Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1861-06-21
THE BATTLE OF BETHFn,
copy the eSfolIowing from tile .sispt
exffazOf yesferdor - tSSSSgr

~ o"ne. IAN engagement, last
ing four hours, took'piac- yesterday. (Monday)
between hve regiments of the troops from Old
Point and LOO Confederate troops, consisting
ofVirginians and North Carolin ,nn., under
Gen. Magruder, at Bethel okurSh, York c"un-
". before telling you OF. TIL. battle, I will'
give you some circumstances preceding it.
ABOUT two weeks.ago. party of 3OL Yankees
came up hom Hampton aud occupied Bethel
church, which position they held day or two
and then retired. leaving written on the walls
of'the church several inscriptions. such as
"Death TO the Trsitcrsl" "Down will, the Re-
oeisI' &c. To nearly nfl Of these the names
OF the writers were defiantly signed, andSall of
The pensmen signed themselves ns. from New
York except one who was from Boston Mass,
U.s. To these excursions into the interior,
OF which this was the buldest. General Magru-
der determined TO put stop, and accordingly
hlled thesplhce after the Yankees left, with
few companies cf his own troops In addition
70 a''s. he determined 10 carry the wnr intv
enemy's country, and on Wednesday last
stanards battery, Of the Howitzer Battalion,
was ordered down to echnrch. where it was
soon joined by roitio61f Browns bnttery. of
the same corps. The North Carolina Reci-
mcnt. under Col. Hill, vas al.o there. makina
malt about i.loo men. and seven how,,zen
guns.
On Saturday last. the first excursion Of con
SIDERABLE Importance was made. dptacb,
ment Of 200 infantry and howi,z-r~pun c,,-
der Major Rnodolrh. aud one Of seventy int
fantry and another howitzrr under Alai Lane
OF the North Carolina Regiment, started in
different routes tu cut off party Which had
Left Hampton. The party was ee-n and Fl red
at by Maj. Randolrh's detachment, tut made
"uch fast time that they escaped. The troops
'adee Maj. Lane passed within sight OF Hanp.
ton, and as they turned up The road to return
to Bethel, encountered :he Yank eea, number
ing about ninety. who were en,renched behind
fence ia The field protected by high bank.
dEr advance guard fired on then, and in an
other mott'ent tic North Caro!inians were dash.
ing over the fence in regular French (not New
1ork) Zouave style. firing at them in real
'qr'rrel hunting style. The Yankees G-d for
their hres after firing f"r about three minutes
without effect. leaving behind them three dead
aad a prsoner. The prisoner was n stout, ugly
tsslow. !fsm Ir"y. EewsYork. lie said tina,
he had nothing against 1s.e'. South, but some
body must he sel'liers. ard.he thought he had
as well eclss. None Of orr men were kurt
Yhis bold excursion, under the very guns of
the enemy. determined tue authorities at Old |
Point to put stop to it and clear Us out from !
Bethel This determination was c.,nvrv-d to |
n' oy persons who cage from the ncighbor-
hood ofthe enemy. On 4pn1s5 morning
about COO Infantry and two guns, Under Cen |
Magroder. left the camp and proceeded to.
wards Hampton; but after advancing mile
ortx9 reseived information :hat the Yankees T
ws'e coming in lnrge force. We then retired,
and after reaching camp. the guns were glazed
In bstttry, and the Infantry took their r!a,.s
teh'nd their breast-wprka. Ever, a,.IY was
cool. st.d all We're anxious to ,ire The invaders
a good reception.
About o'clock, the g!itter.ay bavoncts OF
the enemy appeared on the hill opposite aud
"oPvc item waved III Star Spsngted Banner
The moment the ieu'l Of the c"luu,u a.lvanc-.i
far enough to show one nr twn companies. ,L.
tsrrot gun of the llowiiz'r Battery :,I4nei "n
thsm, throwing shell right into their nids,.
f!e'r ranks hEeke in, c"Yfusipn, s;1 the col
anlR or IA rnucI, of it as We con,d De-, retreat
ed behipd two sma!'fa farm Iouses From their !
position a fire was opened on ;,s, which WAS
replied to ~ our battery. which commanded
ti's F"ate 1f their approach. Our lirinr was
excellent. and the shells eca,se.rd in all direc
t'ons when they bo;s,. They caald hardly /
apPfoac' the glne which they w.ye 6riag fer
the shells which cnme from our la,t-ry. With.
in our encsmpment EEL! q perfect hail ,,orn of
canister shot, hulIets and tsHs.. Remarkable
I" say. notPone Of our nlen was killed inside Of
our encampm-nt Several l,urs"s were slain
by tie SHELLS and bullets
Finding tpst bombardment would not AL
swsr the enemy, about Il o'clock. tried to
carry the position by assault. Lu, me, terri
ble reepulse at the hands of the infantry as he
tried 70 scale the breast works. Tho men dis
regarded sometimes the defences erected for
theM, and, leaping on the embankmen,, stood
and hred at tie Yankees cutting them down
as they cane up. One company of the New
York Seventh Regiment, under Capt Ward
rop. T Winthrop, stte'nRied to taka the re-
doubt u, the left. The marsl, they crossed
was strewn with their bodies. Their CAPTAIN,
. fiue-looking man, pesched the fence, and
ieaping on log waved his swor.l, cryiuy,
Come on. boys; one charge and the doy is
udrs" The Words were his last, for Caroli-
m r'he ended his lite tue next moment, and
''s mon fed in terror BACK. AT the redoub.
o. the right, q con- pany Of about 300 New
York Zouavss charged on one Of our guns but
ctulJ not stand the fro OF the infantry, saud
istreated pretpitately. -
During these charges tho. main body of the
sneny, on the hill. were attempting 10 capcsn.
tate tor ssseneral assault. buss,he. SHELF from
%, the he~itzer battery prevented staem.. Al one
regiment would give up -ths effort, -anolher
yopH be marched 70 the position, bnt with mo-
be3es sucsess. for . shell would scattsr them
hksashsf. Tbe'nnea did not seen, aba. 10
stand FIRE ct all.
About one o'clock, their guns were silepoed