New-York daily tribune., 1861-09-12
THE TRAGEDY AT wILLETrs POINT.

RICHARD DELAFlELD, u 3. Corps OF Engineers
THE TRAGEDY AT WILLETTS POINT
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE CORONER AT FLUSHING
As stated in yesterday paper Coronef's Jury was
forthwith mpanI eed by Coroner Frederck Irduk, 70
investigate the circumstances attending the late
tragedy which occurred in the camp Of The New-foiS
Rifles on Tue-day night. The jury consists OF y; A.
Lawrence lex-seDaOrl, foreman, VIM. torIler, Onas
miller, Taos Il. Frame, Joseph Okeee, Henry -
Bsroe, joseph Theyl-r, and John Stutenai Wm' H.
Duryea acting "a clerk.
The case excited considerable interest in the neigh;
tOrhOcd Az o'clock p m q crowd gathered IN asa .s
about Edwards Ho,l, Flushing, aud soon afer The
inves tgutiOn begun IL inued uhtil dusK, ana
was adjourned until Today ~ p m
Henry Thompson, Orderly Sc geant Of capt Crestos
COMPANY ,wouuded in the leR), tesuhed-lhe Cap
tain and our whole company were about leaving camp
on the evening the 9b September, between i0 sud
IL O'Clock might, when We were met by party 81
men with muskets, who ordered MS TO stops we did
STOP aud Capt. Creso told the oIneer 10 COMMAND Oh
the party that we we're going 10 leave the camp ana
90 10 New-York; IA good deal Of conversa'ion ensned
on boil side duIioV which another company came up
behind u.s. commanded by Lieut. Georgia, who llnne-
d 4tey ioned the other party that trst ordered us 10
halt Lieut.. Geo gia addfesed onr Captain and sald
he was undertaking than he would like 10 be re-
sIOnsible for; Lieut.. Georgia demanded our Va tam
sword which was refused; some onel The ranks ered
ont Don't fire upon brothers" Capt Cresto SAID he
would not fire frst loud words continued 10 p'es be-
tween our Captain and Lieut.. Georgia, the batter
saving he would prevent ua from passing al all
lazafds and would soon die there as any o heT
ace; Georgia looked NE In the face and said, On,
YOU are one of the who waut 20 shoot" sep cd
out snd said Rsned to make a lew remarks; Ge0r-
gia stepped up TO with sword IN his hand aud
Iuen stA ed tie we had tor leaVlhg when the
conversation ended Ceso touched me on the shoulder
/ was OF that time holding my pistol, wbi h was
cooked, in my hand, aud tein2 eXcied touched the
trigger and it went off, that the ball must have
passed near bi, head be exclaimed, My God, don,
-. N.fl. .cgft oil
wen, toward the men, ind heard Lieut.. Georgia give
orfers 70 fire. in loud and distinct voice. they fled
and our men ran IN all oirectlonsj found myseI
wounded and picked mp and carried 70 TINS llae
the killed and wounded were all on our side. The
yituess gave the names ms published yes eray. Oar
compsny was not sworn into the United States ser
vice.
James IL. Ford, sworn-I am q member Of Co B,
New. York Rihes on the M ght of the occurrence
geant Henry Thompson told me we must go 10 New
York tonight and observed at the time, some
Of our fellows packing up buudesi We thought az hfst
we were TO 20 after some that had run away after
proceeding some yards we were ordered to halt by
SQUAD ahead of us ulary posted in the IOAd beard
Capt CrestO and Lieut. Georgia arguing about rome
tbiag bat did not understand more than that Georgia
would not let him 70 to-mght-nOt until to-Inorr0w,
in order that something might be Arransed one oi orr
men said: Boys, you not going 10 hre ~ broth
ers;" we had all musket, hut only three In the lot
were loaded, which fact know because we searched
the barrels in the afternoon heard Sergeant ThOmp-
e wanted some pOWOeT Dalti anu tdPt'
Cres;o said he had nj any but had enough; follow
iig tie conversation n the road heard pistol 20
oil between the Captain and Sergeant and two
seconds after there several more shots, none OF
which had any effect; after that heard some one say
"ire" and there were about fifteen shots III vol.
lev; am sure the order not given by any one In
nv company, and 10 the best Of my opinion the hnng
was by company that cane up after ge woe halted
in the road In front Of me fell, and said be
was ,hot and one on the other side staggered; L
tool two muskets ia my hand and moved backward,
thinking they were gOing 10 keep on hnng.
Char e. Dibbins, sWorn--I belong % Company II,
Captain Tod, Sew-iork Rifles on Mo,dsy morning
was sworn in al the City Hail. and arrived here ht
IA o. M; Just before dusk in the evening Lieatenan,
Georgia came down, ana wanted 10 know n We had
any uen to 90 With him, ar be thong some were
about making their escape by water, and he waited
n. TO 40 with hIm 10 the beach 10 prevent thsm; Wa
went 70 Captain Cresto for muskels; We had two
mu,keir Afd there were feyon OF u; Captain Cre,io
would not is us have any mnsAets, but W. found Two
more at hcsdquarers aud then marched To The beach,
near viii h we overheard some men talking IN Tho
weeds: man who W 80 dressed officer followed
US down with light and cent us back 10 heAdquar-
ters; while passing through the woc's we were peed
with stones by ZONE parties oi whom knew no'hing
al Headquarters We received turtber ortcra, ard We
then marched down the road leading by the hotel,
through the locusts tO the guard tent, wbere tho
subsequent shooting occurred We were drawn
mn facing some men who stood . in the
middle Of the road; Lieut.. Georgia went up 20 the
~
and he then reqnested the 20 20 back they all
hid muskets, and had WEI some conversation took
place in French, and Lieut.. Georgia sald something
about being sworn IA; OF Capt. CreHtOs men sud,
Let us wait until daylight, and not away like
THE yer; :" come Of said, That's night boys, don't
20 until morning." then there was shot hred from
among Capt Cresto's men; the officer that bad The
swOfd lifted his weapon and said, "WhO fred that
sbotl and tho man standing opposite Ine said, 81
fired it" then there were two three reports,
without efe 4 and the word Fire ~as gwen on ih'
orpote side, DO not know who by, but am positive
thai il came from the opposite ride and they fired
US 8s cid thelni my gun dld nos 20 OD but uii
OF s Ted side none were hurt the others ran
away; some one ordered us to charge bayonets, and
another ordered us 10 Reload but We had no more cart
ridges; Sergeant Edwnrds was ON the ground bcoro
us 10 stop them off, blockaded tie Ioid hon the
time Of the Il 1ht until morning.
John McNab, sworn-I belong 10 Company Is,
Capt. Cresto; we mounted guard on Monday morning,
and continued at Bigl-, beng sergesnt IN
command under sergeant Thompson; about 81
O'closk .. M. / went 10 sergeant thompson, and
ssked if could lie down for while, aud was per.
mitted 10 do so; about IL O'Clock tome person walked
NE up and informed me that there was trouble going
on; as we had bad trouble before, Jumped up and
saw the company drawing in line; thsy said they
were going after some company we advanced about
five rods, sgd were stoppedi II wm very dark, aud
tn 70 seemed to be company OF men before u.s.
conversation ensued; cur company Capt Crosto's)
had not their guns loaded; in byo minutes were
taken in tho rear by sOm8 other company; there
WAS good deal OF talk all round; heard Capt.
Cresto 1ay, Boys, you are not going 10 fire on us
like dogs" heard one officer addressing another, de-
naIding biz sword when we found Out what Cipt.
Cre.to was going ~ do, all cried out Take us by
dayhyht;' we had not been sworn Into the United
States service; my mnsket had no lock upon III we
stood about Ten ieet from them, and heard the balls
whizzng thick past both my the nain poroa Of
Capt. Crestos company did not know wheW tuey
were going, but We tnOuKht we were going TO blins
back some company that had got out OF tho barrheks
wo had been away from the glardtent Ouly about 10