nearly to the maximum standard of one thousand 
men each. This force was certainly all at Hanover 
on Sunday. From secession but reliable sources 
we learn further that it was the intention of the 
enemy to re-enforce the position strongly. By 
throwing a strong column between Hanover and 
Richmond, this force might be cut off, and possibly 
captured entire. This was our hope; now for the 
realization. 
When the division reached a point possibly two 
miles north of the intersection of the roads, the 
advanced guards, composed of cavalry, the Twculy- 
fifth New York infantry. Col. Johnson, and a sec¬ 
tion of artillery, the pickets of the enemy were 
discovered. The skirmishers opened fire, and the 
rebels slowly withdrew for a mile or so. They 
were rapidly pursued by the Twenty-fifth, who thus 
got some distance in advance of the main column, 
and even ahead ot the protectingsection ol Benson's 
light battery, which was in front. Near the resi¬ 
dence of Dr. Kinney, at the forks of the main road 
—one leading by the right hand to Richmond, and 
the other by the left hand, circuitously, to Meohanics- 
ville — the rebels drew up in line of battle, in an 
open field, but behind a house, and in support of 
two of their own field pieces, thus making a respect- 
' able show for a fight. Col. Johnson boldly pressed 
forward, and engaged them at.close range, making hot 
work ot it for both sides, for at least fifteen minutes 
before any supports arrived. The enemy were 
driven from behind their sficfiericg place, but sud¬ 
denly a force of them appeared from the woods, on 
the right flank of the Twenty-fifth, and succeeded 
in capturing a part of Company G, carrying them 
to their rear promptly as prisoners. Col. Jo hnso n 
now anxiously looked for help, when a section of 
Marin's Massachusetts battery came up, followed by 
a couple of pieces from Griffin's regular battery, 
which soon fixed the earnest attention of the rebels, 
who wero firing grape and shell from their 12-pound 
howitzers with great vigor. 
From the cool and determined stand of the rebels, 
it was evident that they conceived the force in sight 
to be our total strength, and that it would be an 
easy matter to repulse or capture it. But word had 
gone to General Butterfield, who speedily ordered 
the Seventeenth New York, Col. Lansing, and the 
Eighty-third Pennsylvania, Col. McLane, into the 
timber on the left of the road, to deploy, and come 
out well on the enemy's flank. With a burst of 
enthusiasm in went both regiments, the Seventeenth 
covering the front with a strong line of skirmishers. 
In a trice they appeared in the wheat field on tho 
left, and with incredible rapidity formed line of 
battle, the Seventeenth coming upon the right with 
the regularity and coolness of a dress parade, sup¬ 
ported by the Twelfth New York, Col. Weeks, in 
colutnu by division, while the Eighty-third took the 
left of the line, supported by the Sixteenth Michi¬ 
gan, Col. Stockton, in the same manner. The rebels 
at once perceived the vitality of this movement. 
They bad not anticipated it. Surprised, then con¬ 
fused, a well directed volley caused them first to 
waver, and then to fly with all the speed at their 
command, scattering, like a covey of partridges, in 
every direction. Another volley picked off most of 
their men at the guns, when forward went the 
Seventeenth on the double-quick; the cannon were 
abandoned without even a spike, and the pursuit 
of the retreating enemy kept np for two and a halt 
miles, t.i Hanover Court House, before the regi¬ 
ments finally brought tip. Prisoners at onco began 
to Ite brought in. The men of tho Seventeenth and 
Eighty-third regiments hunted them and dragged 
them from their hiding places with great gusto; 
within an hour fifty to sixty had been brought in 
and confined in a barn to the rear of the bouse 
where Col. Johnson was re-gathering his regi 
PROFESSOR LOUIS AGASSIZ 
ral History oi the Fresh-Water Fishes of Europe," a 
work of great thoroughness, and which has become 
a text-hook for students in this department of sci¬ 
ence. Nearly in conjunction with Ibis, his untiring 
pen gave to the world his ‘‘Researches on Fossil 
Fishes,” and his “Descriptions of Echinodermcs;” 
themselves a rich library of scientific knowledge. 
It was while engaged in these works that a friend 
sent him a fish scale, of peculiar shape, which had 
been exhumed from the chalk formations beneath 
the city of Paris. It had once belonged to a race of 
fishes now extinct, and this was the only available 
testimony which had come to the hands of any 
scholar. Nothing daunted, Auashiz set lo work to 
give from these slender materials the exact position 
and relation of this antediluvian among his tribes. 
Ho find, drewapro- 
^ file or the extinct 
flsli, plaoing the ac- 
quired scale in its 
\ proper place, and 
% then gave it a name 
%■ and described its 
- habits, etc. Then 
ho sent the draw- 
V-. /— 1,1 ing, together with 
^he description, to 
the Journal of Arts 
"Sk? and Sciences, then, 
7 M 119 now, issued at 
^ > dr »* . Paris, where it was 
. published in full. 
F * v « years subse- 
J' 5f quent to this pub- 
||y / . lication, in which 
| ^ Auashiz had risked 
A„ V discovered a per- 
|gpll||||li;Y < tj|J||l feet, fossil specimen 
v |pp\ \ f of the defunct race 
i of fi3 hes, and Hent, 
|||!& :'4? it for inspection. 
-^ H \ \ • Upon examination, 
~' ~ ~Y\ 'I Y' 80 accurately had 
he made his draw- 
N ing, not a single 
line bad to be 
altered. 
Mr. Agassiz has studied with great care the 
historical record of the world, and made himself 
familiar with the political constitutions of the vari¬ 
ous countries of mankind, and their practical work¬ 
ings with the respective nations among which they 
have been cherished. After loug and impartial 
examination, he decided in favor of the Government 
of the United States, and resolved to become a 
loving and obedient subject of the same. Accord¬ 
ingly, some twenty years since, he took up his 
residence with us, becoming a naturalized citizen. 
Immediately on reaching our shores, his indefatiga¬ 
ble spirit sot to work to examine the physical 
features of our widely-spread country, lie ex¬ 
plored the land and the waters all along the coast 
of our seaboard, from iho further shores of Lake 
Superior to the Atlantic, and from the Pacific to the 
waters of the Passamaquoddy. At this time he was 
called, by the University of Cambridge, Massachu¬ 
setts, to the choir of Natural Philosophy. He after¬ 
ward received a call to the Professorship of Compar¬ 
ative Anatomy in the University ot Charleston, South 
Carolina, but. on due deliberation decided to remain 
in Cambridge. 
But, after all, it is tho morale of the man that 
renders him a favorite in all the circles of his 
acquaintance. Modest, affable to his inferiors and 
respectful to his compeers, his society is eagerly 
sought, and cordially cherished by all whose oppor¬ 
tunities bring them into contact with bis gigantic 
intellect and gentle, child-like nature. His history 
is one which every youth of our land should study, 
and whose pure character he should strive to 
emulate. 
their further side, where the rebels lay concealed, 
their pickets occupying the edge of the forest, and 
separated from our pickets by tho -width of the 
fields, forming a sort of neutral ground between the 
two armies, over which each kept close watch lest 
his neighbor should take possession. 
Gen. Casey was actively at, work strengthening 
his position, a large force of men being at work 
under tho skillful direction of Lieut. E. W. West, 
of his staff, digging rifle pits and felling trees for 
abatis. A similar line of defensive works had been 
commenced and partially completed at Gen. Casey’s 
former position at Seven Pines, three miles further 
to the rear, and just back of these was a lino of 
earthworks constructed by Gen. Couch, and more 
carefully finished. 
Failing in the two attempts to gather Information 
by forcing back Gen. Casey's pickets, the rebels 
apparently resolved 
In the absence of a proper hero of the war, we 
this week portray one who has gathered unfading 
laurels in the field of science, and attained the high¬ 
est rank among those whose profound scholarship 
has so peculiarly marked the Nineteenth Century. 
Amid the invigorating atmosphere of tlu* hills of 
Switzerland, Loins Agassiz drew the first inspira¬ 
tion of his mortal existence—in the little town of 
Orbe, at Waatland, Switzerland, in the year 1807. 
His father was the intelligent and pious pastor to 
the church of the village, and young Louis was 
early taught the precepts of holy living. Almost 
in his inlaney he exhibited the strongest love of 
knowledge. Before he was ten years of age he 
exhibited a decided 
predilection for the 
every means within * 
his reach to bring ' v 
them forth in all '1 Vi- . • 
their due propor- ' A c ¬ 
tions and richness. ^ 
At the tender age 
of eleven he was 
sent to Biel, where was a celebrated gymnasium. 
The hardy methods of juvenile development prac¬ 
ticed in that school were admirably adapted to 
the habits and tastes, as well as the physique of 
young Agassiz, and such was his proficiency that 
he was promoted to the Academy of Lausanne 
before lie was fifteen. About 1826 ho was matric¬ 
ulated at the University at Zurich, where his modest 
bearing, the purity of his life, and the close applica¬ 
tion of his intellectual powers to his studies, won for 
him the respect and even the love of his tutors and 
fellow-students. Having graduated with the high¬ 
est houors of the University, be entered the world- 
renowned schools of Munich and Heidelburg. Here 
he devoted himself, for the space of nearly three 
years, to the study of comparative anatomy and its 
kindred sciences. It was from tho latter of these 
institutions that ho received the degree of Doctor of 
Medicine. 
While pursuing his studies al Heidelburg, and 
alter his graduation, he devoted himself with great 
zeal to the study of the natural history of the pisca¬ 
tory races. It was about this time that the cele¬ 
brated Martius asked aud Obtained his assistance in 
compiling and editing his famous work containing 
an account of the fishes discovered by Srix in the 
waters of Brazil. Tho arduous and delicate task of 
arranging and classifying the one hundred and six¬ 
teen species of fishes which Srrx had discovered, 
iell entirely to the hands of our youthful student; 
yet so successfully was this work accomplished, that 
there has not yet occurred tho necessity for a re¬ 
classification. Immediately on the conclusion of 
this great work, he wrote and published his “ Natu- 
Ou. ye who cherish liberty, 
And every hope that on her waits, 
Preserve for your posterity 
The perfect. Union of the States. 
The stars that gutter to the breeze 
Were clustered there at Freedom’s call- 
Stem Fate foreshadowed all of these, 
If sundered, would forever fall! 
Then read, ye sons of Liberty, 
And mark the homely proverb well, 
Words that denote your destiny 
Should 8U»te9 this solemn truth repel: 
In Union there is strength and peace, 
In separation endle,ss wars; 
Then, freemen, guard, till time shall cease. 
Our country's free-born Flag of Stars.” 
upon an advance in force 
against the left wing of our army, doubtless deter¬ 
mined to drive it beyond the Chickahominy, Bhould 
the opportunity offer, and put themselves in a posi¬ 
tion to turn Gen. McClellan’s left flank. 
Shortly alter noon on Saturday the grand attack 
commenced, Gen. Casey’s pickets being driven in 
all along the front, after a spirited resistance, the 
rebels advancing in force all along three roads—the 
WillianiBburgh road, to our left, the railroad, in the 
center, and the u Niuo-milo road,” as it. is called, on 
the right. With his feeble division greatly weak¬ 
ened by extension. Gen. Casey had no backbone to 
oppose to this sudden attack. But no thought of 
yielding his ground entered tho mind of the old 
soldier, scarred with tho wounds of Mexico and 
disciplined to danger by a hundred fights. His 
troops were immediately formed in position, the 
three brigades maintaining their relative positions 
on the right, left and center, and as thorough prepa¬ 
rations were made for resisting the attack as its 
suddenness would admit of. Regan’s New York 
battery was stationed just to the right of the Wil- 
liumsburgh road, Bates’ battery of Napoleon guns 
further to the left across the road, and Fitch’s bat¬ 
tery three or four hundred yards to tho rear, the 
last, sending its shell over the heads of our troops 
at tho onemy beyond. The fourth battery was near 
the railroad, further to the right. 
The vigor with which tho enemy pressed forward 
to the attack, indicated the confidence of superior 
strength. A battalion of two regiments pressed 
against Gen. Nagleo on the right, another fell on 
Gen. Waasoll at the center, and a third on Gen. 
Palmer to the left., pouring in at once a Are hot and 
heavy, and advancing with great resolution in face 
of the steady fire of canister and grape from the 
guns in front and shell from those further to the 
rear, mowing down their ranks in all directions. 
The rebels had but little artillery, and wero evi¬ 
dently disposed to make good the deficiency by 
pressing to close quarters with their superior force, 
to bear down at once by weight of numbers the 
feeble skeleton regiments of three and four hundred 
men who composed the advanced division 
Most of Gen. Casey’s troops were thrown forward 
to the edge of tho woods in front, of his position to 
meet the advance of the rebels, a tew regiments 
being left behind the partially completed rifle pits, 
a short distance to the rear. Thus a division, 
nearly new to warfare, was suddenly exposed, in 
an open field, to the heaviest of fire from an enemy 
covered to a considerable extent by Iho woods 
through which they were advancing. Terribly the 
tempest raged, the air almost growing thick with 
musket balls; officer after officer fell, or was borne 
from the field a wounded man; the men dropped 
by scores, and the usual number of weak-jointed 
ones were falling to the rear. But in spite of the 
rapid thinning of their ranks, the regiments gener¬ 
ally held their ground until the enemy succeeded 
In rushing around on tho left flank, and poured in 
an enfilading lire from that direction, against which 
tho 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. 
Meantime one of Gen. Couch's brigades, com¬ 
manded by Gen. Abercrombie, was ordered up to 
the support of Gen. Naglee on Uie right. Gen. Dev- 
ens, ot the same division, sustaining Gen. Wassell 
on the center, and Gen. Peck, with the remaining 
brigade, supporting Gen. Palmer on the left 'When 
Gen. Casey’s troops were forced to give way, the 
rebels fell on these brigades of Couch’s division, 
who disputed every inch of gvound, until sustained 
by Gen, Kearney, pressing up the Williamsburgh 
road with re-enforcements to meet them, supported 
by the division of Gen. Hooker in his rear. Press¬ 
ing rapidly forward, Gen. Kearney advanced along 
the Williamsburgh road to within a short distance 
of our original position, whore ho bivouacked for 
the night in front of the enemy. It was along this 
WilliamsburgU road that the main attack was made, 
and here our troops were forced back for half a mile 
or more, before tho arrival ot Gen. Helutzleman’s 
corps, the feeble brigades of Casey’s division being 
completely broken up, many if not most of the 
officers killed, wounded or missing, and the privates 
scattered through tho woods and along the road. 
Col. Bailey, Chief of Artillery, was shot early in 
the afternoon, the ball striking him in the head, and 
causing his death after a short period of insensibil¬ 
ity. Maj. Van Yaultenberg, tho second in command 
of $he 1st New York artillery, was killed, Adj. Wm. 
Ramsay wounded, while every battery but one lost 
its quota of men, and some of them lost nearly all 
their horses. Bates’ battery of Napoleon guns— 
12-pound brass pieces—which was to the front, thus 
deprived of locomotion and stuck fast in the mud, 
was left behind in the retirement, of our troops, but 
not until Gen. Naglee had taken it upon himself to 
see that several oi' the pieces were spiked. In 
addition to this, one 3-inch Parrott gun of battery 
II was disabled by a shot, aud fell into the hands of 
the enemy. 
ROCHESTER, N. Y., JUNE 14, 1862. 
Battle of Hanover Court House. 
Fob the following description of this well- 
fought contest, we are indebted to the N. Y. World: 
One of the most brilliant movements and achieve¬ 
ments yet accomplished by any of our armies was 
consummated with tho setting of yesterday’s sun 
(May 27.) The rapidity with which it was done, 
and the happy results following it, all combine to 
mark it as a living incident in the history of this 
army's work, which history shall fitly preserve and 
time never wipe out. 
The outline of operations is briefly this: For 
some days past tho enemy have been throwing 
forces upon our right flank, in the direction of Han¬ 
over Court House, extending their pickets to Old 
Church, thus annoyingour right, and even threaten¬ 
ing our communications with our water base. It 
became necessary to dispose of this force, us well 
as to cut the communications of the enemy by the 
Virginia Central and Richmond and Fredericks¬ 
burg railroads. A heavy force was therefore 
thrown suddenly between Richmond and Hanover, 
yesterday morning, two spirited and oven severe 
engagements (ought, the enemy totally dispersed 
with heavy loss, our flank cleared, and the railroad 
disabled. 
The force selected for this important work was 
Gen. G. W. Morell’s division ol Gen. Fitz John 
I’orter’s Fifth Provisional Army Corps. Orders at 
midnight ol Monday were issued lo <mch regiment 
for preparations to march on Tuesday morning at 
four o’clock, in light marching trim, tho men carry¬ 
ing nothing but their arms, canteens, haversacks, 
and rubber ponchos. Morning came. Reveille 
beat at three A. M. A drenching rain was pouring 
down. Fires wore smothered as soon as built, and 
many could get no breakfast, not even a cup ol the 
much-needed coffee, for the prospective march. 
Cold rations for two days were hastily crowded into 
haversacks; canteens filled with gushing spring 
water; cartridge boxes inspected, filled, and twenty 
rounds additional given to each man. u Bayonets 
brightly gleaming” was all unappreciated poetry, 
for, as each brigade filed out into the deep and 
heavy roads, nothing but the spatter of mud and 
rain accompanied the tramp of the many hundred 
armed men. Cold, cheerless, discouraging was the 
weather. But something was ahead. Men, dis¬ 
mantled ol all the usual luggage attending a regu¬ 
lar move, felt that their march could not bo very 
long, and knew that something would probably 
come of it. So, despite all the combinations of the 
elements, the march was taken up at a lively step, 
and ere tho neighborly but. sleeping divisions knew 
of the departure, the long, dark column of soldiery 
had disappeared, aud were miles away. 
The direct road to Mechanicsville wijs at first 
pursued, and there were not a few who thought a 
demonstration directly on Richmond seriously in¬ 
tended. Five, six, and seven miles had been passed; 
no enemy in sight, and no Richmond in view. 
“ Whore are we going?” flew from mouth to mouth. 
Gradually but surely the division bore more and 
more to the right. Pocket compasses were con¬ 
sulted, and the column was found to lie headed now 
west, then uorth-west. Then Caine the responses, 
u ten,” “ twelve,” and even “ fourteen ” miles to 
Richmond, as the wondering soldiers questioned 
the still more wondering inhabitants who crowded 
doors and windows to witness the passage of such a 
host. But few in the column, very few indeed, had 
any idea of the object or direction of the march. 
Rut no questions were asked. By ten o’clock tho 
dismal, overhanging clouds had disappeared, and 
the moving column was sweltering in the rays of 
a sultry sun. Soon after the head of tho column 
suddenly turned to the right, pursuing a course 
directly north. A battery was planted at. the inter¬ 
secting corner of the roads, a regiment detailed to 
support it, and the brigades again moved rapidly on. 
A brief halt at the intersection gave time for a 
few questions. A pocket map or two was consulted, 
aud it was found that we were thirteen miles north 
°l Richmond and five from Hanover Court House. 
The Virginia Central railroad was here reported to 
be hut a mile and a half west of us. Tho Twenty- 
second Massachusetts, Col. Gove, was ordered to 
strike the track, disable the road, and then march 
northward on it, joining the main body two or three 
miles above. Tho regiment obeyed, and, as will 
subsequently be seen, did their work. 
A brief allusion as to what we hoped to find at or 
near Jlanover is proper hero. As late as Sunday, 
Rm 25tb instant, a strong brigade of rebels had been 
posted there, believed to be composed of six North 
Carolina regiments, commanded by Lawrence 
0 Brien Branch, formerly member of Congress, but 
more lately brigadier-general, with the smell of 
defeat upon his garments, he having encountered 
lurnside at Newbern, in March last, the retreat 
rom which, it, will bo seen, did not prove to bo his 
ust march. His regiments are: Seventh, Twelfth, 
;iinent, 
and bringing together the brave ones who bad so 
gallantly fallen. Here it was found that all the 
casualties, about thirty, save one or two in the bat¬ 
teries, were in the Twenty-fifth. Lieut.-Colooel 
Savage, Surgeon AVeed, and Lieut. Halpin, were 
wounded, while Capt. McMahon, Lieut. Fiske, and 
Lieut. Thompson, had baptized their patriotism 
with (heir-life-blood, falling upon the threshold of 
victory, fighting to the last, like the brave men that 
they were. Several of the most valued non-commis¬ 
sioned officers likewise fell here. 
The guns captured were 12-pound smooth bore 
brass howitzers, belonging to Latham’s celebrated 
New Orleans battery, and they were left in good 
order. The limber-boxes were nearly full of ara- 
nnmition, though one of them had been blown up 
by a shell from Griffin during tho first of the 
engagement. The charge of the Seventeenth Now 
York upon these guns was very handsomely done. 
The superior drill of the regiment was manifest in 
the regular and solid front which they preserved in 
moving forward. The officers behaved with cool¬ 
ness and unflinching valor. 
The enemy lied beyond Hanover Court House, 
his confusion becoming greater at every step. The 
cavalry pursued by each by-road, and helped to 
gather in the harvest of prisoners. 
As elsewhere alluded to, the Twenty-second Mas¬ 
sachusetts went out on the railroad and took up 
soveral hundred feet of the track, following up the 
road to the turnpike crossing at Peake's Station, 
just below where tho engagement took place. Here 
orders came back from Gen. Porter for the Twenty- 
second to continue to move up the railroad, and for 
all other regiments, tho Forty-fourth and the battery 
below included, to move forward rapidly. Tho 
First and Second brigades then moved forward, but 
had not proceeded far before a cavalry picket rode 
in rapidly, and informed Gen. Martimlale that the 
enemy had brought up a force by rail, which was 
now coming swiftly forward for an attack upon our 
roar. The Second Maine regiment, Col. Roberts, 
being in the rear, was immediately faced about and 
stationed by Gen. Martindalu at the junction of tho 
road by which the divisions had advanced, with the 
main turnpike to Richmond running parallel with 
the railroad. Between these two roads it was sup¬ 
posed tho enemy would advance. They extended 
their flank, however, so as to cover both sides of the 
road by which we had come, advancing under 
shelter of the timber. The Forty-fourth New York, 
Col. Stryker, were here ordered into position on 
the left of Marin’s battery, which was supported on 
the right by the Second Maine. Tho Twenty-fifth 
regiment was also sent for, it having baited ut Dr. 
Kinney's house, the locality of their spirited engage¬ 
ment, and were attending to the wants of their 
wounded. The Forty-fourth was tlieu ordered to 
deploy into the woods on Uie lef t, and clear them of 
the rebel skirmishers, in order to protect one of our 
hospitals, which was some distance in the rear. They 
started, but an attempt of the enemy on our right 
flank caused them to be recalled, and they returned 
to their position, engaging their opponents vigor¬ 
ously. The fight had now become hot Six regi¬ 
ments of rebel infantry were in plain sight Their 
especial attention seemed to be the right flank, 
where Col. Roberts, having taken a good position in 
tho edge of the woods, was pouring into them volley 
after volley ot the most terrible musketry. Colonel 
Johnson was ordered (o relieve Col. Roberts, and 
tho Second Maine filed off to Hie right, changing 
front slightly, but keeping up its fire with telling 
effect. This movement, through some unavoidable 
circumstance, exposed both the Twenty-fifth and 
Forty-fourth to an enfilading fire, trom which they 
suffered severely. But the Second Maine, though 
low in ammunition, still kept the enemy in check. 
He plied the loft wing of the Forty-fourth desper¬ 
ately, hut it was more than a match for him. Col. 
Johnson was here wounded, and subsequently had 
his horse shot under him. Adjutant Houghton, of 
tho same regiment, likewise received a flesh wound 
in the leg. Major Chapin, of the Forty-fourth, 
received two severe wounds, one in the chest and 
one in the leg. Adjutant Knox was wounded in the 
wrist; Lieut. Fox in the shoulder; LieuL-CoI. Rice 
had his horse killed under him, and his sword cut 
off the belt by a musket ball. Butin vain theenemy 
pressed; these three heroic columns, though losing 
severely at every discharge, stood their ground most 
nobly, never yielding an inch. 
While this hot tight was going on, the brigades 
which were in advance were returning on the 
double-quick. They formed into line in the wheat 
Geld, near where the first engagement took place, 
then pressed through the woods vigorously, and 
were soon face to face with the enemy, who were 
evidently startled by the appearance of so strong a 
re-enforcement. Butterfield threw the Eighty-third 
Pennsylvania and Sixteenth Michigan in on the 
left. McQuado sent the Sixty-second Pennsy 1 vania, 
Col. Black, in the timber on the extreme right, 
deployed mainly as skirmishers, and advancing 
rapidly; also the Ninth Massachusetts on the left 
of the Eighty-third. The Fourteenth New York 
liaviog relieved the Second Maine, was joined by 
the Thirteenth Now York, and our left supported 
by Berdan's sharp-shooters, half' of whom went 
with their Sharpe's rifles, doing sure work at every 
shot, while the balance of the regiments were held 
in reserve. Griffin’s battery now came thundering 
in, unlirabered, and took position in a twinkling, 
and commenced throwing shell and shrapnell with 
excellent effect. The fresh regiments now pressed 
forward, the Eighty-third Pennsylvania advancing 
under several volleys, but reserving its tire for close 
quarters, losing but slightly. The enemy found the 
pressure of the Sixty-second on his left, and the 
other regiments in front, altogether too great, and, 
with several well-directed volleys, our advancing 
columns soon threw him Into the direst confusion, 
and he at once beat a precipitate retreat, under the 
cover of the dense forest in his rear. The victory 
was ours! 
Three distinct engagements marked the battle of 
Hanover, resulting in the entire discomfiture of the 
rebels, with a loss of 1,200, 700 of whom were pris¬ 
oners. Our loss in killed, wounded, and missing, 
was 370, of whom’53 were killed. 
The Peniinslvania Reserve battery, of 
to near the sixth mile post trom Richmond, and so Couch’s division, also lost one of their guns—these 
on tiu thqr to the right, and a little to the rear, until eight pieces of ordnance constituting our entire 
within a short distance ot a point on the Chicka- loss, so far as I could learn, 
hominy, 'i he center of Gen. Casey’s position, held Meantime Gen. Sumner had succeeded in bring- 
by the 2d brigade, Gen. Wassell’s (formerly Gen. ing his troops across the Chickahominy, and was 
Reims'), extended from Gen. Naglee’s lines to the advancing on tho right to maintain our position 
left a short distance across the Williamsburgh road, there, where less ground had been lost. Alter sev- 
where it joined the 3d brigade, Gen. Palmer’s, oral days of labor, God. Sumner had thrown two 
stretching some distance further to the left, and bridges across the creek between Bottom's Bridge 
joining the lines of Gen. Couch, who guarded the and New Bridge, where local reports held it to be 
left flank, the main portion of his force being a impossible to find any foundation for piles to sup- 
short distance to the rear of Casey, on the Williams- port the superstructures. One of theBe bridges was 
burgh road. some two miles above Bottom's Bridge, tho other a 
The position occupied by the main body of these mile further np the stioam. The lower of these was 
two divisions, was a clearing of about one mile carried away during the heavy storm of Friday 
square, surrounded on the left aud the front by a night, and Gen. Sumner was obliged to depend 
belt of forest, in which Gen. Casey’s pickets were upon a single shaky structure for the passage of hi8 
stationed. On the right, a wooded swamp divided troops, who nearly all, however, succeeded in cross- 
the clearing from a similar opening in the forest, ing that night, the head of the column reaching the 
along the railroad, which was occupied by Gen. Nine-mile road, along which the rebels were press- 
Naglee with his brigade. Just beyond the woods ing our troops, at 7 o’clock, holding the enemy in 
to the front were similar clearings, with woods on I check for the night, and preventing them from fol- 
