Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-06-18
The Skirmish near Hampton ON the Sth and
brilliant Victory on the 10th.

The Sklrmish near Hampton on the Sth ana !
brilliant Victory on the 10th.
1t was our painful duty last week to notice the
strange surprise and rout of our forces at Phil
lippa, In Barbou1 countyAit is with great pleas
ure that we announce, this week, q brilliantgic-
tory at Bethel Church, about miles from Hamp-
on and Is miles from Yorktown. This battle was
fought with about 100 of our troops against
8 800 or 1000 of the enemy. The battle COM
menced at o'clock in the morning and contin
ued till o'clock in the afternoon. Before Civ
ing an account of this battle, we will state what
occurred BEFORE as furnished by 9 correspondent,
that our readers may have better understand
ing of the condition of affairs in that quarter.
About thfeeweeks ago party Of 800 Yankees
came up from Hampton and occupied Bethel
Church, which position they held day or two
and then retired, leaving written on the walls of
the church seTefA Inscriptions, such as 'sDeath
to the Traitors !" ssDown with the Rebels!" &c.
To nearly all of these the names Of the writers
were defantly signed, and all of the pensmen'
signed themselves as from New York except one
who was from "Boston, Mass, q. S." To these
excursions into the interior, of which this was
the boldest, Gen. Magruder determined to put a
stop, and accordingly filed the place after the
Yankees left, with few companies of his own
troops. In addition to this, he determined to
carry the war into the enemy's country, and on
Wednesday the 5tb, Stanard's battery, of the
Howitzsr Battalion. was ordered down to the
Church, where it was soon Joined by q portion
of Browns battery, of the same corps. The
North Carolina Regiment, under Col Hill was
also there, making in all about ! 100 men, and
seven howitzer guns. 94
| On Saturday the 9th the first excursion of con-
siderable Importance was made. A detachment
Of 200 infantry and howitzer gun under Major
Randolph, and one of 70 infantry, and another
howitzer under Maj Lane, of the North Carolina
Regiment started in different rortes to cut off a
party which had left Hampton. The party was
seen and fred at by Maj. Randolph's detachment,
but made such fast time that they escaped. The
troops uader Major Lane passed within sight OF
Hampton, and as they turned up the road to re-
turn to Bethel encountered the \ aHkees, num-
bering about 60. who were entrenched sebiDd q
fence in the field protected by q high bank
Il
er moment the North Oarolinians were dashing
over the fence in regular French lnot New York;
ZouaYe style, firing at them in real squirrel hun
ting style. The Yankees fed for their lives after
| firing for about three minutes without effect,
leaving behind them three dead and prisoner.
The prisoner was a stout, ugly fellow from Troy,
Ny. He said that be had nothing against the
South, but somebody must be soldiers, and he
| thought he had as well enlist. None of our men
were hurt. i,
This bold excursion, ander the very guns OF
the enemy, determined the authorities at Old
/ Point to put q stop 10 it and clear Us out from
Bethel. This determination was conveyed to US
by persons who came from the neghborhood OF
the enemy. On Monday morning the 10th about
} 600 infantry and two guns, under Gen. Magru7
der, leftthe camp and proceeded towards Hamp
ton; but after advancing a mlle,or two, receiv-
ed information that the Yankees, were coming
ia large force.sIWe then retired and after reach
} ing camp the guns were placed in battery, and
the infantry took their places behind their
! breastwork. Everybody was cool, and all were
duAiOuo ~ StSG tAS lAS aNOto q SoOu iSSOPtiOh'
! About o'clock TIE glitteriDg bayonets of the
enemy appeared Oh the hill opposite and above
f them waved the Star Spangied Banner. The
moment the head of the column advanced far e.
to show one or two companies, the Parrot gun
of the Howitzer Battery opened on them, throw
ing shell right into their midst. Their ranks
broke in confusion, and the coiumn, oT as much
Of it as we cold see retreated behind two small
farm houses. From their position fire was o
pened on us, which was replied to by our battery,
which commanded the route of their approach.
Our firing was excellent, and theshells scattered
in all directions when they burst. They could
hardly approach the guns which they were firing
f,r the shells which came from our battery
Within our encampInent fell perfect hailsstorm
of canister.shot, bullets and balls. Remarkable
to say, not one of our men was killed inside OF
our encampmept.y Several horses were slain by
the shells and bullets. s61 faH fiirF
Finding that bombardment would not answer,
the enemy, about II O'Clock, tried to carry the
position by assault, but met terrible repulse at
the hands OF the infantry as he tried TO scale tn
breastworks. The men disregarded sometimes
tie defences erected for them, and, leaping on
the embankment; stood and fred at the Yankees,
cutting them down as they came up.a Onecons
panyof the New York Ssvsnth Regiment, un-
der Capt. Wardrop, o. Winthrop, attempted to
take the redoubt on the left The marsh they
crossed was strewn with their bodies. Their
Captain, fine looking man, reached the fence,.
and eaping on log, waved his sword, crying,
"Oome on, boys; one charge and the day is
ours" These words were his last for Carolina
rife ended his life the next moment, and his men
fled In terror back. AT the redoubt on the right
company of about 800 New York Zouaves
charged on one of our guns, but could not stand
the fire of the infantry, and retreated precipi-
lately. a e ~ 4a saoas
During these charges the main body of the
enemy, on the hill, were attempting to concen-
trate for general assault but the shell from the
Howitzer Battery prevented them. AS one reg
iment would give up the effort, another would
be marched to the same position, but with no
better success, for shell would scatter them
like chaff. The men did not seem able to stand
/ About one o'clock their guns were silenced.
and few moments after their infantry retreated
nrpcinitqtnlv doun fbn rood II 9Ess5t