Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1861-10-30
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
Dtsheartening Details Of the A6at'
NUMBERS OF oUR MEN DROWNED.
Upwards Of 900 Missing.

OpWuTOS OI I,UUU NlSSlHk'
Capt, +. O. Young, OF New York aid TO
Col. Baker, and who was with him when
he died, gives tho following account of
the recent engagement near Edwards
Ferry:
Gen. Stone ordered Col. Baker on Sur
day evening, to have his brigade ready TO
move at 7 o'clock on MondaY morning
The brigade was then stationed five miles
from Conrad's Ferry. Al 3 o'clock in
the morning, however. Messenger from
Gen. Stone ordered the FIRST battalion. nn-
der lieut.. Col. Wistsr TO move immedi :
ately, so as TO be at Conrad's Ferry at
sunrise, which they did, and reported
themselves to Con. Stone.
Orders were then sent from Gen. Stone
n The battalion TO stand fast until they
should hear heavy firing in front, and
then to cross. About an hour afterwards,
musketty hayirg been heard previously,
dead and wounded began 10 be brought
over W where we were. At 10 o'clock
the number Of killed and wounded bro't
in WAS increa ell General Stone or
dered Col. Baker 10 take command Of the
forces on both sides Of the river at that
place. ard TO bring up his brigade and the
ramlnany regiment, commanded by Col
Coggswe!l which was in camp about three
niles distant, and 10 GROSS immediately.
Capt. Young carried lhs orders to the
Tam many Regiment. and the whole force
proceeded soout mile down rivor, ready
10 cross. We found two scows, each OF
L -, q to Gft.
and mar aged Ia get from the canal dug
out. which would take sixty or seventy
more.
Six companies of the first battalion o!
The California Regiment, three pieces OF
artillery, with men and horses, belonging &
20 the Tamnany Regiment. with Col. IA
ker, ,ol. Coggswe!l. Lieut. Col Wistar,
Assistant Adj Gen. Harvey, and Captain
! Young got 10 the ISLAND, where We were
Joined by battery Of the q Rhode la
land ARTILLERY with two snail howit1ers.
! The passage to the Island was very diff
cult, vi th our insufficient means Of trans
portation, the distance being quarter oI
mile and the current swift.
| We poled ourselves up tie eastern
store long distance, thence were dritted
down 10 tie landing. FIom the lslanc
70 the Virginia shore, our only means oi
transportation vas one scow and u metal,
ic boat OF little or no service. We landed
under . steep bank, 100 toe. high covered
with rocks aud jungle
Scramb!ing up tbs bank, We found an
open field OF ak acres with thick woods
on three sides, out Of which CAME con-
slant, irregular firing from the enemy.
Here were Col. Devin's Fifteenth Mas
sachnsotts Regiment on the right lire ai
! the head Of the woods, having been driven
in after proct eding a mile acd half TO
wards Leesburg. We formed on the left
and presently advanced two companies o
skirmishors to the woods in front. TIL,
| concealed enemy drove than back with a
heavy, telling volley, and followed the
regular with an irregular firing. Our men
| fell on their faces under the brow of the
hill, the enemy not being in sigit The
artillery could not be served because the
xcnners we're not to be found.
Capt. Stewart. Of Gen. Stones staff
came with message 10 Col. Baker Ia
hold his ground, as Gen. GorMan, viii
900 was marching from Edwards Ferry
10 reinforce him. One company was al
vanced to the left, the direction from
which Gen. German was expected The,
we're met ty yell ana q voley as bofore
and fell back TO the line. The hidder
enemy now appeared to be in force o'
three sides Of us. which, with the river a
, their back, dishear:ened the men.
. The line officers OF the Massachuse,t
. Regiment ordered their companies 10 RI
eat. and the enemy coming DAT of th
c woods for the first time in sight, generi
2 confession ensued The men, running
the waters edge. and finding no boat
rallied, ran up the hill, discharged tw
{ volleys. when an officer OF the Matsachni
s etts 18th tied q white handkeroh ief to h
} sword. The enemy oeased'hring, and too
, prisoners Many escaped into tho wood
i Some swan for the island, others foun
e small skiffs. Some we're drowned. am on
: them many Of the ewou njed.
s Soon after Capt. Stewards appearance
Col. Baker, who was, during the whol
Q engagement, perfectly cool and brave, o
{ foot, cheering and lsading on the met
S was she. from the wood, sev ersl balls m
r king fatal wounds, and all believed 10 hav
!. been shot from one revolver. The reb
e who killed him ran out in his shirt sleeve
: followed by four or five others. As the
n approached the body Ct Capt. Devir
Beral, Of the 22d, and Ward, the pugils
Q with ten men Of his company, rushed 70
h ward, shot the killer, and drove away tn
e rest. Capt, Young bore the body fro
o the field.
y Three hundred and twenty OF the 6r
battalion. the only one in the engsgemel
. Of Bakers regiment, we're missing at to
o'clock on Tuesday Of two companies
the Tammany regiment engaged the
i we're 100 missing; OF 600 Of the Massach
y setts regiment, al least half we're missn
= There were about LOO IN all eL gagged,
IS which less than 300 returned TO camp.