New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-10-26


cross 70 Virioia at audIsn uctice. II was understood
that QuarterLias;er Howe OF the 18th Massachusetts,
had been over with a scouting party aud had re-
porsed that q small Rebel camp lay within easy cap
tl.ing distance of the shore; ana the impression then
was that the expedition WAS 10 cary out this pnr-
rose. However this night be, atabout midnight 3O9
of lie 18th Regiment uuder Col. Deveus, were sent
over from the Island, with 100 Of the 10Th, under
Cal. Lee. as "A Teferye force. Tue means
Of crossing were shockngly inadequate
Three bo,rs only were employed, ore capable OF
holding 10 persons the other two hoidmg but > or
each. There is no question bot that better transports
could have been obtained at expense 81 very slight
trouble Tire caual, cl~se by, was filed win boais
which could have been Transferred 20 the river with
compare lively little difficulty, since communication
is lurnsbed by a lock close at baud. However, The
crossing WAS, after a tiae, elected and during the
early morning, the little body Of The 10Th were NOV
ing cautiously toward Leesburg, bnt not hndlng
what was expected, withdrew toward the river
bank and waited Tor further orders. No sign OF the
enemy wac given until about o'clock, Wien
part Of what is supposed 10 have been Mississippi
regiment appeared. and Immediately engaged our
advance by one mllsket discharge oi tao reoeiS
az this time some dozen of Company H., 10th
Regiment. were seriously wounded, aud three
were killed. The enemy, however, were for short
t,n. driven back but being powerfully Reinforced
,Dey in turn became the ii!ants, and ihrus The
18th Regiment men back upon the reserve OF the
Goth. All this fighting took place within very
limited extent of ground, aud lasted about Ian ah
bour. Col Lee sent a note 10 Gen. Stone, saying
Deyens Las fallen back on me. We intend -
6glt,p Probably in consequence Of this intelligence
800 additional men of tie 18th were sent over from
the island AS re-eDforcements. No'hng scilouS DC
Cured. although slight skrmishes were yentnrcd
from time TO time uutil 20 clock in the afternoon when
Col. Baker crossed with part OF bis CALIFORNIA hes
mert a further detachment OF the hHsachn-
seiis 10th, company or two Of Col Coggs"eu'
TammaDy Regiment, aod q small selection
from the Pennsylvania 18th. Colonel BAKER
at once assumed command, and disposed hls forces
for battle. The ground was not favorable Tor our
men, and, 30 far as An learn was, IN every stra-
regic consideration, an unfortunate one. IL WA an
omen field al the summit Of the steep ACTIVITY which
forms the Virginia sho at his loIni. Ia Gaze OF
dofeat-as it afterward proyed--no possibility Of
ecessful retreat existed. Toe field, which occupied
altogether some twelve or fifteen acres, EXTENDED
back for a very short distance, and was on three
s,des bordered by thick woods. In The WOOD on The
right hand, the men Of the Aassachusets l'ih' some
60 in number, were placed. At the right Oh TIE
ooen space stood the 300 men Of the Massachusetts
cCth. AT the left were the men of tie California
regiment. while tie Tamniany troops bed Tho rear
az ,le ceutsr One rihed cannon, OF NauShsn's
Rhode Leland Battery, was stationed in front Of the
/. fl wing. and two mountain howitzcrs OF Ricketts,
battery in front Of lhe right. These Pieees were
lcst dining The engagement.) Our entire force nun.
bered abou, 800 mcu.
Toward O'Clock the rebels, without coming into
:.. Judd My onened severe in Of inuskets from,
ibe woods fgcing our line. The cannouicr@ aud hF-
llery horses attached to the field pieces, were ~
most all sbo, down at this opening discharge, and
tbe infantry suffered heavily. Our men responded
with yigor, but it was apparent that the odds in
Numbers, as well az IN position, were vastly in nyor
Of the rebels. The working Of our guns was soon
interrupted, and not more than half dozen rounds
were fred during tie four hours contest tbai ensncd
For the lat two Or three rounds Col. Lee carried up
the ammunition with his own hand.. Ia all THE
time. our men had but occas ionsl glimpees Of the
enemy. aud were, excepting the detachmeu,s Of tie
18Th Massachusetts continually exposed to the view
Of their opponents. Toe iire OF muskctry upon
them was almost inc,fs.nt, bat artillery tie
Rebels did not use, hom beginning TO end. TIE
slsuqlter, which we know TO have resulted,
seem, al the more reInarkable in view Of this fact
IL ia taobsbe that the Rebels were familiar with tie
prouLd, and knew precisely where TO direct their
vol eys; and that the pluck which our mencertsiny
the Massachusetts, men--showed in returning to the
same spot of action again and again, orly brought
certain AID renewed destruction upon them. / am
assured tba, as sncb new line was formed the Rebel
yoleys would reom TO meet them, and sepanie them,
as if by lightning srokes, into broken and scattered
pcours. No line could stand before their concen-
trated fire. and the mpos-ibility Of discovering them
sheltered as they were by thick woods rendered orr
troops efforts at retaliation perfectly futile Beyond
al doubt, our force was prodgiously ouinumbered
Making every allowance for the exaggerated conjec-
lures which participants in action like this are apt
10 make. il seems probable that the odds on the
Rebel tide were as three to one. They might have
been larger, and certainly the alinoSt universal opn
ION il that they were.
For more than an hour this worl, continued before
our disast, rs appeared to become overwhelming
little after O'Clock Col. Baker was sho, apparently
in the chest or stomach. He was standing in
advance of bis eft eudeayoring to rally u company
of Pennsy lvania administers. lie fell heavily for
ward, but Immediately raised himself upon hs lands
and knees, and aiterward with effort, 10 hi feet.
lie stood erect only for au instant, and, without
ultering a word, fell again mciiopess. IL Is prob
hbe that he received another shot at the moment of
rfing. am told thu, tho only wonder lie that Col.
Baker did not fall earlier, daringly id he expose
Liusef at all moments during the action.
A 4 -. 4. a. rf,y Infa1 aal