Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-06-17

ONE THOUSAND FEDERAL TROOPS SAID To 81
KILLED AND WOUNDED AT TIE BETHEL BAT
TLE-IHE YANKEES KILLING EACH OTHER.
Prom the Baltimore hun Of Wednesday.
The steamer ,del,ide, Capt. Cannon, 1T Old Point
Comor late on sonday evening, and reached this city
a. hal:.past O'Clock yesterday morning She brought
intelligence Of batte between the Federal and Confed
crate troops al Great Bethel bridge, twelve miles from
F07tr5s. Monroe in which the Federal troops were re-
pulsed and suffered severely.
OLD PolYT, Jane 10, 1861.
At a;e hour on Sunday night Gen. Pierce lett with
about five thousand men, par. Of which conssted 0!
German regiment, Col Benedict from New York, and
one of the Albany regiments Col Townsend, aud the
Zouaye regiment, Col Duryea. The column was dvi-
ded and be fore reachng the Great Bshe bridge, they
me-, sld mlsIaking each oher ior tue enemy, oeeau
| fight
| The Albany regiment soon gave way and ran. Two
were killed ard nine wouaded. Tbs mistake was then
discovered, AID the entire column was reformed and
marched towards the bridge, where it wss said some
four hundred Of the Confederate forces were cged
On reaching the creek il was found that the Coueder
arcs bad destroyed the bridge but the whole Federal
| Column VAS thrown On the bark Of the creek,
At that moment masked battery from the opposite
side of the bridge opened its fire with deadly ehct on
the Federal troops. Two pieces OF artillery were then
directed against the battery but waou: doing i. any
| perccpible damage
In the engagement Lieu. Gceeble and Vel. Winthrop,
Of the Federal iorces, killed, and 200 wounded
| The battle began at O'clock in the morning and
continued for three hoar when the Federal troops were
driven back.
Gree. ecitement exists at Fortress Monroe, and Gen
Pierce ceusured for having exposed bic men to the
destroying FIRE OF the Coaederates for such length Of
time.
The troops returned to Fortress Monroe, and it
thought another effort would be made 10 dislodge the
C,rfederates from their position The battle
the road leading Yorktown where there IS said to DC
large force ready TO reinforce tie forces at the
| bridge.
T6e following account of the repu'e was revised aud
corrected By Msor General Butler for the Associated
| Press.
FORTRESS MoNsoE, June 10.
This has been an exciting and sorr0wful day at Old
Point Comfort Gen. Butler having learned that the
Confederates were forming entIenched camp, with
srorC batteries at Great Bethel niGe miles from Hamp-
tor, on the yorktown road he deemed it Necessary TO
dislodSe them Accordingly movements, were mids last
night from Fortress Monroe and Newport News ABOUT
midnight Col Duryea's Zouaves and Col Townsends
Albany crossed the river at Hampton By means oil PIX
lge bate UNNAMED By the Naval brigade AID took up
the line OF march, the former some two miles IN the ad
vance of the latter.
TIE Confederate battery was so completely masked
that could be seen ouly the flashes OF the guns
There probably not less than thousand men be-
hind their sand batteries well concentrated move
ment might have secured the position, but Brig Gen.
Pierce who commanded the expedition, appears to have
lost his presence of mnd aud the Troy Regiment 5000
an hour exposed to Calling fire.
This is all that we could insert Of the dispatch.
Information yesterday derived from passenger
on the Adde that the slaughter OF the Federal troops
fearful The Confederates had small battery oil
five guns in front OF the heavy battery OF red cannon
| ami thst was supposed TO be ell they had
| The email one was attacked by the Zouavts, who
fought brsve but the Confederate forces, but few IN
number yel lied it without much resistance, and retired
to the heavy battery. Thus drawing the whole Federal
column within range Of their destructive lire.
The number of killed and wounded was estimated at
Fortress Monroe at thousand at least UP to the
time the Adelaide left, nine o'clock on honday nigh,
two hundred and eighty wounded bad been brought 10
the hospital, and still there were more LEFT.
The free Of the Cohiederaes was extraordinarily fatal,
and they well protected behind their works that
nothing Of any of them until alter the Fedora.
column began theirretr5a when some oil them mouhted
| on Il e top of their works.
Who 10 command OF the Coniederates was not as
cerlaned but it was thought that COL Magruder was
there. The guns Eri said to hsve been served with
great rapdty and unerring AIM not one having ssed
| iis marx.
| LIEUT. GRETpLE
This ofhcer who is reported among the Pii'ea. De.
snged to the regular army and was relative OF Mayor
Henry, Of Philadelphia An order was brought 20 the
city by the Norfolk boa, for metallic coffin for the body
| of the f,llen oiicsf.
| BRIGADIER GENERAL FIERCE
This officer who commanded the troops during the en-
gsgement Is tsschusetts man, and has held mill
tay commission under the laws Of that State for several
years.