Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1862-06-20
drntr.
from the llth Nc. Regiment.
AMY or fnE poroN4c,
NEAR SEyAS Pms, NiKGfxI,.
fupp 81 l.fp

June u, lob2.
Ma. Eblros:
Doubtles. many hearts in oil Hancock
are heatins with anxious hope and fear in
consequence Of the battles h,rc ON the 3lst
uit. and the 1T inst; fr,rs Of death or
wounds inflicted upon loved ones who par
ticipated in them. or. icarin. lee, thc report
and details Of the Gshts may publish want
of courage, or failure t1 perform what
their position as soldiers required, Yethop-
ins each friend may k reported as .afe bath
in body and honor. Would that salne aLler
Zen than mine might give the iuf5rmati5n
always - desired by our friends at h1m-
On the day ef ha,tle t}i,a there werc ba,
thrcc companies ot thc IltA in camp or
within reach ot our field piJssrs tbs wsrc
\, c and + three others, y. + nul l. W..
on picket lu,y, At tNo ar ,araa miles distant
four, B,G, I'll and X, went cat "a picket al>a. .
in a terrific thunder storm tie evening Of tac
3oih, one mile ir IN camp, and near the luia,
Of attack hy the rcb,l.. y company g.
halls from Hancock, my account from Per
sonal observation ami exp ricncr, must uc--
essarily be confined Ia the lls. named datach.
ment, (Which was placed uuirr the c1mmaui
Of the Captain of this ,mpany, be- hciaS thr
senor officer Of the dc,arhm nt,) although
the acts Of l handful Of scui-.ick s-llie : "a
company g, with Lieut.. Ricc, arr by N,
= IL F.
officers aud the ietaichmen, with ,hs,n.
soon af;er noon, .ha, now aud then, tod
u. re.ci' were in .isht IF our rieksrs, aul a,
these became m4re frequent, W. knew that
enemy to be in larger force than We an,ici-
rated. Shots lcsame ,gllays. the roar Of
cannon. the shritk Of shells. aud al ,he usu-
al din Of battle lctokcuc,i that 10 mere ,kir
,nish WAS upon Us at once the wish arose
that We could have been at camp. to - into
the battle, as necessarily We must in some
way, under tie Personal command Of our
able and cherished { louel but duty kept us
It our post until driven in by the Advancing
host. Our situation vas the laast unpla.,..
ant from the occasional dropping Of grape
sho, and shells, which, thrown by our bat
,erics. fell short Of the rebels in front Of u
aud these destroyed one POOR fellow Of the
3Gth y. Y. Regiment.
On leaving our post We i1inel that rcgi-
mcnt Goth, Col. Van Wykcs, but command
ed By Lieut.. Col. jordan, very excellent
man and aiiccr,) AMI were gigen the right
Lieut.. Col. j. marched US towards the field
of battle but mesiing his Commander, Gen.
Naglee, we weie led by that officer upon the
open grounds near our camp and formed our
line in front Of and about 800 yards from an
earthwork thrown up by our troops, which
bad now. on their falling back. become oceu-
pied by the enemy. As all our forces had
retired from this immediate front, the enemy
turned his whole attention to Us. and opened
with grape aud shells; cur rides were usc-
less at such Il distance against men - pro-
tccted by works that their heads Only were
10 be seen.
Gen. y ordered our line Of battle 10 fall
back few rods, which was done in perfect
order then he commanded all to lie down
in a slight depression Of land, which gave Us
partial - covering, and there continued
for nearly an hour, while the missiles Of death
were hurled towards, bursting and falling
over and and among us. Strange that no
more effects resulted from So fierce and long
continued a cannonalng; our detachment
of the Ilth having none killed here anl but
few wounded.
Soon after We entered the field small las
of the stars and stripes was brought out from
thicket Of small wood ON our right front.
the bearer being in our army uniform. it soon
retui ned Several of 20. g leyoled upon
and would have dropped him, but were pre-
vented from firing by Gen. y. Thus We re-
mained until the enemy's infantry come to
the front of the thicket and poured yolley
after solley directly toward and upon US Of
the llth, x1en the order was given to retreat
and we rushed to the rear, through aswamp
and water into the thick woods. After get
Ting beyond the present range Of the cannon