Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-05-21
BATTLE AT WILEIsAi lSRJJRs3s !

Peninsula from Y0fktown appear to hare been Sc
verely contested ant attended with severe loss
Our loss is estimated at ]. 500 men; the enefny's
loss not known, but supposed to be 5000. 3!
More than week has elapsed and yet hut little
is known OF the particulars North-C Carolina seems
to have borne conspicuous part in these contests
but the facts come out slowly The Ellis Light Ar.
tillery Of this Ctyy sseen below performed ons Of
the most splendid feats Of the and it is under
stood that our 4th, 9TH 18th, and 9Th regiments
did nobly. The 9th and 18TH were badly cut up
The 9Th, Col McRae's, suffered more severely than
any Southern regiment during the war. Several
Virginia regiments also deserve all praise The
Richmond Dispatch says:
We are indebted to gentleman who participated
in the fight on Sunday, near Williamsburg, tor the
following narrative:
SUNDAYS ENGAGEMENT.
The greater part Of the forces falling back from
the " yorktown Line of defence having halted for
rest, in the open ground back Of W iamsburg,
gave the Yankee advance anopportunity, ofcoming
up with the rear guard, consisting Of Gen, Sims
Georgia andfGen Grifith's Mississippi brigades, to
which was attached Manly's North Carolina bate
~. The enemy did not appear in any force from
under their cover of woods until our rear guard had
left the open ground and redoubts and were march
ing through Williamsburg at which time courier
brought word to Gen. McLaws that they were de-
ploying in force to the right and left Of Fort Nc
Gruder (which our forces had just left untenanted
and That they had planted battery of rifled guns
Immediately to the front Of the redoubt. and only
distant TOO yards. The rear guard vas Immediately
ordered "about, face-double quick, march" Man.
iys battery was ordered to advance and seize Fort
McGruder before the Yankees secured it Then
commenced race--artilery, cavalry, infantry, had
to run the gauntlet Of the rifle battery fire for one
and hall miles to seize work from whom the
Yankees were only distant quarter of a mile but
our forces did it nobly. Captain Manly brought his
battery into action in splendid style, halted, and
fired five rounds to delay the enemy's advance and
give our infantry time to come up, and then timber
ed up his guns and made dash for the redoubt,
which he succeeded in entering just in advance of
the Yankee force on the right From this point the
battery did some Of the finest practice that we have
heard of,in the record of any Of our ARTILLERY
dues, firing 1870 shots in 20 minutes, dismounting
two pieces Of the rife battery killing all the horses
at two more pieces and four caissons, of which our
cavalry taking advantage made glorious charge on
the infantry and cavalry supporting the battery and
cutting down all who yet remained and held the
ground until the officer commanding the Richmond
Howitzcr Battery, Capt Mccarthy, (having detached
some Of the horses from his pieces) galloped for
ward, and hitching on to the three captured guns
and four caissons brought them off in the face of the
enemy, and calamity offered them to Capt Manly
as the trophies gained by the fine service Of his
pieces. Thus, in forty minutes glorious fellows
had marched nearly two miles, captured three pieces
four cassons, twelve horses and seven prisoners
The killed and wounded of the enemy could not
have been short Of one hundred men.
Gen. Johnston was present during the fight, and
appeared to enjoy it exceedingly.
When the rear guard was ordered to about face, !"
such cheer went up FROM them, as the good folks
of Williamsburg will long remember
1t is absurd to talk Of whipping men who, after
marching eighteen hours without rest or food, and
heavily packed, will, at chance OF fight, drop
their knapsacks, and with asoulstirrDg cheex seize
their muskets and run race for nearly two miles
We take the following account from the Richmond
Wig Of Tuesday last;
Az the battle Of Williamsburg, Esrly's brigade
was ordered by Major General Hill to charge bat
terry on the enemy's right wing, posted IN strong
redoubt and supported by brigade Of infantry and
reserve of cavalry. The regiment at the time
under the command Of General EARLY, were the Oath
and 3sth Virginia commanded the first by COL
Terry, and the second by Lieut.. Colonel Whjttle,
and the 9TH and 23L>North- Carolina commanded the
first by Col McRae, and the second, by Colonel
Hoke. Owing to the difficulty Of getting through
the woods, only two of these regiments the Oath
Virginia and the 9th North Carolina were engaged
in the charge These were eddy Gen. Early, who
received one severe and slight wound and whose
both rider and horse bore up nobly, and are both
now in this city in fair way Of recovery. The two
| regiments succeeded in driving them from their
position but the havock in their ranks SO great
that they were ordered by Gen. Hill to retire. An
idea may be formed Of the intrepidty Of these gal
engaged, from the fact that though unitedly num-
bering only about l, 100 men, they sustained loss
Of over 400 The North Carolina regiment that
went into the fight numbering 40, came out with
only 125. OF twenty-five commissioned officers ten
were killed and seven wounded. There has been
no heavier casualties in the whole war than this
noble regiment sustained The Lieutenant Colonel,
Badham, was either killed fell into the hands Of
/ the enemy badly wounded. Captains Brookfeld,
Mullins, West, and Garrett were killed. Captains
Jones and Lea were wounded. The latter was lef,
at the hospital and fell into the hands of the enemy
Col. McRae was in the thckest of the fight and
nobly sustained the character for valor which he has
heretofore borne. Col. Badham and Major Sinclair
conducted themselves hereically-the latters horse
nENEp AT ST A n EnT EMIT. CIR rsxvI