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to Warren's Fifth corps. Five regular regiments are represented among the prisoners, namely, the Second, Ninth, Eleventh, Twelfth and Fourteenth.
We also captured the commanding officers of three of them--Captain Kibbor of the Fourteenth; Captain Penn, of the Second, and another officer, whose name I forget.
These officers seemed to care little or nothing about themselves, their great anxiety appearing to be to learn something about the fate of their colors.
Besides the five hundred well Yankees, some fifty wounded ones were captured, nearly all of whom were wounded in the back.
It is also related by an officer, that, passing over one of these officers — a captain — he supposed him to be dead; chancing, however, to look back, great was his surprise to see this dead captain, as he had supposed, heeling in rearwards.
While this warm work was going on in Ewell's front, picket and field skirmish lines were heavily engaged with the enemy, and there was considerable shelling.
It is also reported that the enemy attacked Hoke, near this point, about night yesterday, but were gallantly repulsed with considerable slaughter of their numbers; our side suffered little or nothing.
Last evening, just before dark, Wilcox placed a battery of twelve guns in position, on the extreme right, and having shelled the enemy's position, advanced and occupied the heights near McClellan's bridge, on the Chickahominy.
During the advance Brigadier-General Lane was severely wounded in the thigh.
This morning about sunrise the ball opened again, principally on Longstreet's and Stokes' fronts, and for three hours the enemy continued to assault our lines.
Each time, however, they were most gallantly and successfully repulsed, our men suffering scarcely any, while the loss of the enemy is reported to be very heavy — indeed it is believed that the enemy has lost to-day not less than seven thousand men, while ours can scarcely be one twentieth of that number.
The principal and most repeated assaults have been made on Kershaw's front, the enemy, it is said, having charged him not less than fourteen times.
Each time, however, his gallant division (formerly McLaws'), has successfully driven back the assailants.
Hoke had also signally repulsed three different assaults, this time capturing a few prisoners.
At one time this morning, the enemy having made a most vigorous attack upon Breckinridge, a portion of his command was forced back.
Finnegan's Floridians, however, at once bounded forward with a yell, and regained what Breckinridge had temporarily lost.
Three pieces of artillery, belonging to Reid's battalion, were, for a while, taken, but Finnegan recaptured them.
General Finnegan himself was slightly wounded, but did not leave the field.
General Law, of Fields' division, was also wounded this morning, in the eye, not, however, dangerously.
The enemy also made, early this morning, a feeble assault upon Heth's and Rhodes' divisions, on our extreme left, but were repulsed by our skirmish line.
Since morning there has not been much fighting, but heavy skirmishing and artillery firing has been going on all day along the lines.
Grant has evidently been reinforced from Butler, and seems to be contracting his lines and massing his troops.
My information, derived from what I deem good authority, was that Heth and Rhodes had been slightly assaulted.
Later information, however, represents that the assault on Rhodes and Heth was very vigorous, and that we literally piled up the Yankee dead in front of these divisions.
Lieutenant-General Ewell has been sick, but is now recovering.
His corps, for the last ten days, has been under the command of Major-General Early.
The battle-ground, to-day, has extended from one and a half miles to the left of Mechanicsville to McClellan's bridge, a distance of some seven miles.
Grant's main efforts to-day have been directed against our right wing.
battle-field near Gaines' Mill, June 3--5 P. M.
Heth's division participated with Ewell in the fight yesterday, capturing over two hundred prisoners. Among his wounded was Brigadier-General Kirkland, slightly.
The battle opened at sunrise this morning, about ten miles below Richmond, extending from the Mechanicsville road to McClellan's bridge, making the line of battle over seven miles long, the enemy making the attack.
The heaviest fighting is reported in Rhodes', Kershaw's, and Hoke's front, who gallantly repulsed every assault of the enemy.
Our loss is very slight — not over five hundred in killed and wounded.
That of the enemy is fully six thousand.
Some estimate it as high as ten.
The enemy at one time broke through Breckinridge's division, capturing three pieces of artillery.
Finnegan, however, quickly came up, recapturing the artillery and taking one piece from the enemy.
Breckinridge lost probably two hundred prisoners.
The heaviest fighting was up to eleven o'clock; since then there has been heavy cannonading and incessant skirmishing.
Generals Law and Finnegan slightly wounded.
The latter did not leave the field.