The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1861-06-18
CHE Datlp Greeman.
NEONTPELa IL, WI,
TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 1861.
The Engagement at Great Bethel.
CAMP BUTLER, Newport News, Va,
T,oo IA 1QkJ


June IA, 1861. {
EDITOR FREEMAN II presume many of your
readers woul Id like to hear some of the inciuents
of the battle at Great Bethel on the lO5h inst,
more especially as IL part Of the Vermont Regi
ment were engaged in it, For several days prior
to the action, various rumors were atoat rela
tive to the situation of largo body of rebels,
somewhere between Newport's News and York.
town. Scouting parties were sent ou, in all di:
rections but all Efforts to discover them proved
unavaling until early on Sunday morning last,
when reliable Information Was received that
thrv were entren he'd at Grea, Bethel, some
fourteen miles distant from Camp Butler. Or
ders were immediately issued from Gen. Butler
to form an attacking party to storm the works
and capture or drive the enemy from their po-
sition The troops selected for this duty were
Col Durye4's Zouaves, Col. Townsend's Albany
Regiment from the vicinity of Fortress Monroe.
Col Bendix's (Steuben Rlfe) Regiment and
detachments from the 4th Massachusettsand lst
| Vermont Reg iments, consisting in all OF about
5000 men, The troops were KEEP. IN profound
Ignorance Of their destination, and no notice OF
any important movement was given until dress
parade at 6 C ock Sunday evening, when the
3D. 4th, 9th. 9th and 10Th companies OF the
ermont Reg ilnent Weie ordered to hOlu 'hem'
selves in readiness to march at midnight. Ac-
cordingIy, AT hall past III o clock, the designa-
ted COMPANIES were formed in line, each man
carefully armed and thoroughly equipped -
Marching out OF the camp, they were soon JOIN
ed by a similar number Of the Massachusetts
4th. COL Bendlx's Regiment. with TWO small
field pieces, brought up the rear. in this oraeF
we marched in darkness all night long. All
talking in the ranks was strictly forbidden.
Nothing was heard but the steady tramp OF the
advancing columns, the rumbllng Of the artile-
~ WAGONS, and the word Of command, us 1t
passed in y whisper along the line. At DAY
light, having gained IL considerable distance on
the rear guard (Col Bendx Reg lmen5 ana
the artll,ry,) we halted a tew moments TO al
low them to come up, and we also expected here
to be joined by Coi Townsend and Duryea' ana
two moro field pieces and /. detachment OF reg
ulars under Lieut. CREDIBLE. " hile thus walt
ina. our ears were saluted with voley OF
musketry, followed instantly by the report OF
two cannon, coming from the woods through
which we had lately passed, and in the direction
=, of the rear guard, about one ana one-hall m'le
8 distant. The head of the column Was Instant
lv turned tn that direction, and the order For
ward Double quick was given, and at
IL run we set out for the scene OF action. Juogt
of our surprise and horror, on reaching tht
ground to find. instead OF an enemy, one .
0nr REGIMENTS had been firing into another -
yuard of Col. Bendix had discovered the k'gl
ment of Col. Townsend, and not having an.
; signal, or means Of knowing friend from Toe
r, had mistake them for body of Rebel troops
r. r. and giving the alarm, the Regiment formed II
line. and fired with deadly effect. Two were IN
stantly killed and ten twelve others wound
ed, some of them dangerously. AS soon as Uni
dreadful mistake Was corrected, the column
oo,in moved forward towards Great Bethel
sn9ne six or seven miles distant. But all hope
y of surprsing the enemy were now abandoned
The country was aroused, ana hooel sco"
were spreading the alarm IN every olrcc'loh.-
It was evident that if the Rebel batteries "er
taken that day, it must be done by dint OF har
fighting, not by any strategy ;. y,
oIt wnn,d seem that the true policy the1
unnld have been either to have retreatcd Il
once or to have waited the arrival OF reinforce
n,ants which would have been on the gloun
shortlv: or at least to have allowed the troop
n short time 10 rest and refresh themselves -
Instead OF this, we were marched, wlth.'uI
moments repose, until we reached the scene c
action. During the forenoon we suffered s'ea
lv from fatigue and intense thirSt
We reached the battlefield about hall pa
ten o'clock, and immediately formed III lIne
battle. The artillery, under Lieut.. urep'
nnw oreued upon the enemy position, as net
INT ~ thew could judge. The Rebels replied fro
~ their batteries, and the cannonadng soon b
,.,me bot Our little howitzers and field i'.st
did most excellent service, but were no mate
for the heavy rlfed cannon of the enemy. The
s.. batteries we're completely masked, and the
- whereabouts could only be judged by the smo
and A. sh of the guns. Alter few mlnut
firing, the order was given t. charge, u
DURYEA'S Zouaves rushed forward IN the mo
'os- gallant manner to the assault. At the foot
rha entrenchment runs Il narrow n'n''i| cTae
This. In some Places mad been widened nto
ditch, and in other places was So mlrey as to
~ d,tHeult TO cross. The Zouaves, however, su
y ceeded in crossing, but the enemy having G."
stantly been reinforced, wero too strong +
them. and they were compelled to retire, WI
considerable loss, after making the most despe
and ate efforts to carry the works. During ali tt
time. the detachments from the Vermont al
Z. Massachusetts Regiments, and also Col. BE
. dix,s command were endeavoring to penetra
throueh dense wood to enable them take a |
s;t,on on the right. After half an hour OF /
most cxhaustiug labor, we ttnnd broad, de-
ducb aud following this, in few moments
Lin came into the open field, just where we ought
IA have been some thirty minutes sooner; L
lag Mac. where we emerged from the ditch
ana WITHIN fair musket shot OF the enemy g Wor