right Of the Sixth. Is of q
like tenor. Every assault was Immediately