The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-11-08

l1gnant demag0gueS. W know, TOO, the franti
madness of ambition, which, under the form o
CONSUMPTION, has coerced the greater part Of thei
forces by the lash, the halter, and the bayonet
into the ranks of treason and perjury.
Maryland, in which was shed the first blood o
the war, and in which assassins conspired t.
murder the President, on his way to the capital
is loyal now, because the logic Of events ha
taught her people, as it will teach the othe
Slave States, that loyalty lie stronger and wise
than treason.
What of the hundred thousand dead who hav,
fallen by the hand Of homicide in this causeles
not with retribution. They will not have dice
in vain if the great cause of the Republic >,
won, to which they freely gave their blood, Will,
we are asked to give only our votes.
Attack ON Charleston and Savannah.
Correspondence Of The N. Y. Tribune.
BEAUFORT, S. G., Oct. %, 1852.
Day before yesterday morning two thousand
of the gallant soldiers-picked men of the regi-
ments-stationed at this place went forth with
the highest hope to meet Others of their fellows
at Hilton Head, and move forward on an expedi
ton up Broad River to the nearest point to the
Charleston and Savannah Railroad. The OBJ
jeot seemed to be to destroy railroad bridge
which could not be easily repaired, and to Gu,
off the telegraph wires, and relieve the enemy OF
all slaves and other valuables that could be
reached. 3ss -.r
Never did nobler set of men buckle on their
armor for battle. They were the picked men,
not laggard, apperantly, among them. They
went out sure of success-no such thing as de-
feat had been thought of, and as they filed by in
the bright sunshine of one of the most beauti-
T,,I MI Antr k,,o
their step, so high their hopes, that even lady
friends tossed farewells to them with merry
laugh and God speed. The steamer Ben de
Ford and Flora went out msjestically, their
decks blackened with human life The gunboat
Planter, with 800 of the 4sth New-York, and the
Darlington, loaded with cavalry, followed in
quick sue cession.
1t was an anxious day here, for the raid, if
may 90 call it, was to be made within 20 or %
miles from u.s. Time wore YEARLY away to the
few who knew what was to be DONE Yesterday
morning the whole leftHlton Head. At o'clock
guns were heard, and cannonading co ntinued at
intervals till evening. A party that went out
from Beaufort returned, but could only tell US
chat they saw the Flora run aground, at low tide,
with her portion OF cavalry. At eve came a
courier declaring our forces were defeated; again
another, asserting that it was not so, but that
they had met an unexpected force, and were be
ing severely dealt by. A long night of anxious
suspense did not prepare us for the sad news
that came early. that our friends were defeated
with loss of 500 killed and wounded.
All the day various rumors stirred US to deep
er sorrow, or for q moment relieved the terrible
pressure by lifting or shifting the weight little
But an hour ago 70 p. M the Rev. L. Billings,
Chaplain of the 4th New Hampshire, came and
sat down with US to tell the fearful tale.
Portions of regiments from Beaufort and Hill
ton Head, the former under Gen. BrannoD, the
latter under Gen. Terry left Hilton Head on the
of the 22d, and proceeded up the
Broad River, and landed on the mainland, per.
haps nine miles from the Railroad Bridge, and
marched in line back about five miles, meeting
no obstruction, when they encountered mask
ed battery of field artillery, completely screened
by curving piece of wood or jungle, bordering
a cotton feli, such as those low, s~smpy regions
alone can produce, which opened destructive
cross fire upon them, killing and woundng a
number of the 47th Pennsylvania.
Our forces, nothing dismayed by this unex-
pected and fearful attack, drove the enemy into
a fortiication.. which had been artfuly prepared,
so as to put our troops into the worst possible
narrow road, swampy ground each
side, with tanglng brush, and often deep pits of
water. No more ingenious plan could have been
adopted. Thus the enemy, whom some traitor
had undoubtedly prepared for them; contested
every inch of ground. But by bayonet charge
of two regiments, our forces drove them from
their POSITIONS and gained the wood, aud the
contest now became more equal.
At length the enemy retreated across the
swamp but unfortunately our cavalry, which
lost two hours by the grounding of the Flora,
was not on hand to follow. 1t soon became ap
parent that the enemy were being largely reen.
forced by the way of the railroad-some say
from both Charleston and Savannah, the two cit
les lying about 80 miles distant at the two ex-
tremes Of the road. Another branch of the
expedition, consisting of about 800 of the New
York 4Sth. including company of Scrolls En-.
glneer corps, on the steamer Planter with an
other gunboat in company, went forward, land
ing two miles from the railroad Gas supposedly,
and about five miles nearer Savannah, to pre-
vent reinforcement from that direction.
The engineers succeeded in landing, marching
two miles and came up to the railroad in time
to FIRE into one train of cars, doing more or less
damage. Some say they tore up few lengths
of rail others, that they only fred into the
cars. But it is certain they did fire into the
cars. But it is evident that they were too late
to intercept the reinforcements. 1t was now
night, and it was deemed best for our forces to
retire, particularly in view of the large reinforce.
ments of the enemy. Accordingly, they returned
quietly to the boats, bringing away their wound
ed. Every one gives great credit to the soldiers.
They fought desperately, against odds; the enc.
my had twice their artillery, and was well post
ed. Who has been the traitor no one knows :;
but that there has been treachery is evident.
The enemy had every advantage, and if they
had aimed their guns well there would have been
great slaughter. No prominent officers were
killed, and as yet no distinct record can be
made of the killed and wounded, it is supposed
from 800 to 700. Several Captains and Lieuten-
ants are on the list.
The defeat saddens all hearts. But we hope
that it will be deemed best at headquarters to
reinforce Gen. Mitchell (who did not accompany
the expedition) so strongly that those two Rebel
cities between which we are so curiously sand
wiched will yet be compelled to surrender; and
that the stars and stripes will soon float again
from Fort Sumter ...
After defeats come victories P.p.G.
O-
Last week, as an engine with q empty stock
cars, was coming up the North Missouri Rail
road near Florence, an Infatuated bull dispu-