Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1861-11-06


From a lengthy statement Of Capt. y. @.
You've, We gather the following particulars Of
the repulse Of our troops under Col. BAxER at
Edwards Ferry. The chief cause OF the terrible
scenes which closed the day was that no adequate
means of transportation had been provided. II
seemed as if the column was expected to walk
across on the water surface. Nothing but one
old scow. capable of holding perhaps forty men.
Gen. McCLKLLAS, in a general order. relieves the
officers in command for this gross oversight
Capt. You've estimates the loss to be about one
thousand in killed, wounded and missing, and of
many brave and skillful officers. After desert
bing the passage of the river, and the position of
the different troops, he says:
When our skismishing companies had reached
the edge of the woods, suddenly the enemy,
hitherto concealed, rose with a yell and fired 4
yoIley; then began lighting in the usual manner:
first giving a yell and a volley; then loading and
firing at will for a few minutes; then ceasing an
equal time; then giving another yell and yolley,
and so on, pouring a numerous fire into our lit
tie band for the space of half an hour. The
appeared on the opposite side Of the island. Yet
whole woods swarmcd with them. They had no
artillery and no cavalry. Our Rhode lslandeas,
except the officers, deserted their guns, but Col.
Baker, Lieut.. Colonel Wistar, Col. Coggswell
and Adjutant Harvey manned the battery and
fred the guns themselves, aided by company g.,
First California, led by the gallant Captain
Beiral. The latter was conspicuous for bravery
throughout the action; is wounded, but not
dangerously and is now safe upon Maryland
ground.
We kept up both a m~usketry and cannon fire as
well as we could, but half the time we could not
see the enemy, and his cowardly discharges were
thinning our ranks; still most of the men stood
firm and acted brayely. The enemy's volleys and
yells increased in loudness, and i was evident
tina. reinforcement were pouring in to his aid.
Capt. Stewart, Gen. Stones Ad;utant, came on
the field with the cheering statement that Gen.
German would shortly support us. At 5M p.
NJ. we held a council Of war, and resolved to
stand our ground-Gen. Baker ordering me to
go for endorsements. By this time Coggswell
was wounded-Wister had fallen. The enemy
were growing more daring, rushing out OF the
woods. taking some prisoners and firing hotly.
Just then a rebel officer, riding a white horse.
came out of the woods and becsoned to US to
come forward. Col. Baker thought it was Gen.
Johnston, and that the enemy would INSET US in
open fight. Part of our column charged, Baker
cheering US on, when a tremendous onset WIS
made by the rebels. One man rode forward, pre-
scented a revolver at Baker, and fred all its
charges at him. Our gallant leader fell, aud at
the same time all our lines were driven back by
by the overwhelming force opposed to them.
But Capt. Beiral, with his company, fought his
way back to Colonel Bakers body, rescued it,
brought it along to me and then a general re-
treat commenced.
II was saupe qui peu! | got the Colonels
body to the island before the worst of the route,
and then, looking to the Virginia shore, saw
such a spectacle as no tongue can describe. Our
entire forces were retreating, tumbling, rolling,
leaping down the steep nights, the enemy follow
ing them, numbering and taking prisoners. Col.
Devan left his command, and swan the river on
horseback. Col. Coggswell, after unavailing
bravery, had ordered the retreat himself, but, be-
ing wounded, was taken. The one boat in the
Virginia channel was speedily filed and sunk.
A thousand men thronged the further bank.
Muskets, coats, and every thing were thrown
aside, and all were desperately trying to escape.
Hundreds plunged into the rapid current, and the
shrieks of the drowning added to the horror OF
sounds and sights. The enemy kept up their fire
from the cliff above. All was terror, confusion
and dismay. A captain Of the Fifteenth Massa-
chusetts at one moment charged calamity up the
hill, leading two companies, who still had their
arms, against the pursuing foe. A moment later,
and the same officer, perceiving the hopelessness
of the situation, waved a white handkerchief, and
surrendered the main body of his regiment.
Other portions of the column surrendered; but
the rebels kept up their fire upon those who tried
TO cross, and many not drowned in the river were
shot in the act Of swimming.
Night came on. At 8 P. M. all of our band
whose fortune it was to return, had landed on
Harrison Island, and the fire from the Virginia
nights had ceased.
The rebels took all our guns but one. When 1
left yesterday they had shouted to US to come
over and take away our dead sons of b-s un-
der a flag of truce; they had also mounted our
own guns on the nights, and warned US to leave
the island in four hours.
The cause of this sad havoc was that we had
made no proper means of transit and retreat.
The following is an approximate list of the com
missioned officers killed wounded or missing, for
the first battalion of the LIST California regiment,
and comprises wo-thirds of the entire number in
command:
Col. Baker, killed; Lieut.. Col. Wistar, wound
ed in the arm and face (safe); company A, Capt.
Markee and Lieut.. Parker, prisoners; company G,
Capt. Otter and Lieut.. Kerns, prisoners; company
ID. Lieut.. Williams. killed. body saved; company
g, Capt. Beiral, slightly wounded and safe; com
pany n, Lieut.. Hams, prisoner, Lieut.. Urls,
wounded and safe: company L, Lieut. Fisher,
wounded and safe; Company N, Capt. Keller,
prisoner, Lieut.. Hooper, wounded and prisoner;
company P, Capt. Hicks, wounded and safe
Lieut.. Kenney, prisoner.
The California regiment took into action across
tie river:
First battalion. officers and men-totai. 49,. .6S9
Of these there were drowned about.... so
............. ~
frisoners- SUI
Wounded . .125e505
Retreated in safety, only. ........... l34
The Lieutenant Colonel of the Massachusetts,
Fifteenth lost a leg; the Major got safely back
These are about the right details of our own los
ses. Of the other forces engaged | can not speak
with certainty. But the Massachusetts, Fifteenth
reported nearly six hundred killed, wounded and
taken-the balance of the regiment having joined
the six companies first named during the day.
The Tammany regiment has lost ahonf one com.