Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-03-20

position on the front, between the first and
second hrigades.
The engagement regularly opened about s
o'clock, when the first brigade bore the brunt
of the battle. General Foster rode fearessly
along giving his orders, and was several times
exposed TO the hottest of the fire. His aids,
too, shared the danger, and one of them, Lieut.
PendletOn, narrowly escaped injury If not
death, from a bullet which passed through his
coat sleeve, just grazing the arm. The Mas
sachusetts twenty fourth, on the right had
SON to regret the wounding OF two of their
officers Major Stevenson and Adjutant Hor-
Ton, the former by ball in tile leg, the latter
by a ball in the shoulder. Early in the en-
gagement the Massachusetts twenty-thild lost
Lieut.. Col. Merritt, who was struck by a can.
non ball. which carried away one side of his
body The proportion OF officers killed aud
wounded during the entire fight was quite
large.
Ire twenty Massachusetts seemed
tor some reason to be more exposed to the fire
OF the enemy, and with ammunition expended
and large loss, were Withdrawn. The tenth
Connecticut, until now in reserve, was ordered
to their support, and as they fell back, took
their place, moving to the front with great
alacrity and opening fire with vigor. The
tGuth was finally compelled to retire through
want of ammunition, and the eleventh Com
neclicut took their place. To the first brigade
belongs the credit of having so calamity and
atienilvely engaged the battery, while the
second and third executed the brilliant man
Guver of hanking the enemy's right, OF which
l have now to speak.
When il became evident that the first brig
ade was capable of carrying on the fight in
front, the third, which had been supporting it,
was ordered with the exception OF the eleventh
Connecticut, to support the second in flank
movement. Accordingly, the eighth Connec.
ticut, fourth and fifth Rhode Island regiments,
withdrew ashort distance into the woods and
detiling TO the left came out upon the railroad,
and going forward came in the r, ar of the
third brigade This portion of the field of
operations was Immediately under the com.
mand of Gen. Reno, aad to him was allotted
the task of the flank movement already referred
10, and which he so brilliantly and successfully
accomplished.
1t may be well here to state that when the
idea of thanking was entertained, it was not
known that the line of entertainment extended
beyond, or it it did, much beyond the railroad.
When the troops attempted the movement
consequently Of getting in the rear, they dis.
covered not the mere obstacle of swamp or
marsh, but also of series of redOubts and
| ri6e-pits, which defended the immediate vicin-
| ity of the track. Our attack in front had so
far been confined to the right, near the river,
where one of the water batteries had reversed
its guns and was assisting in The defence OF
the breastwork by an entiading, or, more prop
erly, diagonal fire upon our troops. The great
body Of the enemy was consequently here
posted, and the flank movement came near re-
sulting in perfect surprise, though they rap
| idly reinforced the redoubls as soon as they
discovered the approach on that side
AT last the word was given to charge, and
the Massachusetts twenty first, which was on
the left succeeded in getting tour companies
within the enemy's position The New York
fifty first, which was on the right of the Mas.
sachusetts twenty first, supported the move
ment, while the ninth New Jersey, fifty first
Pennsylvania, eighth Connecticut, and fourth
and fifth Rhode Island aSsaed the work at
various points. The fur companies OF the
Massachusetts twenty first were tar in advance
of the others into the entrenchment, and,
driving the rebels before them, had attempted
to reverse the guns, when repused by Il strong
reinforcement OF the enemy, who suddenly
charged from Il little ravne or hollow just in
the rear, and with their overwhelming num-
bers drove them out, making a few prisoners.
Our repulse was but momentary. Reforming
| the Massachusetts twentyf first, New York iii
ty first, fourth Rhode Island, aud ninth New
Jersey, with the fifth Rhode Island i'll reserve
they returned to the assault, and after another
gallant charge, another desperate resistance
of the enemy, Il hand-tohand contest over the
forces at one time actually reversed its pur
pose and used it as breast work for their own
protection while they Kept the enemy at bay
| inside they drove the enemy out, and, at the
point OF the bayonet, chased them back out
of sight. The victory was won with the loss
Of nearly seventy killed and two hundred and
fifty wounded-a heavy one when it is taken
into consideration that OF the two brigades
only six regiments and one battalion were Ell
| fro ff ilia iEf.
and embraced all The varieties of missile.
Gen. Reno and Gen. Parke admirably con.
Quoted the whole man@uverlng, aud with their
aids and staff were exposed to no iuconsidera
bic danger.
When the word to charge was given on
the lett the cheers with which it was re-
ceved were heard over on the right, and iu-
stantly the first brigade emerged from its po-
sition along the edge OF the woods, and DASH
ing across the fields assailed the enemy at the
very muzzies OF their guns But the retreat
| of their forces the flank had inspired all
with panic, and they most ingloriously fed
leaving their cannon unspked, "a number of
horses, the caissons, and the unexpended am
munitoI. they contrived, however to bear
of the greater ortIon OF their killed and
wounded, SO that it is impossible to form an
approximate estimate of their loss, though it
cannot fall far short OF our own.
The loss of the first brigade is nearly thirty
killed and two hundred wounded, which,
when added to that OF the second and third
brigades given above, will give total loss ON
our side, in round numbers, of one hundred
killed and tour hundred and fifty wounded
About three hundred prisoners were taken,
the honor of which achievement belongs to
Lieut. Hammond OF the guhboat Holzel, who
was serving one OF the guns OF Lieutenant
McCook's naval battery. They formed por.
ton OF South Carolina regiment, under COM
nand Of Col. Avery, who was among those la
ken A handsome blue and white flag was
captured with them. 1t is made OF silk, beau.
tiiully friDged, and bears the Inscription, -
"0ur cause-it is just then conquer we
must" Another flag among the trophies of
the capture was made OF black bunting, with
the words. in gold, Victory or DEATH" Co.
L, Capt. O'Neil, OF the 25lh Massachusetts
regiment, captured two large re bel flags in the
| battery, and some two Or three Others were
found in various places.
OUR TROOPS AFTER THE FIGHT.
All OF the first brigade were transferred
across the river on Friday afternoon by the
steamer Delaware, and took up their quarters
in the town. and encamped in the outskirts
Gen Foster has made his headquarters at the
chief hotel, while the officers of the twenty
fifth Massachusetts occupy the fine old man.
sion Of DR.. Taylor, whose furniture, left in the
hurry Of escape, is made good and careful use
Of, The line officers OF the same regiment oc.
cupy the North Carolina bank building Other
officers "A most pnmtortahlV oun rtarnd /, ria