The national Republican., 1861-11-07
HIGHLY INTERESTING INCIDENTS OF The
Battle OF Baii's BluH.

battle Of Balrs BluH.
The Philadelphia Press contains some inter-
esting incidents of the late battle near Lees
burg, Va, obtained from corporal Of Colonel
Bakers California regiment, who participated
in the engagement. We make the following
extracts: r..
George Merlin, of the California regiment, is
missing. He had dropped on his knee to take
edge of a woods. Finding that his cartridges
we're all gone, he turned to ask some of his
comrades, but found, to his amaZement, that
he was effectually surrounded. His astonish.
ment, as may be imagined, was only exceeded
by his chagrin.
Two Friends Die Together.
Between q private, named Fairbanks, of the
Twentieth Massachusetts,, and u young man,
named Heap, of the First California regiment,
strong attachment is said to have existed.
They fought side by side during great portion
the rabidity with which they could load and
IRE. When the retreat was sounded, they
leaped into the Potomac together. Fairbanks,
although u good swimmer, wa, cen to sink, as
though attacked with cramp, and Heap has
not since been seen. Both were, doubtless,
drowned.
Killed while Recrossing the River.
The number OF those killed while reorossing
In the boats must have been quite large. In
one Of the boats u Philadelphian, name un-
known, and two men of the Tammany regiment
were pulling Mt the oars. They were compelled
to stand upright, and their shoulders were used
as rests by their comrades, who kept up q con:
tinuous fire. Singular to say, the boat had
reached the middle of the stream before one of
the oarsmen WAS struck. They finally fell sim.
ultaneously. fheir places were instantly sup.
ped the boat, however, turning with the cur.
rent, drifted as they thought, out of danger.
| In less than fifteen minutes, however, aterriac
| fre was poured into 1t, from the skulking enc.
my, and, filling slowly, 1t began to sink. The
scene then presented was fearful beyond con.
ception. A shrek Of horror went up from the
and went down together. Voices that strove
to shout for help were drowned In the rushing
waters and died away In gurgles.
| The Rebel with the Red Handkerchief
| Among tho rebels WAS one prominent indvi.
dual, who wore red handkerchief tied around
reckless, standing out In advance of his line.
He loaded and deliberately fred at our men for
nearly an hour before he was struck down. He
was shot by member Of the Tammany reg'-
ment, who, almost at the same moment, was
| pierced by Il rebel musket ball.
Killed in Tree.
Another rebel WAS observed to be ensconced
on the top of II tree, and, as he seldom fired
without inhicting death wound, Capt Keffer,
| of company n, directed one of his men to shoot
him, An instant after, the rebel fell from his
perch, and went crashing like log through
4 branch and foliage. Several other adjacent
trees were observed to be vacated before much
time had elapsed.
Dead in Hollow Log.
After the battle one of our men was found
stark and dead in the hollow of II log! The
manner of his death Is supposed to have been
as follows: At the commencement of the battle
while II general confusion prevailed, he prrbt
bly, crept into the log, (Which lay near The river
bank,) for the purpose of picking off" the
enemy. This shelter was very much decayed
| AM upr m N W. piprced
u rifle ball When dragged out, his musket was
, found to have been recently discharged. The
rifle ball had entered his breast, and passed
, through the left lung,
Ludicrous Scenes
. | In the panic that ensued upon the discovery
, that the rebels had been reinforced and coulO
not DO driven from their cover, many Genes
that might have seemed ludicrous In any Other
juncture, occurred upon the hillside. 1t was
not uncommon for frantic men TO leap the
whole distance Of the bluff and plant their feet
on their comrades backs. A lusty loyalIst
who had bounced upon prisoner, slipped n,
the top Of the bluff, but still keeping a despe'
rate hold upon his prey, the two rolled to the
bottom In a firm embrace!
There was in the California regiment gray
haired private from this city. He had tough,
hard all day, and had been twice wounded
the last shot carrying away his trgger.f finger
!, ing himself of his surplus clothing, when a
burly fellow belonging to a New York regi
ment leaped upon him, knocking the breath
out of the old mans body. In the hurry ant
excitement consequent upon the fight, Union
lists and rebels frequently fell into each Others
/ lines, and began to fire at their own columns
t In this way several of our soldiers were cap
tured.
A man named Stokes, who was among the
list of prisoners, seeing no chance of escape
r lay down in an open field among number I"
= the dead rs though he were really hors d
combat. At length rebel sharp shooter STUN
l l.. bod, ala lln,,
one for II footrest. Poor Stokes was in tribu
lation, but held his peace. At length th'
rebel, having made very successful shot
sprang up and danced around for joy, well.nigl
knockilg his fnOtstool into jelly! "S'op
for Gods sake" shouted Stokes. The sharp
shooter drew back, perfectly thunderstrnck
then divinins the true state of affairs, ht
shouted out, " You sneaking Yankee cvss
, git up here" The ejaculation brought score
of rebels 10 the spot. and Stokes, when las
seen, was going off under guard, with avery
crest-fallen face.
Fight between Massachusetts, and Virginia
The most deadly contest Of the day occurred
between II member of the Massachusetts, Fiji
tesnth and E ghth Virginia regiments. The
latter, as is well known, were at one time re
, treating, with the Fifteenth hotly pursuing
! The rebel rear was brought up by most de
termined fellow, who turned repeatedly anC
| discharged his musket at our ranks. Animated
! by the same personal daring, Federal so diel
rushed beyond the head of his column, firint
continually. After the pursuit had continued
for some distance, it being feared that our mel
4 were to be drawn into II trap, they were or
4 dered to retire. The order was obeyed by Al
save the volunteer who had led the advance
n and before many minutes he was seen strug
3 Cling with the laggard Virginian, whose owI
z column had gone ahead. Three barrels of
\ revolver were discharged at tho rebel withou
= seeming effect, and the Virginan, rushing upol
his assailaut with huge knife, was about It
stab him. His knee was on the others breast
l.. 4 IL. l.. l.
II however, fell from the others grasp, and HI
J. reeled over lifeless. All throe Of the pisto
, shots had actually taken effect uponh ye
such was his overmastering brute ~ferocty
j. | that for sOme instantS his wounds were WithOu