Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-11-07


the 'front.' and placed gan Of the Rhode Island ba
terry In poson supported By the companies Of the Mas
saehusss F-entie,b aud much of the Tamnany regi-
upon the island aud could be induced to re
MAN. which disposition being made and pckes extend
ed upon the Virginia side Of the island commenced
active tor the gathering OF the wounded aud
the OF cling parties Of our troops upon the
Virginia shore by the construction Of RATS and the use
Of small boats the beats used for crossing TO the Vir
einA shore having been suamped lost in the precp
and disoEiery treat. No field ogic'r Ga duty
upon the isltrd with the exception Of hso Bon OF
the New York Tammany regiment
After passage OF the Nineteenth Massachusetts, reg
iuent reinforcemenss crossed the island although
several regiments upon the towpas on the Mary
land side but returned to their camps during the night
considerable number OF unArntd fugityes, from Var
regiments passed 10 the Maryland shore during
the night ard the transportation OF the wounded was
continued until noon Of the 22l.
va the morning OF the s2t dispatched 1t. Dodge Of
the Nineteeth Massachusetts, With ig OF truce, to re-
quss OF the rebs commander permission TO remove our
Wourdsd Of which number lay In view urclred Tor, on
the YTnla shore. This request was Denied except In
the case Of few apparently MORALLY wounded The re-
maindsr taken prisoners. Permission for nv sur
goa and treat the wounded was also refused,
except upon condition that he should remain prisoner
IN their hands Subsequently dispatched Capt Vaughn,
OF the Rhode Island battery with another dag OF truce,
TO OBTAIN permission bury the dead which was acce-
dsd &C. with the stipulation that mo movement OF troops
should be made from the island to the Maryland shore
IN retreat while the buryiDg party employed and
dispatched Captain Vaughn with party OF ten for
that pose who remained until after dark and sue
eesded IN bgryng forty dies which he reports
TO be about tsothirds Of the number lying upon the
ground but light coming on, he was unable to bury he
2 .maincer,
During the afternoon facious complaint was made by
the rebel commander that bad yiolited the stipulao
under which the Gag Of tuoe was protected, accom-
parted BY threat 10 retain Captain Vaughn and bis
party as prisoners Of war at addressed note to
tho rtb commander denying the accusation, threw up
lor ntrencaments aud made disposition Of troops, with
view Of renewing Institutes II the threat vas carried
into execution. Subsequently, however, Capt Vaughn
retnnd with his purity and informed me that nv tx
pllnaon deemed satisfactory by the rebel comman-
der.
Immediately after Captain Vaughn returned, under
cover Of the night commercsd retrGsl 10 pursuance
of orders previously received from General Hamilton,
and transported three pieces Of artillery with cassons
and ammunition thrtysx horses and the eleven com
plnes OF iufAntry under my command numbering some
seven hundred meu 10 good order TO the Maryland sho
without any casualties or less whatsoever ana compe
ting the retreat at twelve O'Clock, Immediately passed
myconpemens 20 the rebel commander, 10 the form OF
four shells from Captain Vaughus guns, which bad been
placed in battery upon the high ground overlooking the
canal sud river
Duror the retreat wss reinforced BY five companies
Of tao Massachusetts, Second, under The command OF
Cloaia Tucker Who renamed upon tits side OF the river
uhefe stationed bin With his command in support o.
d, bery AID ordered TO camp the companies OF the
Nineteenth and TNeatetb Who we're greatly exhausted,
having beer constantly employed in the entertainments,
buyog the dead removing the wounded and transport
ING the artillery 10 and from the leland.
fhe enemy kuoWn TO aaye been engaged consisted oil
the Eighth Virginia R. gment under command OF Colonel
Jsnutfer aud the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Mississippi
Regiments with a squadron Of horse and battery the
whole under command OF Gen. Evans.
Oar loss Ia killed. wounded and missing cannot be de-
te-mne1 a large numbers of wounded and unuounded
wsra drowned when the bors we're sEamped as well az
Ia the npl 10 swim the river during the night aud
no reports a. have been msds to me. The fifteenth
MsslSchusstis fEents.h BIkers California regiment
and part Of the Tammany regiment lost large MIN
Der Of men, who made prisoners. Col Lee and
Major Revere OF the Twentieth, and COL GcgssWel, OF
the TsmmAny regiment, are reported missing. Lieut..
Col Ward OF The Ffssen:h Ma s'chuSettl, seve'ey
wounded W, have Ice: trl hos and ra d can
no. longing TO Capt Vaughn's Hhode Island battery,
aud number OF small arms-sky 5OO-Uth equip
mars shall make further report OF the killed that
were identified before burial
Tbsys "a report that the remnant Of the Tammany
rezimen, under command Of Major Bon, deserted lie
pos, n the entertainments On the island a an early hour
10 the forenoon of the 22 and passed to the Maryland
shore IN dsooedencs of ofdes5, while was eogsg a 10
arranging for tue removal o; the Uoundsd ana the oaf
o. Ln5 oS-u; $3.50 rvyc-r VIII justice 70 troop
who fought vAlislllS, without commenting upon the
olu7es which led 70 their defeat and complete rouI
The means Of transportation for advance 10 support
or for a retreat were Grim nAly deficient especially
when we consider The facility for creating proper means
for lch purpo9as at cur disposal Tue place for landing
upon the Virginia shore most unfortunately select
"a being az port where the shore with great abb
rup.uess for distance Of some one hundred aud fty
wards az an angls Of least thirty degrees and
studded with tcss beng entirely impossible 70 artillery
or ufutry in line. At the summit the surface i9 uIdu
laiing where abe enemy placed in force out Of
view and cut down our troops with murderous FIRE,
which We could no. return with any Of CT The entire
Island vas also commanded by the enemys artillery ard
rifles In fact uniortunae position could have
been forced by the enemy ioc making attack
much less selected by ourselves. Within half mile up
on either side Of the point selected landing could have
been effected. where could have been placed upon
equal terms With the enemy, il Il necessary to .ct
landi-g from the Island Ny Judgment however eau
ror s9prove OF that policy which muldpes the number
of river crossings without any compensation In securing
commanding positioHs thereby.
Respectfully submitted,
EDWARD w. HISXs.
Colo1sl Nineteenth Massachusetts, Volunteers, com.
Rsnisg brigade.
SOTE-EsTrNATE OF Ioss
Died $50
Wounded $50
Prisoners 500
Tssa 900
Oar dead asd many of the wounded we're stripped oil
shoes coats aud caps aud their bades asd Of vsluAbes
by the enemy. Federal troops engaged, about 100.
EEgosr OF rgE OFFICERS IN CuARoE OF THE AsELLKaT AT
THE BATTLE OF sALLS BLUE
There were three pieces Of artillery on side at the
bate of Bslps Buff on the 2lst inst. Two Of these,
ho-tZsIs belonging 20 Ricketts, battery were thro5n
into the river 20 proven. their falling into the hands Of
Is GaII