Newbern weekly progress., 1861-12-24

neous. The action, In tact, commenced on
Thursday evening between the pickets; and
this contradicts the statement previously ID .
that the enemy approached from the rear and
| front, turning both our f1anks. AS near as
we can ascertain. the Federals who were
doubtless guided by Union n1en of the vitin
| ity, came upon Gel. Johnson's emp, soon
after daylight, from the north, their strength
| being four regiments OF about 900 men eact.
| They attacked our forces, consisting of three
regiments of an average of 100 each, two bat
| taiions numbering together 200 men, and two
batteries of four guns each. The fight con
tinued until 9 O'clock P NJ, when the enemy
retreated.
| One great advantage that the F-derals pos
sessed position behind some felIed timber
| at Il convenient distance from our camp where
they were we'll protected from our Ere. aud had q
good opportunity of picking off when
ever they showed themselves. They were, how.
| ever, hnalily shelled out by batteries. and
! forced TO make a rapid retreat They carried
| most of their wounded down the mountain to
the ambulances. though some we're left on the
seld.
Capt Anderson. of The Lee Battery, was shot
dead from his horse at early period of the
| fight, 4 Ierier to Judge Camden luentions the
| death of an officer Of tha ~efth Georgia .gi.
ment, but gives name We also hear that
! Lieut.. Regan was killed !, but there are contra
dctOrv statements relative to the death If Lieut.
| Lewis Thompson. The Northwestern boys be
| haved most galiantiy, and deserve much praise
for their heroic conduct. They advanced snd at.
tackled the enemy in three separate times, and
F.! being thus exposed suffered more heavily thar
any other troops Only two companies of the
! Fifty Second Virginia Regiment (Cl Baldw in :,
were engaged in the fgkt-Capt. SINNERS and
| Capt. Liii"y's. Several woun led in these
cJmpanirs. c but only killed.
| Our inf"rlnants state that Col. johnson " COY
cred himself with glory, and is entitled TO tht
appelis'ion Of the Hero of the Alieghauey.' Al
an early period of the b. tile. when men par
| tialiy fell back under fierce charge, Col John
san placed himself at their head. and, seiZing
| stout bludgeon, waved it in the air. shouting
! words of encouragement and bidding defiance tc
! the enemy. The men were fred with enthnsi
asm, and johnson led them on the charge in per
! son. sweeping the Yankees before him like chaff
| It is represented 10 have been ent of terri
| bic excitement; bat the troops and their brave
commander proved equal to the emergency. a
yonng man from the camp says that many 81 true
soldier shed tears over the death of the brave
| Anderson, bat all joined in the shout OF joy oL
witnessing the hernsm of Jo ohnson.
| When taxi into consideration the numer-
cial weakness of our force, and the streng! h and
ad vantageons position of the enemy. we cannot
bnt regard it of most desperate confic O
the war. That the Federas suffered heavily
there is doubt yet there mendacious newspa
pers will pursue their usual course of misrepre
sentation, and announce it Gs grand Union
! Triumph Yet they will scarcely have the hardl
hood to venture another attack upon Col John
son and his command.-Ri Rich. Dispatch 17h'