Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-10-31
The Battle at Edwards Ferry.
BATTLE m WESTERN VIRGINIA.
Capture of a Rebel Steamer Load
ed with Army Supplies.
THE BATTLE ATEDWARDS's FERRY
WASHINGTON, Friday, Oct. Is, 1861.

kDE Il a l LIE Il L EDh AhDS - r Ehh :.
WASHINGTON, Friday, Oct. IS, 1861.
The Hon Amasa Walker of Mass Just from
Edwardss Ferry and Poolesville, who has been
at much pains to get the facts, says that many
of tho accounts heretofore published are in
correct Col. Devens, he says, crossed with
500 men of the 18th Massachusetts ut mid.
night, and with the rest Of the regiment, ,aboat
the same number, at dawn. Company H. with
Company Assent forward as an advance guard
with Company 6. to sustain them, and Com
panies |. aud G. as reserve, advanced within
sight of Leesburg before they encountered the
enemy, with whom they exchanged several
volleys. At the first fre Company H. which
bore the brunt Of the skirmiSh, lost one killed
and twelve wounded. Col Devens fell hack
some distance, aud there was no more fighting
till about 2 2. m. After Col Bakers arrival
with re-enforcements, Col. Lees command, 10th
Massachusetts, came after Col Baker, and the
companies from the Tammany Regiment did
not arrive till nearly the close Of the fight
The tardy arrival of the men was ia conse,
quence of insuficency Of means Of transpora-
tion, one scow carrying so at time, being the
sole conveyance The general battle beginning
about o'clock, lasted till IL o'clock =
Daring the whole time shower of bullets fell
upon our men. Only two companies of Col
Devens's regiments had rifles, the smooth bofes
Of the others would not carry 10 the Rebels,
who fought at long distance.
When several times our men seemed to give
way, and the enemy approached, he was driven
back As whole, all engaged fought we'll
The two Rhode Island howtzers did great ex-
ecution until all the gunuers were killed or
driven of. Lieut. Pierce, who was in CON-
mand, received three wounds Col Baker was
killed at one Of these guns The Tammany
boys, two Companies arrived full of fight, and
dashed forward in the endeavor to save the
day, but were terribly cut up the first fire. A
retreat was inevitable Col Deveus, upon
whom the command deVolved after the death
Of Col. Baker, and the capture Of Col Coggs-
well and Lee, conducted it in excellent order,
throwing out pckets on each faux By his
orders the men threw their guns into the wat
er. The one scow was swamped the first trip.
Many swan across, others hid themselves un-
der the bank and escaped unohserved by the
enemy. Two men ran up stream, found
small boat With negro, who rowed them
across, and the course Of the night 100 more
Another negro took off thirteen men on Tues-
day. Struggling fugitives began to arrive in
camp at 10 o'clock at night. A Rebel Lieu
tenant who was captured swore that Que South.
erner could whip six Yankees, unless they
fought like those blue devils, pointing to the
18th Massachusetts.
A man who went over to make arrange
ments for the burial Of our dead saw and re-
ported heap of Rebel dead much larger than
ours
Lieut. Greene Company F, 18th Massachu-
settS, fought almost through the entire battle,
was surrounded, refused to surrender, shot q
Rebel in front, and was shot by one behind
Since the fight, Harrisons Island has been
abandoned. According to a report from Budd's
Ferry, she'll was thrown by the Rebels into
the encampment Of the Sckles Regiment.
which the men rushed to get as a trophy As
they were seizing it, it exploded, killing eight
or niue
Yesterday morning there were les wounded
in the hospitals there, 90 of whom are from the
Massachusetts 18th, and 33 from the goth A
person who assisted in burying the dead, re-
ported the number at "A ; 237 of the MaSsa-
chusetts 18th were unaCcounted for. and l48
Of the goth. The Sanitary Commission have
sent the wounded three wagonoads OF COM
forts.
One of Gen. McClellan's Aids telegraphed
to'the Surgeon in charge at Poolsvle last night
inquiring about the wounded in the engage
nent Of Monday. The following reply was re
turned
The wounded are not coming to Washing
ton. They are well taken care Of here, and
are doing remarkably well"
THE ORDER TO COL. BARER.
Brig. Gen Casey early this morning sent
message to Mr. Webb, from whose house Col.
Bakers funeral took place, that he should not
deliver up the order given to Col Baker bV
Gen. Stone to cross the Potomac, nor reveal
its contents, as it was to be embodied in
special report 1t is we'll known here that Col
Baker, holding the open order in his hand after
he had read it, said Il will do it, bu. this is
my death warrant"
The NAVAL ENGAGEMENT AT NEw-oRLEANs
The following important dispatches from
Flag Officer Mexican, commanding the Gulf
Blockadng Squadron, were received at the
Navy Department to day:
UNITED STATES STEAMER, RICHMOND,
s. ". Pass OF MISSISSIPPI RIVER, October 49, 1861,
SIR: / have the honor to make the follow
ing report At 3:45 a. N. October IL, 1861,
while the watch on deck were employed in
taking coal on board from the schooner Joseph
II. Toone, a ram was discovered in close prox.
unity to this ship. By the time the alarm
could be given, she had struck the ship abreast
OF the port fore channels, tearing the schooner
from her fastenings, and forcing hole through
the ships side. Passing aft, the ram endeavor-
ed to effect breach in the stern, but failed -
Three planks in the ships side were stove in
about two feet below the water line, making a
hole about FIVE inches in circumference At
the first alarm, the crew promptly and cody