The Shreveport weekly news., 1861-07-22
How One Man Chased a ThOuSan d

AN $3.50 A's7
written by Capt. VIM. II. Wer,h, to
. friend in Richmond, gives graphic
,sL;. 1,,.;,,, ,,,y,,r,L, n,, IN.
~ -'''''' =.
enemy near Ne" foi' ->'"S' SUNNI
weeks since; and as II Is the hrs' an
thorized version OF Il remarkable Incl
dom, ,f the war. which has been viror
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w. - -
III l"!'' III N"i,' " ~ ca : Nv " ''''7'
oeeii''''S II wei "'''H 1t i''''N' IA o''
! columns:
| left our encampment al Bethel in
| command Of 20 dragons. selected from
the Hampton dragons Capt. Philips,
| himself making one Of the party. My
object was a close reconnaissance of
the encmy's position at Newport
News.
! Having reached a pcin; about 81
miles from that post, | observed with
the aid Of my glass. eight men elus-
tered together ON the shore, above the
encmy's works, and in moment at-
forwards saw them in full run towards
their emcampmcnt. At the time Of
making this observation | was aeon
panied by Capt Philips and three pr
;! Yates. the remainder Of the detachment
being in the rear. Ii being iudispen-
sable to the attainment of my object
that thi. icket should be intercepted
in order prevent alarm at the post,
we dashed down the road running
parallelwi,h the river leadingto New
port News for some three miles in
pursuit, when dctachen Capt. Phil
lbs and his three men to the right, t,
cut off ,heir retreat. while pressed
on still! further towards the iortiti
9 cation to make sure OF intercepting
, them if they escaped Capt. Phillips
When within about three hundred
wards OF. Newport News. and haviu.
turned towards the river. found ny
, self within fifty yards of party O
the enemy, engaged in cutting wood
their lnuskets stacked around PIN.
tree. Not having been observed b,
them, | drew up uIdercovcrof thickr
and found the party To- consist o
twentv-seven priyatcs, one commit,
; stoned officer and one uon-comnission
ed officer.
Just then The picket guard, wM!cl
: Capt. Phillips party had failed to Gu
off. rushed into the camp OF Mas-a
, chusetts regiment cnoumped -outS:d
of the works and not more than on
hundred and sixty Yards from wher
= | was, and sounded the alarm.
+ ] saw that whatever had to d
:. must be done quickly; 50 | drew ~,
revolver gave real CaInamchc wa
whoop, and dashed into the pprtv o
: twentY-niue all told Ny first sho
:, was at the officer in command, VIII
# fell dead; my second at a private, wit
the same result; NV third missed il
aim. in consequence Of nv horse be
: coming very FESTIVE under the shout
/, ing and firing, and killed a mule
perhaps the most respectable individ
ual Of the whole party.
Nv shout being answered by Cap
" Phillips and his party. the enemy cor
/ coiyet themselves attacked bv n form
V liable force, and Yelling look out
"a look out these Virginia horsemrn az
upou us!'' They rushed in cuastcrn.
: ,inn towards their encalnpmeut, II,
d stonnino even to seize their arms.
The Massachusetts, regiment star
"a Oh two co,nnanies down 10 rrote,
their Marty. hu1 upou meeting the,
), ayine in all directions, and hcariI
u the firing and shouting. caught Il
pauic. and raising the cry of Virgi,
u ia Uorsemen, Virginia JIorseman !
d, took the double quick also for cam
o. In less than two minutes after II
y, shout and firing, my whole detac
he ment came pat the top OF their spec