The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1861-06-21
The Battle Of Great Bethel.
Official Account.


The following accoant OF ihs rerulse a;
Great Bethel revised aud corrected by Major
General Butter for the Associlt~d P.ess
FoRrRgss MaNa9e, June 10, 1861.
This has been an exciting and sorrowiog day
at Old Point Comfort. GrnrIa Butl- haV-
ING learned that Confrdrlaies were fo rnlng an
entrenched camp With strong batteries al Great
Bethel, nlne miles from Hampton, on the 'rk-
town Road, he dreIned il necessary 10 GIsl0dg-
them
Accordingly NOV Pments were made last
night from Fortress Monroe and Nrwport-Nrws
About midnight Colonel Dprgees's z uavrs
and Cot Townsend's Albany Regiment cross
ed the river al Hampton, by means OF SIX
large batleaux, manned by the Naval Brigade,
and took up the line OF march. The former
were some two miles in advance OF the latter.
the same time Col. Brnedlx, regiment aud
detachment Of the Vermont and Massachusetts
regiments at Newpoit-News moved forward 10
soim juact ion with the regiment from Fort
ses Monroe at Little Bethel, at ab out "A. NJ,
COL Bensdix's Regiment arrived rtXt and
took position at The nttTs trion of thr road.
Not understanding ih- signal the German
#Rsginent, in the datknesS ot The noEnns.
drfd unon Cot. ToWHshnd's column, maicnius
IL close order, and led ny Lirut R0iirr, wth
two peces Of artillery. Other accounts say
chat Col. Townsend's Regiment feed first, a
sI events The 6r- oftho Alhauy Regiment as
harmless, while that Of th~ Germans "ss fatal,
killing or nan anu fatally wouudsag two olh
ers, " ith several cansaiies.
The Albany Regiment having fallen hacS
the Germans discovered irocl the aCcoutfe-
mens lett on The field that toe Supposed enemy
xas tield. They had in the mra9tInr FIR
ed nine rounds wilh small arms and field
piece.
The Zouaves hearing the 6re had returned
and fired also upon the Albany BOYS.
Al DAY break Coi.sA Hens and Col. Carr's
regiments moved from the rear of the fortress
10 support the main body. The mistake a,
Little Bethel having been ascertainpd the
buildings were burned, and Ma jor with :wo
prominent sergeaats named LIvey and W hit
sng made prisoners.
The troops then advanced 0pon Great Blh-
el, IN the following ordsr,viz th- Z 'usvrs,
Colonel Bpnpdix, Lreut. Col Washhurn, Col
Allen and Cot. Carr. AT that p1iat the
eroops found and sucerssvrlyi end, avorrd 10
sakp large masked secession battery. The
effort was futile three small pieces of artillery
not being able TO cope wih tn heavy can
non Of the cupmy, according TO some &C
counts, NUMBERING thirty.
The Confederate Battery was so completely
masked that no men could be seen, only The
flashes of the guns. There probably not
less than one thousand men brhInd their sand
batteries. A well concentrated movement
might have secured thd position but BIisa!ier
General Pierce, who commanded thu expect
ton, app4ars to have lost his prrs~ncs OF mud.
and the Troy Regiment stood an hour exposed
TO a Calling fire.
IN order to retreat was al last given, bnt al
the moment Lieut. CREDIBLE, OF the United
States Army, and in command OF the artillery,
was struck hy cannon ball and in'ianIlr-klIl
ed. He had sp'krd his gun and was gallanrly
endeavorrng 10 withdraw his command.
Capt George w Wilson, oI The Troy Reg
imenl, after the order TO iptreat took ppsSrss-
ion of The gun, and with Quarter Master Me
Arthur brought il of lhs field, with the body
of Lieut.. CREDIBLE They brought them 10 the
Fortress IT. is evening.
Therr are probably Twenty-Five killed and
one hundred wounded Lieutenant Coto"rl
Butler deserves the greatest credit Tor bring
,ng off the killed ard wounded. Svv-ra Of
;he latter are now 10 the hospital a the Foft-
yess.
should have stated that Colonel McCh"s-
ney's regiment formed a reserve. Col. Haw-
Minis regiments moved hom NewIort News
during the day.
The armed vessels went uPto Newport
News, excepting the cumberland. All The
regiment are probably at their former quarters.
Considerable indignation is manifested a
ga,nst Rsrgadrrr- General Pierce.
General Butler has been uhjqoiions: doing
all N his power 10 save the men and t1r the
honor of TIE cause.