The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-05-30
The Fight at West Point
AN INTERESTING PERSONAL NARRATIVE
MORE TESTIMONY TO THE BARBARITY
OF THE REBEL TROOPS.

The following private letter from an off,
Ger in our army to his father, was not in..
tended for publication, but it is written
with so much spirit, and records incidents
SO striking in their nature, that it cannot
fail to be read with interest:
SOUTH SIDE OF PAMUNKY RIVER,
OPPOSITE WEST POINT, Va, ,
Thursday, May 8, 1862.
My DEAR FATHER-By the time you re-
ceive this the press will have furnished you
with description of the battle of West
Point, fought yesterday By US, and also of
my wonderful and miraculous escapes
throughout the day. Gen. Franklin's Di.
vision lett Yorktown on Monday, and land.
ed same night upon the south side of Pa.
muDky River, opposite West Point, in pres.
ence of the pickets OF the enemy. Sharp
firing commenced Immediately after our land
ing, and our brigade was therefore kept under
arms and in line OF battle all night. The fol-
lowing morning Jesterday)it became evident
that the retreating columns from orktown
would attack our division here, with the
hope of beating US off before the arrival of
our reinforcements.
Att O'Clock l was aent out By Generals
Franklin and Newton to make reconnois-
sance of the ground around US in an eDgin-
eering view, so we might establish the
with me and after going two and halt
miles, l observed a large body of rebels
ahead of US in the woods, awaiting our ar
rival. l ordered my men to deploy into the
woods as sKirmshers, and then received
voley of musketry, which returned,
and then finding they were surrounding me
fell back gradually until reached they re-
serve, always keeping one platoon in the
woods to prevent an attack. Receiving
orders then to join the brigade as rapidly as
possible as the enemy were preparing to
attack US in numbers, took my position
with General Newton, who had drawn up
the brigade for action about halt mile
behind where l Was, or just outside the
woods. The action commenced at 9 o'clock
A. NJ, the enemy being posted in thick
woods, and we endeavoring by mareavres
10 draw them out, and was maintained with
great spirit and incessant firing until P. NJ,
when we succeeded lie driving them from
from their position and in occupying the
ground lately occupied by rebel hordes. The
artillery worked beautifully, doing great
execution.
My own escape is wonderful, and, indeed
almost miraculous, and l forgot not to
thank God for his watchfu!ness ever me. 1t
Was about one o'clock PM, when receiv.
ed an order from General Newton to go
forward into the woods to ascertain
whether the rebels were falling back, and
whether a certain regiment OF ours held its
position there. l went forward at once as
fast as my well-tried horse could carry me,
and upon entering the woods moved eau
tiously until / reached barrcade, when
hearing voices beside me plunged into the
woods, thinking, of course, it was one OF
our Observation-Disclosures New York
and was surprised to find that had gone
right into perfect nest of the Hampton
Legion, from South Carolina, who were
lying behind trees, standing behind bushes,
and kneeling behind stumps like bees. l
at once perceived my mistake, and knew
that nothing but the most consummate
GOODNESS would save me. l therefore sa-
luted them, and they, taking me for rebel
officer, asked me how far General Hampton
was then. l answered without hesitation, :
and with rather more assurance than l
thought possessed, d" left him about ten
rods below here" and added, Now.
boys, the General expects you to do your
duty to-day" 1 then turned my horse
slowly to lull suspicion, ard was con
graduating myself on the probable success
of my ruse, when seeing the U. S. on my
cap, they yelled out "that's d--n Yankee
son of b-h, give him hip On hear
ing this, dashed the spurs into my horse,
threw my head over his neck, and made for
the road. A perfect volley of Mimic balls
passed over and around me-killed my
horse, who rolled over carrying me with
him, and left me down. Knowing nothing
but apparently time would save me, l laid
with my head back 10 ditch, as l fell, and
appeared dead for some ten minutes. did
not move muscle or feature, although
the scoundrels were swarmipg around mt
and threatening to "end me-" l remained
in this way until they came up to me, took
away my pistol, and commenced general
plundering, and as they fingered away l
could not suppress smiIe-and then ris.
ing, said, "Well, men, yield as a prise.
ner of war;" They said, you've been
sbamming, you d--n Yankee scoundrel,
have your" Certainly said l, "everything
is fair in war;" They then commenced to
abuse me as a d--n Yankee this, and a
d-n Yankee that, when l turned upon
them and said, have yielded as priso
ner of war, demand to be used as such.
We in the North, know how to treat dogs
better than you do men now lead me to
your commanding officer" They gave me
another volley of abuse, at which l merely
smiled, and then a shell fired by our ar
tillery, to the place where was seen
to enter, burst like the wind amongst US
skinnipg my nose and scattering the rebel
rascals like chat. They seized their mus
kets, pointed two of them at me and told
me to -" come along, you id Yankee" l
still talked with them to gain time, when
another shell bursting amongst US, they
moved further on, calling to me to come
on" while said, go ahead, and lead the
way quick" l then saw favorable up.
portupity, and preferriDg freedom to
southern prison, l made one bound into the
woods, and went back as fast as one leg
r IL Il -