, 1862-01-16
Is ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT
mANEUVERS OF THE WARP
The Late Affair at Bath, WA Let
ter from the Chicago Yates Fhn1anx.

In our caption VIC use the phrase employed
in atelegraph dispatch, ofthe Associated Press
from Washington, on the 1lth inst, referring
to the affair at Bath. Virginia. three days pre-
vious. # our readers "don't see it,,'' the
tault is not theirs, or ours. We append the
following sketch Of the skirmish, advance, and
reatreat, from the pen Of young soldier Of the
Yates PLalanx, which viii be read With ill.,
tercst:
HANCOCK, VA, Jan. Sth, 1868.
You have no doubt heard Of our retreat
across the Potomac last Friday. With three
Of my comrades, was doing picket duty the
night previous, as an advance guard At Il
O'Clock, as We were seated conycrsing, We
were suddenly aroused by the elank-
cavalry. We speedily made for the
bush. The moon was shining bright
Il and rendered objects distinctly Sisi-
bic upon the snow covered ground. The re-
bels came down the road q full gallop; VIC
and two horses. Immediately they fired, kill
ing one Of our number and gave us chase.
They followed Us to the second picket5 who
we're stationed behind sort Of breastwork-
firing had aroused the camp, who turned out
to receive the rebels and gave them three
| yolleys when they retreatcd- We did not
learn the extent Of their loss. Companies
A, B and c Of the seth Illinois yates PhaLanx)
arrived from camp ut 10 Q o'clock Friday morn
! from each company, and thirty Of our cavalry,
| started for the encmy's camp After march
| ing ten miles We came suddenly upon their
| pickets, all cavalry, drove them in, and came
IL sight OF their camp. The rebels numbered
400 infantry and 200 cavalry, well mounted,
| armed and equipped. Ourforce was ofcourse
| too small to cope with them, and as they ad-
| yanced NC rctreatcd in double quick time.
! On CUR return, We heard heavy firing
il tho direction Of Bath, and when
both was in our hands. There were three
companies of the 39th Illinois and the S4th
| Pennsylvania, Col. Mury, in camp, the Iaiter
never having had gun in their hands I'LL the
day before, when they crossed the Potomac
under orders We we're soon marching in the
formation that the rebels were within two
! miles Of our camp. Upon this information
the S4th Pennsylvania run away, companies a
and c went towards Bath, so as to cover and
retreat, and stationed themselves upon hill
top overlooking and commanding the road
in that direction. We were no sooner
stationed than Captain Russell Of our cav
airy with four men came in at full
gallop, pursued at distance Of about so wards
| By Two Of the rebel eayalry-who no sooner
discovered us, than they drew rein and fired
wounding one Of our number. We then fired
two yolleys and not q single man was left to
tell thc tale. Their Ecteechcs aud how1s o1
pain were horrible. Six horses were KILLED
and four captured. From the hill top We could
| sec the roads black with rebel forccs-and dis
covering that no good could erentuatc b.
holding the pOsition-we left, and discovered
the Sfth Pennsylvania rctrclting in the dis
tance. Arriving at the river. the zrbel opened
a heavy fire upon the town aud the river, be
ing forded at that time by the S4th. The va
ter was deep up TO the armpits and bitter cold
The rebels killed eight Of the 9lth, ami
captured nine Of the S9th. the lutter belonging
to Company D. When NC arrived ut the oth
cr side-tle Maryland sidc-our guns opcuct
with hot shot and shell, and set tirc to house
t and barns on the Virginia side, and for Ion.
. time the sky was red with the glare Of thi
burning buildings. Large masses Of men wer
congregated upon the bank. We arrived a
; Hancock, drirping-the S4th nowhere to b
| sccn-when the rebels opened upon us wit
| their cannon, scattering dwellings right AM
left, and continued to do so until L, o'clock
, | the morning the 84th returned, and soon afte
the rebels appeared on the bank with a flag c
: | tEuce-Whlch proved to be demand Of Co
Ashley, Of the Tcbel cavalry, fur the surrende
OF Hancock. In the mean time Gen. Lands
arrived and refused to surrender. Col. Ast
: ley gave the inhabitants Of Hancock one and
half hours to leave the toWn-and commence
| tic bornbardmcnt with five pieces Of cannon
: We replied with ten pieces and drove thc1
l back, and have beard nothing from them since
5 Another expedition across the river is prepa
iur.