The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-06-26
BATTLE OF BETHEL CHURCH
LETTER OF CAPT. II, J. AsHE.


LETTER OF CAPT. n, J. AsHE.
yorktown, June lah, 1861.
My DEAR MAm:-I wrote to you on
Thursday, the 9th. stating that we were just
starting, that we had been suddenly ordered
oil - an expedition. the purporl q whlci, !
did not know. but did not think il was PR.
illus. Thanks 10 God. aud none other. HAT
prediction has proved true, as the sequel all
show.
On Commencement day, we took mp the
line Of match and moved iiiiren miles. a,ul
camped ID church called Brihei We came
III with me dl,'s PROVISIONS, aud on!s D
blanket. 10 that We had the earth for br,l
and the Ky fol canopy. just as we began
10 feel the comforting influence Of a large
camp fire. The Lieut.. Colnnel came round an,l
called nut, Captain Ashe, yoa ire on gaar,l
to-day. ! wish sou n detail twenty five men
aud come with NE TO guard Iard." In j
lew minutes the detail Wa in line, and ae
marched mile TO the ford. where The colo.
mel t"li me that there was loat Say, but
uhrrc il Was. Lr did nj know. and that
nlyn .ruck Igh | could fnd il. After
lu ting half hour, could not fnd il, ilr il
va, covered by the water. fpr Il W. hlga
it'd. lswad.d thrmgh the water. Naisi
drep-fne preparation Tor sleep. with noib.
~. but blanket md 10 fire. posted the
guard and Laid laMn AMI slept one " my cat
maps, anil spent The residue ~ lie night II
marking time and double qpieking pre-.
parai,an fer breakfast, which consisted 81 lat
baron. fried IN The oaals. anil hip biscuit
stale enough to have been made Ia che war
- 1872. FRIDAY We spent 10 throwing up
cnirrnehmrnis. On S4tafiay some ssoals
came 10 II lull gaiiop aad reported that the
rhemy was sIIhm tbret niles, fsr4gins.
Nhrfeupon. Major Lane. With th rts 81
S'arr's Fayetteville cnm?ans aud me how il
zrr. iram Richmond. uadsr " .ja Randolph,
hurried ~ 10 disperse them. They caale
tpon them Al then dirty work, plasdsrlng
aud DESTROYING the furniture Just A. suoii
a. The command made as Appearance, lhty
bruse aud ran like turkeys. The hoWitlrr
made nnr iife, aud loDr horscmen inok after
ihrR. bni Ill but me psnr devil was TOO leel
u i"oi anil d. Va. taken aud brought IL - !
prisoner. After that detachment lad been
gone SHIRT time. here zane ~ a one arm
hitle fellow named FHlg.i. saying that tary
we're pilirfiny at anoher point. when lie
Bsneombr company sas called ~. and with
another hnaiizer. ttpk lie rad. They march
~ ,laan and took f0ui ihat brought them
~ beiWeen Hampton aud Tie parts pf ma
rauder.. Our advanced guard. commanded
~ Lieut.. Gregory. canm upon them. a.
hr-i lhel beat reirra, aud Gregnr, pursued
them. Alter Hhile ihry came u : hall.
AID pafles commenced. Gregory think ny
they mi. Dc be be Stars men, and ihry think
ius our men came from Hampton. !" What
Regiment do you belong tni' The Fifth
" Winch sides' = Americans" Bolh par.
tics standing with guns II ready. about
thirty PAGES apart. Finally he Yankee
Sergeant. big. strong fellow, blarted snt
. You d--n louis, don't ynu see lhcy arr
our mcn-eome along. III show yos. That !.
right. old fellow, quit foOing and Tell ms
nhat regiment YOU belong io--s Second Nea
iurk Regiment All right IL The same tim,
ir,eiing a III shooter. /" You are my pris
oner," and be commanded his squad 10 iite
but before the command could be executed
they broke and run. Our force numbered
ten, theirs fifteen. Just II this time. III,
main buhy 81 the BaneDmbeiies came %
and running ERE commenced, To- whith
some two days and one buggy load 81 III,
Yankees were killed and wounded, aud with
out scratch on our side. Who can fail /,
recognize an oycrruling and iayoufinr Prov
idencc 10 thisf Dor men made good thei,
retreat ir0m within two miles pf Hsmpfon
which is right under the guns OF Portres.
Monroe, AID where there we're some three
thousand men posted. These events raised
The ire Of oaf Northern friends. They swers
such impudenre and prescription should u
promptly aud severely punished. SUNDAY
good. pioas souls, they gave to getting read,
Tor death, and attending preaching, which W.
did. and threw Up breast works. by way Il
keeping the powder dry. On Monday marn
ing. the 10th. Just before daylight, lie busIs
sound called Us from slum6cr 10 arms. III
a few moments we were on The road on an
expedition that none but the field officers
knew any thing shout. After marching about
three and half miles. We we're met by !
woman 10 great distress, WHOSE husband had
just been taken prisoner, who informed tie
Colonel that detachment had lust a few
memeBts left her. having been frightened by
irei0g on the right. which turned out 10 be
from two parties Of the enemy who were adj
yancing. one from Newport News and The
other from Hampton, and mistook each 9th.
er for Seeessionists--a strange mistake by