, 1861-10-24
THE AFFAIN AT BOLIVAR.
The Wisconsin Roye trJ their mettle
AEMf0s

The Wisconsin Roye try their mettle
AEaia.
lFrom the Warrington star.1
On the morning Of the 10th Inst, st 8h |
O'Clock, Colonel John ". GeA!y, Of the 28tn |
regiment, and about 40 man, |
composed Of fractions Of companies A, u, F
and i Of the 2sth Pennsylvania, G, and Z, !
in, aided by two ''amateurr," Il (Jud9e Daniel |
McCook and BENZ G. Ovens, Of 11llnois,) were
attacked BY 1850 or more Of the rebels, in:
Guiding the celebrated cavalry regiment Of
Colonel Asbby.
The rebela bad SIX pieces Of arhllery-tour
upon Bolivar Heights west, upon the CHARLES
town road, and midway between the Potomac
and the Shenandoah rivers, and q mile and
half back Of the Ferry. The rebels first drove
in our pidkets from Bolivar Heights, and then
began cross fire upon Us, which lasted for
Bolivar, but were driven back by the 3td Wis
consin boys, aided by shells from Captain
Tompkins,s battery, which was upon the Mary
land Heights, east Of the Ferry:
The Wisconsin companies, led BY Captain
Henry Be1trapa, then made desperate charge
columbjad, bnt were driven back by cavalry
charge and heavy firing from the vicinity Of
Gma1lwood's woods. Shell then fell around
US thick as hail, and making noise over US
about Ike train Of cars when crossing
bridge. Capt. Tonpkus at this time turned
their guns there, and scattered the enemy, who
were Eeen in great numbers.
The two rebel guns upon Bolivar Heights
kept up constant fire with shell and canister
until about s r. M., and our men were gradual
u advancing upon them Under cover Of the
kouges, breaking down the fences as they
went to the west end Of the town, whom
3;EY1t Nnrfi4 wi$9 4 11ia nfa aFfi11arr helm o..
Ing to the New York Ninth regiments came to
our aid and fired upon the enemy with terri.
Bile effect, advancing at intervals, accompan1ed
BY Col. Gea1y in person. The men fanktng
right aud left considerably in advance Of tho
piece, and deployed oblique1Y.
The Wisconsin men, commended by Capt.
q. Bertram, we're on the left the Massachu
setts men, under Lieut.. Jackson: q Pennsylva-
MIA company, and one Of the amateuls," !"
composed the right wig Col Geary, Judge
McCook, and the balance Of the Pennsglgar
with universal about for the Union, stormed
the heights of Bolivar, drove the enemy In the
widest confusion from SmauWood'a woods,
re captured the 32pounder and two ammuni-
tion wagons, disabled several Of the >enemY's
lain sS Billy NORTH" OF Jeferhon county, "a.
The rebel ColoneIs cap was among the
trophies he rFas shot from his horse, but re-
mounted and made his escape.
The rebels could not stand the FIRE Of our ar
tlleIy and Enfield rifles, 50 they fed to the
with tie only remaining available gun they
had left but our shells soon silenced it one
OF them striking the rebel caisson, caused q
great explosion. When We reached the
heights, re found the axle Of the "new con
vert" considerably dansged by shell, and
6ust1y during the day, BY making extensive
additions to our works there, from which they
had driven our pickets in the morning.
The rebels disg1 acsd themselves more than
ever by taking off the clothing, riaing the
pockets, and then running their baYonets
through the Federal killed.
4 team Of a dozen horses Tas brought up
from the Ferry with remark rkable expedition,
and the big gun was conveyed across the river,
placed in position commanding Harper's Fer
~, and the mouth of the Shenandoah, and
was there, by one Of the "amateurB," named
"The New Convert to the Union As the
gun moved down the street towards the Mary
fsnd side, We met Major Tynda1e and Adjutan.
Flynn, Hitha reinforcement Of five companies
to wit /: B, G, /, Z and M, OF the Twenty
eighth Pennsylyania, who had Just arrived
| from Point Of Rocks.
Tho cheering Of these troops Vas most vocif
| erous; and the Virginia 1adies Of the placs
| g9Te strong proof Of their love for the Uaiol
| by waving their handkerchief and Joining il
| the general jubilee. About i've P. II, one O.
| two other cannon of the New York Nintl
crossed the river, aeceEded Bolivar Heights
| and then the woods in the direction OF Hall
town, US well a. London Heights, were com
| p1ete1y ehelled, but with no reply.
Our 1os1 we1 four killed and eight wounded
thefrH must have been very heavy, as the,
had al the wagons in the neigh5oIhood bus
| in hauling off the slain; tWo Wagons wer
seen full Of the killed, Their chaplain admit
ted the 1oes to be very heavy, and much bloc
vas found uEon the hill from which the
we're driven.
Colonel Gea1y displayed much skill an
| great bravery during the Whole engagement
This was my 1sst d"y upon the battlefield
snd my venerable friend, Judge MeCook, full
sustained the hish equation Of the "McCoo
fighting family" This Tas not "Bull Run
bat Tebtl-7un affair. The rebel Colonel, dul
ing the next day, sent down flag Of true
cileri1g to exchange the only prisoner The
took-a Pennsylvania coTporal-tor the chaI
;aiu: few Of their cavalry also aPpeare
back Of Bollyar, but we're promptly she!ls
! and dispersed By the Rhode 1s1and battery.
Great praise Is due the surgeons Of Il
Third Wisconsin and Thirteenth Massach
, sett1, for ekin and attention to the wounde
and to Corporal Myers, Of Company 4, Thil
Wisconsin, for efficient aid In bringing Il
] Captured gun of the field
Col. Geary was ordered by Major Gener
Banks to cress the Potomac at Harper's Fer
in order that be NIGH capture large qua
tity of wheat, most Of which Was stored in
, | mill belonging to 4 gentleman BY the name
, Herr. The order aforesaid was obeyed, a
| twenty one tkousadd bushels OF wheat n
. taken. The object of the mission was accol
plshed before the battle began.