Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1861-06-15
THE BATTLE OF BETHEL
EXTRACT OF LETTER IRON YORKTOWN.


YoKRTowS, June lllh, 1861.
We very suddenly called
from this post on Thursday last intelligence having been
received that morning to the effect that the enemy
approaching from below in great numbers which iptei-
gence caused to take up immediate line OF march,
in order to meet and reps. them. We in company with
the Richmond Howitzers and about thousand North
Carolina soldiers, went and in very few hours were
pitching brush tents, near Bethel Church, about Is
miles from this place and miles from Hampton. We
engaged during Friday and Saturday in throwing
up breastworks and bockading roads in that vicinity.
We then being ready for action, waited quietly until
Sunday night, when several signal guns were fred,
which aroused from slumbers and in less than
ten minutes several Of our mounted vdets dashng
with ioaming steeds into camp with intelligence that
the enemy rapidly advancing, and within two or
three miles of u.s. In less than ten minutes more every
at his designated post and ready for the fray.
We still waited and about 20 minutes to O'clock, A.
NJ Monday, the enemy appeared in solid column, near
900 strong, and coming at very rapid pace,
when the Howitzers, in command of Msjor Randolph,
brought their pieces bear with miraculous effect
the advancing enemy causing them to . back, break
ranks and take to the woods by; they, however
carrying their with them and bringing them to
bear on cur battery from within the woods. general
cannonadiDg then commenced, which lasted about three
hours. The cannonading having ceased for tme the
enemy rallied with shout, emerged quickly from the
woods made desperate charge our batteries, and
attempted TO cut off right flank, "a position which
sustained by the company Of which have the honor
to be member, and portion Of the North Carolina
regiment) which brought them fully within the range
OF musketry, when We poured heavy volley into
Them and caused many Yankee to bite the dust. We
played on them for some time with our muskets and
rifles, when the Howitzsrs brave fellows and good
guns) again brought into action which played sad
havoc in the raLks Of the enemy, and caused them TO
beat hasty retreat at doubiequick time. They were
followed hotly by two small auies of our cavalry
who pursued them until they had crossed Hampt,
bridge and fully under the OF Fortress NOR
roe's guns The battle lasted about six hours, with
loss OF one killed and five wounded, and loss to
the enemy OF (as well as We could estimate) near hre
hundred killed and wounded. hen were detailed from
each Of companies, and they went fcrh to the fed
AID woods and buried those of the enemy whose
fortune it was to fall well as they could under the
circumstances The remains of the uniOrtuuae but
bave and heroic young Virgnian, whose cad lot it
to fall in ranks this morning to his mother
and sisters, who reside on Union Hill. His name is
Wyatt, has been living in North Carolina for tme
aad was a member OF the North Carolina regiment.
There were only four companies of Colonel Augusts
command in this engagement, as follows: Company A,
OIptain Atkinson the Virginia Life Guard Captain
Walker; Young Guard, Captain Charters; and the Her
rico Southern Guard, Captain Childrey. These four
companies and the Howitzsrs and the Old North Stale
regiment, behaved nobly and manfuly.
About shutdown yesterday the day of the ba.tle) ia
tgued and exhausted were, we started for this
place, % miles dstant,) where we arrived in safety
about II or l o'clock that night
There were in the action about fourteen hundred
Southern soldiers and between four thousand five Lun
dred and five thousand Federal soldiers a deserer
from them who came to and prayed for protection,
informed u.s. There were not than three or four
hundred of our engaged at any one time in this
battle, though all of had hand in it. Verify Prov
idence has smiled on u.s. and esl that the Almighty is
with US in cause.
EXTRACr OF LETTER PROM WILLIAMSBURG.
WILLIAMSBURG June IL, 1861.
To the Editor of the Whig:
There is every indication that the
slaughter of the enemy terrible Ga our side only
one man vas killed, Wyatt Of North Carclns, brave
fellow, who volunteered rashy perhaps, to fire house
which somewhat sheltered the enemy from the guns Of
battery; he did fre it. and upon his return shot
This battle has added greatly the well earned repus
ton Of Col. MsgJuisr During the entire conflict, his
voice heard above tho of and muskety
aud had the eject Of magic upon his men, 1t is need
less to say that our men fought like men. indeed. A
Yankee prisoner, taken on the morning of the battle,
said that the Lnccntes did expect to find more than
two hundred Of tho Confederate army at the battery and
citizen below informs U.s. that upon their retreat they
expressed the opinion that there not less than TO-
900 behind the entrencbments This opinion, they said
was induced by the rapid constant and destructive FIRE
from the battery You may rely upon the statements here
made. OF course it is pretended to give you
curate account in figures of the dead and wounded Of
the encmy-they alone can do that-DUr THEY woN'r-
From the number Of dead and wounded actually left on
The d the number Of mrskets haversaeks provisions