Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-06-18
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Fnem wHk sEar De A IN V1EE-
G4NHAs
Especial Correspondence q he ArpeaI
pefails 81 tie Brfaf a. Bethel C~huhch-Tke Sanocr
Of KlIed and Woaadod-The Forces Engaged-Ihe
EaeHv Hepuissd After q -Four Hoars' Engagensnt
and Refreat IN coafusioa-Conduet Of our Troops
Thc Eorh Caroline RegimsHf-Dsdfh Of Wyatt
An QBecr Of ne Ners York Sepentt dmoRs he
KiHed-His Conduct On re Fisid-Gsn MGgrHeeT
FaUs bark on Yor2ioton-Gen Lee and Command
ii chiq-Ereihng Nsgs from fAs south-Rsaifh
effAe Teanessts Regiment, etc.
RICHMOND, June II, 1861.
EprroRs AprEAI. The dispatch Issnt Ycu
Yesterday contained al the information l bad
then received in regard to the battle Of Bethel
Church, which occurred on Monday last. By
the arrival Of the Oak river cars to-day am
put in possession Of many additional facts
gathered by eye witnesses aud participants IN
The fight. Tue statements OF these persons all
IN the main coFrobotats with what you have
published, except in one important p%artieu-
lar, and that is in regard to the number OF the
enemy killed and wounded. All the accounts
80 far received agrse in representing it much
larger than Yves at fret supposed. The NUM-
Der upan which The general public mind seems
20 have settled here, is 200, and until We srs
more correctly informed " must accept eco
as The number Of The enemy's loss in this en-
gsgement, which, owing to The fact that ar
tlleFv was used CO both sides. may appropri-
stsly Be styled the first battle OF the second
American revolution. ! may remark here
however, that the number left dead and wound
ed on the field was nothing like 200, but was
probably, as ! learn, not greatly beyond TWEEN
ty-hve and further, that the aeeopu,s which
attribute this very heavy loss to the enemy are
an merely eoDjsenral, nothing definite being
known in relation to the matter.
The number OF the enemy engaged is re-
ported, BY the wounded who fell into the hands
OF the confsderates, to be not less than 1900,
consisting OF New York and New England
volunteers. have not been able to learn by
whom they were commanded. The confede-
rate force under Gen. Mag udsr consisted OF
the first regiment OF North Carolina volunteers,
under command Of Col Hill, the Richmond
howitzsr battalion, and several companies Of
Virginia St,ts troops, among whom were the
Pttsylvania Rifles, the Young Guard, Of Rich
mond, and three companies Of cavalry, amount
Ing in all to 1900 men. The engagement,
which was brought on by an attack from the
enemy, commenced at 9 O'Clock in the morn
ing and lasted until 1 in the afternoon. The
enemy was finally repulssd and r~etTeatcd to
Hampton. The rout is represented as being
complete, The road in the direction CT the enc
my's retreat being strswn with guns, haver-
sacks, eanteers, blankets, and everything else
Of which they could divest themselves in order
to facilitate their flight.
The conduct Of our 'roops is represented as
most gallant. Old Rip Van Wrinkle especially
covered herself with Immortal renown. Praise
OF the conduct CT the Carolinians is in every
bodv's mouth. The loss Of one Of ou- howit-
zsrs would have clouded the glory Of cur til
umpa, but for the gsllsntry Of Col. Hill's men,
who charged upon, and retook it from, the
enemy after it had fallen into his hands. The
only man on the confederate side who was
killed was a young man belonging to company
/ A., Of the North Carolina regiment, who fell
in The performances OF sn act Of daring APP
preaching very nearly to foolharndiness. The
enemy, to protect themselves from the we'll
directed fire OF cur batteries, had taken shelter
behind a couple Of vacant fsrm-houses, at
Brme considerable distance from ths line of our
entrrnehmsBts. To dislodge them, this gallant
Csrolinian proposed TO set the houses on FIRE,
snd, lsspiDg from the entertainments, was pre-
ceeding to the execution Of bis daring purpose,
when a shot from the enemy put an end to his
career, and be fell a victim to bis " rash
and impstuour vslor. His name was Wyatt.
The body was brought to the city to-day, and
after the performance Of appropriate funeral
obsequies, at the Bradd-street Methodist
church, bis remains were inferred with militia
ry honors. Peaceful be bis rest.
Among those who fell Cd the side Of the en-
envy was an officer supposed, from papers
found on bis person, to be Capt. WardrOp. Of
the New York Seventh, who being anxious to
see o real service, obtained leave Of ab-
senes and went down to Old Point Comfort,
while bis regiment returned to their homes in
New York city. Such, at least, is the suppo-
Eition, and ore that accounts for bis presence
on the Peninsula, and at the same time ac-
cords with the reputation for bravery which
has attached to this officer. He died CALAMITY
attempting to rally the skulking Yankees to
charge upon q redoubt on our left flank, which
was 7ouring a destructive FIRE into the enemy's
ranks. An eye witness who related the cir
camstsnees Of his death to me, described him
a. springing upon a fence in front Of our lines,
and calling to bis comrades in tones which
were distinctly heard BY ny informant, en-
treating them to follow bin, but to no purpose.
The col5-bloodsd Hessians %faltsred, when a
moment after their gallant leader FELL, pierced
by a ball from a Carolina rife, and they turn
ed and aed in wild confusion. TIE conduct Of
this officer is spoken Of in terms Of high praise
by our men, and a general regret expressed
that be had not fallen in a more worthy cause.
It is refreshing to find one sx1mpls Of courage
and manly bearing, in an army whose officers
have signalizsd themselves by The penetration
OF 50 many dsstsrdly and brutal outrsges.
After the repuIse of the enemy, Gen. Ma
grudsr deemed it prudent to fall back spOn
yorktown, and not expose bis little army to
attack BY an overwhelming force OF the en-
envy which might be led against him at any
time FROM Old Point. He has since been re-
i%nforcsd, considerably, and should Picayuns
Butler think proper to order another attack,
be viii find Gen. Msgrudsr in better FIX /" to
receive company
The subjoined account, prepared under the
eye Of an officer who participated in the battle,
BY an aHaehs Of one OF the city papers, con-
tsins some additional particulars, and its pub
LEGATION cannot but prove interesting TO your
readers.
It has not yet been officially announced to
whom has fallen lhe honor of the C~ommsnder-
in-ehief Of the Confederate armlss. The
President has rendered the appointment to
Gen. Robert Lee, of this State, and has more
than once earnestly urged bis acceptance Of
the position, but as yet Gen. Lee has not sig
nifsd bis willingness to undertake the onerous
responsibilities which such a command viii
impose. That he will ultimately yield to the
solicitations Of the President, and the generally
expressed wishes Of the officers Of the Confed-
crate army, seems tO'be the general opinion,
and hence be Is already inoked upon here with
the respect and esteem which attach to the
person of an officer who has fairly won and
vorthily wears the honor Of the first command
sndsr the flag Of bis country.
The movement of troops continues to be
very lively, and everything betokens the near
approach Of q most desperate struggle. It is
impossible to conjecture when or where the
next engagement will take place but ny ar
Engagements are so far perfected, that | shall
be able TO fully advise you at the earliest mo-
neat Of whatever occurs, let it happen in
whatever quarter it may.
We lad news to-day, BY way Of Augusta,
o. the landing Of a large federal force near
Hlton's Head, on The South Carolina coast,
nearly midway between Beaufort and savan-
nab, but the report lacks confirmation. Should