, 1862-05-13
BATTLE OF WEST INT.
Splendid Victory Of Gen. Frank
Inns Division.


~ AA1h Upat u lAE LIOoQ5 WEIC EA1ACN Ou = |
beautiful plain, which is surrounded On three
sides by dense woods and on the fourth by the
river, on the south side OF the Pamunkey
river, and about half mile south#ard
from West Point. The reason why we
landed here is obvious. Had we landed
On the other side Of the riTer-West-
Point-where It WIS at first intended We
should land, we should then have had con-
stream Of water between Us and the
rebels, and would have had considerable trou-
bic to reach them, as all the bridges have been
destroyed. Our gunboats have taken undis-
puted possession Of the point, the rebels hay
ing disappeared at the appcarance Of our
forces, and the American flag Of our Union
now floats from one of the most prominent
buildings IN the village. haTe yet TO see 8
= 91te nan among the original anaan1tanss Of
tnls place
lm11eaa1ely me- On Inc ianalnG oi our lofces
1Fom Inc transports, Pickets were thrown out
TO the edges OF the Surrounding wood, and
our tents were pitched On the banks Of the
river, and up to that time not one Of
the chiysirlc sons Of the sunny South
Lad made his Appearance, and our men
became anxious to know #hy they had
bsen brought TO 2 country where there was no
foe. About dusk part Of the division of
Gcu- Sedg"ick, under the command OF ten.
Dana, arrived IN transports from yorktown
and remained IN the centre OF the rlyGr, while
some OF our Light dra1t gunboats TOOK trip
up the rivers Pamunkey and Mataponey to
capture portion OF the rebel mosquito fleet.
which were brought into use Tor carrying our
men from the transports to the shore, Us the
river here is too shallow for vessels drawing
over sl3 feet OF wafer.
During the night some OF the rebel picket6
made sorde On one ofour adEanced videttes
and shot him through the heart. The news
soon spread through the camp, and by day
light this morning the plain, which takes in
about thousand acres Of ground, running
southwest from the York river, presented 8
scene such as l have never before wit
messed. Long Lines OF men extended from
left to right across the center Of the field, and
sqnads OF sk1rm1shers stood marking, in dim
outline, their forms against the heavy woods
and underbrusb, which presents an uneroken
front to us Oh every side except that bounded
by the. Evcr: Here the men stood for some
time, ready to march at moments notice, but
no foe appeared, and the men Were permitted
to return to their camps for the purpose Of
getting their breakfast, and, perhaps, some
sleep. 4 strong picket. composed Of the
New York Thirty second, Einety-ffth and
Ninety-sixth Pennsylvania troops, were left
lookout for the enemy, who were now be-
leycd to be in close proximity to our lines. :
About this time one of our gunboats dis
covered a regiment or two Of the enemy On
the west side Of the river, who DISPERSED in
great confusion after having received some
lalf dozen Of OUT heavy shells in their midst
This vas communicated to General Slocum,
who Immediately made strenuous efforts to
get the brigade Of General Dana on shore, that
we might Be able to give the enemy q warm
reception should he make his appearance.
General Dana WIS indefatigable in his labors
through his cxe1tlons most Of the N men ed and and
horses were off the boats By nine O. clock, and
preparations were being made to breakfast the
men Of this brigade, when the order was given
for the Sixteenth, Thirty-first and Thirty
second New York, and the Ninety-fifth and
NjntJ sixth Pennsyl lyania regiments to advance
into the woods and drive of some Of the rebel
scouts who were firing occasional shots at on
pickets, and were supposed to be strongly SUP.
ported by force Concealed in the woods.
This supposit1on proved correct, for no sooner
had cur men made an advance into the woods
musketry from the rebels who were htdden in
the dense undergrowth. Our men pressed
on, and gave them yolley, after which the
enemy retreYtcd further into the woods, with
the ThirtysecoDd New York close at thei,
/ heels; but they Tere too swift-footed for oul
boysI,being more protected-and they soor
LEFT the Ihlrty-second struggling in the mud
B! While this scene had been going on on tht
/ right centre, another was transpiring on ths
| centre where the Ninety-ffth Pennsylvania
| regiment had entered the woods. II a few
! minutes after they entered they found them
: selves in dense swamp, and in their strug
| giles to get across, became separated from
i each other. One Of the companies managed
| to get to the other side, and WAS climb
! ing the bank on the opposite side
/ when they deserted party Of soldiers II
| ing in ambush. sWho comes these?" erie6
the party IN ambush. Friends" was thu
F.; answer. "What are yous" was the next in
J terrogation. "a company Of the Ninety-fi fitt1
/ PennsylEanians:" No sooner was this answe
! returned than the party, whom the Captain
had mistaken Tor some Of his OWL regiment
!. opened terrible fire upon our men, who re
; turned the fire and then returned to our re
) serves. In this affair Captain Beateas, 0
! Company B, Was shot through the shoulder
! but not dangerously wounded, and one or tH{
| pTiyates, whose names am as yet unable tx
!: learn, we're killed and carried of the field b,
their friends, who, before they quit tn
!! comrades By giving the enemy few well d1
/ rected yolleys.
+; But now the action became more genera
throughout the lines, and from every Quafte
OF the woods came the shs1p crack Of unsket
] r. tried for time to be ubiquitous, bu
after travelling from one point to another som
fifty times, for the purposeof seeing how mat
:. tcre were going, took nv stand on the righ
and calmly awaited the coming events ia
sharp reports came nearer and nearer, and q
3! length ball lodged in tree at my side
VAS abont to move from my dangerog
AlAl LILO NACA u$ AktEuIl0u WIS ALTfHCERd T.
tnat portion Of the woods where the Thirty
first and Thirty second New York State Mi
tia had entered. -Four men we're carrying th
body Of man, which, upon inquiry. + undel
stood to be that Of Capt. Young, Of Compap
6, Of the Thiry-seeond regiment, who va
! fight had now been going on for three honr
=; here without internission, and q number {
men were killed and wounded. 1t this iuns
ture our men we're Withdrawn frnm the troni
where they were eyidentIy getting the wors
Of it, snd the second United States Artiller,
under Capt. Arnold. WA nrirrpd in,n nna;t;o
J chusetts battery took up position upon tt
lett, and tn few minutes the shell were fyin
throuEh the air at the rate Of about ten nil
. ute. 1nls soon compeleo the rebels to mai
, = moss Llo1e " our Aett, "nefe tne SPELLS lie
sss 'n1ch IMAM upon Ine gfouoo they wel
easn ocGup}!nE. btt lnefo evidently u Z
TEL toI tne ~aGheu lof no sooner had It
repels moseo tneir FORCES upon o1r LETT, tha
oul Rnuooals' "utca Up 10 taas tifae had Dee
. unaoie 70 nave haud IN the affair, opene
thear na1tafaes upon the toe With SO nouc
snect tha1, When commenced to write. the
had completely driven the enemy out Of sigl
. aoa nearing.