Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1861-06-22
The Battle at Rethel.

church, on Monday last The subioincd
from one Of thospcci"l correspondents of the
Richmond Dispatch is, We think, the most
graphic:
IoRKTowN, June IL, 1861 An en-
gagcmcnt, lasting about four hours, took
plncc yesterday (Nlondny,) between five rcgi-
ncnts Of the troops, froul Old Point and
l.lOo Confederate troops consisting of Vir
eIniins and North Carolinians, under General
Nlagrndcr, at Bethel church, York county,
Before telling you of the battle, ! will give
you some circumstances preceding it. About
two weeks ago, party of 800 Yankees camc
up from Hampton and occupied Bethel
church. which position they held a day or
two and then retired, leaving written on the
walls OF the church several inscriptions,
such as death to tho traitors Down with
the rebels " &c. To nearly all of these the
names OF the writer's were dcfantly signed,
and all OF the pcnsmcn signed themselves as
from New York except one who was from
Boston, Mass, ". s. 10 these excursions
into the interior, of which this was the bold.
est, Gen. M,grulcr determined to put stop,
and accordingly filed the pacc after the
Yankees left with few companies of his
own troops. In addition to this, he deter
mincd to carry the war into the encmy's coun.
try, aud on Wednesday last Stanar,'s batter,
Of the llowi'zcr Battalion was ordered down
to the church, where it WAS soon Joined by a
portion of Browns battery, of the same
corps. Tie Nurth Carolina Regiment, un-
der Colonel Ill., was also there. making in
oil about l., ,lO0mcn and seven howitzer guns.
On Saturday last the first excursion of
considerable Importance WAS made a de-
tachmcnt Of 200 infantry and Il howitzcr gun
under Mai. Randolph. and one of 70 infant.
ry, and another howitzcr under Major Lime,
of the n. G. regiment. started different routes
to cut off party which had left Hampton
The party was seen and fired at by Mai
Randoph's detachment, but made such fast
time that they escaped. The troops under
Major Lane passed within sight of Hampton,
and us they turned up the road to return to
Bethel, encountered the Yankees numbering
about 30. who were cntrcnclcd behind 2 fcucc
in tho field, protected bya high bank Our
advance guard fired Oh them, and in another
moment the North Caroliniuns were dashing
over the fence in regular French (not New
York; Iouare style, firing ut them in real
squirrel hunting style. The Yankees fled
for their lives after firing for about three
minutes without effect, leaving beiini them
three dead and one prisoner. The fellow was
u stout, ugly fellow from Troy, n y: He
sad that lie had nothing against the South
but somebody must &c soldiers, and he
thought he had as well enlist. Nune Of mr.
men were hurt.
This bold excursion. under the very ,uns
of the enemy, determined the anthoritirs at
Old Point to put stop to it and clear us our
from Bethel. This determination was con.
vcycd to us BY persons who came from tho
nci. hborhood of the enemy On Mnr,,,v
morning. about 500 infontrv md two ,,uns
nndcrNcn. Magi,,,ler left tie en., and p,u.
cccdcd towards EIampton. bnt t,,ftrr ,dv.nc.
ing mile ortwo, received information flat
the Ynnlccs were coming in lnrrc force
We then retired, and after reaching canp tile
guns were placed in battery, and the inf,ntry
took their places brhind thnir breast work !.
Everybody was cool aud all we're anxi,,u, to
give the invaders a good reccpton.
About ninc o'clock the uiticrino b,yo
nets Of the enemy appeared on the hill opno.
site, anl above them waved the star snauacd
banner. The moment tho hcod IF thc col.
unn advanced far enough to show onc or two
companies the Parrot gun of tho howitzcr
battery opened on them. throwing n shell
right into their midst. Their ranks broke in
confusion and the column, or as much of it
ns VIC could see, rctrcatcd behind two small
farm houses. From their position q fire was
opened on us, which was replied to by our
bnttcry, which commanded the route of their
approach. Our firing was excellent. and tho
shells scattered in all directions when tbcv
burst. They could hardly approach the Guns
~ Al, "fP 49, $50