Year: 1862




until the enemy succeeded in rushing
around on the left flank and poured In an
enfilading fire from that direction, against
which the rifle pits were no protection
The sixty rounds of ammunition with
which they entered the fight were nearly
exhausted, and no more was at hand.


GEN. SUMMERS ADVANCE.


Meantime Gen. Sumner had succeeded
in bringing his troops across the Chicka-
hominy, and was advancing on the right
to maintain our position there, where less
ground had been lost. After several days
of labor, Gen. Sumner had thrown two
bridges across the creek between Bottom
Bridge and New Bridge, where local re-
ports held it to be impossible to find any
foundation for piles to support the super
structures. One of these bridges was
some two miles above Bottom Bridge, the
the other a mile further up the stream
The lower of these was carried away du-
ring the heavy storm of Friday night, and
Gen Sumner was obliged to depend upon
a single shaky structure for the passage
of his troops, who nearly all, however,
succeeded in crossing that night, the head
of the column reaching the Nine-mile
Road, along which the rebels were press
ing our troops, at about o'clock. holding
the enemy in check for the night, pre-
venting them from following up in that
direction the advantage they had gained
during the day.


THE FIGHT on SUNDAY.


Flushed with their seeming victory OF
Saturday, the rebels awoke with conf,
dence on Sunday to follow up their move
ments, sure of driving US this time to the
Chickahominy and beyond. But they
had made the unfortunate mistake OF es-
timdting the strength of our reserves by
the weakness of our advance. Most bit,
terly did they pay for their mistake
Pressing eagerly forward with confidence
of victory, they were met by the trained
troops of Heintzelman and Sumner, whose
unyielding columns checked their fierce
assault, turning the tide of battle every
where against them, and forcing them at
the point of the bayonet on toward Rich
mond. 1t was their turn now to break
and run, and their losses of the Sabbath
left them little cause for rejoicing ovel
the trihing gain of Saturday. Terribly
did the rebels suffer on this, as well as the
previous day, from the well-directed fire
vi > AAAO s-ANNhN 'AN'i
the slain. Terrible also TO them were the
frequent charges of our solid columns
pressing them back, step by step, to the
last point of endurance, when they broke
and ran, ingloriously leaving behind them
many of their men and officers, as well as
privates, prisoners in our hands. The
number of these it is not yet possible tc
ascertain, several days necessarily elaps.
ing after every engagement before full
inventory can be taken.


OUR ADVANTAGE N ARMS.


Besides our superiority in artillery, oul
small arms were much more effective, hav'
ing all the superiority in fatal power
which the Mimic ball has over the round
rifle ball The wounds inflicted by the
enemy were mainly by the latter. Had
the Ieaden hail in which our men were
obliged to stand so long, been composed
of conical instead of round shot, many
more Rachels would be mourning over the
lost, and many more homes draped in
funeral weeds. Your correspondent feels
particularly grateful to the blockade, be,
ing morally certain that had the ball which
lodged so harmlessly in his leggings been
a minnie, he would have been obliged al
ways hereafter to write standing on one
foot-a good figure of speech for JuSenal.
but one which he would rather be excused
from practically embodying.


GEN. CASEY.


No man who knows Gen. Casey can dc
otherwise than sympathize with him III
the misfortunes of disease and disaster
which have left him with but the skele'
ton of division now able to muster
scarcely more, if indeed, as much, as tho
strength of brigade. Occupying the
most exposed position on our lines, his
raw troops found themselves in the battle
of Saturday before they had fairly warmed
to their work, subjected to musketry
fire of more than ordinary intensity, the
balls pouring in upon them in constant
shower, apparently from all directions
whizzingan buzzing through the air with
murderous spitefulness. Overborne 10y
numbers, failing in support, they gave
way, but not until they had held the
enemy in check sufficient length of time
to give our reserves an opportunity to pres:
forward to retrieve the fortunes of the
day, which they did nobly. All that {
brave man could do by personal eXertion
Gen. Casey did; and how well he was sec
onded by his officers, let the list of casu
alties tel. Gen. Naglee, who escaped
with but tr.fing injury, was every wherC
active, encouraging his troops by example
and voice, with Gen. Casey pressing tc
the front, and cheering the men to tho
charge.