Jun

30

June 30, 1862, A Rebel War Clerk’s Diary

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by John Beauchamp Jones

JUNE 30TH.—Once more all men are execrating Gen. Huger. It is alleged that he again failed to obey an order, and kept his division away from the position assigned it, which would have prevented the escape of McClellan. If this be so, who is responsible, after his alleged misconduct at the battle of the Seven Pines?

Jun

30

The Situation.

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June 30, 1862, The New York Herald

The news we publish today from before Richmond, although somewhat ambiguous, and evidently curtailed under the censorship of the War Department, is indicative of some important movements on the peninsula. A grand military triumph is announced, and the fall of Richmond is confidently predicted. All details are shut off from us, for some good reason no doubt. Generals Jackson, Price and Beauregard were said to be in Richmond, and a rumor prevailed in the camp of the rebels on Thursday that Jackson had turned the right wing of Gen. McClellan’s army, but there is no confirmation of any such story. The rumors circulated yesterday that General McClellan’s army had met with a reverse are entirely untrue. Everything in his command goes on steadily and favorably. The publication of the details of operations going on in front of Richmond is not considered by the War Department consistent with the public interest, and, therefore, they are withheld for the present. That important events have transpired within the past few days on the peninsula is not improbable, and in addition to these there are other movements on foot which indicate that the crisis of the rebellion has arrived, and that the government is determined to inaugurate vigorous measures to carry out certain new plans of the President, and with this view consultations of the leading men of the country are about to be held in this city immediately - probably today or tomorrow - which, no doubt, will result in the adoption of measures that will bring this rebellion to a speedy close.

The remarkable military events which have lately characterized the progress of our arms are not only of themselves highly important as tending to settle our domestic difficulties, but they are calculated to strengthen in a permanent manner the military and naval power of the country, and to inspire confidence in the public mind as to the ability of the government, not alone to sustain itself, but to meet successfully the machinations of European Powers should they be rash enough to assail us.

The clergy of Tennessee are obstinately rebellious, with the exception of the priesthood of the Catholic Church, who are devotedly loyal to the Union. The leading clergymen of the Methodist and Baptist persuasion refused to take the oath of allegiance at the conference in Nashville, and many of them were sent to the Penitentiary as impenitent rebels.

Jun

30

The Battle of Richmond.

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June 30, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

From our Richmond exchanges of Friday and Saturday we complete an account of the great battle, as it had progressed up to Friday evening. our extracts are taken chiefly from the news columns of the Examiner:

OPENING OF THE GREAT BATTLE - HEAVY ENGAGEMENT ON THE LEFT OF OUR LINES.

The result of the movement across the Chickahominy, on Thursday afternoon, of several divisions of the Confederate army, was first made known in Richmond by heavy discharges of cannon off to the right of the Mechanicsville turnpike, which gradually moved up towards Mechanicsville, the sound of the artillery growing in intensity and rapidity of discharges. About four o’clock the sound hung stationary over the village until after 8 o’clock in the evening, when it apparently bore off to the left as though one column was pushing the other.

During the evening hundreds of the citizens of Richmond, whose kindred were mingling in the fray, flocked to the hills east of the city, and listened to the dull [….] of the guns filling every second of time, some loud and full, from the siege pieces, and others, light and quick, from the field pieces. The smoke of the battle could be seen rising behind the woods, behind which the conflict was going on - not more than four miles distant. Occasionally the shells could be seen ascending and bursting over the woods, above which hung a balloon; but, about five o’clock, the smoke and haze increased so that everything of the field of conflict was shut out from view, and the sound of the conflict alone was heard. What was remarkable, the smoke from the field, borne on the wind, floated down the valley, and last evening the eastern portion of the city was sensibly impregnated with the smell of gunpowder. At nine o’clock the firing in the direction of Mechanicsville had dwindled to the occasional explosion of a shell gun.

THE ATTACK AT MECHANICSVILLE - ADVANCE OF OUR FORCES ACROSS THE CHICKAHOMINY.

It appears that our forces attacked then enemy with unparalleled fury at Mechanicsville, and from the suddenness of the attack, the enemy were totally non-plussed and driven from three large redoubts in rapid succession, seizing the guns and turning them with terrific effect upon the foe. This accomplished, our forces advanced and captured two lines of entrenchments and field work, taking everything before them in gallant style. Co-operating with the movements on the extreme right and rear of the enemy, our Generals crossed the Chickahominy at two points, viz; by the Mechanicsville bridge and the Meadow bridge, attacking the enemy with great dash and ardor, driving in their outposts, and ascending the opposite hills, seized the batteries erected theron, and fully commanding the future movements of our forces in crossing the stream. In doing this, the rapidity of movement was such that the enemy was unprepared, and lost a monster [……], which has long annoyed our troops to the right and left of the York River Railroad. This achievement in itself is of incalculable value, and is equivalent to the saving of five thousand lives. General Branch, we understand, led the advance down the Meadow Bridge road with a brigade of North Carolinians, and on crossing, were instantly reinforced by other troops of General Hilldivision. The numerous field works and batteries opposed to their advance were assailed by our men in the coolest and most nonchalant style imaginable, and while driving the heavy masses of Federal infantry before them, were ably seconded by our heavy guns, which, thundering with terrific noise, threw large shells thick and fast upon the enemy’s chosen positions and camps, thus preventing our first forces from being overpowered by the swarming hordes of McClellan hirelings. While these brilliant movements were progressing in the neighborhood of Meadow Bridge, our troops beyond the Mechanicsville Bridge formed a junction with them, thus forming a perfect cordon with others operating from the village of Mechanicsville itself. Our line being perfect, a general advance took place, but the brave Confederates had not progressed far ere they were encountered by the Federals in great force, and a terrific fight ensued, but onward pressed our infantry and artillery, until at 9 p.m., when the heavy cannonading ceased, it was generally known that the enemy had been driven fully three miles, having experienced great loss in every shape, but particularly in artillery. At Mechanicsville, the heaviest fighting is said to have taken place on Watt’s farm, but resulted magnificently to us. All the heights beyond the Chickahominy are in our possession, thus ensuring the safe and speedy transportation of troops and munitions to the other side.

THE ENEMY FALLING BACK - SPLENDID COUP - DE- MAIN OF GEN. STONEWALL JACKSON.

The splendid contest of Thursday afternoon, which resulted in the wrestling, by General A.P. Hill’s division, of Mechanicsville, though without decisive results, except the possessing of the place served to attract the attention of McClellan from a movement in his rear which overwhelmed him. There Hill’s division of 12,000 men stood successfully, opposed to a least four times their number, behind earthworks, which they, one after another, evacuated, carrying off their guns, which, mounted on wheel carriages, were not captured, as some of our contemporaries announced yesterday, though their positions were gained and held. Many valuable lives were lost at Mechanicsville, but they received immortality there.

At 3 o’clock on Friday morning the grand coup de main of General T.J. Jackson was accomplished. With his army, which failed to get into position the previous evening, he, fresh from the field of exploits in the Valley, came down the Chickahominy on the right flank of McClellan’s army, to Coal Harbor, in the enemy’s rear and put his front upon it at Old Church. The enemy had fallen back still further during the night, and Hill’s and Longstreet’s divisions pressed him in front and left flank early yesterday morning. Thus, by a strategy unparalleled for its brilliancy, was McClellan circumvented. Up to this writing we have no accounts of the battle that has been progressing that would justify particulars, but McClellan and his main army was reported retreating down the Chickahominy, bearing off from ‘Stonewall’s’ guns in the direction of West Point, where the gunboats were lying ready to cover him.

It was six o’clock when the enemy gave way, after leaving their last breast work battery of thirteen guns, which was their best, mounting heavy siege guns. McClellan retired, burning up his stores at the depots of his lines. From the top of the Capitol, in the square, shafts of white smoke could be seen rising in the direction of Old Church and the White House. At first this was thought to originate from the firing of cannon, that could not be heard from the distance, the wind also being contrary; but later in the day it was ascertained to have been caused by the destruction, by the enemy, of his immense stores off to the right of the Mechanicsville pike, on the farm of Dr. Gaines.

The mutterings of the fight could be occasionally heard through the report of heavy guns, but it died entirely away as the scene of the conflict was removed by the retreat of the enemy and the advance of the Confederate forces.

The retreat of McClellan’s army, and the pursuit of the Confederate army, has moved our base of information concerning the fight, which, we learn, was kept up a intervals with great severity; but, through the kindness of an officer from our lines, we have been supplied with a very intelligent pencil diagram, furnishing the positions of the retreating and pursuing forces.

Jackson’s army was represented as moving down considerably this side of the Pamunkey for a trestle bridge spanning it at the railroad, with the intention of outstripping McClellan, whose forces were making for the same bridge to secure it as a crossing before it was seized or burned by Jackson. Gens. Longstreet, A.P. Hill’s and D.H. Hill’s divisions were pressing hard upon McClellan’s rear, while Magruder and Huger, on the Chickahominy, held our right wing in the direction of New Bridge, with a portion of the enemy in front of them. This was the supposed situation of the armies up to yesterday afternoon. It appears to be conceded that the enemy successfully withdrew their forces from the position held by them on Thursday night, after the capture of Mechanicsville, leaving behind, as a blind, some skirmishers and a battery, which, when charged upon by the advance yesterday morning at daylight, was found to be empty of men and guns. A pursuit of three hours brought our forces upon a formidable battery of thirteen guns at Gaines’ Mill, near the New Kent road. Here occurred our heaviest loss. The breastworks were situated on a bluff, across a mill dam, canal and swamp, with rifle pits in front. Our troops charged through and over all with a valor and determination that kept everything, clearing rifle pits and battery at the point of the bayonet. The troops that did this splendid set of gallantry were from North Carolina - the brigade of General Pender. This was accomplished through terrific volleys of musketry, shell, round shot, grape and canister, that piled the ground with the valorous dead and wounded.

THE ACTION WELCOMES GENERAL - THE SITUATION OF THE TWO ARMIES AT NIGHT.

We learn from Major John M. Daniel, of the General’s staff, serving with Gen. Hill in these battles, and who about 4 o’clock last evening, was obliged to leave the field in consequence of having had his right arm shattered by a Minie ball, that at the time he left the field Hill’s division, which had been engaged the whole day, and victorious throughout was engaged in a terrific battle with the enemy near New Coal Harbor and were overmatched by large masses of the enemy. Just as the Major was wounded, several large bodies of troops were departing on the field, which were troops of Gen Longstreet’s division. Gen. Jackson was engaged on Gen. Hill’s left during the day, but was also in time to join in the general engagement which ensued about five o’clock in the evening.

At this hour the action became general for the first time on the Richmond Lines. No such collision of numbers has yet occurred in the history of the war. It is estimated that seventy-five thousand Confederate troops were engaged with an equal, if not superior, force of the enemy. The scenery of the battle field is described as awfully sublime, and its sights of carnage as exceeding in ghastliness the worst imaginations of the horrors of war.

Nightfall has cause an intermission of the terrible conflict. From the best and most reliable information we can obtain, the field was undecided, when the action was intermitted to be resumed this morning. The field of the imposing battle, on which the grandest fortunes ever contested awaits decision, is about twelve miles from the city of Richmond.

The enemy’s retreat was certainly not a rout, as it has been described on the street corners. He left his ground at leisure, carrying off all his dead and wounded, leaving no marks of disorder on the route of his retreat but such as are incidental, of course, to the movements of large masses.

There is occasion to apprehend that McClellan, in falling back on his present line of defence, has unproved his position. The advantages of his present position are mainly artificial, but they are considered important and serious although he gave up yesterday several positions of great natural advantage, especially that at Merchanicsville, upon which he had expended every resource to make it impregnable.

It is impossible to estimate the loss in yesterday’s engagement. The only statements we can get of the causalities at the terrific battle of the evening are vague and ghastly messages that the ground is covered with dead. The spirits of our troops are undiminished. There was no straggling but from excessive fatigue.

The regiments which seem to have suffered the most, in the three days’ engagements, were the 14th and 44th North Carolina, the 4th and 19th Georgia and the 1st Louisiana. The Virginia troops suffered severely. The light batteries suffered a severely. Purcell’s battery, of Richmond, Colonel Lindsay Walker, went into the action of Thursday evening with above ninety men, and brought out only thirty or forty. Seventeen of their horses were killed. The Maryland battery, Captain Snowden Andrews, in the same battle lost five men killed and wounded, and several horses. Doctor Hunter, of Maryland, the surgeon, was killed. The Chesapeake Artillery was ordered to join General Longstreet’s division on the right, and was not engaged.

An interesting incident occurred in the Pamunkey, on Thursday. A raft battery, protected with iron sides, was annoying our troops in that direction, when a regiment of sharpshooters was detailed to capture it. They proceeded to the brow of a hill immediately commanding the battery, and opened fire down into it. About a dozen Yankees were killed and wounded by the volley, a shock which took them so much by surprise that they concluded to give up; so, hoisting a shirt out upon a pole, the survivors sung out ‘We surrender!’ Our sharpshooters immediately went down, took possession, and sent the craft to the bottom of the river.

Jun

30

The City Yesterday.

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June 30, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

Our distressing dull city was thrown into quite an excitement yesterday by the glorious news from Virginia and the arrival of the English sloop of war, the Racer, within our harbor. The streets, which for weeks past have looked lorn and dreary, became almost lively about noon, when the released church- goers gathered about the bulletin-boards, or stood in groups on the battery or at the corners, discussing the passing events and the future probabilities. Of course the usual amount of idle rumors were soon afloat, all of them wearing the rosy hue which the victory at Richmond had thrown over them, and the heartsickness of hope long deferred has given way to bright anticipations, which we trust may soon be realized.

Jun

30

The Opening of the Great Battle.

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June 30, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

(FROM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT.)

RICHMOND, Thursday, June 26.

Yesterday heavy skirmishing occurred on the centre of our line, which was generally regarded as the beginning of the great struggle for Richmond. A large body of our force marched down from Hanover Junction and threatened McCLELLAN on his right flank. This caused him to turn his attention that way and oppose another front, to prevent being flanked. While this movement was going on, heavy firing with artillery began along the line - the enemy throwing shell promiscuously into the woods on our side.

At an early hour the enemy advanced and drove in our pickets at point near the battle field of ‘Seven Pines,’ and then made an attack upon the picket reserve, which was obliged to fall back before the superior opposing force. As soon as possible the 1st Louisiana was sent forward to hold the position until Gen. A.K. Wright’s brigade could be brought up. The 1st Louisiana advanced and ran into an ambuscade, from which murderous fire was opened on them by three brigades - two of them being Sickles’ ‘Brigand Brigade.’and the Irish Brigade, commanded by Meagher. Receiving the volley and returning it, the 1st then made a bold dash, and, with the rallying cry of ‘Butler! Butler !’ Remember the women of New Orleans !’ charged forward and cleared the woods. The firing was still kept up from the forces on either flank, and the 1st suffered heavily; but, nevertheless, it maintained its position bravely until Wright’s brigade, consisting of the 3d, 4th, and 22d Georgia came up. Meanwhile, the 48th and 25th North Carolina regiments came up on the right. The whole force was then formed in line in the woods, from which the 1st Louisiana had driven the advance of the Yankees, and a general battle began, which lasted nearly all day, although there were frequent intermissions in the firing.

It is impossible for me to give you an account of the fight in detail in one short letter, and I can only jot down the result in general terms. The 4th Georgia acted gallantly, and charged three times. It fought three regiments in the morning, and six in the evening, driving them back. The 1st Louisiana gallantly charged a superior force of the enemy, and lost quite one half its numbers. It engaged six regiments, flanked by skirmishers. The 25th North Carolina and the 48th North Carolina acted gallantly. Our losses may be summed up as follows:

GEN. A.R. WRIGHT’S BRIGADE.

1st LOUISIANA - Killed -3 officers: 17 men.

Wounded -12 officers; 108 men. Missing - privates 4.

Among the wounded officers may be mentioned Col. Shivers, Major

Nelligan, Adjutant Cumming and Sergt. Major Entzoninger.

4th Georgia - Killed - Officers, 1; non-commissioned officers, 1; privates, 3. Wounded - Officers, 2; non-commissioned officers, 2; privates, 31. Missing - Privates, 4.

22d Georgia - Killed - Privates, 8. Wounded - Officers, 5; privates, 72. Missing - Privates, 4.

48th North Carolina, Ransom’s Division, had 100 killed, wounded and missing. The 3d Georgia got into the hottest of the fight. Its loss was one killed and four wounded.

Jun

30

General Price in South Carolina.

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June 30, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

The great Western hero, we are glad to learn, was everywhere enthusiastically received in his recent passage across our State. At Orangesburg he was welcomed by a large assemblage of ladies, who turned out en masse on hearing of his approach. The hardy soldier is, it seems, also a preux chevalier, and we hear of some pleasant incidents connected with his reception. Among other things he said that he had been suddenly summoned to the West by General BRAGG, who telegraphed to him that he expected a battle in five or six days.

It is hoped that the great victory near Richmond will be speedily followed up by decisive blows elsewhere.

Jun

30

The Progress of the Great Battle.

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June 30, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

The victory of the Confederate forces on Friday does not seem to have been followed up with much vigor or success, if we may judge by the meagre and unsatisfactory accounts by telegraph. Two brigades only engaging the enemy on Saturday, and none on Sunday, up to eleven o’clock. It appears that McCLELLAN, with a large portion of his command, is on the southwest side of the Chickahominy, facing Richmond, that he burned the bridges to keep off our troops in his rear, and may reach the James River and his gunboats, our forces on this side being too weak to stop him, and the others being unable to cross over. - As yet the final result of the fighting has not been heard, and, of course, no judgment can be formed. We hope for the best, and that his whole army may yet be captured or destroyed. We trust that what is done will be done quickly, and before reinforcements can reach MCLELLAN from the army of the Virginia Valley, Frederickburg, or Washington. Time is important to us. With the destruction of MCCLELLAN’S army, the Northern idea of subjugating the South will collapse, and the new Confederacy rise into power and respectability inherently belonging to its great resources and sterling character.

Jun

30

Federals at Little River Inlet

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June 30, 1862, The Charleston Mercury

We learn from the Wilmington Journal that on Thursday morning a Federal steamer ran up to the bar at Little River Inlet, and sent in six boats loaded with men, and piloted by a number of negros who had made their way to the steamer on Sunday or Monday, having stolen for that purpose a fishing boat belonging to Mr. G. Berry. Among the negros one is named Tony, belonging to Mr. John Charles, at Shallotte, fully acquainted with the coast, and a good pilot for all our little inlets.

The Yankee boats containing about one hundred men, piloted by Tony & Co., came up to the landing known as the Shipyard, where most of the shipping business of the place is done, where they set fire to the schooners Ellen Randall and Senora Isabel, and also to two warehouses belonging to T.W. Gore, and one warehouse belonging to James Easters. Among other things the warehouses contained about sixty bales of cotton, and about thirty barrels of spirits of turpentine, intended for the schooner Ellen Randall, the vessel and cargo being owned by messrs. Kidder & Martin. There was also an hundred bushels of salt stored. In fact everything at the landing was burned.

The residence of Mr. J.R. Byrne was also burned, having caught from the warehouse. Mr. Byrne lost everything - he and his wife escaping with only the clothes they had on. They cut off his calf’s head and carried off the body, shot a hog and left it, killed a sow and carried her off, leaving eight little ones to mourn. After performing these feats they went to Captain Randall’s house, took a compass, seine, twine, fish hooks, and a number of other small articles, and wanted money. The negro woman in charge of the house told them there was none. One man, whom she took to be the Captain, said he would not hurt her nor anything she had. He wanted cotton or money. He did not want negro women or old negros. He wanted young men. Only two went with them. One belonging to Kidder & Martin, and one to S. Frink, Sr. The negros who had left on Sunday were in company, trying to induce others to go, but to the credit of the negros of that neighborhood, they refused. The Yankees told the woman they would return, but appointed no time for doing so.

No doubt the blockaders were told by the negros who escaped to them on Sunday that the Ellen Randall was loading, and it was expected that she would be loaded and ready for sea by the middle of the week. They, perhaps, thought to hook right on to her, take her cargo being in demand. But they were disappointed. She was not either loaded or ready for sea. So they missed their calculation, and took to burning what they could not carry off. The negros appear to be as indignant as the whites. Many could have gone off, but did not.