Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1861-06-21

petition pressed, arriving at between | |
and ~ o'clock. On their way they had
routed the advance guard at Little Bethel,
and taken three prisoners, Capt. A. Viii
ting and two privates, who were sent back
under guard. Report says that thirty
secessionists were taken prisoners by our
troops yesterday. Your correspondent re-
grets that he is unable to find this report
substantssted. The above is probably
correct
From a beautiful country dwelling
house, not far out from Little Bethel, shots
were fred upon the passing troops. The
orders from Gen. Butler are to spare no
house from which shot is fired, but to
burn it down at once. This order was
put in effect and soon the beautiful house
was in flames and the secession soldiers,
who probably fred from it had escaped to
the woods.
As they approached, the mortars on the
upper battery and the heavy rifed cannon
commanding the road opened upon them
from behind their Masks like volly of
thunderbolts. Fortunately for our SOL
diers the aim was defective and the mis-
siles carried nearly mile and one half
beyond the position the troops occupied.
Then came discharge of musketry, an
swered to strongly by regiments right of
the road, and the battle was fairly opened.
The scene was awful beyound all power
Of description 1t seemed as if earth and
heaven were shaken. Still our men finch
cd not an inch. General Pierce was as
tonished and surprised to such degree
that, for time, the command was unat-
tended. The colonies counseled his &C
ton, and he assented to their proposals
in such manner that they made their
movements, each regiment pretty much at
will. Had the sides been fanked, I am
informed by military men, the batteries
might have been quite easily carried by
charge. The field pieces, two 12-pound
and one 6-pound howitzers, were soon To-
Gated and opened upon the enemy, soon
silencing one of their guns. The canon
aiding and musketry still continued. The
effect was frightful. Thunders belched
from the mouths Of the batteries, and
heavy balls ploughed the earth, and
scathed and shivered the trees in every
direction.
After each discharge from the bate
ries, the leaves and limbs fell from the
trees like rain, and the musketry ratified
among the limbs like hailstones. In the
road the fire from the rifed cannon was
especially terrific. The troops were able
to dodge the balls, but they plowed the
hard earth all in burrows, besprinkling
the soldiers with dust. The day was
very hot and many of the soldiers had
been very much exposed and were not
fresh for the action. The sun poured
down broiling heat; and the enemy
showers of canister and grape, bombs and
schrapnel, and whining, whirling masses
Of iron that made the very air to groan.
Their commander was inefficient, and
their colonies had no right to act save in
obedience to him. Yet with all these dis
couragements they pressed upon the works
with great effect, and stood their ground
manfully. Great credit is especially due
to the First Regiment, under Col. Allen,
the Fifth, under Col. Duryee, who bore
the principal part Of the fire. Meantime
a dispatch had been sent to Yorktown for
aid, and Col. Magruder and large force
had arrived. The shots told of skillful
and we'll trained gunnery. Our men
avoided them as best they could by dodg-
ing, and the protection of the trees. At
length company of cavalry attempted to
sally forth from the battery. Capt. Kill
patrick of Co. H., Fifth Regiment, shot
one from his horse, and the troops retired
without crossing the bridge over the
bayou.
Col. Townsend proved the hero of the
fight. Undaunted. he rushed before his
men when the bullets and grape few fast
and thick, and urged them on. The ig.
nominy which q portion Of his men had