The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-11-01

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remained NJ the farm house On the Inland ,
and snss adss meve t~f dead aad dyisE on ne tsai
Of the Old Domfsfoa tAsir green's scaksnr ssnnrs-
Ia efsoe. .ffom ne hf'is asd xoods. The Ulcers
ascertaining the actual number Of casual.
ties.
AsofHka INTERESTING STATEMENT.
The New York Horid has n tasenent from
Its correspondent, written frem memofanda
furnished by Captain Young, and said TO be
confirmed In all its details by Major Smith,
OF the California regiment. We copy por-
ton oft. as follows:
At four O clock our whole force had crossed
and assembled, Col. Baker and staff with the
rest, and the troops Were suffering some what
from the concealed ensmys FIRE. Many had
dropped and been carried down the hill
We asked Col Baker what he thought of
affairs. He said that he thought we had !,
good position conld fall ba ok for shelter be-
ntnd me ridge Yes, said we, " but what's
in those ToodsY'' He answered &c think tn.
enemy are concealed on outright" A private
had reported that there was no force on the
left but Il deep rayine, hidden by the woods.
We theh proposed sending skirmishers to
make q reconnaissance on the ri ht and CAM
Markoe. Second Lieut.. Williams aud mysalf.
advanced with companies A and y Of the
California regiment. ornpany A got in front
OF rising ground, in diminishing order com
paUy ID following In line.
The California battalion, to make the story
ciear, were drawn up on the left OF the opel.
held, the Massachu sets 18th and Tammisny
on the right, and the massachusetts Goth
bearer the centre. Col. Coggswel, tool,
charge OF the artillery. Only four guns were
planted in the field, The rife gun having been
hauieo up at the wrong place, and being af-
rewards seized by the enemy and spiked.
When our skirmshing companies had
reached the edge Of the woods suddenly the
enemy, hitherto concealed, rose with a we'll
ano tired vcliey; then began lighting in
ther usual manner, first giving yell and
voiley. then loading and firing at will for a
Few minutes, and then ceasng an equal time:
then giving another yell and voliey, and so
on, pouring Inurdsrous fire into our Il tile
band tor tue space Of half an hour. The whole
woods swarmed with them They had no
artillery and 10 cavalry. Our Rhode Island
eTs, except the officers, deserted their euns:
out Col Baker, Lieut.. Col. W,star. 60 oual
Cogss"eii, aud sdjotant Harvey manneCs he
battery and fired the guns themselves. aided
by company q, lst California led by the gal
liant Capt. Bejral.
We Kept up both nussetry and cannon
lire as Well as we coule. but half the time we
conid not see the enemy, ana his cowatGfy
discharges were thinning our ranks: snil
most OF the men stood firm. and acted brave
~. Inc enemyS yoileys and Wells Increased
Ia ioudness, and II was evident that rein
iorcemenls were pouring in 10 his aid Al IL
p. 81. we held coun il of war, and resolved
to stand our ground, Gen. Baker orfi.rIU o me
to go fer reinforcem@nts. BY this time oggs-
well was wonnced-W lister had fallen The
enemy were growing more daring. rushing
out 81 the woods, taking some prisoners. aud
firing hotiy.
Just then a rebel officer, riding n white
horse came out Of the woods and beckouea 20
us to come forward. Col Baker tboupht II
was Gen. Johnston, and that the e1rry
would meet us rs open fight. Part Of cur
column charged, Baker cheering us on when
Il tremendous onset WAS made by tho rebels
One maa rode forward, preseu .ed 4 revolver
at lSakST. aitG jITpG n II it's ,Iarves OF
Our gallant leader fell, and at the same mo-
ment all our lines were driven back nv tn
"Yerw heimlbg force opposed to thern But
Capt. Bierai, with his COMPANY fought his
way back to Col Bakers hody, rescued il
brought IL along TO Ine, snd then q renera,
retreat commenced.
sot the Coloncl's body to the island before
the worst of the rout, ant then, locking to the
Virginia shore, saw such q Spectacle as no
tongue can describe. Our entire forces were
fetreatnS, tulubiing, rolling, leapiug down
tee steep heights; the enemy following them
numbering, and taking prisoners tlDl I,sx-i;,
it4t MS command, and SWAMI the river on
horseback. Col. Cogsweli, after unayniJing
bravery, had ordered the retreat himself, bT,f
GGthg Wounded, was taken. TIE one boat in
The Virginia channel was speedily filled and
SUNK a thousand men thronged the further
bank Muskets, coa's, and everything were
thrown aside, and all were 6e4 ppra tely trying
10 escape. Hundreds plunged into the rand
current, and the snrieks OF the drowning
The enemy kept mp their fire from the cliit'
above. All was terror. confusiop, ard Gis
may A captain of the Fiiteeu M4ssaahu-
satts at one moment chargt calamity mp the
hlii. leading two compa. les, who still had
their arms. against the pursuing foe
moment later, ana the same OTTER, per.
ceiVinE the nope 'essness Of the situation
waved q white hancheruhief. ara surrendered
the main body OF his regiment. Other pur.
tons OF the column surrendered: but the re-
bells kept up their Are upon those VINO t!.iec
to cross, and many not drowned in the river
We're shot in the act OF swimming.
Night came on. At6P NJ, ali of our band
whose fortune i was to return had landed on
II arrison Island, and the fire from the Viz
ginia heights had ceased. The rebels took all
our guns out one. When left yesterday they
had shouted 70 US, telling us to come over nd
take away our dead sons OF BIS under # az
of truce, had also noun ted our own guns on
the heights, and warned us 10 leave TIE island
Ii four hours.
THE WASHINGTON STARS ACCOUNT.
From the Washington Stnr, of the 18th inst i.
(tne king devil of all Abolitiondon, J. We
gather the following in relation to the flair
1t has transpired that Ma jor Gen. McClel-
Ian did not design throwing either the rec
OF Gen. Stone or Gen. Banks over the river
and that ali that was really in tended by Gen
Stone was to acccmp iish Il recon noissance in
some force, without fighting an engagement I.
To that end Col. Deyeps was sent over The
river with 800 men, and on Col. Baker WIS
devolyed the duty of covering Col. Deyeps'
return to the river with 1000 men or of ex-
tending the reconnaissance quite to Leesburg,
if successfully crossing over his whole force
of 600 men, and ascertaining positively that
the force of four or five thousand which the
enemy had had between stones comlnand an d
Leesburg had been withdrawn, as was al
legged.
Col. Baker crossed but a thousand OF his
men, and pushed forward hearing that De.
had hppn attacked - f,pUH n i'm
self assailed in front and upon his right
flank by force that gradually swelIed To
four or five thousand. As his men were
wounded they were sent back singiy 10 the
confusion there having been no guard left
with the boats) as that by overlooking they
were sunk before the main body reached the
river in retreat. From first to last our whole
force engaged fought with the courage an d
discipline OF veteran regulars, though out
numbered four or five to
We hear that there were no scouts thrown
out ahead or On the right flank, nor was any
guard left in the rear to protect the approach
of any portion Of the rest of the 1850 that
might follow the force Of about ], . %, with
which Col. Il. left the river bank. Three
hundred did follow, and were unable TO form
the junction on that account.
dispatch received from Gen. Stones COM
mand just as we 90 to press, reduces the total
killed wounded, and missing OF the Massa-
chusetts Goth, in the engagement Of Tuesday
last to l65, with some of those hourly coming
in. 1t will be remem bered that ou the day be.
fore yesterday that.regiment was said to have
lost fuil 600 men.
To quiet the weak nerve. OF those who are
In a Gutte., fearing the crossing of the Con fed
crates into Maryland, opposite Aqua Greek
or that vicinity, we have 10 say that we have
by this time there fol &c of am pie strength to
make the experiment fatal one to the enemy,
should they attempt 1t.
There were lost in the engagement OF Tues
day last two howitzsrs and one James lS- poun-
der rIAed gun, rhe latter the property of the
Rhode Islanders, which on that occa sion w as
in he hands of New York troops No Rhode
Island troops were engaged, rs has been
stated.