Year: 1862

commanders, as ii was, indeed to great
extent, until the close of the action. As
the Commander in Chief rode along the
lines of our troops in reserve, he was greet.
ed with the appearance-raising his hat as
he passed on with all the air of Napoleon.
Taking his position near well, TO the left
of where General Casey had his head quar-
ters on the 3lst, he listend to the statement
of his Generals, received the report of Aids
coming from the scene of conflict, and guild
ed the action until near its close.


Soon after the Generals arrival one of the
batteries in front of General Richardson's
position, on the railroad, opened fire on
the enemy over the heads of our men, in the
woods and swamp between itand the enemy.
This woods Kidding the rebels from sight the
fire of the battery was guided by the obser-
vations of al officer stationed in tree as a
look out. After the enemy had been suffi-
! ciently stirred up by our shells, which were
thrown somewhat in the dark, another ad-
vance was ordered to drive the enemy again
from their ritie-pits, and secure the position
which had been once taken iu the morning.
Meanwhile the Second Brigade of Gen
eral Couch's Division, Keyes Corps, under
command of General Palmer, had advanced
to the support of General Hooker, and two
Napoleon guns, of Captain DeRussey's
Battery, were tearing down the Williams
burg road to take part, if possible, in the
action which had thus far been conducted
without the help of the artillery, except
such as had been derived from the some
what uncertain long range firing from the
guns of Richardson's batteries. With much
exertion, Capt. De Russey succeeded in gett-
ing his guns through the swamp, and to
the front, where they rendered efficient
service in the second assault on the enemy's
position. Great efforts were made by the
enemy to secure those guns, but they fail
ed before the determined defense of our
troops, placed to support them.


Supported by the fresh troops of Gen.
Palmer, Hooker men again pressed forwed,
and drove the enemy before them with a
much less effort than before, barely quar-
ter of an hour sufhcing TO drive them, for
the second time, from their rihe-pits which
were occupied by our troops in force, who
advanced still further on, however, TO the
woods beyond, where they held the enemy
in check


1t was now after clock, and Gen. Hook
er having gained all the ground, and more
than was proposed, no further advanced
was attempted.


While Hooker was thus occupied, Gen





in front of him. Early in the day his troops
were drown up il, line of battle to secure
General Hookers advance. and push for
ward our pckets on his left, where kear-
ney's Division held the ground near the
Charles City Road, toward the White Oak
Swamp. The Charles City Road, which is
not indicated on our map runs ont of the
Williamsburg Stage Road to the left, at
nearly right angle to it, and about 2 miles
beyond the Seven Pines. The White Oak
Swamp is about two miles to the left of the
Williamsburg Road, running nearly parall-
ed with it, until it empties into the White
Oak Swamp, short distance below Bottoms
Bridge. These positions are indicated
facing toward Richmond, as you go up the
Williamsburg Stage Road.-Ed. Times.l


At first Gen. kearney met with little op.
position, and easily drove the rebels before
him so as to enable him to advance about
mile forward on the Charles City Road,
where he held his ground, occupying the
rebel rifle pits from which the enemy had
been driven, and rendering effective service
to Gen. Hooker, by getting into position
to flank the rebels. Here he held his ground
without difficulty until late in the afternoon,
when about o'clock the enemy endeavor-
ed to retake the rife pits, which they had
been forced to vacate earlier in the day.
The brunt of their assault was borne by
the Third Maine regiment on the left and
the Twentieth INDIANA which acted at its
support.


Giving way in their turn before the
enemys assault, our troops were forced
back from the rife pits TO the edge of
piece of woods in their rear where they
maintained their ground in spite of the
most strenuous efforts to drive them further
back.


Burney's Brigade which was on the left
of General Kearney's position. bore the bur-
den of the assault and suffered quite heavily,
it is reported, though have been unable
to obtain any particulars of their loss up to
the time of writing. Indeed my report of
what occurred in this division is much less
complete than would have wished to make
it their heaviest fighting occurring so late
in the day that ] am unable to procure any
detailed report of their operations in season
to get this through


But through we thus met with a trifing
reverse on the lett, the result of the days
fight was greatly III our fevor. With IL
comparatively small loss, we had driven
the enemy as far back as they drove us on
the first day of the Seven Pines fight. But
not like them, falling back again, we MAIN
tained our ground General Hooker's pick
cts being posted that night over two miles
beyond the Seven Pines on the Williams
burg stage road, and within less than five
of Richmond. All that had been propos ed
at the commencement was accomplished
without bringing Oh a generel engagement
as was expected


During the night large working parties
were kept busy throwing mp defenses to
secure the new position we have gained
and the work was pushed vigorously for
ward, in spite of the opposition of the
enemy, who kept up their firing at intervals
through the night. The heaviest attack
came shortly after o'clock, when the enemy
opened a heavy fire of musketry, with what
result did not learn. After a fatiguing
day had lain down at IL o'clock for nap
and awoke att Shortly after, while sitting
in semi-somnambulic state on box at
Savage's Station, in front of Gen. Heintzel-
Fans headquarters, was aroused by the
sound of heavy musketry firing, which
came from the front, sounding strangely
as it broke through the gloom of the quiet
night. 1t is strange comparison, but il
remslnded me Of nothing so much as the
grunting of drove of hogs, with more
tnan the usual pOrcine capacity of lungs.


In an instant lights be yan to CLEAN in the
tents of Heintzelman and his Staff, and
soon their occupants were observed coming
forth under the starlight, while 0rderlies
were has tening to the saddle and away
with messages. In few moments the
fire slackened, and all stillagain. But there
was little sleep in camp that night, for
scarcely an hour passed without the sound
of battle raging somewhere along the frOnt.
Your correspondent, as he writes, finds his
eyelids dropping and his pen growing wea-
rily from the effect of that nights wakeful-
ness. If his readers fall asleep over this
account, therefore, it will not be strange,
fot il may be that the law of sympathy pre-
walls, here as elsewhere,


The estimate of onr loss given in the
telegraphic report to the Associated Press,
will be found much below the mark.


Our loss Is indeed slight, considering the