Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-06-13
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ATES-FIGHTING CONTINUED THREE AND 4
HALF HOURS-THE YANKEES TWICE RErREA'
AND RALLY--THEY ARE FINALLY ROUTE AM
PURSUED COL DCRYEA AMONG THE KILLED
THEIR Loss ESTIMATED AT NEARLY THREl
HUNDRED HEROIC CONDUCT OF LONFEDER
ATES.
The almost painful suspense and anxiety into wbicl
this community thiown, on Monday afternoon upor
the arrival of the train from Norfolk which brought nu
merous rumors of fighting having taken place in the vi
cnity of Newport News on James River was most agree
ably relieved yesterday foreroon by passengers who
came I'D from York and Elizabeth City counties on h.
James River steamer Curtis Peck. These gentlemen
bring the particulars of a warm contest in which The
Yankee troops engaged forces for three and
half hours.
Several gentlemen Travelled the Curtis Peck for
distance of sixty miles with Private Causey of Elizabeth
City County engaged in the conHc and related
all the particulars. Ooe Of his auditors Mr.. W.
Hudgias, most intelligent and prosperous farmer o
York county, who lef. his farm yesterday morning for
the residence of his fdheriI-aw, Dr. Workman in Din
widdie county Mr. Hudgins gives us particulars which
believe in ths main reliable, but they may be
slightly varied by the official account.
1t appears that, Friday Lass General ]. Bankhead
hagruder Of the Confederate army, who has b. bis
headquarters at Yorktown for some time past received
further information of the continued depredatons of the
Yankee hr liugs who, under Gen. b. f. Butler, have
squatted at Hampton and Newport News He resolved
To proceed lmleuaLey In the orectOu CI tue iOcatea
occupied by the mercenariss and check the lawes pro-
ceeoings of their marauding parties az least conne
them TO more ii cumscribed limits.
Our forces detailed for this mission Informed,
consisted of some six companies Of the First
North Carolina regiment, Col ID. II. Hill, portion o!
the Richmond Howizers, under Cap ain -, and
| two companies o. cayalry-one from the county OF
Cha les City and the other from Nottoway county. The
column moved on far point the dividing ne
between Elizabeth City and York counties and in the
| .l.-lT
tact at out SIX miles from Newport News and nine from
Hampton. Our troops here bated, and proceeded
to tntrench themselves by throwing W slight earth
works They reached that point some time during Sat-
urday morning. and remained in undisturbed possession
it, having sent out strong detachmens Of cavalry
| scouting duty.
| Monday morning. about seven o'clock, as was stated
to informant, man, who it is said had deserted
from our army and had concealed himself somewhere in
the forest between Bethel Church and Newport News,
into camp regretng his recreancy, and informing
officers that the Yankee forces had struck their tents
at Newport News, and advancing in column OF
| four or five thousand strong.
This INTEL gence was received by our officers with
doubt but they resolved to be the alert, and
give the infamous despolers Of property ard in
Vadcrs of our soil, as hot reception rifle musket
| and grape shot could extend.
The deseFters Information proved TO be correct for
few minutes before o'clock scouts were driven in,
and saortly after pickets fired upon Presently
the invading hir ngs made their appearance, and it
plainly b.. that they had bon Infantry and arii
| iery but cavalry visible. As they OF.
preached within range OF uns the gallant Caroln
ians and VirginaGs opened upon them and poured
their ranks CALLING fire They stood their ground tor
few minutes dOug the bes they could, ou their guns
all went wide OF their aim, scarcely shot touching or
troops.
IL may be proper here TO remak that our troops had
the dtcid advantage OF position, beng hin skirt
of forest, bordering on the edge OF Dill pond The
va KEGS also surrounded by trees DuJ wIi
ly scattered In an ours, and uJtdlng halt the pro-
! lection
The fing was continued on both sides until o'clock
our troops maintaining d,s sdy fire on ths Yankees
| from behind the and n The thick uIdergroHth th
around while the enemy c.ud neither dodge our bale
nor cause tbor sho; 10 reach wi'h effect TGe work
finally became too hos for the -cOuldretS, aad
they irl back in oon-derghie disorder and confusion
The enemy mex made ,1Jrt 10 flank men hg
cilc ous route, which occupied come thirty minutes.
L. tie meantime, the Confederate troops oelock them
selves TO their temporary entertainments and coolly
| avail ed tie approach OF the hirengs. At lalf PAST
nirc they agan appeared ia view, but N their march
had become involved 10 thick morass, from which hey
! found il mposs!ble TO ads sauce or retreat
The Confederate forces nov had the sconnGrels lst
where hey desired and from behind their temporary
trenchments about the Bethel C-urch poured q
deadly il into their ranks. They caught right left
and in 'front.' aHd finally scramblug Of the morass
ID ie the utmost disorder and conu1on all attempts TO
rally them by two officers, being utterly in vsin
Our informant states that the fight perfectly Wild
aud betrayed CONSERVATION and dsmay, mtrs charac-
teiistic OF herd oil buiaols when suddeny rprsed
by band of indian huLters, than brace aud ehi5dirO
Yankees led Oh by the bold and redoub.able General
| Picayune alias g. f. Ter.
They were hoty pursued by the gallant First Regiment
of North Carolina Volunteers while the Richmond How
itzrs poured grape and canister into the of the
fleeing New York rJSdies Oar cavalry continued the
chase and pursued the miserably frightened demons
the Sawyer Swamp road aud through the woods TO New
Market Bridge, which is within two and halt miles Of
Hampton Not knowing the strength OF their forces at
Hampton the chase here abandoned and the pursuers
returned.
Ii said that the cowardy scamps before running,
quickly dvested themselves OF knaps cks canteens hsv
ersacks sidearms aud muskets, aud some even threw
away their and determining like drowning men,
that nothing should cucumber their persons impede
their progress in the for life which lay before them
We have been unable to ascertain the exact nunbt
of killed but no one with whom have conversed
Inmates il at less than ljO while many thirk 1t must
have reached 800. There also great many wound
ed One gentleman counted over twenty dead bodies,
and many wouuded in small patch of woods, and, to
use his own expression, they were lying about dead
like sheep in every direction to which the eye was turn-
ed Many of the wounded we're left on the field by the
enemy and brought into camp, where cur soldiers
humaaely muisered TO their wants The enemy was ousy
all the time carrying Off their dead and wounded FROM
|
q cir before The precise number can be aseer-
| tanned.
The morass where the fire was constant and deadly
from the guns Of the Confederate forces had not bee
penetrated when informant left Scores OF them ie
there and when they broushs out it will swell tie
list OF killed AID wounded, it thought, to fIighui
extent.
An instance Of bravery related having been ex'
hibited By the famous Col George Duryea which should
not pass unnoced Luckily escaping The more dargeI-
Gus portions Of tue moras he ascended hill Just as Dis
men escaping from their per ious position, and re-
treating with s the hase with which their corsrdy legs
could carry them. Col D. tsuned them for their co "
ardioe and leapng upon fence, raised his sword sc,
and en,reaed the flying dastards to rally around the
stars and stripes His appeals however, were ifuit!esf
the stars and Stripes had lost their tamanic Influence
and the Yankees knew it would not protect them from
Minnie balls aud crap. shot. Col. Duryes still maintain
q his position on the ferce, and while in the act o!
iaisirg his sword alot fired at by North Care
liuian who remarked with anger, ~ will fix you" TEE
hs nssi its o iect but another rifle quickly seizd
fro the hands Of fellow soldier deadly aim taken,
and in twin king Col Duryea fell pierced through the
heart the crimson current poutug from the wound and
reddening his sash with brighter hue.
Upon his BODY we are informed was found an elegant
gld watch eighty dollars in money, and The Likeness o
some lady flienj Also several let ers and papers.
SPLENDID sword aIso fell by his PROSTATE iorm el,beree
carved about the handle with an inscription upon ne HI
presented Col DuEyea by the ladies OF New Or
Col Duryea has bcen eEcimptd a. Newport Nf's ioi
some two or tLres aeks past command of go NeS
York Z,uayes No later than last W., k, see by
letter in recen! issue Of the Hraid. be remonsrs
with Col Bartlett of toe Nagal Brigade, sairg that IL
had scted With great ndscIeotuess br ging seven o
.Ls Lu,drad ,,armad noo.iy clad raIl-,aulsled men