New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-08-01

LETTER FROM AN OFFICER OF MAJOR wHRA1s BATTALION.
NAxAasAs, .Tuty q. 1861
Ed. Grescent-Ere this reaches it's destination,
presume you will have received full details Of the
greatest battle that was ever fought, and most
glorious victory ever achieved by people CON
tending for, their rights and liberty.
Yesterday was the day that caused Yankee-land
to weep for the sons of her daughters.r
i am now confined to my bed with broken leg,
and in no condition to write at length therefore
shall confne myself to what actually experienced
up to an hour after being wounded, giving only
report of the company which had the honor of
leading, including the names Of disabled officers of
the battalion to which am attached. ,s
The enemy opened the eannonade across the
Stone Bridge" about sunrise, in order to attract
our forces to that particular point, intending to
| flank us on the left with their right wing This
however, we anticipated, when our gallant Major
| was ordered to check their advance.
| We engaged them about half past 10 o'clock, a.
| H., with our limited force Of some AGO men, they
| numbering, from all accounts, 5000 regulars, with
| three pieces artillery, and the most desperate fire
ever Witnessed. They fairly poured into and over
our ranks perfect hail-storm of grape. cannon,
musket and rifle balls, which we returned for near
an hour, repulsiDg them four different times, they
| as often rayfng. Finally, we retreated under
cover some two hundred yards, when the gallant
sons of dear old Mississippi, with Virginia, South
desperate charge was made. During this engage
ment regret to advise that Major, c. R. Wheat,
| was seriously, if not dangerously wounded, and
| more brave and noble soul never existed. Lieut..
Adrian of the Tiger Rifles, shot through the thigh;
| Lieut. Dickinson, acting Adjutant of my company,
| shot through the thigh, and Lieut.. Carey, acting
| Second Lieutenant in my company, also seriously
| wounded-both of whom were pride to our
| army.
marched on the field eight non-commissioned
officers and forty-eight privates, and give you my
| report as far as heard from this morning:
| Wounded, Captain {self,1 Lieutenants, i Cor
poral and IL priVates; killed or missing, priyates.
For the satisfaction Of their friends, here are the
| names:
| Dickinson Junior I'd Lieut.. Henry s. Carey, I'd
| Corporal Danl. Ross, Privates Samuel Bardeid,
| Frederick Bossey, JAS Connor Patrick Connerty,
| JAS Carroll, Thos. Ford, ]. H. Hutchinson, Jas.
| McDermot, Juo. Raynor, Cornelius Reilly, David
| Vance, Jno Walker.
| Killed or missing-P -Priyates Thos. Finn, Geo B.
| Hamilton, Augustn Johnston, John Shine, John
| Ward.
Every man, with few exceptions. deportea them
selves ike men. Leutenants Foley, Dickinson and
Carey I am proud to command, each of whom be-
| haved well on the field.
bone in the right leg below the knee, but hope to
resume command of what remains of my noble
little company within few days.
Tomorrow the battalion will be marched back
to resume our old position, which we have held
five days, near the - Bridge" under command of
R. A. Harris, senior Captain, where, if desired, the
followers of Abraham can have the dose repeated.
The fight was opened at l0l O'Clock A, NJ, and
lasted until dark, with the enemy in full retreat,
pursued for miles by our cavalry.
| President Davis arrived on the field after the
action had commenced.
Thousands, tits said, lie dead on the field. All
the while prisoners and wounded are coming in.
The wounded of the enemy receive like attention
as friends. =.s
Prior to engaging the enemy our little battalion
received raking fire from three regiments oj
t;e1ads Notwithstanding, they rallied and promptly
F" faced the music.' Es
Yours very truly, - 0. P MILLER, A S=6
Il CHTtun Oil Dominion Guards,
| FIRST Special Battalion Volunteers
| P.S.-David O'Keete proved his friendship fol
the Souih and is promoted corporal. Ny servant
| Frederick johnson, while following on the field
with water and provisions, was nabbel y by the
enemy, and carried back several miles but finally
escaped, well supplied with Yankee clothing, ant
| is NOW Nursing me like a friend.