Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-07-13

the Sudbury Guards among the rounded.
CAMP -, MARTGNsBUnG, Va,
JulS 3, 1861.
DEAR WILyERT-
Gen. Patterson's Army have at last
adv anced this far on the "sacred soil of Old
Virginia" The Eleventh boys, first Wis
consin regiment, few Cavalry and u portion
of Captain Perkins Artillery met with most
CORDIAL reception their first visit TO the hos
pitable State Of the F. F. VS.. Yesterday morning
(ruesdayD preparatory to the moving OF the
entire force, scouting party Of thirteen men,
with corporal, were detailed from the Eleventh !
aud tho Wisconsin regiments, under command |
of Lieut. Colonel Coulter to visit the country on |
the Virginia side of the Potomac, opposite Will |
Transport. to discover the whereabouts of the |
rebcls-our party met with reception they had
not hargained for. The scouts started at O'Clock
! in the IN 1rning it was very dark and the boys
having reached the opposite shore were moving
along noiselessy they supposed, when, bang!
bang came The fire of $50 rebels right in the
/ midst of our scouts which confused them some,
| they Immediately returned their fire with double
| interest. making the rebels retreat without saying
"wIth your leave" or giving our boys a chance
| to find out what damage they had done TO them
Our fellows fred twice and had third load ready
| for them, but the rebels thinking "discreion the
better part of valor" left abruptly that the boys
kept the last load for another fight. Not one of
the psrty was injured. How they escaped is
beyond my comprehension.
About o'clock of the same morning all the
regiments in and near Wiamsport,-in fact all
of Gen. Patterson's Division, were ordered to
march into Virginia. We forded the river, and
every thing passed off pleasantly until we reached
| Falling Waters, four miles below Williamsport,
when we heard of the rebels and it was not long
till we had smell of jeff. Davis southern pow.
der" There was a regular fight thcn--some
may call it skirmish, but from the way in which
the cannon and the Minnie rifle balls flew,
should call it, well a regular battle. The Wis
consin boys took the left of the line, acting prin.
pally as scouts and sharp. shooters, while our re-
siment took the right, the post Of honor. and the
battery, with the cavalry, the centre. If ever
+ pretty move and display of bravery was enact.
, ed it was shown by the lth regiment. The COM
maiid was given (aiter the enemy commenced
the Eght) by Col. jarrett 10 charge away went
: the boys on a run, cheering at every jump, with
the balls of the enemy fying around ard about
/, them, and repeatedly an eight pound cannon ball
striking in front and sometimes ball bounding
over their heads. One of our drum corps picked
up an eight FOUNDER that flew over the right Of
our company and passed over the heads of our
Charlie and Capt Bruner. was frightened then,
supposing they and others were killed, but Capt,
Bruner seeing the ball strike before them, cried
fall" which they did and thus escaped unhatm'
' ed. |: was when they fell thought they were
, gone. but | was soon relieved, Tor mp came a
= cheer, and | saw our brave fellows rush into the
f Iht and pour a voley into the enemy that made
i them scatter. II was the evident intention OF
= the guuners of the rebels battery to break the
: centre of our column, thinking by doing so they
c would he confused and they (the rebels) have an
4 II. ,l.t Il Ia a hair
# mark, the steady and determined charge of our
a regiment, the continued throwing of shell and
hail by the battery. with sharp-shootng Of the
/. | Wisconsin bows, made them retreat and the first
}. victory gained on Virginia sell was by portion
of the 9th Brigade.
The battle lasted about one hour and a half
| and the length of ground on which it was fought
If was three miles
\ The force of the enemy was four regiments
!, with five hsndred cavalry, about double our mum
/ Der. The loss of the enemy was over one hun
!, dred killed fifty wound, hasdes several prisoners
while our loss was two killed, one in our regi
ment and one in the Wisconsin, and about twelve
wounded,-two severely. The one killed in ou
. regiment was member Of Company H., (Dan
: vile Rlnes). The enemy. Oh their retreat, SAT-
if it had not ''een for The d---d regulars the
e would have whipped us-the idea OF them takinl
H. such raw recruits as us for regulars Is iaughabl
=. the, tosk US for u s. Troops, from the fac
T. of our wearing The undress uniform Of the regu
N lars, the coat being the same rs that worn b
., the Dewart Guards.
p, The enemy have retreated toward Winchester
further down in Virginia where we soon exPeC
r. to have another engagement. Our whole iorc'
os by Friday, at Martinsburg will be about twenty
Ie FIVE thousand with Doubleday's heavy battery
a. the Rhode Island battery and Perkins batter
n besides some Cavalry, part of which the Fir
il, City Troop of Philadelphia When we do me-
i, they will have more To remember than the reco
:, ctions of the battle of Falling Waters. shoul
m have stated that McMun's Rangers took a
A. active part ip the light did good service and tht
N. with great credit Our boys, SunbuIy Guards,weT
,r the hottest of the fight, they being in the cent
and strange to say one was killed, and b'
hs one slightly wounded. The name of the wounde
80. man is Christ shall, from Cincinnati. was
the Hospital assisting, when he came IN, alt
, the wound was dressed he turned to me and sa'
Harry, where is my gun, must go help II
'u boys fight it OUT and he went, and after return
IT, ing helped Bill Christ to kill two heeves. Tn
is what call cool and shows considerable br
vey When the man fell, Capt. Bruner, seen
rs, him. shouted, "boys, svenge the death of Shall
Ia, the Captain suppOsng him dead, away went ii
boys with yell and made some pretty goo
X work. All our boys returned from the hight
lis good humor, aud the 'knie and fork game" pa,
nd ed at supper, gave evidence that the days wol
i. did not spoil their appetite. .... .-go ....-.
wv | commenced this last night, the Sd, at Ma
by tinshurg and finish on the 4h OF July, opposi
rs. Wiamsport twelve miles above. The reasO
of my doing SO, is, that the Wisconsin and OF
regiment have been sent here as guards TO uai
on OF two hundred wagons after a three months su
'r, ply of provision, and escort TO the Rhode |
10 land regiment Pretty work forthe 4h, and
NY Sergeant Helbng says, mot glass Of lager
eu drink" You have your fun TO day-we expe
IN, ours soon 10 fight and great deal more ple'
'ry sure return home, if we are lucky enoue
I'd 10 get there.
Yours, Fraternslly, II. D. w