I AMERICAN pOBLISnED EVERY THURSDAY MORNING BY■. JOHN SI. BRATTON. . TERMS. StrnscßiVTiON. —Two Dollars if paid within the •rear; Two Dollars and-Fifty Conte,if not paid iihiin die year. T)>oSo'terms will bo rigidly ad >cro,l to in avory instance. No subscription dis continued until all arrearages aro paid unloss dt '[be option of the Editor. . 'Advertisements —Accompanied by Uiccasit, and “aot exceeding one square, will bo inserted three 'limes for One Dollar, and twenty-five cents for each Additional insertion. Those of a greater length in •proportion., ••• . .Tor-Printing —}3ucb as Hand-bills, Posting-bills, pamphlets, Blanks, Labels, Ac. Ac., executed with -accuracy and at the shortes notice. ’ VOL. 49. the peninsular campaign, WHAT A PRUSSIAN OFFICER SATS OF IT. The Seven Days Fight in Front of Richmond. A GciiJiau ftSllilaiy Sketch, Memoirs of‘t Staff Officer of the Confederate Army. VVlint Would Him! Heim Accomplish ed il M’Dowell Had Joined ■ McClellan. SPLENDID TXIIXJUIB TO “ LXCTtE MAC,' Ac*, (tu>, Ac., Thc’follo.wing narrative is taken from an Officer of rank in the rebel service who, hha recently gone to Europe to recruit his health. Theiiuthor was one of thp.omineiit profession al soldiers who organized the Southern army; in which lie hold a most pnportant command until a few weeks ago, when a severe illness induced him to ask a furlough., A foreign er liy birth, -he passed many years in this •country, and writes from personal'.knowledge . and experience. The great military events . he. describes with so graphic 'and' skilful a pen lie witnessed from first to last: [Translated from the Koolnisclio Zeituhg (.Cologne Gazette) "of the - 25th, 2Gth and 27th November, for the New York Jlisi-ahl.] * * ■- Upon the approach of the terrible Union armada we tvore forced to abandon onr 'position on the peninsula at Y'orktmvn, am! di ec after we had partially spiked our giitvswc . hack to our defensive'fastness at Williams burg, so as at that point to coyer our capital, Kienmoud,.. by throwing mp strong fortified works, nOtl perfecting- a ■corhpact military formation. McClellan, the. commanding gen end of the. Uniontropps,did not allnte httnse/f >n be so far deceived hg our rolunlavg'.miih ilrnwal from our pnsilioh at Turf torn ns to , Jnii :iciiii ■.great- * cihritgand skill continued the'disembarkation of his troops and beg in to forlif/ his position. It was not until he had-completed his prelim id ■ Van/ we.asnrcs.lhtU he ailir.iiced.wilh hostile demonstrations against our line. The lines j at Williamsburg wore also given up by us without any great .resistance,-although it was very , difficult to persuade the old fighting General Magrudor of the propriety of the step; for he loved , the position ,as a father loves his child ; ami, to tclDtho truth, all the ‘fortifications had been . constructed - with .linudi talent under his-personal direction*. ■The hard headed old -soldier was won over ‘only after renewed dehateand expostulation. At length, however,.after a few cavalry affairs, the place was evacuated by our troops, and ■we took up our' march, in-two columns, for 'Richmond.' In ■ the meanwhile the' most learful panic fell upoh Richmond, and all who could possibly get away packed up everything they had and’ fled southward. The nearer the. hostile army approached the oily the fiercer the tmmiltand uproar hecame. The burning waves of nopular alarm could' not ,ho stayed. The government itself furth ered the' confusion. Insteal of resolving to triumph or to fall with : the army in Trout .of Richmond, it at once ordered all the different ■ bur auts to puck tip, and caused the officers'iif ordnance tii empty the niagnzinos and con voy their stores further South., Even P.es dent Davis took fie road and hastened, witlr. Ills wife anil children,to.North Carolina. As may ho readly divined, this loss of presence of mind.threw the people at largo into the. most frantic excess of terror.. There was nothing on all sides but shouting and uproar and confusion reached its utmost height. The secret,police of Gen. Winder had lost all control. The civil authorities of Richmond wore anxious to do something, but knew nut what, and also lost their senses. , A small number of the Baltimore rabble fookadvan 'tago of the hubbub, and, in public meeting, passed resolutions condemning Richmond tn oonlliigration so soon ■ as tho Union, troops should enter it. Y’ct all who could escape 'did so. The sick and tlie wounded were car ried further into,tho interior; many public ■ and private buildings wore marked“mu for destruction ; and; in short, a frightful catas trophe seemed to ho impending over the . 'Southern capital. At this must critical memont the General in-Chief commanding our fumes, (Johnson.) was wounded at the battle of ■ Seven Pines, and the command fell into the alilo'lmnds of General Leo, who ; was exactly the.man.to ■bring quiet and order again oat.of this tin 'reasonable chans. Ho went to work with grout zeal ami energy to discharge Ids oner-, (ms task; All disposable troops wore hastily smninnned from the interior; General Stono- Tvnll Jackson’s army corps was ordered to Richmond ; all tlid hospitals were cleared .if their neonpiints and preparations made for 10,000 wounded men ; artillery and'ammu nition wngons rattled by day and .night 'through tho streets, while aids and orderlies galloped to.nnd fro in wild hurry scurry with Their despatches. Masses of troops came pouring in daily, .yes, hourly, hut without'music nr any other .pomp. Sternly and. silently those rugged, tial I ■starved swarms of men moved, on ward ’through the thoroughfares; hot tho lire in 'their eyes showed that they were determined ■to defend their freedom or tn perish. On the 25th of Juno another groat council '"t "ar was held. In it wore - assembled nearly nil that was eminent in the Onnfeder 'ato Army. There stun 1 like a reck General ■bee. gazing cheerfully'over the countenances m Ins comrades, for each of, whom ho had a part already assigned. Thoughtfully his eyes w? i °r < M (rum one to tho other, ns though lie slieil to stamp the features of each -upon R i n )° mor .V. with the feeling that ho. perhaps, •Plf 1 i n 9 vclr behold many of them again. beside him lowered the knightly form sivo? n ®“ldwin ; at his loft leaned pon- J Stonewall Jackson, tho idol of his troops, impudently swinging hissnbre to and fro, us' though the quiot room were too narrow, for him, nnd he were longing to bo once more at the head of his columns. A little aside quietly stood, the two Hills, arm in arm, while in front of them old General Wise was energetically - speaking. Further to the right stood Generals Huger, Longstreet, Branch, Anderson, Whiting, Ripley and Magruder in a group. When all these gen erals had ..assembled General Leo laid his plans before them, nnd a Tow stirring word pointed out to each his allotted task. The scheme had already been celebrated. It was compact, concentrated action, and the result could not fail to ho brilliant When the conference terminated all shook hands and hastened away to their respective army corps, to enter upon immediate activi ty.' . ' Now looking at the positions of the two armies, it will ho seen that unquestionably the advantage was with the Southern host; for General McClellan had his forces necessa rily on both sides of the Chickahominy/and owing to the many ravines in his neighbor hood, could not, without great difficulty and much loss of time, execute Iris military movements. His front line reached over a distance of more than twenty miles, in the form of a semicircle, extending from the .Tames river towards Rich mend and Ashland. While one part of Iris army crossed the Cliickaliom'my, .ho Took position with the main body on the north side of the river, from Meadow bridge to Bottom bridge. The heights'on the hanks of the stream were for tified so that his army, notwithstanding the great length of its lines, had excellent defen sive cover. On’ the 2Gtb'6f June, in the morning, onr troops took up. their positions. Jackson hastened hy forced marches to Ashland,'there io commence his. -outflanking operations gainst the enemy. Havin'* arrived there his advanced, guard drove *in the weakly .posted foe, and pushed on without loss of time to Hanover'Court House, where ho Ihrew forwai'd General Branch’s .brigade be tween the Chickaliominy ami riv ers, to establish a junction with. General Hill, (Ist) who had td cross the stream at Meadow-bridge. Gen. Hill very gallantly opened the offensive and began his operations against the little town .of Mccham-csville. The enemy who were stationed here made a brave resistance. . Storming .'’attacks- were, made again and again with a fury, and as olten replied with si cool determination, that awakened admiration, Jn vain did Goncrel Hill send his aids in-quest'of Geo. Branch. The hitter had - encountered'so many .tbpn £ graphical difficult),os' that he reached his • position in front of Mcvlranicsville only la e af night : wlie,n the conflict was'at ah.end. The iaorning of the 27th had scarcely-began to (li;:i\v ere our artillery opened a trcmeiv dons fire upon the enemy's front, so that the latter, when they’-also saw Branch’s brigade advancing to the attack on their right, ah ndoned v tlrcir position at MiMjlianicsviUo nr,«l tall-hack, fighting, upon then* second de fensive Hhc, kmlrer down tlvo Jdst iht’-'tlre-momovifi- when, he If mV estdblislred-tho v crossing of the Chickahominy arr ved* Gen. Longstreet’s- magnificent- army ‘corps—old experienced veterans of .the Army of the Potomac—and the division of General Hill (2). At once .the order.to advance was given all tdofig the lino' Tho divisions of Obnernls Hill (2), Anderson and Whiting formed tho cCMitre, and moved towards Coal Harbor, while Jackson, -Hill (Ist) and Longstrcet form-d the and marched.down along the bank of the river. .Magrndor, commanding the' right wing, was, on account of tho swampy nature - '*f tho ground ho occupied, urdevpd to hold himself .merely on the defen sive. General Wise took command of Fort Darling, on , tho James river. All these military offensive operations and the two .proceeding fights-must have'given General McClellan knowledge of our,intention to change onr inconvenient posit ion of Richmond, and in.procure for,'ourselves, more space and freedom-.of motion. lie. should,, then have instantly ordered, the army corps of General , McDowell, which for' foiir months had laid inactive nctir . Fredrick’sbtirg. to make a d“inoiistration along the. Richmond road. By snob a inurement: even the flank march of Gen. Jaokson wculd have been rendered, im practicable. But Geii. M'Clelliiii must have, been deceived in tho. character of General MTXiwO'.l ; for, notwithstanding .. all ..the '.communications in reference to our combined miih’clivers, rlio latter reinaino 1 with imper ■tnralde indifference in Ills secure positioh, and left General McClellan's. army, which hadsnlfered greatly by aickno s and desertion, a prey to tlie heavy concussions of our attack , Scarcely, therof.irb, had General Lee received reliable intelligence of M'Dowell's inactivity than a general and simultaneous attack on , M’Clellan’s whole lino was resolved upon. So, soon, as the arrival of General Jackson at Coal Xlarhor was'reported, tho Commander in Chief, with his staff, repaired tn Gaines’ Mill and ordered the division of Andersnn, Hill (Ist), Longstrcet and Pickett to attack. Before these columns got into motion tho limn let- of artillery at our left announced that General Jackson was already at work. This called forth in our-troops the utmost enthusiasm. General McClellan’s position on that day. was remarkable in tho highest degree. Ailli one portion of his troops lie had crossed to tho south ' side of the Cliiekahomin v, and there confronted Magruder, while, with the larger portion of his toree, he had taken up a position more to the rear and nearer to tho railroad, where ho was resolved to accept battle, his dispositions revealed comprehen sive forethought, talent and coolness. The different divisions of his army took their positions with admirable precision and awaited our onset with firmness. It was the first time that the two hostile armies had, in relation to numbers; confronted one another with a Inrco so nearly equal ; hut the Union ists hud the advantage of a better protected position, while nnr troops had to expose themselves to the hostile fire. Tho attack was opened by tho columns of Hill (Ist), Anderson and Pickett-. Those gallant names rushed forward with thundering hurrahs upon tho musketry of the foe, ns though it wore a joy to them. Whole ranks went do>vn under that terrible ha 1, hut m t dug could restrain their courage. The billows «f battle raged fiercely onward ; tho struggle was man to man, eye to eye, bayonet to bayonet. The Im-tilo Meagher’s brigade composed chiefly of Irishmen, offered heroic resistance. Aftir a fierce struggle onr people began to give way, and at length all orders, *nd encouragements wore vain—they wore fnllinglmekin thogrcatestdisonler. Infuriate, rimming n't the month, hare headed, sabre in hand, at this critical moment Go oral Cohh appeared up m the field, at tho head of his legion, and with him the Nineteenth North Carolina and'Fourteenth Virginia regiments. At unco,these troops renewed tho attack hut all their devotion and solf-sactylieo wore in vain. The, Irish held their position with a „OUA COUNTRY—MAY IT ALWAYS BE RIGHT-RUT RIGHT OR WRONG OUR COUNTRY." determination and ferocity that called forth the admiration of our own officers. Broken to pieces and disorganized, the fragments of that line legion came rolling hack from the charge. The Nineteenth North Carolina lost eight . standard hearers, and most of . their staff officers wore either killed or wounded. Again, Generals Hill (l Q t) and Anderson led their troops to tho attack, and sonie regiments covered themselves with immortal glory. Our troops exhibited a contempt of death that made them the equals of old, experienc ed veterans ; for, notwithstanding the bloody harvest the destroyer reaped in -Our ranks that day, no disorder, no timid 'hearing re vealed that many of tho regiments wore under fire and smelt gunpowder-then for the first time. But the enemy; nevertheless, quietly and coolly held out against every attack wo made, one after the other. _ Not withstanding the fact that solitary 'brigades bad to stand their, ground from four until eight o’clock P; M.. they performed feats of incredible valor and it was only .when the news came that Jackson was upon them in tho rear that, about eight, t cy retired before our advance. Despite tim dreadful carnage jn their ranks they marched on with stream ing banners and rolling drums, and carried with them all their slightly wounded and all their baggage ; and. when the cavalry regiments of Davies and Wickham went in pursuit, repelled this assault also \vith perfect coolness. . By tiiis time night had enmo oh and over spread the field' of death with darkness, eompassiimately shutting out from the eyes' of the living the horrid spectacle of slaughter. Quiet gradually returned; only a feeble cannonade could he heard upon our farthest loft, and that, too, little by little, died away. The soldiers were 'so. fearfully exhausted by the day’s struggle, that many of them sank down from their places in' the ranks upon the ground. . Although I, too, could scarcely keep in the saddle, so great was my fatigue, I hastened with one of my aids to that quart er of the field where the struggle had raged the most fiercely. The scone of r.uin was horrible; whrrlo ranks of the enemy lay prone where they had stood at the beginning .of the battle. 'Tito number of wounded was fearful, ton, and the groans'and imploring erics.fop help that rose on all sides had. in the obscurity, of the night, a ghastly effect that froze the blood in one’s veins. Although I had been upon so many battle fields in Italy and Hungary, never had 'my-:visum, beheld such a spectacle of human destruction. The preparations for the transportation of the'wounded were the tr.ifl'ng, and tho force d-etaile.l for that purpose was either too feeble in numbers or hud noproper knowl edge of its duties. Even the inedi.eal corps hi’icj,. by the tern its of tRc situation, been rendered incapable of'' attending ".to ' the wounded with aenl anil-’efficiency. With, inconceivable exertion I of length'succeeded' with, the assistance of some humane officers, in bringing about some kind of order amid this frightful confusion. "'By the happiest chance I found, some Union.'rtmXnllances; had oill our-men who .could .drive and, knew the way pressed into service, luui yot:to .work, to 'get "the' wounded into Richmond. A most' heartrending task it was ; for often the poor sufferer .'would oxpirojuat as wo were about to extend him sueeor. By midnight wo had got the first train ready. It consisted hi sixty wagons w ith two hundred seriously wounded. 1 cautiously and slowly conducted this train, 'with.success to the city. Tho first hospital reached I was met with refusal. *’ AHfitll” was'the reply to n.y inquiry. “ Forward to' the next hospital” was- my word of command. “All lull!” -was again the answer. Just then a friend said to the that if I-would wait lie might he able to help me. as we would .have a neighboring tenement used as “ tohac-. eo warehouse prepared for a hospital. So I had to make up my mind to wait there an hour and a half in the street with my.dying charge. I did my best to supply the poor fellows with water; tea and other refresh-- ments, so as to alleviate their sufferings in some degree ; hut the late hour of the night ami the agitation of the city prevented me from putting my design into more than ball execution. At length tlfo so-called hospital was ready, hut I could scarcely believe my eyes when I saw tho dismal hole offered mo by that name. There, in : open Infs, ; without windows or doors, a few planks, nailed together were to ho the beds of the unfortunate defenders of our country. During those days of fate the soldier had endured all things—hunger, thirst and heat; nothing could rnh him of his cour age, his indifference to death ; and now he lay there, wounded tn the death, at the door of his friends whose property he had defend ed, for whose welfare ho had exposed his life, and these friends turn him away to an open barn, where, without dressing fur his wounds or any earc, hois left to perish. And yet this city lias a population of 40,- 000 souls, h id churches admirably adapted to -conversion into hospitals, had clergymen In numbers. But neither tho doors of the churches opened, nor were tho ministers of tho Gospel there to sweeten tho last moments of the lying soldier. Sad and dispirited, I gave the order to carry in tho.wounded ; cast one more glance at that house of death, and horror, and then swung myself into my sad dle and fled, with a quiet oath on my lips, hack to my 'regiment. General Jackson had accomplished Ins flanking march without meeting with impor tant resistance from the enemy. Hardly had lie arrived at the positions marked out for him ere ho sent his columns to the charge. Notwithstanding the difficulties and exertions of the march,. which they had executed on short alliiwanco, ho hurled his tr iops those desperate sans culottes of his—up in tho fed ernls. In vain was all the courage, nil the bold manceuvcring of the -enemy. Like a tempest, ■ General Stuart and his cavalry swept down upon them and hurled everything to the earth that stood in Ids way. A genu ine fury, took possession of Jackson s men, who, throwing aside their muskets and dron ing their terrible howie knives, lell with these alone -upon tho victims offered up to them. Horrible was the carnage that then ensued, and, although the foderals had. at first made obstinate resistance, tl> e .V now lust ground and fell hack, throwing away arms. Ik mpsaeks, blankets —in fine, everything that could impede their fligh'. Subordination and discipline were at nn end. The soldier nn longer hoard, the command tif his olnoer, ana deserted the post outiuited to Ins kcoping.—— Already had two generals of the four hostile brigades been loft by their men. anil it was believed that nil was over with McClellans entire army, when, at this perilous crisis, General Ilcintzclman appeared with hu di vision, and again brought the battle to a stand. With great ability and gallantry ho repulsed the onset of our troops, and at onee ordered the organization of tho beaten, and fugitive brigades ; hut it was found impnssi |iio to restore order tn these confused and in timidated masses. They boro their officers along with them, and rushed away iu wild, disordered flight. SLE, PA„ Taufesto, JANUARY 15, 1863. CARL General Ilointzelmgnl saw himself com pelled to abandon Ills position, and, like an ox, with head down and rO/idy to receive at tack at any moiiiont,he drew slowly back to the Chickahominy. All,the wounded, and all the accurimlated stores of the enemy fell into our hands, anil Jackson could, with a clear conscience, issiio the order, ‘Enough for to-day.’, None of the. other Generals had performed tlibirth.sk wjthdfjeh rapidity and success as ho, and, therefore, the truths of his victory were unusually! large. The Un ionists had lost during the day two brigade Generals, oho hundred and fifteen staff and subaltern officers, three thousand privates, and twenty-one dtinhoh,, .’and hundreds of ambulances and baggage wagons, with all their lading. The booty was immense ; but, in a strategic point of View 1 , Jackson’s success wns of far°gfqater importance, since it (hit General McClellan off .completely from his base of retreat. Whbrj, therefore, the tri umph of Jackson’s' ’arms.'became known at headquarters, all counted with perfect cer tainly upon ■ the destruction nr capture of McClellands -entire .force., .The rejoicing on frenzy, and When,' early nb£t morning, I re rejoined thy regiment, a found my poor fel lows in a state, of feverish excitement, for every man of them wanted to have a hand in the approaching capture hr. annihilation of the groat federal army. I alone shrugged my sl'ouldors as. thy Officers communicated their anticipations on'’the: Subject; Wo had gone through a similar. expcrini;,;o in 1848. under Eadetzky,. in Italy-,. There, too, the Italians had already prepared quarters for tho old man and his troops, 1 and the Mayor of Milan was so :ifirmly confident of victory and its consequences that he hurried out to meet the gray .old herd, a prisoner, at the very moment when the latter, overcoming alb dif ficulties,' was quietly withdrawing into'his fortresses at Mantua and Yerona. I had hut-just reached toy regiment when we received the order' to.’advance along the whole lino. I looked with.iadnn.ss upon out once fine division. How fearfully some re giments had been decimated! Many which, like my own; had inarched; out nitli eleven hundred men, had now but throe or four hun dred effective soldiers left. ; Yus, ’some for— instance, the Seventh Georgia, and Twenty first. North Carolina—had'' only something over one hundred and eighty men. A vast number of officers were disabled, and many a fine fellow who, a few, days before, full of confidence and jolity, had' prophesied a gd den future, was no more. ■ !'no longer had the courage to ask for. tlnsone or that one whom I djd not see, hut took it for granted that he,had fallen on the.'field of honor—it was too sad to always hearthesnmo response, ,‘ He is dead,’ ‘ he feil’here,’.ot ‘ there,’ in such and such a way. As bur divisions wore getting into motion, suddenly appeared the’ President, Jefferson Davis, surrounded .by th'e general of cavalry, Joseph Davis, and the Messi’.r. Johnston and Smith, followed by Seerbtfiljj l of \f nr, Ran dolph ami his military Cabinet. Now when the danger was. over, wholr Richmond had been" free from.the iron yoV:‘ placed upon her , nedk-hy lUc o.iuvirolvn;-.'vry.ivy.vt 'h ; \ toe, and, •when they'' beganrr.-.oy witlfn their walls, those parlor- heroes could, at last, at the close of the Woody struggle,, assume a theatrical attitude.'' I’et.with no hurrah as of yore, did the soldiers receive the conqueror of Duena Vista. With a cold eye ■and as stiff as his horser he rodo along the, front of'the regiments, only once in a while addressing a word to some friend. When our division had successfully worked its way out from among the labyrinths of dismounted'artillery,' shattered wagons and dead and wounded soldiers arid got room for free movement, we opened pur eyes with wide astonishment when, on reaching the position evacuated by the enemy, wo found nothing luit a few stands of arms and some baggage. All their material had been carried off by them in this part of the field, and only a huge nujnher of dead; told how fearfully the battle had fit god lit this point. The, fortifi cations were of colossal, dimensions,-.'and had far greater solidity than wo had supposed.— We at once received orders to pursue, the foe immediately, or at least so soon.as wo emild ascertain his exact whereabouts. Wo had luirdly got beyond White House w'oon we de scried a,huge cloud of smoko which eddied above the woods about a mile and a half to bur 'right. As we carefully-advanced in. that direction we perceived a high heaped up pyr amid.briskly burning with-.a rod , hot glow and sending forth volumes of. steam.- .The hostile.general had given orders to commit all the. property that could not ho carried away to the flames, and boro this (nger om querors were, robbed of millions ot dollars worth of booty. Like hungry wolves my poor follows rushed toward the huge glowing heap to save whatever could yet-lo saved. There wore hundreds.of casks of meat, coffee,-sugar, molasses, rice, wine, and even champagne— in tine, all those dolnoios with whi.di the Northe-n army was more than abundantly provided, arid "which wo poor devils scarcely knew (ho names of, piled up.on one another. Yet all our efforts to rescue, snmetliing use ful where vain ; the enemy had taken his. precautions for the total destruction of eve rything left behind with such cunning skill, that there was nothing remaining hut spoiled, and useless goods. On the other hand, the entire field w-as covered with the heavy cloth cloaks of the fugitives, and these were very welcome to our troops. Yet all essential par ticulars prove to bo that General McClellan had accomplished his retreat with order and sagacity, and that there was nothing farther from his-thoughts than a surrender of the-ar my, Indeed, from some Mrr gglcrs captured hv iriy men, -I learned that ho lia-l crossed the Chitk.ihominy with his on i -e force, had given up his former base of retreat ami was. now approaching tho James river, probably with a view to form a Junction with tho fleet. I at oneo amt an ofticot with tho intelligence to General Leo. Hereupon I received Orders to halt, arid presently there rushed by the twelve fine brigades ot Hill’s (Ist) and Long street to give the siißipsed flying enemy his death blow! About five miles from Darley towit, on tho Newmarket road, wo got sight of tho foe; hut they bad taken up a.splendid position. Tho plain, thickly beset with trees at this point, and rough, broken ground, was vorv unfavorable to tho operations of our bravo cavalry, and,they wore condemned to imution. General McClellan bad taken bis position at Frazier’s farm, ■which formed bis centre. This point bo had strengthened with nine teen pieces of artillery, had collected his host troops there, and firmly and coolly awaited our attack. We had, at ajl hazards to drive the enemy from the neighborhood of oar cap ital or succumb o rs'dves. No remained for us. But General MaCU an only too well understood his critical position. Cy the folly of General McDowell, the pit • fiil conduct of Secretary Stanton and the po litical reasons of Commandcr-m-Chiof Ilal leok.-ht Washington, ho was offered up. ns it were, to destruction. Many another General would, perhaps, under such dreadful ciroum stances have sought death amid the crash of battle. However, ho did not hesitate a mn ,iiieht, notwithstanding the frightful losses lip had suScrcddiirilig those four days’ struggles, to trust Iris fate, like an old and' gallant soldier, to the.sword. During that four days’ massacre, onr troops had been transformed into wild beasts, and hardly had they caught sight of the enemy, drawn up in order, ere they rushed upon them with horrible yells. Yet calmly, as on the parade ground, the latter delivered their fire. The batteries in the centre discharged their murderous valleys on our men, and great disorder ensued among the storming masses. General Lee sent nil his disposable troops to the rescue, that McClellan opened upon file newly formed storming columns so hellish a fire that even the coldest blooded veteran lost his sclf-posession. Whole ranks of our men where hurled to the ground. The thunder of the cannon, the crackling of the'musketry from a hundred ..thousand combatants, min gled with tho screams of the-wounded and the dying, wore terrific to tho car, ami tho imagination. Thus raged tho conflict within a comparatively narrow snace seven long hnura, and yet not a foot of gfound was won. All our reserves had been iod into the fight, and tho nrigado of Wilcox was annihilated. At length the coming of night, compelled a. truce,’and utterly overcome by .fatigue, tho soldier sank upon the ground at bis post, thoughtless of even the friend torn from bis aide and-engrosso I only with tho instinct of self-preservation. But ‘ Wliter 1 water!’ was tho cry from th'e, parched lips on nil Voles;— The empty flasks contained not a drop of water, and at length sleep overcame oaoli* wofunut warrior, and even thirst and hunger wei-e forgotten. Gloomy and out of humor, General Lee rode through the cr.inning ground .ofthe decimated regiments /attended ■ by his staff, and then, with a dry, harsh voice, • ordered op the divisions of Wise and. Magr uder to hurry the dead. With a brief remark, lie next indicated to General L-mgstreet. his position for the next day, and rode off with his aids to visit other portions of the line. The fy:clh Day and the Seventh, with'the-Bat tie of Murlyern Hills. The gray of morning wnsjust beginning to appear upon the horizon -when the roar of nr tilery was once more heard. A battery which;- during tho night, General Anderson hail placed near to'thg hostile lines, was instant-, Jv noticed by the enemy, and vigorously at tacked by his field-pieces. Every shotstruck, and the; fragments were buried in nil direc tions. Of the twelve pieces in. the; battery, five'were quickly' dismounted, and the .teams half destroyed, 'yet tho commanding".officer hold his post. In the meanwhile oiireolums had formed without, having , tasted .any strengthening or nourishing refreshment,— Exhausted, by tho fatigues of the proceeding days,-they fairly-reeled on their feet, yet not a man shrank back from duty. At length, as the sun rose in splendor, and we could bet-' ter distinguish the enemy’s position, an in voluntary, exclamation escaped me, for it was .evident to mo. from the denser ranks he ox vMlStefl: ‘that’ iMcOtMlan.'hivd been' ' oorisiipyg m ulv reinforced during llfe iiiglif.' aTid. could .therolwe withdraw his wornouc troops from ■the foremost linos, and have an easy struggle with fresh men against our fariiished and ex hausted force. General Loo, convinced of the perilous po sition of affairs, atonoo issued orders to Stone wall Jackson to oover tho retreat.in case the army should he compelled to fall back, and directions were scut to. Richmond to ,get all the public property ready for immediate, re moval. Then the divisions of Hill (2nd).. -liongstreot, Anderson,-Cobh and Whitcomb were ordered to storm tho enoiriy’a works. And now. again commenced one of the most, desperate com hats that ever took place in.any war, ’ The loss on our side was absolutely frightful McClellan, ohsorv-ing'the devasta tion his artillery was making among .cur troops, called up a division iff reserves, and overwhelmed us with a t-rrifie rain of mus ketry,' His masses pressed forward, slop by step, nearer and nearer, until at length some, companies of ours throw down their arms' and fled. McClellan nvai'ed himself of this panic, arid ordered a flank movement of his 'cavalry. Quick us thought Anderson pi iced himself at the head of pm- horse, and l.ul throe reg ments to trio charge. Their nii set was magnificent. Our'Texan’s hurst with ringing huzzas into the ranks of the foe, who. without even giving Us time to try our sabres, turned to tho right about; hut hero, too, the hostile field pieces'prevented farther success, arid'wo had to draw hack , from before that crushing fire.' The 'enemy noticed, nnr confusion, now ad - vanced, with the cry, ‘ Onward to Richmond,’. Yes, along the.whole-hostile front rutig the shout, ‘Onward to Richmond!’. Many old soldiers who had snrvod in distant Missouri ami on the plains of Arkansas, wept in the bitterness of their, souls like children. 01 what avail had .it been to ns .that our host blood had flowed for six long days ?—of what avail kll mir unceasing and exhaiistloss en durance? .Everything seemed lost, and, a general depression came over all.oiir. hearts. Batteries dashed past in headlong flight, am munition, hospimland supply wagons rushed along, nod swept the troops away with them from”the'battle field. Unworn the most.fran tic exertion, entreaty and self sacrifice of the. staff officers. ■ The troops Imd lost their foot hold, and rill was over with tho Southern C.mfcdni-aoy. In this moment of desperation General Hill cnino Op with a tew regiments he Inn! managed to rally, hut the enemy was contin ually pressing nearer ami nearer ;Jondelr and louder their shouts, and the watchword ‘Go to Richmond 1’ could he heard. Cavalry id'll cers sprang from their saddles and rushed in to the ranks of the infantry regiments, now deprived of their proper officeis. Gen. Hill seize 1 the standard of the Fourth North Car nlina Regiment—-which he had formerly com niandod—and shouted to the soldiers. ‘ Ifyoii will not follow me I will perish alone. 1 ’ Up on this a number of officers div-hed forward to cover their'beloved General with their bodies, the soldiers hastily rallied, and the cry, ‘Lead on. Hill, head your o,d North Carolina hoys !’ rose over the hold. And non Hill charged forward with this mass he had Unis worked opto the wildest enthusiasm.— The enomv hal ed when they saw t lose col umns, in flight a few moments before, now advancing to the attack, and Hill burst npoo his late pursuers like a famished bon. A fearful hand to hand conflict n »\v cn*n<M, for there was no time to load and tiro. The fe rocity with which the 'combat was waged, whs incredible. It was useless to beg the exasperated nibn for (junrtbr ; there was no moderation, no pity, no compassion that bloody work of bayonet and knife. The son sank dying at his fathers feet, the father for got that lie had a child—a dn ig Child ; tlib brother did not see that a brother wms expi ring a few paces Ifrom him ; the friend heard not the groans of a friend ; nil natural tics wete dissolved; only one feeling, one thirst panted in every bo«om —revenge. Here it was that the son of Major Peyton, but fifteen years of age, called to bis father for help.— A ball had shattered both his legs. ' WhcSfi we have beaten the enemy, then I will help you,’ answered Peyton, ‘ I have here other sons, to load to glory. Forward 1’ Bot the column had advanced only a few, paces far ther when the Major himself fell to the earth a corpse. Prodigies of valor were hCre por formrd on both sides. History wifi ask in vain for braver soldiers than those who here fuhghtaml fell. But of the demoniac fury of both parties one at a distance can form no idea. Even the wounded, desparihg of suo 'cor, collecting their last energies of life, plunged their knives into the bosoms of foe inen who lay near them still breathing. The success of General fill! enabled other generals to once more lead their disorgan ized droops back, to the fight, and the contest was renewed along the whole line, and kept up until dbdp in the night; for everything depended; Upon our keeping the enemy at -hay; counting, too. upon their exhaustion at last, until fresh troops could arrive to rein force hs. At lehgth, about half-past ten in the evening, the divisions of Magrudoi - , Wise, and.Holmes'came up tunl deployed to the front of our hwtiy. Had the commanders of those .divisions executed ■ their orders with promptitude and skill streams of blood would have been spared, and the foe would have been thrown hack upon his reserves in' the course of the forenoon ; hitt they reached! us fully seventeen hours behind time. The generals had been uncertain concerning the marching olde;s, their columns crossed each other and became entangled, and precious time’was irremediably lost. • Still, ns it was, the remainder of our force had to thank the final arrival of those divisions for their res cue. ' ■ . So'soon as these reinforcements could, be thrown to the front our regiments were drawn back, and aq far as possible reorganized du ring the night, the needful offioefs-appointed, and afterthe distribution of provisions, which had also fortunately arrived, measures were adopted for the .gathering up,Of-the wounded and' the burial of the dead. . On Tuesday, July .1, at two o’clock in the morning, while the stars were still visible in .thesky,.General Magrnder again opened the hiittlo, and very sojii began a cannonade so fearful that the very eai'th trembled with tile concussion. By twelve o’clock meridian, , McClellan had abandoned all bis positions, Raying behind.his wounded, his baggage and many pieces of cannon. Magrudor followed him, hot'foot, but.cautiously, as be had first to sweep the surrounding woods with artil lery and sharpshooters,. About half past fourP. M. our troops.reach ed the vicinity of the well known farm of D. Carter, known as Malvern Aill. Hero Gen. McClellan had again drawn up his ariny to. reopen the fight. Genera) Magrndcr no soon er saw the enemy's position- than he once more led his men to.the.attack. .His columns advanced in magnificent order over the ispace 1 that separated them from the Too, ‘and storna ed the iarrenebed position.-‘.But a mnrder ons harl bf.grapb received the - brave fellows' r.ml ir.'j‘.TC(i'lbcn: —down; ; Until.:.finally, ttie fragmehts of these splendid divisions were compelled -tb heck the shelter of. the woods;— Again Gens. Smith; Anderson and Ilohlioa led oii (heir troops, hut suddenly missiles of monstrous dimensions tore down whole ranks ' of onr soldiers and caused the most appalling damage. . .. ’ 'i'his was the fire of the fleet, which, al though two and a half miles distant, now took part in the contest. Our men still rushed for ward with desperate courage against tho hos tile position, and Malvern Mill was attacked on all shies, McClellan defended, liimsolfeoar agoousiy, and it was twelve o’clock, at night ore.lie. evacuated this position, which hath nature and-art had made ii strong one. The heroic daring and energy of onr troops had overcome all obstacles. ... ■ The buttle of.tho seventh day will live for ever in the memory el the people as the battle ol Malvern Hill. N iwhere; in all the actions fought arnniid Richmond, was.the contest confine 1 w-i.hln so small a space, and there was added, to it tile fire-of the' monster guns on hoard tho enemy’s ships. It was terrible ,t -see those two hundred and sixty-eight pound shell 'crashing through the, woods, and when one exploded it was.as though the globe had. hurst. Never, in any,war since tho world began, wore missiles of such magnitude be fino used. Tho battle of Malvern Mill will he a monument for that people, testifying'to the determined will ami re elution with which it contended (or Its independence, as a nation, and tho indomitable firmness of its vow to conquer or In die. .1 most award to General McClellan my ful lest n'cogniti m. There arc few., if any gen era's in the Union army who can rival him. Belt in the in ist desperate straits'-hy IdsCoia p.inion 1 1 arms, McD ovell; victimized "by'the Secretary of war, Stanton at Wasliingtnn; olfcred up as a sacrifice to destiny .by political jeal-nisly; cut oft' from bis basis of retreat, be selectbd.il new line of safety of which no one had cyen dreamo 1. lie defended every foot of ground with courage and talent, and his Uar. -l at Malvern Hill; as well as his system of defence and lira strategic combinations, displayed high military-ability. Yet Ids troops wore tm 'grcatly demoralized by their seven days' hard lighting.’ and lost their stamina, while several of his generals could • not, com prehend tho ideas ofthoir commander, and sustained him lint" poorly or not at ill. At Harrison’s Lind n;. wiiorc the James river firms a curve, ho collected his shattered nr ray under of tho,federal fleet. But. on oar side, wo had no longer an army’ to n olcat him tC7*Tho following is tlio oath usually nd ministei;pd to contrabands tliat come within our linos at Fredricksbnrg: ■ You, Cicoro, do solemnly -swear you will hear the true allegiance to the United States ; that you will take good care of the horses and the mules, and it any of tbonvgot away, you will go after them, no matter how dark it is. and will also Mack hoots to the best of yonr knowledge and belief. So belp .you General McDowell/ ... The gravity of both parlies while.it is be ing administered, is said to bo edifying. (£7- 'While those wo love are living, we sometimes converse with them through flow ers ; when dead, through the stars. TIT” A man’s remorse is greater after than before tho enmmission of a murder, but prob ably his depravity is not. 1 -CT”‘ Samuel, my darling,’ said a fond mother to her son, ‘ I’ve not soon your book for several days or more: —where is it?’ _ ‘I know where, it is/ * Well, where ?’ ‘ hy, it's only lost a Utile—kinder—in the barn, or round out doors, Hummers I guess, p’raps up garret, or behind the woodpile.’ MESSAGE OF OF •HEW YORK. Albany, Jnti. 7.—Governor Seymour gent in his message to the Legislature to-day.— On the subject of national affairs, bo says t ’ Not only is the national life at stake, but every personal, every family, every sacred interest involved. The troths Of our finan cial and military situation tifust not be kept back. There must be no attempt to put down the free expression'of public opinion. Af frighted at the min thfey have wrought, the authors of ottr calamities at the North , and South insist that this war has been caused by the unavoidable contest about slavery.. This has been the subject, and not the causa of the controversy. We are to look for the causes ol the war in the pervading disregard of tho obligations-of the laws ‘rind:c6hslito tions, disrespect for the constituted ■anthorr tiea, and, above all, in the local prejudices which'hare grown up in two parties of thh Atlantic States—the two extremes of, out country! There is no . honest statement of our difficulties which does not teach that our nooplo ihust reform themselves as wall as the conduct of the Government and'the policy of our riders. “Jt is not'too 'late to Save otir country It vrt will enter upon the sacred duty in the right Way. .Where it is the right of our Govern meet "to decide upon measures and policy, it is our duty to obey and give a ready support to their decisions. This is, the vital maxim of liberty. This War should have been avert ed ; but its flood-gates .were opened., Tbd Administration could not grasp Us dimen* Cions -hot - control its ewfeop. The Govern ment was borne along with the current, and struggled, as best it could, with the resistless tide. Few seemed able 'to 'comprehend its military or financial •problems. Hence wh .arc-nut to sit in harsh judgment upon errors in conduct or policy. But while, we concede all these excuses fir mistakes, we are not to' adopt errors nOr sanction violations of princi ple. The same causes whieb'extonuate their faults in judgment must make us more vigi lant to guard .against their influences.” The Governor urges that economy and in- ; te'grity in the administration of affairs are vital m periods of war. Ho says meddling and: intrigues', have thwarted and paralyzed the valor of ouf soldiers and: skill of our Gen orals within the influence of the capital, while our:hrmies have gained victories ih fields remote therefrom. Stale. Rights. 'jSTot Only ihust the National Constilatiota be held inviolate, but the rights of States, must tie respected as not less sacred.'' There are differences of Opinion as to the dividing lino between State apd-Natiohnl jurisdictioto, '•but there can be none as to the existence of: such separate jurisdiction. • each covering subjects of legislation and jurisprudence essential to the. public security and welfare. A consolidated Government in this vast coun try would destroy the essential home rights and liberties of the people. The sovereign ties of the Stales, except as they - are limited by the Constitution, can never bo given.up. Without thpn.l our Goyermpent cannot stand. It was made, .and it can be changed by State agency. Thus is shown by the 'following provisions of fire instrnment itself.'— ■ e The ratification of the conventions of nine States shall be sufficient to the estab lishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the same." Again, threoTfourths of the States can add to or take away from the powers of the General Government, by demanding a Con vention in which nriiendments can be pro posed, wbijih, if ratified by throe fourths of the States, become parts of, the 'Constitu tion, . While, they can thus take away or add to its power, the General Goverrirhent can in no way touch 'oneTight of the States or invade their jurisdiction. The obligations which rest upon the States to respect the Constitution, laws and authori ties ol the General Government shall show equal respect for the right lind constituted authorities ot Suites. . : To State legislation and authorities we look for the good order of society, the security.' of life and property, the -protection of pur homes and all that is'nenrest, and dearest to us in the relations, dues and actions of life. It is dangerous and. demoralizing to show contempt lor State authorities and laws,. It -undorinines mike the foundations of State and National Government; by breaking up the social systejjp, II home laws arc’not re spected, the mure general authority will not be required. • » Arbitrary Arrests. Oar people have' therefore viewed with alarm prnuiices ami pretensions on the part of officials, which violate every principle of good i>rUor, of civil liberty’, and of constitu lional law. Itis claimed that in time dfwiir the President has powers as commander-in chief of onr armies, which authorize him to declare martial law, not only within the sphere of hostile movements, whore other law cannot ho enforced, hut also over our whole land. That at his pleasure he can disregard not only the statutes of Congress, but the de cisions of the National Judiciary. That in loyal States the least intelligent class of offi cials may ho clothed with power not .only to. act as spies anil -Informers, but also, without due 'process of law, to seize and imprison our citizens, and i arry them beyond the limits of the State, to hold them in prisons without ft hearing or a knowledge of the offences with which they tiro charged’. _ : . Not only the passions and prejudices of those inferior agents load them to acts bftyr- . auny, but their interests are advanced and their possessions secured by promoting content ami discord. Even to ask the aid rif coanstl has been held to be an offence. Tt has been well said that “ to ho arrested for one knows not what.; to he confined, no one entitled.to ask where-; to be tried, no one can say when, by a law nowhere known or estaUt lishod : or to linger outlife in a coll withou trial, piemnta a body of tyranny which can . not be enlarged.” The supposition of journals and the im prisonment of persons have been glaringly (■artisan, allowing to some the utmost licen tiousness of criticism, and punishing others for (ho fair exercise of t-heiriglit of discussion,- Conscious of those gross abuses, 'an Ims been made to shield the violators of law, and suppress inquiry into their motives and conduct. This attempt will'fail. Unconsti tutional aets -oannot bo shielded by-unconsti tutional laws. Sufth -attetripta will not save the guilty, while they will bring-a Jest oon -1 domination upon those who try to pervert the powers of legislation to the purposes of op pression. To justify such actions by prece dents drawn from the (practice of govern-‘ ments whore there is no restraint upon legist ’ lative power, will be of no avail under ouf system, which restrains the Government anil - jr -tocts the qitize’ns by written constitutors • i I shall not inquire what rights States in ’ Eobollion have forfeited, but I deny that this r* .tv - • • Vf NO. 31.
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