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[148] distance being maintained on either side. Mahone's brigade was brought up to the aid of Pryor, and Howard's to that of French ; and finally Meagher's Irish regiments went to the front, and a desultory conflict was maintained for some two or three hours, during which Gen. Howard lost his arm and had two of his staff wounded. The Rebels at length desisted, and retreated unpursued. Their reports assert that they made no attack, but only repelled one.

The Rebels remained through the day in quiet possession of Couch's and Casey's camps, sending off muskets, tents, and camp equipage to Richmond ; following themselves after nightfall. Johnston says that Smith did not renew his attack on our right, because of his discovery of strong intrenchments in that quarter, which he had not seen the night before. It is certain that he was not disturbed by any demonstration on our part, and retired wholly unmolested. Ten days later, we had not recovered the ground held by Casey's advance on the morning of May 31.

Johnston reports the loss in Smith's division at 1,233, and in Longstreet's1 at “about” 3,000; total, 4,233; saying nothing of any loss sustained by Huger. Among his killed were Gen. Robert Hatton, of Tenn. ; Cols. Lomax, 3d Ala., Jones, 12th Ala., Giles, 5th S. C., and Lightfoot, 22d N. C.; while, beside himself, Gens. Rhodes and Garland, with Cols. Goodwin, 9th Va., and Wade Hampton, S. C., were wounded. He also lost Gen. Pettigrew and Col. C. Davis, of S. C., and Col. Long, taken prisoners. He claims to have taken 10 guns, 6,000 muskets, and “several hundred” prisoners — an expression which the number of our wounded who fell into his hands must have fully justified. He probably took few others, and no officer of distinction.

Gen. McClellan reports our total loss at 5,739,2 whereof 890 were killed, 3,627 wounded, and 1,222 missing: some of these probably dead, and others left on the field wounded, to fall into the hands of the enemy. Among our killed were Col. G. D. Bailey, Maj. Van Valkenburg, and Adjt. Ramsey, of the 1st N. Y. artillery; Cols. J. L. Riker, 62d, and James M. Brown, 100th N. Y., Rippey, 61st, and Miller, 81st Pa. Among our wounded were Gens. Naglee, Pa., Devens, Mass., O. O. Howard, Maine, and Wessells; Col. E. E. Cross, 5th N. H., and many other valuable officers.

Considering that the bulk of the loss on either side fell on regiments which together brought less than 15,000 men into the field, the admitted loss is quite heavy. Keyes's corps numbered about 12.000 men present; of whom 4,000 were dead or wounded before 5 P. M. of the 31st. Perhaps as many had fled to the rear; yet Gen. McClellan's dispatch to the War Department, written so late as noon of the second day, in saying that “Casey's division gave way unaccountably and discreditably,” is indiscriminate and unjust. A green division of less than 7,000

1 Gen. McClellan says that Hill estimates his loss at 2,500, and adds this number to the above total, making in all 6,733: but it is evident that Johnston includes Hill's loss in that of Longstreet, who was in command of both divisions.

2 But in a confidential dispatch of June 4th, to the War Department, he says: “The losses in the battles of the 31st and 1st will amount to 7,000.” Though this may have been an estimate merely, it was very near the truth.

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