The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1836-12-23

draw themselves and q portion Of their
properly inso N adjoining hammock and
swamp. where hey awaited The sppr0aet |
Of our men. WIN sdEanerd rapidly In the
encounter. Before the troops could dis
mount they weFe received with severe
IRE from the enemy; the Ere was prompt
ly returned. The fight MAS vigorously
maintained BY the enemy. firing from
their covert upan our troops: but upnn
charge being ordered and promptly exe-
cuted by our men. in the most gallant
manner. the enemy precipitslely fed.
leaving twenty dead in the wood. and al
their huxes and baggage. Other dead.
and q great number wounded. were car
Red ofi by them during the 6ghi. 80 in
dicaied By numerous bloody trails. The
pursuit was continued by our men waist
dsep IN water and mud. ~ long as the
traces Of the enemy could be followed.
Az the beginnlng Of the action. Two
companies Of the I'd regiment and ihe
Companies Of spies afterwards. we're de-
laebed % The left, 10 cut of the retreat Of
lhe enemy. but The nature Of the Country
prevented all effeelual pursuit. The enc.
nv we're supposed 10 amount 10 from
$50 Ia 200.
Onr loss was one killed. and 10 wound
ed-ons murlally. This was very gall
lanl affair, in which both officers and
men behaved with The utmost spirit and
inlrepIdIy. After bringing OF our killed
and wounded. the army moved four
miles on It's r"uIe. aud encsmped. On
the 18Th, the COMMANDMENT. Chief. after
leaving the wagon train under a srroae
guard. marched. al The head Of about $50
Tennesseesns. consisting OF Colonel
Tr"usdslss regiment. principally foot
men. and a pan Of the LET regiment. aud
the companies Of spies, all under the ,m
medlaIe Command nf General Armstrong.
rnin The NahoO Swamp. Ahont three
mics rom the eamp they struck in." .
large Indian trail. whIch led 10 the left
through tao dense hamm"cks and over
ISo creeks. INTO large field. surrounded
on three sides by hsmnocks. The enc
: my. on our approach. were found To have
just deserted the position, having set fire
" their houses. which were thea burn
ing Evidence of their presence in the
, hammock ~ front was sOon afforded. and
: the line Was quickly formed 10 attack
them,
, The foo1men. under Colonel Trous
dale, we're formed in open order 10 charge
=, Into the hammock. while the hsrsemen
on the right ard lett we're thrown back To
prutrct the fank, and 10 act as corps II
reserve Before "ur troops had received
! their final orders ~ advance, they were
! saluled wIlh a tremendous ire along their
whole from, fron the opposite hammock
! After exchanging shots with the enemy
for a sh"rt uinr, and slowly advancing
J apoa them. on renewing The order TO
charge our troops rushed forward with a
shout 10 the wood, and were soon close
~ engaged IN deadly Combat. Nearly
al the same moment heavy FIRE was
| opened on both TANKS. aud. soon after. a
large party Of The enemy--at least So in
number--boldly threw themselves in the
rear; following the courageous example
of their comrades in the front, the horse
men on The right and left quickly dis
mnuulrd and charged into the wood.
The action was maintained on all sides
with great animation for about 40 or SO
! minutes. when the enemy was driven al
. all points. A small compay If men. CON.
, manded by Cant. Fletcher, being led ID
from the left flank, charged down and
. dispersed he enemy IN the rear. The
enemy in front were driven completely
: through the hammock. and pursued so
: long as ,hey could be seen or heard. after
: which they retired in good order TO the
field. bringing off their dead anc wound
; ed: our loss was three killed aud fifteen
wounded The enemy left dead on he
field twenty five and Others were doubt
, less carried III: Of their wounded we
could form M estimate. This was real
lv a mos, br,liian, affair. The enemy
could nui have been less than from GOO
! % 700 men: al the same moment their
{, FIRE covered our entire front and both
fisnks, While large party openly exhibit.
ed themselves in the rear. Al this pom,
Of grauud in the centre Of the field. nccu-
pied BY the General and his Staff, the
balls were distinctly seen and heard 10
/ strike and cross each other from three
sides al the same moment. The extent
Of the ground, and the open order taken
by our troops. together with the success
Of our charge. alone prevented the enemy
from obtaining decided advantage from
their position and numerical superiority
| No terms can dojuslice To the gallsu,ry
Of the troops on the occasion. Wherever
the enemy could be found. they wer,
promptly charged upon. and followed
even to the very depth OF their hammock'
and s~amps. Thus ended the bal,le q
Wahao Swamp. The la.eness Of the hour
ignorance of the country, the fatigue Il