The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1862-05-09

await the issue. Soon was heard the tramp of
cavalry at the first gate; Sergeant Leech halted
them. Halt they did ssWho goes there 2"
they answered "Friends' God preserve us
from such). "Advance one with the counter
sign" No answer returned. Commotion vis-
BILE as if they determined to advance in body
Sergeant Leech again said ''oaly oac"--no word
returned, when it was observed they were wheel
ing in retreat. Lieut.. said "Fne! This was
followed up by a charge, but the feetness OF
their steeds deprived the boys of another glimpse
of the mounted chivalry of the South. The
party then retreated to their former position at
the side gate. Nor were they long there until
voices were heard in the direction of the woods
bordering on the quarters of Cos. A and G.
The Lieut.. and Sergeant supposed it to be our
own men,, coming to reinforce us, the Lieuten-
ant thinking he heard Lieut.. Fox, of CO. II,
giving the command. They then saw approach
ing through the fog what was at first supposed
to be cavalry, which afterwards proved to be
two companies of the enemy in line of skirmish,
with one company in reserve, coming over the
cotton rows for 1 of mile, with intention of
cutting us off, having sent out their cavalry as
decoy. Lieut.. Bedell placed his men in posi-
tion TO pick them off as they advanced and told
Selg't Leech to halt them, to make sure it was
not our own men. The Sergeant stepped in the
gateway and allowed them to come close enongh
to distinguish their uniform. He called, ''IIalt!
who goes there 2" "Lu1OlRa" spoken in shill
voice. ''Who| "CWotMa r' "Speak it out
louder and plaincr!" "Cd,oiina! you - -"
Said Lcecf, ''Then here goes Pennsylvania, you
- -" A discharge along the whole line
OF their skirmishers was the return, which was
as promptly replied to by the remaining rifles OF
the brave little band OF Co. X. The enemys
line was broken They rallied by sections and
then formed line of battle at some distance from
our rparty's position. Three Of Co. G's men had
come up and participated in the affair. The
Lieutenant and party then made good their way
to head quarters, having been engaged p hours 1
BY this time it was little past diylight. On
arriving there they found piece Of artillery in
the road, Cos. G, A, & and ii drawn up in line
OF battle under command of Col. White and
Major Filler. While our party were chcckma-
ting one body Of the enemy, another force had
penetrated, by a path through the woods, on the
other side Of the road and opposite Co. G. From
there down the road 10 the bridge, where was
Sergeant Gal.ipher with 10 men OF CO. ii, they
Supposing 1t to be their own men, halted them,
never dreaming OF an enemy in that direction.
But they received for answer n volley which
scattered the little gallant few, wounding the
Sergeant in the arm, who, with men is yet
missing The rebels then burned the bridge and
proceeded to cap,ure rs they thought, Co. +.
They were met on the way bya platoon OF Co.
e, who gave them volley, when they disap-
pcared in the fog, only to turn up again i'll an
attack from their whole force on Co. L. The
brave Nesbit, with his equally brave I'd Lieut.
Stewart, waited to receive them behind Il bank
and fought them for one hour, killing Is of the
rebels, with only the loss of Corporal Cunning
ham on his side. His 1st Lieut.. MoEhaney
and command were less fortunate. In going to
take up position, they fell in with the whole /
force, and he and his party were captured Tie !
enemy then gathered up their dead and making
a raft returned across the river to ,Jehosee The
fact of their having so many killed is attasted
by a prisoner of Co. +, who escaped, and who
had been compelled to assist in their interment.
The body OF Cunningham was recovered the |
same evening: So ended the fight of Edisto
The Sunday after the affair, Corporal Dct-
wiler and Ernest turned up, the former having
hid in the swamp; and the other having been /
taken prisoner, escaped before reaching the fer
~ and lay in the swamp two nights. / feel
proud of the conduct of the officers and men of
my company engaged in this their first fight, as
well as>of the courage and coolness of Lieut..
Saupp, Sergeants Martin, Dibert, Dreaming and |
the men with me the next evening and the fol-
lowing morning Little Josiah Haley, the pet |
drummer boy not only of Co. X, but of the Re-
giment, was with the Lieut.. and party in the |
first skirnish. In the n. York Tribune of April |
9Th, is q letter from Port Royal correspondent
in which allusion is made to the affair on North
Edisto' Island The whole concerning it is q
fabrication of lies-an emanation from the brain
of some outcast of New York society, who has
turned up as an official scribbler at Port Royal,
under the kindly auspices of the moral-reform-
ing, ncgro-educating and cotton-planting society
of some place m'raid}y.
The above account of the affair on North f.
disto is from one of my own company who was
there, and whose vcracity cannot be doubted.
In the article alluded to in the Ii9June, mention
is made of Col. White and Lieut. Metzger be-
ing nearly taken asleep. Allow me to assure
you the Col and Adj. are too wide awake, too
much on the alert, too attentive to all their du-
ties, too watchful of the interests of the gallant
55th, to be caught mapping IN ,Seecssia. All the
boys are well. Yours as ever,
JOSEPH FILLER.
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