New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-06-19
RATTLE OF BETHEL CHURCH.
A CONFEDERATE ACCOUNT.

day Monday between i've leSi'hei'' .u;t
~ of Vi-aiTi.ns and North Carolini ins, uncer Gen.
Macruder at Bethel Church, OK county. BEFORE
folIn Won of he battle, will give you some c!rcum-
stances preceding it. about Two Week aS" pniyy
Eethel Church. which petition they held day or two
and then relire leaving written on the walls OF me
church several inscriptions, such as Death 10 tlc
Traitors" ''Down with the Rebels" sc. To nearly
all these the names Of the writers were deimtly
sgoed, and all Of the pensmen signed themselves as
from New-York, except one, WHO was from Boston,
Mass, IT, 5. To these excursions into the interior, oil
which this was the boldest, Gen. Magfuder deter
mined to PIT stop and accordingly filled the place
after the Yankees left with few companies OF his
own troops la addition to tins, be determined to
carry The war into the eDemys country, ana on
"Wednesday last Stauard's battery OF the howlutr
Battalion was ordered down to the church, where 1t
was soon Joined by portion Of Browns battery OF
tire same corps. The North Carolina Regiment, under
Col. Hill was also there, making IN all about llO0
men and seven howitzer guns. ,
On Saturday last the first excursion Of considerable
Importance was made. A detachment of 2JO infantry
and lowitzer gun under Major Randolph and one OF
20 infantry and another bowitzer under MAJOR Lane,
of the North Carolina res iment, started different rouies
10 cue off party which had left Hampton. lbe party
was seen aud fred at by Major Randophs detachment,
but made such fact time that they escaped Inc troops
under Major Lane, passed within sight OF Hampton
aud as they turned up the ROAD TO ie'uih 10 beei'
encountered the Yankees, numbering abOnt 20, who
were intrenched behind fence 10 the held protected
by high bank. Our advance guard hred on them,
and in another moment the North Caroiinans were
deshing over the fence III regular fiench nor new
York. Iouave STYLE firing at them IN real squirrel
bunting style The Yankees fed for their lives after
firing for about three minutes without eject leaving
behind them three dead and prifoner. The fellow
was stout, ugly fellow from Troy, ~ l. He sad
that lie had nothing against the South but somebody
must be soldiers ind he thought he LJd as wen enlist
None Of our were hurt.
This bold excursion under the very guns OF the
enemy determined the authorities at Old Pcih TO put
stop 10 it and dear out from Bethel ms deerni-
nation was conveyed TO Us by persons who came IRON
the neighborhood of the enemy. On MONDAY morning
coo infantry and two guns, under tenerl hasfuIer,
left the camp and proceeded toward Hampton, bat after
advancir mile two received information that the
Yankees coming in large force. We then retired,
and after reaching camp the guns were LACED III Dat
teJy and the infantry took their places behind their
breastwork. rsbody was COOL and all were anx-
ious TO give the invaders good reception.
About O'Clock the gteTing bayonets Of tie enemy
appeared on the bill opposite, and above them waved
the Star Spsngled Banner. The moment the mead oi
tie column advanced far enough TO show one or two
companies, the Parrot gun Of the Howitzer Battery
opened on them, throwing shell right into their midst.
Their ranks broke ii confusion, and the column, or az
much of it as we could see retreated behind two small
farm-houses. From their position fire was opened on
us, which replied to by our battery which COM
manded the route Of their approach. Our iirne was
excellent, and the shells scattered IN all directions
when they burst. They could hardly approach the
iron our battery Within our eucaupment fell per-
feet hail-storm Of canisershot bullets, and balls
Remark abe to ray, not one Of our men was killed
inside Of our eDcempment. Several horses were SIAN
BY the sbela and bullets.
Finding that bombsrduent would not anEwer, the
enemy about ii clock tiled TO carry the petition by
assault but met terrible repulse at the hands Of the
infantry IA be tried 10 scale the breastworks. The
men disr garded sometimes tine defenses erected for
Il en- and eaping Oh the embankment stood and fired
at the Yankees, cutting them down as they cane up
One company Of the New ork 9TH Regiment, under
Can't Winthrop, attempted 10 take the TedOubt the
left. Tie marsh they crossed was strewn with their
bodies Their captain ine-looking man. reached the
fence and leaping log, waved ms sword, crying
Come on, boys; one charge, and the day is ours
Tie words were his last for Carons ride ended bis
life tie next moment, and bis men fed in terror back
Al Tie redOubt ON the night, company Of about three
hundred New.YoTk Zouaves charged one OF our guns,
but could not stand the fire Of the infantry, and re-
treated preciIitately.
.During these charges the main body Of the enemy
on the ILL attempting TO concentrate for gen
era assault but the ehells from the H0viZer Battery
prevented them. AS one regiment would give mp the
effort another would be marched TO the position, bat
with no better success for shell would scatter them
ike chat. The did not seem able 10 stand ire at
ILL.,
About one O'Clock their guns were silenced, and
few moments after their infantry retreated Preeipi-
lately down the road 10 Hampton.
Our cavalry, numbering three companies, went in
pursuit, and harrsssed them down 10 the edge OF
hampton. AS they retreated many OF the wounded
fell along the roGd and died, and the whole road to
Hampton was strewn with hsyersacks, overcoas, can
teenr, mskeis &C., which the men had thrown of In
their retreat.
After the battle visited the position they held. The
houses behind which they had been hid had been burnt
by our troops Around the yard the dead bodies
Of the who hsd been killed by cannon, mapged
in the mort frightful manner by the shells The uni.
them are like those of the Virginia soldiery little
farther came TO the poL 10 which they had car
ried some of their wounded who had since died. The
gay looking uniforms Of the New-fOrk ZOuayes con-
ras.ed greatly with tho paled fixed faces Of their dead
owners. Going to the swamp through which they at
tempted to pass assault lines, presented another
bloody scene Bodies dotted the black morass from one
end 70 the other. saw one boyish deicate-look king
fellow living on the mud with bulet-hole through his
breast Ills baud pressed the wound from which
his life blood had poured and the other clenched
In the grass that grew lin. Lying on the ground
was Testament which had fallen from his pocket,
debbled with blood. On opening the cover found
the printed inscriptions "Presented TO the Defenders
Of their Country, by the New-York Bible Society"
A United States flag was slso stamped on the title
page.
were many letters from the Northern S,aef asking if
they liked the Southern farms and If the southern
barbsrians had been whipped ont yet.
The force Of the enemy brought against us was OOO
according to tie statement OF the SIX prisoners we
rook. Ours was 100. Their lOss in killed and wounded
must be nearly 900 Our loss is killed and three
wounded TIE fatal case was that Of North Caro-
lnian who volunteered to FIRE one Of the bouses be-
bind which they were stationed He started from the
hreastwork accomplish it, bat was shot 10 the head
lie died this morning in the hospital The wounded
are Harry Shook, Of Richmond, Of Browns battery,
sho; in the wrist John Werth, OF Richmond, of the
same battery, shot in the leg and Lieut.. Hudnal Of
the same battery shot in the foot. None OF the wounds
are serious.
The Louisiana Regiment arrived about one hour
after the fight They arc fine looking Get
of fellows.
As there was force enough at Old Point TO send up