We cannot as yet
procure the full particulars regarding the battle of "Seven Pines"
fought yesterday and to-day. As well as I can learn the plan was this: the
Yankees had crossed a large force on the south-side of the Chickahominy, and on
the night of the 30th of May, we had a most terrific storm. Our Commander,
General Jos. E. Johnston, concluding that the bridges were all washed away, and
the river past fording, concluded to attack the Yankees on the south-side and
crush them out before they could be reinforced. On account of the tardiness of
General Huger the plan was not fully successful, though we surprised the enemy,
capturing a large number of prisoners with several pieces of artillery. Our
camp was on the main road leading to Seven Pines, but 'twas difficult to handle
artillery and we received no orders to move. What a heart-rending scene it is
to witness the wounded brought in from a terrible battle field. The people of
Richmond turned out en masse to render aid to our wounded
soldiers. Many a wounded soldier-boy from the sunny South will never cease to
remember the fair form of the "city belle" as she soothed his aching
brow or bound up his wounded limb. Too often do we hear our Southern allies
cursing the people of Richmond as a set of speculators thriving on our misfortunes,
but now many of them have been convinced that "in the hour of pain and
anguish," Richmond can and will do all within her power
to aid those who are seeking to uphold our cause.
'Tis undoubtedly
true that Richmond has changed greatly since the war began, for it has, I am sorry
to say, become the headquarters of all of the "fancy men" of the
South—gentlemen of the Hebrew persuasion have made it their rendezvous to sell
blockade goods, and countless numbers of Yankee spies, though outwardly
swearing allegiance to our government, hold strong foothold in our city.
Gambling hells, furnished with tinseled splendor are at every corner, to catch
the unwary, and relieve them of their superabundant "Confederates."
Still there is
enough of the old metal left, purified and refined, to make Richmond to me the
sweetest, dearest spot on earth. General Johnston being wounded, General Robert
E. Lee now commands our army.
SOURCE: William S.
White, A Diary of the War; or What I Saw of It, pp. 116-7
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