Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-17
A FULL ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLE AND
VICTORY AT ROANOKE ISLAND.

VICTORY AT ROANOKE ISLAND.
The Burnside expedition left Hatteras Inlet
for Roanoke Island, Wednesday morning,
Feb. 9th, and came in sight of the island on
the evening of that day On Thursday, Feb
9th, there was rain, heavy fog and some
wind, which led TO postponement of the at
tack until Friday. On Friday morning, the
gunboats bombarded The rebel fleet and the
batteries along the edge of the island front
ing on Croaton Sound. Piles and other
Instructions had been placed in the mar.
row emanuel, behind which the rebel
guuboats sought safety, until our fleet
afterwa DIS broke through and chased them to
Elizabeth City. Friday night the troops land
ed to attack the camps and other entrenched
points in the interior. They proceeded to
their work next morning and had their prin-
cipal fight at a fort in swamp two or three
miles from the point where they landed A
reporter of the New York Times, who landed
with them, gives an account OF their proceed.
ings, which, with little abridgement, we copy
here =
LANDING ON ROANOKE ISLAND.
Lieut.. Andrews OF the ninth New York was
sent with boat to sound out place TO land.
He took ten men from the fifth Rhode Island,
and pulling toward an opening on the shore of
Roanoke Island, sounded out good channel.
just the boat reached the shore, squad of
armed men sprang out OF the tall grass, and
fired. One OF the balls struck Charles Vial
OF Providence, in the chin, and lodged in the
angle OF his Jaw. One shot passed through
another soldiers hat, and third split the
blade of an oa- One shot only was returned
from the boat, and they pulled quickly out of
range Of the enemy's rifles. On reaching
tina Spauldng, the wounded man had the ball
extracted.
The tifty-frst regiment of New York, Col
Freeman, was already on board OF the Cadet,
waiting orders to land. The Massachusetts
twenty-tir,t twenty third, twenty fifth, and
other regiments, were also placed in launches,
and on board the Pilot Boy and Phoenix
which with long string of boats in tow, pro.
ceeded carefully toward the shore. a large
rebel force appeared to contest the landing
The gnuboat Delaware ran Gown and threw
shower OF shrapne into the woods, which
caused the rebels to beat a sudden retreat
Nothing could exceed the skill which was
displayed by Gen. Foster in landing the
troops Of the first brigade. The Pilot Boy.
which had some twenty launches in tow,
| was run into small lndeutatiOn in the bank,
and just at the proper moment all the boats,
were detached aud swung IN procession along
| the bank. The troops sprang out with the
! greatest alacrlty, and Just as the sun went
| down its last rays kissed the folds of the
American flag ami the coat Of arms OF old
| Massachusetts, which had been planted to.
| gether on the beach. The bank was covered
| with heavy jungle, two hundred yards in
! width, through which the troops to pass in
mud halt knee. Beg ond this they came to an
open field, in which, at the left, was IA barr
and ont buildings
A STORMY NIGHT AND A Reconnaissance.
| About 81 O'Clock P. NJ. Gen. Reno ordered
the twenty. iirst Massachusetts forward through
| the woods to the main road, with instructions
| to occupy the place until morning. They
| penetrated the woods until they came to {
ford, keeping a party OF skirmishers ahead
! 1t was now dark, and they halted to consider
the proprieiy OF going ahead, when they heart
three shots in front OF the column. The Skin
mishers had evidently crossed the ford, ant
| had fallen upon the enemy's piekets. The
| skirmishers were called in, and two Of then
were missing, belonging to company G.. SoOI
atterward they heard IA cry for help proceeding
from the woods, and a corporal with two mel
were sent out, who found one wounded mar
andt brought him in. The other man coulC
not be found. The whole regiment remained
here for short time, in company with Lieut.
Porter's five howitzer battery, which haC
arrived and taken up position on the road
| Aterward reconnaissance was made heI
they cane upon u camp fire Of the enemy, anC
found the equipments of the soldier who haC
been shot.
AT IL o'clock P. NJ. the rain began to fall il
torrents, and continued throughout the night
A cold northeast wind was blowing. and til,
whole army were obliged to stand or liz upor
their arms, upon the ground, without shelter
1t was trying night to the troops, already
weakened by months close confinement OF
board Of the ships, and was well calculated t.
dampen the ardOr OF veterans The moruins
dawned upon them, wet, hungry, aud fatigued
Let the reader bear in mind that up to Thu
time no reconnaissance had been able to dis
| cover the strength Of the enemy. They wert
variously reported from ten to fifteen Thousand
strong. They were entirely concealed from
view by dense forest, and their position j
was impossible to ascertain.
THE ADVANCE.
AT "a o'clock A. NJ, Gen. Foster advanced
along the narrow road with the twenty fifth
the twenty-third aud twenty seventh Massa
chusetis, tenth Connecticut and the fifth Rhode
battalion Gen. Reno brought up his brigade
consisting of the twenty first Massachusetts,