428 THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC AT HARRISON’S LANDING.

of Shields ’s division (just arrived from the Shen-andoah), advanced and cleared the field after somelively skirmishing.

The army immediately took position on thehigh ground about Harrison’s Landing, and wentinto camp on an intrenched line several miles inextent. The air was filled with rumors about futureoperations. To the soldiers McClellan was less ahero now, perhaps, than before, but he was morea martial leader than ever. The unusual strainimposed upon the men, the malarial character ofthe region around Richmond, the lack of propernourishment, the want of rest, combined with theexcitement of the change of base, and the midsum-mer heat prostrated great numbers. In my noteswritten at the time, it is stated that 50 of the regi-ment, about 15 per cent, of the duty men, weresick in the camp hospital July 24th. This was inaddition to the casualties of 102 sustained in the“SevenDays.” Aceordingto the report of SurgeonJonathan Letterman, Medical Director (Yol. XI.,Part I., “Official Records,” pp. 210-220), about6000 sick were sent away soon after the armyreached Harrison’s Landing, over 12,000 remain-ing in camp. On July 30th, the report says, therewere 12,000 sick with the army, and of these only2000 were able to take the field. Fortunately theSanitary Commission hastened to our relief withtents, food, medical supplies, and competent nurses.

% A Confederate force under General S. G. Frenchhad been sent out from the command of I>. H. Hill, atPetersburg. General W. N. Pendleton reported that

After the departure of Stuart from Westover,July 4th, the army did not see or hear the enemy,with a slight exception, until search was made forhim toward Richmond early in August. The ex-ception was on the night of Thursday, July 31st.About midnight the whole army was startled by alively cannonade and by shells flying over the lines,some bursting within them. The troops turnedout under arms, and it was soon discovered that amild fusillade from across the James was beingdirected on the shipping and on the supply depotsnear the camps. 3) Comparatively little damagewas done. The next day a Union force was thrownacross the river to seize Coggins’s Point, where theelevated ground favored that style of attack on ourcarnps. The army soon became restless for wantof work, and there was great rejoicing at theprospect of a forward movement. On the 2d ofAugust, Hooker marched a portion of his divisionto Malvern Hill, and on the 4th extended hisadvance to Charles City Cross-roads, near Glen-dale. But orders came to withdraw from thePeninsula , so we marched to Williamsburg, York-town, Newport News, andFort Monroe. The Fifthand Third Corps embarked, on August 20tli and21st, for Aquia Creek and Alexandria; the Sixth(August 23d and 24th), and the Second (August20th), and the Fourth for Alexandria, exceptPeck’s division, which remained at Yorktown.

1000 rounds were fired. The casualties in the Unioncamps, as repoi'ted by General McClellan , were 10 killedand 15 wounded.—G. L. K.

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DUMMIES AND QUAKER GUNS LEFT IN THE WORKS AT HARRISON’S LANDING ON THE EVACUATIONBY THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC. FROM A SKETCH MADE AT THE TIME.