Weekly Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-11-01

illage, had returned, crossed the river, and
eported to Gen. Stone that there were no hos
10 forces in that region.
But after Colonel Deynn fell back, his men
we're placed in semi circular clearing or natur
i forest opening, covering fiye or six ncres with
Is base resting on the edge Of the heights, mud
lanked mud fronted by forest The enemy, he
coming bolder, advanced in scattered parties 10
The edge of these woods, and from 10 A. NJ. till |
4 r. Nj. kept up random annoying FIRE upon
our men The latter. sheltered themselves as
well as they could, lying just below the ridge
anl awaited reniorcoments.
At 4, then, our whole force had crossed and
Colonel Baker md staff with the rest,
and the troops were suffering somewhat from
the concealed enemy's fire. Many had dropped
nnd been carried down the hill.
We asked Colonel Baker what he thought OF
affairs. lie said that ho thought we had good
position could fall back for shelter behind the
ridge. "Yes,n soid We, hut what's in those
woods ?" Ilo answered. g think the enemy
are concealed on our right"
a private had reported that there was no force
on the left, but deep ravinb, hidden by the
woods We then proposed sending skirmishers
TO mike q reconnaissance ON the right, and Cap-
tain Markoc, Second Lieutenant Williams, md
myself advanced with Companies aud b Of the
California Regiment. Company got in front
on rising ground, 10 skirmishing order, Company
d following in line.
The California battalion, TO make the story
clear, were drawn up on the left of tho open
field the Massachusetts, Fifteenth and Iammany
on the right, and the Massachusetts Twentieth
nearer the centre. Col. Uoggswel took charge
Of the artillery. Only fvur guns were planted
| 10 the field, the riile1 gun having been hauled
up AZ a wrong place. aud being aitcrwnrd seized
by the enemy aud spiked.
When our diminishing companies had reached
| the edge Of the woods, suddenly the enemy,
hitherto cOncenlCd rose with yell and fired II
yoley then began fighting in their usual mnn-
ntr: first giving ye and volley; then load
ing and firing at will Tor II few minutes then
ceasiug On equal time then giving another yell
and volley, and so on, pouring murderous fire
into little band for the space Of half an hour
The whole woods around swarmtd d with them -
They had no artillery and no cavalry. Our
Rhode Islanders, except the officers, deserted
their guns, hut Colonel Baker, Lieutenant COionc
Ilisiar, Colonel CoggsweN and Adatdm Horpei
manned the battery, and fired The guns Themselves
aided by Company @, 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 on Maryland ground
We kept up both n musketry aud cannon fire
as well as we could, but half the time We cOud
not sec the enemy, and his cowardly discharges
| were thinning our ranks still most Of the men
stood firm aud acted bravey The enemy's
vOlleys aud yells increased in loudncss, and IL
was evident that reintorcements were pouring III
to his aid. Captain Stewart, General Stone:
| adjutant came on the field with the cheering
statement that General German would shortly
support us.
At 81 r. NJ. We held council of war, and
resolved to stand our ground, Gen. Baker or.
dcrng me to 60 for r0intorcemenis. by this
II 4 r ~.
The enemy were growing more daring, rushing
out of the woods, taking some prisoners anl
firing hotly.
Just thea a rebel officer, riding white horse
came out of the woods and beckoncl to us Il
come forward. Col. Baker thought it was Gen
Johnston, aud that the enemy would meet us il
open fight.
Part of our column charged, Baker cheering
us on, when tremendous onset was made by
the rebels. One man rode forward, presented Il
revolver at Baker, and fired all It's charges e
him. Our gallant leader fell, and ut the SAINT
moment nll our lines were driven back hy III,
overwhelming force opposed to thin Bu
Capt. Beiral. with his comp my, fought his wa,
hack to Col. Bakers body, rescued it, brought
il along TO me, and then n general retreat com
menced.
II was saupc qW psui! got the Colonels body
to the island before the worst of the rOut, ant
then, looking 10 the Virginia shore, saw such
spectacle as no tongue can describe. Our eniir,
forces were retteatng, tumbling, rolling. lenpin;
down the steep heights the enemy following
them, numbering, and taking prisoners Col
Devan left his command and swan the river OF
horseback Col Coggswe, after unayailin
bravery, had ordered the retreat himself, but
being wounded, was tnken.
The one bont in the Yirgiuia channel wa
, speedily filled aud sunk, thousand mel
! ! thrOnged the further bank. Muskets, cents, an
everything were thrown aside and all were try
ing to escape. Hundreds plunged into the rap
current, and the shiieks oil the drowning ndiei
to the horror Of sounds and sights. The enem
kept up their fire from the cliff above. ill wa
terror, confusion and dismay.
A captain Of the Fifteenth Massachusetts n
one moment charged gaantly up the hl lead
ing two companies, who still had their arms
against the pursuing foe. moment later an
: the same officer, perceiving the hopeessness Q
i the situation, waved white handkerchief AM
surrendered the main body of his regiment
: Other portions of the column surrendered bu
the rebels kept up their fire upon those VIII
tried to cross, and many not drowned in th
river were shot in the act of swimming.
J Night came on. Ats P. NJ. all of our ban
whose fortune it was to return had landed
Harrison Island, and the firing from the Vireini
= heights had ccasel
The rebels took all our guns but one Whe
=. left yesterday they had shouted to us, telin
y us TO come over and take away our dead sous q
BIS under flag Of truce bad also mouute
our own guns on the heights, and warned us /
leave the sland 10 four hours.
The cause OF this sad havoc was that we ha
no proper means Of transit and retreat.