Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-11-20

we heard heavy tiring of musketry immedIateiy 10
eur left in the timber-lt was one continuous roar
without interval We were ordered to halt IN the
old field, and hold ourselves in readiness. The
lbombs 'front.' enemys guns across the river were
whizzing over our heads and bursting in the neid
behind us-occasionally a musket ball came whiz.
Ting amongst us. The firing in the timber seemed
to grow louder and nearer Duff was ordered TO
post his company on the top OF the hill little 10
our right amongst some timber, and hold ms men
ready for any emergency, to act as reserve.
We had eat nothing during the whole day. had
not even had drink of water, and twas now about
3 o'clock. "A mounted courier was ut once DIS
patched to I,eesburg for some provisons-wet threw
ourselves on the ground almost exhausted ana u.s.
tened to the fight now going on within three nun
dred yards OF US. 1t would be impossible to de-
scribe my feelings as l lay, almost painting for
breath, listening to the Of battle; it seemed TO
me as though every man in the engagement must
certainly be killed or wounded from the incessant
fire that was going on. Now could hear the ar
tIl.ry of the enemy commence firing. The otn "a
was the emily regiment We had as yet IN the hghI
| trembled for the result. We expected to see them
emerge from the timber almost every moment, pur-
sued by the enemy. The firing seemed to be grow
ing weaker on our side; a courier from the field, IN
passing US, said the 9Th Va. nearly out oil am
munitiOn. We nerved ourselves TO meet the enc
my. At tins critical moment, loud cheering Is
heard little below and to our right Hurrah! the
18th Mississippi is coming to the rescue-now their
musketS are rOaring-now louder than ever SOUNDS
the Gin Of battle. Peal after peal Of the enemys
cannon came laundering in our cars the enemy's
guns on the opposite side o. the river still continue
to throw shells over the field to our For two
long hours now the fight has lasted and still there
is no knowing who is to be driven from the Held
The high bluffs and the Potomac are IN the enemyS
rear-they cannut retreat without being cut to
pieces, or drowned. With the energy of despair,
A., IL e.. .losx n,,r IL in.
tense and it is hard to keep the boys from rushing
into the fight. But now provisions arrive from
Ieesturg; we have bread and meat, and water, the
first we have had for twenty four houTs-and here,
Just on the out skirts of the battlefield the battle
raging furiously within a few hundred yards, mus
ket balls whiZzng amongst and over our hea,s-
bomb shells bursting within few yards OF us
comrades bearing the dead and wounded from the
field OF battle passing through very ranks with
them, eat hearty meal, and were much re-
freShed. We now hear loud cheering to the right
of the firing. \ passing courier informs US that the
18th is marching to the fight The increased roar
of muSketry tells us that they are in the engage
ment- The enemys fire seems to be Stacking
As the battle now RACES the Sh Va. is On our left
wing, the 18th Miss. in the centre, and the 18th
Miss. on the extreme right near the iver 1t is
now nearly dark and still the battle RACES furousy.
About this time the enemy gave way before the
18th. The 18th crosses a deep rayinc and on gain
ing the opposite side, form good line in order of
battle The enemy, although falling back, still fire
with fury. Col Featherston now calls out TO ms
men: Hen of the lTth, drire The ensmy into tie
PO,omac, or into eternity-eharge.' 18th yell
that made the very hills quake, the 18th charged
the enemy. The Yankees, after firing few scat
terng Shots with cry of despair threw down
their arms and fed Frcciptately. All at the same
time the 18th Mississippi aud the Sth Virginia made
the charge. The enemy in the centre reserved their
fire until the 18th were IN almost bayOnet reach Of
them. when they fired voley and retreated to-
wards the river, the Sth Va. charging their right
The rout was complete. On fed the enemy, thro
the tangled under growth and tinber-on the edge
of the bluff they for moment pause, many Of them
fall upon their knees and cry for mercy; others
throw themselves from the bluff, and scramble
down as best they can So great was the pressure
that many were wounded and some killed. They
throw away their guns and accOutrementS, and
plunge into the river. Never was such a scene wit
messed 6efOre-men tumbling from the bluff upon
the heads Of those below; men Scram5ng and
plunging into the water; men on their knees cry
ing for mercy-shoutS and screams Of agony. The
groans of the wounded the incessant laundering of
muske,rv, hundreds of the enemy were drowned
\ bort containing serenity rounded men sunk IN the
middle of the stream. Five hundred threw down
their arms and surrendered. The banks Of the Po-
tomac for a half mile was Strewn with guns cart
ridge boxes Shoes caps and hats, clothing of all
description torn off in their hurry. The Wounded
lined the banks. A victory could not be more com.
Plete-a retreat more disastrous and Irccipi;ate.-
All night long our men were taking prisoners, up
and down the river. The number taken by morn
ing amounted to over seven hundred The dead lay
III heaps over the field. Amongst the slain is Gen.
Baker, the Senator from Oregon. Some of the
prisoners tell us that as GHu. Baker was crossing
the river in the boat, he turned To- some of his
and said Now, boys-I intend to sleep to night in
Leesburg, or in HILL" 1t is supposed he took the
latter route Nearly all of the Tammany regiment
from New York are prisoners also all the field Off
GERS of that regiment-the Colonel, Lieut.. Colonel
Major and Adjutant One of their Colonies was
killed in the engagement Their loss was very
heavy The 18th Miss. did not get in in time to
take much part in the fight.
Thus ended one of the hardest fought battles Of
this war, so far. Thus gained one of the most
brilliant victories that has far been achieved by
our arms. IT'S true our loss is heavy for the num-
Der of engaged in the fight but not one fourth
part as severe as that of the enemy. We have to
lament the loss of Col Burt of the 18th Miss, who
was mOrtally wounded IN the battle and died Sun
day, 9th Oct. Our entire loss in this battle is A
killed and So wounded. The enemy's loss in killed
does not fall short of three hundred to the num-
Der of wounded we cannot form an accurate est-
mate, as they were taken back across the river in
vast quantities during the entire engagement. All
of the enemy artillery horses were killed. and their
artillery taken. Our behaved calamity, and
! fought like tigers. Our company was not in the
last engagement, having been in three fghts-or,
in fact, having been fighting all day, without any
thing to eat or water to drink, near
ly broken down-completely exhausted. Our forces
bivouacked near the field of battle. Our company
was ordered to the Big Spring to throw out pick
cts at which place arrived about 10 o'clock at
night forgot to say that We took from the cne-
my Ooe7' t,oo thousand stand Of arms.
On Tuesday morning. was over the battlefield (;
dead Yankees were lying every whCre-gnns and
accoutremens, canteens tin cups over-coats, blan-
| kets, &c, were strewn every where. About ten
| o'clock, Tuesday, the Yankees sent over flag Of
| truce to bury their dead, which they accomplished
| by throwing them into gullies, and covering them
| over with few spades full of earth. On WedneS-
| day morning at day-break received orders to
march at once to Carriers Mills, Goose Creek
for what object am ignorant. We remained there