The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-05-15

WILLIAMSBURG. May g. 1862.
One of the most brilliant actions OF the war
was the fight between Gen. Hancock's brigade
and an equal force of rebels, near Williams
burgh, Va. Hancock had been sent forward
{ to flank the enemy's left.
The combat is thus described by an eye wit
ness:
THE FORCE ENCOUNTERED BY HANCOCK.
Different statements have been made as to
the force the enemy had engaged in this move
ment One prisoner stated that there were
six regiments and another that they were led
by two Generals. 1t is probable that there
were two brigades, or parts of two Vne OF
these was General Early's, and comprised the
9Th North Carolina and Oath Virginia regiments
and Georgia regiment. Dead men were found
on the field in the uniform OF the Louisiana
Tigers. Beyond this we cannot designate the
regiments; but # would be safe to state the
force at 1900 On our part this force was en-
countered BY The 9th Maine, the 9TH Wis. and
The AID n Y. regiments, and Capt Wheelers
battery of volunteer artillery, with some guns
also. we believe, of Capt. Kennedy'S battery
but Capt. Kennedy was on duty in another
part Of the field.
THE FIELD.
| Gen, Hancock's position was in an open
nIain of about two miles in length from north
TO south, and about mile in width. He had
entered it at the northsrly end, and at the 9th
er stands Fort Magrudsr. About mile and a
half above Fort Magruder, and half mile away
from the line of the woods that bounds the
Dlain on the left, are a farm house and two
harms Between the farm house and Fort Ma
pruder are two redoubts, and 300 yards above
the farm house is the first redoubt. Around
this farm house Gen Hancock's men were post
ed. Wheeler's battery was in position by the
corner of he farm towards the plain, and com
manded the whole field below it. Behind and
we'll toward the first redoubt on the left, was
the 9th Maine regt..and between the farm house
and the first redoubt on the right were the 9Th
Wis. and 43d n. Y. regiments. Skirmishers
from the latter were thrown out in the woods
on our right and far in advance skirmishers of
the 5th Wis were in advance on the open field,
and skirmishers of the 9th Maine, were in ad-
vance also in the open field on our left.
ALL READY.
Under cover of the wood, and directly thro'
it. the enemy advanced from the neighborhood
of Fort Magruder, doubtless tempted by the
bait Of battery of beautiful field pieces. From
the sharp fire of the skirInishers in the woods
on our right came the first intimation of move
ment in that direction, Gnd this put all Oh the
alert BY the field pieces, the greet central
point of interest. every man was in his place,
eyes
the handsome aud intellectual face of their com
mander. the amiab!e gentleman and gallant
soldier, Capt. Wheeler, of the n. Y Volunteer
Artillery. He was not only in his place, but it
was eminenty the right place, and he was the
right man in it Down the lines, too, of the
the infartry regiments all was steady, and the
faded men who had bvouacked the night be-
fore in mud and rain aud were drabbled from
head to foot with the one and wet to the skin
with the other, stood up in their places like he
roes. though they did not look exactly as if
they were on parade.
SPLENDID ADVANCE OF THE ENEMY.
Still the fire grew hotter in the woods, and
in a few minutes, at point fl ly half mile
AVA nom the battery, the enemy's men began
to file ont of the cover and form in the open
field 1t was bold and proved an expensive
way 10 handle men. Wheeler opened his guns
on the instant. and the swath of dead that sub
spquently marked the course of the brigade
across the open field, began at that spot. At
the same moment also the skirmishers in the
field began their fire. Still the enemy formed
acroas tie opening with admirable rapidly ard
precision, and as coolly as if the fire had been
directed elsewhere, and then came on at the
double quick in three distinct lines, firing as
hey came All sounds were lost for few mo-
ments in the shJ TT roar OF the field pieces, and
in the scattered rattle and rapid repetition of
the musketry. Naturally their fire could do US,
under the circumstances, but little harm, and
thus we had them at fair advantage, and eve
~ nerve was strained to make the most of it.
Sill they came on. They were dangerously
near Already the skirmshers to the left had
fallen back to their line, and the sKirmishers
TO the right had taken cover behind the rail
fence that ran from the house to the woods,
but from thence they blazed away earnestly
as ever. Yet the guns are out there, and they
are what these fellows want; and in the next
instant the guns are silent. For moment, i'll
the confusion and the smoke, one might almost
suppose that the enemy had them but
moment more the guns emerge from the safe
side of the smoke cloud and away they go
across the field to point near the upper re-
doubt. There again they are unlimblred, and
again they play away. Farther back also go
the skirmishers And now for a few moments
the rebels had the partial cover of the farm and
but they saw that they had all
their work to do over and so they came on
again Once more they are in fair open field,
exposed both TO artillery and musketry ; but
this time the distance they have got to go is
not so great They move rapidly there, how
ever, is another dangerous line of infantry;
they are near to us but we are also near to
them Scarcely hundred yards were between
them and the guns when our skirmish fire be-
came silent the lines of the Fifth Wisconsin
and the Forty-third New York formed up in
close order to the right OF the battery, the long
range Of musket barrels came to hne level,
and one terrible volley tore through the rebel
line In moment more the same long range
OF muskets come to another seve-the order
to charge with the bayonet was given, and
away went the two regiments with one glad
cheer Gallant as our foes undoubtedly were,
they couldn't meet thai. But few brigades
mentioned in history have done better than
that brigade did For space which was gen
orally estimated at three-quarters of mile, they
had advanced under the fire Of R spleHdidly-
served battery land with a cloud Of skirmlShers
stretched across their front, whose fri was very
destructive and If, after that, they had not
he nerve to meet line of bayonets that came
towards them like the spirit of destruction in
carnate, it need not be wondered at They
broke and fled in complete panic. One hun
dled and iorty-fve were taken prisoners
Nearly five hundred were killed and wounded