The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-10-22
THE FIGHT AT ECLIvAR.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE BATTLE.
IIsApQuARrrRs TWENTY EIGHTH REGIMENT +. ", I
poisr OF Rocks Md, Oct II, 1861.

Captain T. r. BrSnNG, commanding Light Battery X
Ninth regiment, n US NJ
have the honor to submit for your consideration the
following report Of engagement which occurred at
Harpers Ferry and Bolivar, Virginia, on Wednesday,
10th Instant.
On Sunday, 18th nst | received orders AT six Y. NJ
from Colonel Geary, commanding this post TO hold the
section under my con mand readiness march mt
moments notice. Al eleven +. NJ. we left tbs post by
railroad, aud arrived at Sandy Hook ut one O'Clock on
Monday morning, 14th instant. ! should here mention
that the order To- the moving Of the entire section
aterN ards changed to refer to one Piece only with
on "a ssn Al possible alter arriving at Sandy
HOOK Che piece tne throwing the Iotchklss proec
te) was placed battery, coamaAding Ioudon Heights
and rakng tho road running alovy the base of those
mountains. Although an aitael was expected the
TO ces consisting of companies of the Twenty eighth reg
Peansy ania Volunteers Of the Third regiment Wis
consn Volunteers andff the Thirteenth regiment Massa
chs,lts Volunteers, who under the personal supervision
OF Coionc! GtaySwere removing stores OF wheat from
Herrs mills, situated on Shenandoah street. in Harpers
Ferry, everything remained quiet and snscipations
Of an immefate action entertained until Tuesday
evening" when Colonel Goary DO particu
larly tho alert. The night passed away quietly
however. On Wednesday morning at eight O'Clock
heavy commanding ami sharp musketry fire. in the drec
ton Of Bolivar Heights, told that work hand
opened with she'll This was Immediately replied TO- and
subsequently slenced bya section q the Rhode Island
First bG9ry, VII ch Monday morning, 18th inst, had
been with !rawn W its position Bolivar ard stationed
on Ma; yland Heights At hafpas nine A. NJ an order
from Colonel Geaiy arrived TO take my piece Immediately
over the river and report 70 him. Previous to dong so
by order of Major Gould, of tie Thirteenth Massachusetts,
Voane9rs, had tceSaphed to Point OF Rocks for The
balance Of The section While crossing the river brisk
l..r t,cta npI pu,lpt
Heights, bit pty dong no injsiy. We Immediately
passed up the Get, which III almost direct lnr
from the destroyed government buildings TO Bolivar
Heights, scorchng fro Of Shell! canister and
spherical shot which the enemy poured III upon us
from thirteen pound ried gun and an iron ilrty Two
pouder stati ned tho street runLps around Bolivar
Heights. The enemy's ann was rcma kaby accurate
not one Of their rroecties striking more than twenty
foet fon us Willie coming into battery; of theii
shells loi but two feet in l,nt OF the lead no Of the
gun and simultaneously another passed the umnr
e. Ss Msi a ssa oysr TI the h pse ss'
and between the canponeors
After taking position in the middle of tho street we
opcucd sharp Ere the enemy with She'll and news
reaching Col Gesry, who was bua few PAGES from
our right, that the enemy were falling back he ordered
me I" advance firing as we did so. We moved forward
about ono hundred and nTty yards, when the order TO
cease firing and move forward 10 Bolivar Heights reached
me- On or movea ut to- that point passed tho thr y
two pound gun (Which subsequently ertained we
sienced on car second round, the shell striking and
Lodg ca the axle body Of the carrage in possession of
the infantry, and on which Col Geary was writing his
fist despatch.
As soon as made appearance the brow of the
mi, the enemy again opened with she from the
rl'ea gun which they had posted on the lalown road,
at point where enters and screened by the douse
woods rough which masses Tie third she'll from our
gun struck their piece the face Of the O. and
gancng, tore away the entire wheel cfctualy sencns
the pece Tho eeny's cavalry wore easily to DO dis
cerned in tho woods, hut few shell dis them
Heing notified that the othe- gun Of the section
ing up the street. Col Geary ordered 10 meet H. and
take position the Shenandoah, where could bca
upon loudon Heights the battery stationed there,
any on the infantry stationed in the woods On the tights
Threw Eve shells, without, however meeting with any
response The gun then orlered to Bolivar Heights,
with the rest # the section. At eleven O'Clock T. NJ
ordered TO threw shell into HALT, ana mmcdi-
atey march 70 tho riverthe nrin NJ The gun beng tn
signal for the remadcr OF the tolco TO fa nto the line
of march. -Four hours were consumed IN transporting
the the Potomac, the only facility for
sing besrg scow, guided by cables stretched fom bank
to bank. Tho under my command acted noby and
untirngiy both during the action and whilst We were
Transporting tho section They had food nor rest for
twenty -four hours; bat with tue ep!re nr6a, as we'll
rnornns mea Wien III ansre ,asn Of the section w
completed and, after tasting heir first food sncc tn
tack being 10 kcd for from the IoUdon sead twelve
O'Clock NJ To-Day receyed orders to return by rail- TO
this place IN! arrived here al four O'Clock, am they
now enjoying the first which they have had since
Tuesday night, the 18Th inst. fee it my duty to
ton tho different effects produced By the James an
used entirely during that part OF the
action before the enemy finally reiterated. 1ht
The former did rot fail IN producing the effect desired but
and that caused by failure lodc and
by any sspt alton o the eadcn band from the proece
The latter (the 'sJames), however, in this well
other actions Nv Pr5hards Mills, Berlin and Point of
Rotks, at which have used them and the results
which have reported to You heretofore, worked vey
badly. OF the 1--WE shells that threw at the enemy
Loudon, two failed TO explode, and instance Il wha,
great deviation is caused by the lead flying on from the
she'll which is aways,the with this pr1ectle
Gully remark that with tn walton shell struck
hail way up tho mountain, the 9th er clear it, The
eaden baad would sometimes leave the proiecl whole
and at others woad fly of IN small piecesin
ten feet from the gun. You will AZ how little
lance can he placed on these shGt and shell.
In concluding this hastily written rclolt have to
mark that ircG thirty Hochkss she'll aud FIVE James
DO, total o! thirty five rouuds that came on
the field and arrived at this lost with damage
either mon, horses pieces have the honor To be,
very respectfully your cbedient servant
!. W. NAHUM, Ii Ill. Commanding
Sect. Batter! ), Smith regiment, n. Y. s NJ