Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1861-06-27
Artitles.
Comments Of the Northern Press on
the Battle of Bethel.

Secretary.

Va InO 4NS2VhOAn = ASoo va
the Battle Of Bethel.
General Butler has already received a
foretaste of the work that is before him.
His first exploit Of capturing pump was
happily conceived and heroically executed.
His success in seiziug and cou6scatiug stray
negroes as "contraband of war" was equal
ly as great. Animated to fresh exertions
by these most astounding achievements, and
desirous of wreathing his victorious brows
with laurels of less questionable kind, he
finally concluded to set out in search of new
adventures. As, however, the risk in cap.
turing slaves was far less than what might
be expected in an attempt to capture their
former masters, Brigadier. General Butler
wisely determined to ensconce himself safe
ly behind the walls of fortress Monroe, and
to leave General Pierce and his subordinate
officers all the perils attendant upon the
new conquest, of which he felt certain of
being adroit enough to mouopolize all the
glory. Alas, for Brigadier-Geueral Butler! |!
The five thousand troops which were to
open for him the way to Yorktown, moving
in separate detachments, fell afoul Of each
other in the darkness, and commenced
battle among themselves. The patriotism
of the native American regiment had not
stamina enough to resist the onset of their
German auxiliaries The Albanians inglo.
rious fled, leaving "the foreign element
masters of the field The loss from this
chance encounter is reported to haze been
two killed and nine wounded. Wnen the
ssmistake" was discovered, and explanations
and coincidence had been exchanged, the
eutire force pushed on towards Yorktown,
or rather towards Great Bethel, on the
Yorktown road, whore the Confederate for
ces, to the number of fifteen hundred men,
we're said to be encamped. Oae report has
it that General Butler had made VOW "to
sleep in Yorktown that night or resign. -
In the despatch Of the Associated Press,
"revised and corrected by Gen Butler in
person." there is no mention whatever of
this interesting fact; but VIC do lcar" that
the "mistake" which brought the A!bani-
ans and Germans into conflict occurred at
the village of Little Bethel, which was
promptly destroyed by fire, not because it
had offered resistance, but because it had
been the scene of the disaster.
1t was not until this noble and humare
act had been satisfactorily accomplished,
that the troops, "reformed," marched a.
gainst Great Bethel That they we're re-
pulsed with great slaughter, is reluctantly
admitted by General Butler himself, who
reports the killed at twenty-five and the
wounded at one hundred-other accounts
put the killed at one hundred and the
wounded at double that number. The
blame is, of course, attributed to General
Pierce, who is charged by Butler with ha7-
ing "lost his presence of mind" but great
credit is given to Lieut.. COL Butler for
bringing off the killed and wounded and
we are gravely told that since the battle
General Butler has been "ubiquitous, }"
which proves couclusively that he can be
in many different places at one and the same
time, although we do not hear Of his hav-
ing yet been seen at Great Bethel.-Bah'-
more Exchange, June II.
The Dutch seem better soldiers than their
brother Aboitionists, as it is said they fired
upon regiment of their brethren in the
midnight raid of Gen. Butler and the A.
mericans fled from them in terror. 1t Is
true, the Dutchmen were very poor shots
having fired nine rounds aud only killed
one man, according to Buffers statement.
But if the Dutcbmen were poor shots, what
can be- said of the courage of the Albany
regiment, which fed fron u supposed enc
my, when ouly one mn had been shot =
This Whole story is Incredible. Thats reg
imeut Of "a Thousand men should, wIthln
fair striking di,tauce, fire upon similar
budy nine rounds-nine thousand shots
and only kill Que man, isa story which Abb