Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-06-16

Complete Route OF the Enemy.
From the niehnond Rhir. Inn. "a.

Hcsn WOUNDS. II would seem JnAL fFOVlOcnCe
| Is protecting the brave defenders of their homes
and liberties. Let the same spirit and determine
| ton to conquer or die, which characterized the
heroes Of Bethel, animate every VrgInan, on all
occasions, without regard to odds. and We shall
| soon see the foul invaders driven from our iand
| TUESDAY, May llth 1s6l.-I avail myself OF the
kindness of Mr.. H, to send you an account OF the
battle of Bethel Church, the only hatled have been
in yet.
We received orders about O'Clock P. NJ; Sunday
70 join Capt. Brown at Bethel, which is sixteen miles
1 from Yorktown. Everything was got in order i'm
mediately for marching, and we got under way
| about 5 o'clock and reached Bethel about 10 that
/ night. We camped on the ground, and had very
| good nights rest.
We had lust finished breakfast Monday morning
when the scouts came in at full speed and reported
| the enemy advancing us and only two miles OIL
Every thing was soon got IN srder to give them
warm reception. We waited for an hour, at the ex
| pration of which time caught glimpse OF the
| advance guard of the enemy marching in solid
body about three-quarters of mile off, We oceu>
pied high piece Of ground, partly Shelf red by
woods. The enemy were posted on a high piece OF
! ground Also about quarter of mile of, ravine
| running between the TWO armies.
As soon as the enemy got in position we opened
UPON them from batteries, firing three or four
shots before they replied to. the enemy cheer
/ ing Justify in the meantime, our shots being consd-
erably out of range which gave them encourage
ment But their cheers soon changed to groaDs,
for the fourth shot scattered them right and left
After that they openened upon US terrific hre OF
case grape and shell, which fell around us as thick
as hail. We returned their fire promptly with six
of our pieces when the action BET general some
twelve fourteen pieces belching forth thunder all
/ the time
The enemy's guns were of superior calibre to
ours. The ground all around us was ploughed up
in burrows by their bombs, and the grape and small
| shot were scattered over the field like rain. Tie
ground on each side was contested for stubbornly,
but they could stand the well directed fire from
batteries and to get rid of 1t attempted TO flank
us on the right and left side at the same time; but
1 they were met by CALLING fire from the North Car
| DINA regiment aAd the Vlrginians, who were en-
trenched on either side. Their cannon ceased play
| ing upon us for time and they commenced heavy
| fire of musketPy.
The action commenced at o'clock in the morn
/ ing. and was kept up till ] O'Clock p m an inces
SAINT firing going all the time. -Four or five steps
1 from mule killed the ball passing through
him. One CT the howitzer horses, ridden by young
McRae, (son of Col McRae,) received ball in the
! shoulder, which made him uumsnageable, and all
four went of at full speed with the caisson. McR
| jumped of sud made his way into the entrench-
ment without hurt. Four five horses were killed
dropping dead IN their tracks.
| the enemy outnumbered nearly four 10 one,
they counting about five thousand we about thir-
teen hundred they having also the advantage of po
| sition. They approached sometimes within seven
| ty-fve yards of u.s. but they could not stand the
del dly fire of our shsrp-shooters. They were 10
marshes and behind trees, and had far chance at
u.s. but they could not shoot like our boys.
They were under command of Butler. Colonel
Waters of the New York Srd regiment, was killed
| and his body left upon the field. A good many
officers were found upon the field and four five
! prisoners taken. They retreated in disorder, our
batteries playing upon them ali the while, causing
| great slaughter among the Zouaves, conspicuous
| for their red pantaloons and caps.
According 10 the statement of the prisoners cap
1 tuPed the loss of the enemy amounts o from two
hundred and fifty to three hundred. The injury to
| our side one killed (young Wyatt Of Richmond)
| and eight or ten wounded. Among these are three
| of the HowitZer men. John Werth has flesh
wound above the knee, not at all dangerous. In
their fight the enemy left great many things be-
| hind them.
| went over the field after the fight The sight
/ was sickenng. Here ltythe body of Zouave, the
l blood still gushing from his wound little fur
ther the body of one Of some ,ther regiment, with
his musket in his cenched hand; and all about lay
/ the dead with their eyes glazed and fixed. But,
have neither time nor disposition TO describe the
results of the Just and terrible punishment visited
upon the wretehe5 who have dared to invade our
| soil.
| In the evening, we returned to Yorktown, from
which place send you these notes, written in great
/ haste.
| 2. 81 should have mentioned that force
| was commanded by Gen Magruder in person. The
! Louisiana regiment reached the field, about one
hour after the fight ended, double-quicking nesrly
all the way from Yorktown.
1 From the Rlchmsnd Dispatch Extra, tune IL
| YORKTOWN, June 18th, 1S6I-You have no doubt
heard, long ago. of the battle which took place on
Monday, and of the glorious victory which was the
result Nevertheless, will venture 10 ad d my
mite, although, unfortunately. speak not as an eye
witness having been left behind with seventeen others
of my company, not worthy Il presume) to feed
powder in the cause of the Southern COntederacy
send you outline prepared under the eye of an off
Ger of high rank, who had distinguished command
on the ocnasion From it your readers will be en-
abled 10 form Just idea of the locality, and the
mant euvres without feeling themselves confused by
/ the details which are alw US sure to cucumber the
narrative of inexperienced writer or of one who
writes upon contracted view of the whole field.
OUTLINE The road from Bethel Church to Hamp-
4 ton runs South. The Confederates posted them
selves on both sides of it at the Church. facing
down the road to Hampton The u. S. troops came
up il until within artillery range, and planted their
battery in the road, but screened from sight by
small house and by woods The Confederate bat
terry on the right and close to the road opened on
| the T. S battery and on the column in its rear
The u. S.battery replied, and columns OF u. 5.
troops wheeled TO the right and LIT circled around
the position of the COnederates and assaulted it on
| the right and left On the right of the Confede-
rates there was outer line Of defense consisting of
battery of one howtZer, supported by Colonel
Stuarts battalion entrenched on the right. and
a company of North Carolina infantry entrenched
on the lett. The howitzer becoming spiked by the
breaking of printing wire, was run back into the
bushes. and the infantry supports retired The
outer line being lost the L. 5. troops approached
and opened heavy fire of musketry on the Con-
federates concentratrated on the hill at the
Church but owing to the thick growth of woods in
tervening. the fire not effective. At the same
time the left of the Confederates was assaulted by
column which approached to within fifty or sixty
yards under cover of woods and deployed in front
of them. This fire took the main battery of the
Howitzer Battalion in the flank, wounded three men,
and killed and wounded fine horse; struck their
pieces and ammunition chests The Howitzer Bat
sery could not, however return their fire without
firing the North Carolina infantry, entrenched
on the left and risking them. The fire Of the Bat
terry was therefore, maintained TO the front the
troops and battery of the enemy in the road, and
the North Carolina infantry repused the assault on
the left. Another HowitZer arriving from three
miles in the rear was out to the outer line on
the right, which had been previously re-cc :uped
by Confederate infantry the enemy falling back.
The howitzer immediately opened with shell a |
house occupied by the enemy's sharp shooters and
which also served to screen the United States bat
terry from view. The United States battery replied
with round shot. all Of which passed over the |
howitzer, while the shells from the howitZer fired
the house. and ranged on towards the United States
battery and probably crippled it; for, after five
six shots on each side, the fire of the enemy ceased
and the battle ended.
The battle has, suspect, given the Yankees
taste of very different kind Of reception from |
what they have expected. | have not the least |
doubt that they expected to sweep away our little |
band at the first onset, and irch on in triumph 10
this place. If such were their calculation. never |
were more feariully mistaken. They were |
met at the mouth of the cannon repulsed, routed, |
driven off the field with so little hope of rallylng
that they threw away their arms haversacks, eve
rything that could impede their flight In one in |
stance they even left the rammer OF cannon on
the field, and two medicine chests were captured.
Arms and accoutrements of all descriptions were |
among the trophies gathered from them.
The boasted Zsuaves did not wait TO cross bayo-
nets with the North Carolina Regiment They fed.
the first fire, and could not be brought TO the |
mark second. An officer of the 9TH Regiment of
New York was killed endeayoring to induce COM
pany (rot of Zouaves however.) to follow him. He /
mounted a fence that separated his company from
our infantry, and with gallantry, waving his sword
and calling on his men to follow him, when he
received musket shot IN the breast and fell dead.
His men Immediately fed The dead officer had
furlough in his pocket. He had gone to Old Point
lnnr Of Obj and had nrnhahlv vnlnnteerph