The national Republican., 1861-06-13

dyttne, OF the l9th instant, says that TWO trans
ports--one supposed to be the Empire City, said
to have fifteen hundred men on board-had ar.
rived off the bar. '..s-T .a
... sIcKLEs's BRIGADE ACCEPTED.
The Secretary of War yesterday issued an
order to have Gen. Sickles's brigade mustered
into the service. s..,
A bearer of dispatches to Gen. Butler left
this city yesterday afternoon. . ''f"
The construction of one thousand wagons,
for army use, to be equally divided among ten
different manufacturers, has just been ordered
| BY the Quartermaster General. , ..... gtl
1t seems to be the general impression that
Col. Keyes will be appointed Brigadier Gen.
eral In the army.
The steamer Georyiana, from Old Point,
arrived at Baltimore yesterday, bringing some
interesting particulars Of the engagement at
Great Bethel on Monday night last. We copy
from the Patriots summary: ''' ..,
"Captain Butler, nephew Of General Butler
came up in the Georyiano, as bearer Of dis
patches, and proceeded on to Washington. Sew.
eral ether officers came up as passengers, and
a private of Duryea's Zouaves, on some bust.
| ness connected with the fort. Az
Our reporter had conversation with Capt.
Butler and some Of the officers of the boat, and
from them was enabled to CLEAN the following
| particulars:
"The number Of killed on the Federal side
will not, it is said, exceed fifteen or sixteen,
and the wounded fifty or sixty. All the killed
and wounded were brought back to Fortress
Monroe, in boats under the barge Of the naval
brigade, who are said TO have acted in the
bravest manner, in going Oh to the field and
bringing the bodies off during the thickest of
the fight; thus exposing themselves to the
greatest danger from the fire of the enemy. It
was the opinion of all who witnessed their con.
duct, that if they had been provided with arms,
they could have silenced the battery in short
time.
"The entire blsme of the unfortunate result
of the affair is laid on the shoulders of General
Pierce, who is execrated by every one for his
shared alike by both Union men and secession.
ists-the latter, especially, openly expressing
their contempt for him.
General Butler was perfectly enraged against
him, and when Pierce was brought before him,
he cursed him, called him fool and O coward,
told him he had failed in the performance of his
duty, declaring that he had no confidence in
him, and that he would not hereafter trust him,
no matter how small or unimportsnt the affair.
1t was the general impression that the bat
terry could have been taken in half an hour, had
General Pierce, when he first discovered it,
withdrawn his forces, and went two miles be.
low, where he could have crossed the river in
boats, and attacked it in such a way as to have
| - n, h.,
1.-THE bridge which divided the river was
wooden one, three-fourths Of q mile long, and
had been burnt by the Confederates the night
before. There had been good deal Of skir.
mishing between the opposing forces the day
before the battle, but the result was unimpor
tant.
"When the first of the Federal troops ar.
rived in the vicinity of the river, and before the
commencement Of the battle, they captured
three prisoners, who were cooking some victuals
before small FIRE. These men had been sent
out on recommending expedition, and did not
perceive the Federal troops until too late to re.
treat.
"One of them was Captain Whiting, COM
Yates. Captain Whiting had very valuable
horse, about whose safety he appeared 10 be
much concerned. He said they might do with
him what they pleased, but begged them to bo
k nd to his favorite animal, which had cost him
$400.
"Csptain Whiting states that the Confederate
troops were commanded by Colonel Magruder,
late of the United States army, and that there
we're at least $500 men in the batteries, which
were constructed in the most formidable man.
ner.
"The loss of the Confederates is reported by
the passengers to have been heavy, but the
exact number of killed and wounded is not
known.
"There were only three regiments on the
Federal side in the engagement, comprising
1900 men.
The coonels OF the other regiments refused
to order their men to march up to the battery,
declaring that such was their want of confidence
in General Pierce, that they would not run the
i risk of impering their lives, preferring rather
to be court than do so. This Der.
formance, or rather want of performance, may
!, have been the occasion of the want of success
in the whole affair
e There is great deal of regret manifested
b by the residents in the vicinity of Great Bethel,
at the result of the fight, and it is asserted that
1 it has had the effect Of making many persons
s declare their sentiments as Unionists.
"During the fight, the frigate Cumberland
n ran up the river to position near the battery
but did not open fire upon it.
g "The Louaye who came up in the Geo1giana
:. informed our reporter that he and three others
-, while out on recommending expedition last
week, visited the place where the battery had
been erected, but, at that time, there was nc
= evidence OF any intention to occupy it.
o 1T was on old fort, which had been standing
n for years. Since the visit, the Confederate,