Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-06-04
For the Enquirer.
,z,k,o nponIp~ of Tho War I'm VIRGINIA,

The Opening of Ii War in Virginia.
The action at Sewelrs Point, on the goth May
has been claimed to be the opening Of the Lin
coin war in Virginia. Let justice be done
where justice is due.
On the 7th Of May, 1861, a detail Of forty
nine Howitzers, under the NINA OF Captain
j. Thompson Brown, was landed at Gloucester
Point where q rude earth-work had just been
commenced by the citizens Of the vicinity.
Except q handful Of Gloucester Infantry and
Cavalry no troops had then collected there.
Oopositc is Yorktown, which was also in q
comparatively undefended condition.
The Howitzer battery, consisting Of a rifle
piece and q shell howitZer, had been dragged
out on the sandy fiat, and the men were pitch
ing their tents and preparing their dinners,
when q United States steamer called the Yam
kee, (Which several days before had been gas
conading up and down the river, was discovered
bearing up the stream hugging close 10 theYorli
shore. In an instant tent poles were thrown
down, pans and platters were cast aside, and the
men formed in two detachments. While the guns
were being drawn around the earth-works to q
position on the beach, Engineer Clark set fifty
negro men to throwing up, as fast as shoVels
could fly, a small sand redoubt, about three
feet high, and had a number of pine and cedar
bushes cut and placed along the top to conceal
the guns. At this juncture, q couple of iron
six-pounders, which had long lain at Glouccs-
ter Court. House, and which perhaps had never
been used except to FIRE fourth OF July salutes
in days Of yore, were hauled down from the
bill above by o Of the Gloucester people,
and kindly offered to the little howitzer bat
terry. Three Of the pieces were placed within
the sand work, and one Of the iron guns was
placed under the foot Of the wharf, at the wa
ter's edge. All was ready-each man at his
~post-stcamer advancing, with coiors flying,
when the word was given by Capt. Brown 10
fire. The shot was from the riiled gun,
and whistled beautifully across the bow
of the hostile craft, now within three miles
range. The next shot was fired directly over
her; the third struck her somewhere %astern;
when she opened upon the battery with Shell
and thirty-two pound ball. The old iron guns
then commenced blazing away at her with such
vigor and accuracy of aim, as to bring the pre-
sumptuous invader to q stand. She still con-
tinued firing, sometimes q shell, then a ball.
One of the balls whizzed over the redoubt and
ploughed up q large hole in the sand a short
| distance beyond. 1t has been sent to Rich
mond as the first invader Of the Old Dominion
soil, and as the first capture of the war. The
Austrian banner with which Napoleon adorned
the Salte dearmes could not purchase Of that
little band of uowitzcrs this their virgin tro-
phy. The steamer still continued her fire,
when the old iron gun under the wharf sent
one of her balls into the forward part Of the
vessel the other guns belched forth their
volleys of smoke and fame, and again the RI
fed gun was true to its aim. The Yankee then
slowly. and, l have no doubt, sadly turned her.
self round and departed, tapping considerably
over, as though She had a pain in her right
side. A portion of the Gloucester Invincibles,
numbering twenty.one muskets, the balance OF
these fine fellows being on picket duty below,
calamity came to the aid Of the Howltzers, and
were formed behind the main redoubt at the
commencement of the action, which lnstcd about
d half hour.
Thus was fought, literally upon the waters
edge, by a handful of volunteers thrown sud-
denly upon a strange. and unprotected shore
and brought in conflict, without a moments
notice, with one of Lincoln's braggart crews
Of the deep, the opening battle Of Virginia's
second war Of Independence, and opposite the
sacred spot where her first war saw its tri-
umphant close. From the heights of York
town the Genius Of the place smiled upon the
scene and blessed it with a happy augury.
Since then several Federal steamers have
appeared in sight, but mono Of them have ven
tured within range Of the rifed guns. The
Notifications have been brought nearly to a
state of perfection. Powerful Columbiads
have been mounted, and are now worked by
as fine a company of Gloucester artillerymen
as ever stood behind a breast.work. York
town heights, also, are strongly fortified. Ar
tillery and infantry forces in large numbers arc
concentrating on both shores. The little tenn
pory redoubt is still there, though better
works have superseded it now. The tide is
rapidly washing it away and soon no traces
of it will remain save in the memory Of those
howitzers who consecrated it to the cause Of
Virginia's freedom, by there firing the first
shot, and giving the enemy his first repulse.
RIr.
RoBEsoN CouSry.-The Magistrates Of Robe.
son county, N. c., met at Lumberton on the
9th May, and on motion Of Thos. A.. Nor.
ment Esq, the Magistrates unanimously
made an appropriation Of $25, 900 to equip tho
volunteers ofs.id county, and furnish provisions
for tho wives and families of the citizens OF the