Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1861-06-20
BATTLE AT GREAT BETHEL
THE FEDERAL TROOPS REPULSED,
WITH A SEVERE Loss IN KILLED
AND WOUNDED.

Fortress Monroe, June 10 This has
been an exciting and sorrowful day at Old
Point Comfort General Butler, having
learned that the Confederates were forming
an intrenched camp, with batteries, at Great
Bethel, nine miles from Hampton, on the
Yorktown road, deemed it necessary to dis
lodge them.
Asesrd:r; sa4es.ss, ssrvfs=ifislu fass
night from Fortress Monroe and Newport
News. About midnight Col. Durea's zou-
aves, and COL Townsend's Albany Regi-
ment crossed the river at Hampton by means
of six large batteaux, manned by the Naval
Brigade, and took up the line Of march
The former some two miles in advance of
the latter
At the same time COL Benedix's regiment
and detachment of the Vermont and Massa-
chusetts regiments at Newport News moved
forward to form junction with the regi-
ment from Fortress Monroe at Little Bethel
at about A. NJ.
Col. Benedix's regiment arrived next,
and took position at the intersection of the
roads. Not understanding the signal the
German regiment, in the darkness of the
morning, fired upon Col. Townsend s
column, marching in close order, and led
by Lieutenant Butler with two pieces of
artillery. Other accounts say that COL
Townsend's regiment fired first At all
events, the fire of the Albany regiment was
harmless, while that of the Germans was
ing two others, with several slight casual
ties
The Albany regiment having fallen back
the Germans discovered, from the accoutre-
ments left on the field, that the supposed
enemy was friend They had, in the
meantime, fired nine rounds with small arms
and field-piece.
The Zouaves hearing the fire, had return
ed and fired also upon the Albany boys.
At daybreak Colonel Aliens and Colonel
Carr's regiments moved from the rear of the
Fortress to support the main body. The
mistake at Little Bethel having been ascer-
tanned, the buildings were burned, and a
major, with two prominent secessionists,
named Livey and Whiting made prisoners
The troop then advanced upon Great
Bethel in the following order, viz The
Zouaves, Col. Bencdix, Lieut. Col Wash
burn, Col. Allen and Col. Carr At that
point the troops found and successively en-
deavored to take large masked battery,
| The effort was futile, their three small pieces
of artillery not being able to cope with the
heavy riaed cannon of the enemy, according
to some accounts, numbering thirty.
The Confederate battery was so complete
| ly masked that no men could be seen, only
the flashes of the guns. There was proba-
bly, not less than one thousand men behind
their sand batteries. 4 well concentrated
movement might have secured the position,
but Brigadier General Pierce. who COM
manded the expedition, appears to have lost
his presence Of mind, and the Troy regiment
stood an hour exposed to CALLING fire.
An order to retreat was at last given, but
at that moment Lieut.. CREDIBLE, of the Uni
ted States army, and in command of the
artillery, was struck by cannon ball, and
instantly killed. He had spiked his gun,
and was gallantly cndeavoring to withdraw
his command.
Captain George W. Wilson, Of the Troy
regiment, after the order to retreat, took
possession of the gun, with Quarter Master
Macarthur, brought it of the field with the
body of Lieut.. CREDIBLE. They brought
them to the fortress this evening.
There arc probably twenty five killed and