Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-11-02

6itt VI tdS 0dttlt HsdI- 1dIIttO1- 1cla1d kta1
reached as within the last hour.
Now comes the naked truth, in all its 81 I'M
ming and distressing horrors. We have met
with sickeniag repulse; one involving the
loss of nearly one thousand men, in killed,
wounded and missing. and of many brave
and skillful officers; accompanied by scenes
of horror unequalled in any previous battle
of the war.
CAPT. FRANCIS ToUNG's STATEMENT.
On Sunday evening Gen. Stone, being per
suaded that no important force of the enemy
remained along the upper Potomac, and IN
obedience to orders from headquarters, CONS
menced bis passage of the river at Harrison's
Island. The point of transit was about five
miles above Edwards Ferry. and nearly an
equal distance from Leesburg. The island is
a low, fertile strip of land. several miles in
length, SO dividing the river that the Mary
land channel is not a furlong in width, and
that on the Virginia side not more than 200
feet.slsasf - . 80 sas1z5e ass ss--zloss -
Six companies of the Fifteenth Massachu-
sets Regiment, under Col Deyau, and two
companies of the Twentieth (Tammany) New
York, arrived at the river about a. " Mon
day, and commenced to cross. At sunrise
they were all on the Virginia side.srss>sd zf1-s
Before daylight an order came TO Coloaei
Baker to march the first battalion of the Cali
fornia regiment to Conrad's Ferry, two miles
south of the island, and then, if he heard fir
ing, 60 to the support of Cogswell and Deyan.
Accordingly, Lieut.. Col. Wistar advanced
with the battalion, $50 officers aud men. and
by sunrise had reached the river and proceed
ed down TO the island crossing. 1 accompa-
MED the force to arrange for transportation.
Was sent to report for orders to Gen. Stone.
Returned. having received command to cross
at once. On my way buck overlook Col.
Baker, who told me that only the battalion
were to cross. He had no orders for the bri-
gade. ass
Shortly after Gen Stone placed Col. Bak r
in command of all the forces on the Virginia
side. Our battalion then, at A. NJ COM
menced crossing to the island, and from
thence TO the furthest shore. Meantime we
could hear skirmishing shots on the heights,
which continued without much intermission
through the morning.
Now we began TO experience the difficulty
which was the chief cause of the terrible scenes
which closed the day.
No adequate means of transportation had
been provided. 1t seemed as if the column
was expected to walk across on the water
surface. Nothing but one { Id scow, capable
of holding, perhaps. forty men appeared
available on either side of the island. If the
Massachusetts, men had bad any other boats
they were not visible in the morning. At
length / discovered a large scow in the ca
nal, and two hours were consumed in getting
it over into the Maryland channel. 1t would
hold about sixty men. Col. Baker, Lieuten-
ant Colonel Wistar, Assistant Adjutant Gen
eral Harvey and myself went with the first
load TO the island and there superintendent the
transit of our men. ~ s--.fz,l =. -. =.
1t was II NJ. before our first company land
ed at the foot of the Undiscovered precipice,
which rises abruptly over one hundred feet
from the river bed on the further side OF the
river. Four hours more had elapsed before
the last company landed. Sections of the
Second Rhode Island Battery. comprising
two howitZers, two field smoOth-bores, and
one rifed gun went over with US, the men
dragging them up the heights with great diff
fculty and spirit. ~
All this time irregular fighting was going
on above. 1t seems that Colonel Devan had
in the morning moved with a small detach-
ment in the detection oil Leesburg. shortly
after his forces had crossed, had advanced
one mile, there met the enemy's skirmishers
in feeble force, and had retired to the brow
of the heights. Before this the guarmaster
of the Massachusetts, Fifteenth had gone alone
to point within mile of the village, had
returned, crossed the river, and reported to
Gen. Stone that there were no hostile forces
in that region. But after Col. Devan fell
back his men were placed in a semi-circular
clearing, or natural forest opening, covering
FIVE or six acres, with its base resting on the
edge of the heights, and fanked and fronted
by forest. The enemy, becoming holder. ad
vaDced in scattered parties to the edge of
these woods, and from 10 A. NJ. till P. NJ
kept up a random, annoying fire upon our
men. The latter sheltered themselves as well
as they could, lying just below the ridge, aud
awaited achievements. sa
At four. then. onr whole force had crossed
and assembled, Col. Baker and staff with the
rest. and the troops were suffering somewhat
from the concealed enemy's fire. Many had
dropped and been carried down the hill. -
We asked Colonel Baker what he thought
of affairs. He said that be thought we had
good position; could fall back for shelter
behind The ridge. Yes" said we, .'bat
what is in those woods?n He answered: II
think the enemy are concealed on our right"
A private had reported that there was no
force on the left, but deep ravine, hidden
by the woods. We then proposed sending
skirmishers to make Reconnaissance Oh the
right. and .Cptain Markoe, Second Lieuten.
ant Williams, ai;de myself advanced with
Companies A and ID of the California Regi-
rnent. Company A got in front on rising
ground, in skirmishiDg order, Company D
following in line. tsaelt oasofs r.i-s = ~ ~ -
The California battalion. to make the story !
clear, were drawn up on the left of the open
field; the Massachusetts Fifteenth aud Tam
many ON the right, aud the Massachusetts
Twentieth nearer the center Col. CoggswelI
took charge of the artillery. Only four guns
were planted in the field, the rifed having
been hauled up at the wrong place. and be- =
ing afterward seized by the enemy and
spiked. - =. s-.s,ssazs y - 7-.a-.49 50 a..
When our skirmishing companies had
reached the edge of the woods, suddenly the
enemy, hitherto concealed rose with yell /
and fired volley, then began fighting in
their usual manner: FIRST giving yell and
volley, then loading and iiring at will for
a few minutes; then eeasing an equal time;
then giving another yell and volley; and so
on, pouring murderous fire into our little
band for the space of half an hour. The
whole woods around swarmed with them.
They had no artillery and no cavalry Our
Rhode Islanders, except the officers, deserted 1
their guns, but Colonel Baker, Lieutenant
Colonel Wistar, Colonel Coggswell and Adj
jutanf Harvey manned the battery and fired
the guns themselves, aided by Company G,
First California, led by the gallant Beiral.
(The latter was conspicuous fer bravery
throughout the action; is wounded, but mot
and is now safe GA Maryland
ground) 80 e.sl - -. =. -
We kept up both a musketry aud cannon
fire as well as we could, but half the time we
could not see the enemy, and his cowardly
discharges were thinning our ranks; still,
most of the men stood firm and acted brayely.
The enemy s volleys and wells increased In