Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-12-26
From the Richmond Dispatch.
The Fight ut Drnnesviiie-EElI Particulars Tie Re
giments Engaged-FigAt'ng Against odds.

From the Richmond Dispatch.
The Fight DrnmesvlIr-tuI ParsicunTs- I'i.e re
glme"ts Eng"ged-F1gh'"g Against odds.
CENTREvILLE, Dec. 81.
Yesterday morning a heavy skirmish occurred at
Dranesvlle, which resulted dsastrousy to u.s. orag
ing party sent out by Gen. Stuart consisting of
about two hundred wagons, rted by the 18th Vir
GINA, COL Garland; the 9th South Cal DINA, under 1t
Col. A. j. Secrest; the 10th Alabama, Col. John H.
Forney; the LIST Kentucky COL Tom. Taylor; the Sum
ter Flying Artillery, Capt. Cults; and detachmcnts
from Ransom's and Radords cavalry. Our whole force
amounted to nearly twenty-five hundred men. They
started off early in the morning, and before day were
distance on their Journey. Soon after leaving,
rocket was seen shoot up in the direction of Dranes
vile, which, afterwards ascCrtaued was signal
from the enemy and indicated that our approach was
known. 1t is about fifteen miles from here Dranes
vile. When within short distance of the place two
or three regiments Of Yankees were seen depoyCd as
skrmishers in the skirts of pine thicket which stretch
ed out either side OF the road General Stuart drew
up his force and prepared to make an attack On eth
er side the woods were very thick and it difficult
to make through the but force was pushed through
in the following order: The Eleventh Virginia being in
the advance depoyed the right OF the road with
the Tenth Alabama, while the Sixth South Carolina
and the First Kentucky sent to the left On &C
count OF the dense thlckes on either side, the artillery
forced to advance down the road in order to gain
position to make the guns effective.
As we approached the Yankees. the l tn Virginia
charged them with YELL and drove them back to their
line within sight of Dranesville. The enemy seemed
somewhat confused, but formed again in line OF bat
tie The advanced positions held by the tn and
the 9Th South Carolina the former the right and the
latter the left of the road. While waiting to get
sight of the enemy the 9th South Carolina drawn
up, and the LIST Kentucky advanced upon them, and
mistakng them for the enemy portion OF the regiment
fred without orders, killing five Of the South Carroll
mans The was soon discovered, and Col. Taylor
advanced cautiously the left and after came in
sight OF another regiment but few yards away To be
sure there was no mistake Col TAYLOR shouted to the
Colonel and asked who be was?
"The Colonel OF the 9th," was the reply.
"Of what 9th ?"
Don't shoot" said the Yankees, we are friends
South Caroliuians."
On which side are you ?" asked Colonel Taylor.
For the Union" and Immediately after the Colonel
gave the command to fire, ard voey poured into
the Kentuckian8 from the 9th Infantry, regulars U. S,
A. The engagement then became general and our four
regiments, with Capt Cuttss four guns, soon &C
lively engaged The Yankees lad every advantage Of
position. There were several houses along the Leesburg
turnpike, and back of it hill upon which their battery
placed. Lower down, and opposite the I1th, was
another battery placed in position to endade the turn
pike should We enter it. The main battery Of six guns
swept the road upon which advancing and kept
up ncessant fire of grape canister and spherical
The accuracy Of their aim was remarkable, considering
the raPidity with which the guns were fired. Capt
Cuts got three of his pieces in position and returned
the fire rapidly and successfully.
Meanwhile the enemy advanced several regiments Of
infantry, and, protected by the OF the ground
came within hundred yards of US, and forming in line
fired for time, keeping the air full of minnie balls
and finally attempted to charge. Three times the officers
gave the order and tried to get their forward, bu
failed They could not be pushed into the thicket-
Soon after this the firing on both sides ceased but no
before great damage done to our force. For owe
hour both sides had kept incessant firing. The
wounded and dead lay On every side and the regiment
were beginning to get scattered.
To give it little more in detail AS our first ad
vance marching by the flank towards the Yanke
skrmishers two companies OF the 18th Virginia wer
thrown out as skrmishers, and sent forward Captain
HOustons company charged the Yankees with a shout
and drove them in, and after the shout was take
up by Others, and all advanced thin sight of Dranes
vile. Company A, of the lltb, was deployed on tn
right, but by got lost, and separated
from the regiment until the fight was over.
When the enemy formed in line OF battle Col. FOrne.
drew the 10th Alabama up also, and prepared to ad
vance upon them. The GOODNESS and daring cOurag
displayed by Col. Forney observed by everybody
He rode backward and forward in front OF the line, en-
cOuragng his men, and in getting all prepared for tn
coming struggle. The same can be said OF Col. Gar
land. Soon after the firing commenced, Col. FOrne
was shot through the right arm, Lieutenant-COlOn
Martin was killed, and the command OF the regimen
devOlved on Major Woodward who commanded on on
side the road and the senior Car tain the other. hi
regiment lost than any other. The Sumter Artl
ery in the road and had three guns ID POSITION
Only tour pieces were out and about sixty men, Cap
The enemys batteries played upon him for some time
and killed nearly all bis horses, destroyed one Imbe
and exploded a caissOn. twenty-five horses we're le
dead upon the field The guns still kept firing and d
good execution every shot scattering the a0kees an
telling upon them seriously. lie succeeded in breakn
their lne and In driving their sharpshooters from ii
house behind which they were hidden. When ordere
to fall back, the pieces taken to the rear BY han
with the assistance Of the infantry.
Seeing the wagons safely to the rear, Gen. Stua
gave orders to fail back to better position The reg
ment marched to the in good Order both sides ha
ing ceased firing. At this time Col. Tom. Taylor roc
to the right to see what disposition had been made
his neghbors and returning found bis regiment gon
and himself nearly surrounded by Yankee cavalry
throwing himself down be eluded them and aiterwart
crept into pine coppce, and remained there until carl
with ankees on each side Of him. At night be eSCa
ed and joined his regiment this morning sustaining
injury beyond slight scratch on the hand by muskt
ball.
Taking his force to the rear where the ground ofere
better positions, Gen. Stuart more drew up b
force and awaited the enemy, but he had enough IF
and was not disposed to give battle again Thus ende
the battle OF Dranesville, which, although disastrous
u.s. more so to the enemy if recent reports tru
1t is believed there were seven regiments Of nfantr
one of cavalry, and pieces light artillery against
REPORTED BATTLE BETWEEN THE U. S. STEAMF
iROQUIOs THE CONFEDERATE STEAMER SUMTER
The brig Agnes, Capt. Thompson, arrived at tb
port on Saturday evening, from Rio, and reports TIL
on the 10th instant, in latitude 35 and longitude II
he was spoken by the British ship Mary Morton II
latter reported that 0evere engagement had takt
place between the U. S. steamer IroGuOs and the Co
iederate steamer Sumter One of them, it could not
9soertained which, had put in to Martinique to repa
damages.
LIBERAL Commemorative learn, from reab
authority, that the 4th North Carolina State troop
VOL Andersons regiment) have subscribed upward
$1,000 for the relief of the sufferers of the Charlie
"R G0nnAgrauon-R Richmond Dispatch.