Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-11-29
lrrom the Boston Transcript
The Hattie at Ball,s Bluff

We have been permitted to publish the
folio wing extracts from private letters writ
ten by an officer of one Of the Masssehu-
sets regiments engaged. The statements
are both new and interesting:
1.-The place selected for the crossing was
the worst TO be found on the Potomac. The
hank Of the river is the side of steep bluff
covered with woods and rocks, up which
there rs but one narrow, crooked, deep and
slippery path. Our men had to crawl up
this path in single file for distance Of u
quarter of q mile. Ascending the Hill where
they expected 10 meet the enemy, they found
only an open field Of twelve or fifteen acres,
surrounded by woods. The enemy knew Of
Gun approach, but kept quiet, although 500
men could have prevented the landing of
three thousand. They knew we were in q
trap. whenever VIC landed. Too weak in
numbers TO advance, NO means to retreat, q
hidden enemy. and a General who refused
to, send reinforcements, although officers
Hho had crossed at Edwards Ferry, four
miles below, ssnt messenger after Ressen-
ger. vainly begging permission to 60 to the
relief of their comrades.
The enemy's force could not much have
exceeded ours, it now appears Our infor-
nation is that the 18th and 18th Mississippi
and Sth Virginia we're engag d. But they
had forces in great numbers within call
They had also cavalry, and they had negro
soldiers. Our men who went over with q
flag Of truce next day to bury the dead, saw
numbers Of them, and saw them dressed and
treated the same as white soldiers. Officers
addressed them Familiarity, and they were
apparently on an equality with the whites.
Col. Lee behaved with the greatest gal
lantry. He was constantly among the men,
sharing all their dangers, serving their guns
with ammunition, aud exhibiting great cool
ness and courage. In fact none Of our men
left any stain that day on the banner Of the
10Th The seyerest test Of their stamina
was In holding out for hours against an nm
seen foe. Not twenty Of them saw rebel
that day.
Lieutenant Hallowell, Co. H., after swim
ming the river, made 9 raft Of old rails tied
together with strips of india rubber blank
ct. On that he crossed again and brought
over load after load of his own and other
men-and this under the enemy's fire. At
last his raft parted in the middle Of the
stream. OF five men, three were drowned;
the other two he brought ashore. Our woun-
ded men were butchered ia many instances,
and men who had surrendered were bay
oneted in cold blood. OF this we have album
dant evidence. Even rebel officers cut down
wounded meni
Half an hour after we had abandoned the
island it was covered with the enemy's cav
airy. They had plenty Of boats. and be-
sides knew fording places where cavalry
could cross. Az for General Stone, the ar
ticles of war are very freely violated both
by officers and soldiers in commenting upon
his conduct. He was nowhere near the bat
tie field until General Mcclellan told him,
''Sir, your place is across the river" He
then went over at Edwards Ferry, and
brought back 5000 men. 2, 500 Of whom had
within an hours double quick
OF the field. II does not help
him that he is known 10 be in high favor
with the Maryland seeessionists. These
fellows express the greatest confidence in
Gen. Stone; and vhy shouldn't theys He
orders the troops under his command to
obey and observe the laws Of Maryland,
which forbid the harboring Of fugitive
slaves. &C.; protects known traitors who
have been arrested by subordinate officers
for making signals to the enemy. and when
brought before him have been discharged,
with reprimand to the officers making
such arrests; sends back all negroes found
in the camps TO whosoever claims them;
and TO crown his recommendations to their
favor, has needlessly, foolishly, criminafly, |
ordered our Massachusetts, troops to unRyajl-
ing slaughter. Colonel Kinks report is
his structures just.