Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-17

! left OF the road the woods were very dense,
4 thick chapperal obscuring the view, and the
whole way being a continuous swamp. y
porto of the troops went on the double quick,
but the eptire column was SO packed into the
narrow roadway that their progress was slow
and ialorous. SkirmlSherS from the twenty
fifth Massachusetts were deployed to observe
the drst appearance OF The enemy.
The troops had passed along this road some
two miles, when they approached clearing,
! and at s. o'clock firing commenced from the
rebel uklrnlisherS in front and on each side.
Several OF the twenty fifth Massachusetts,, fell
at this first yolley. This regiment had now
reached curve in the road, and came in sight
Of rebel battery, from which three guns
pured a raking fire Of round shot, caunlsier
aud she'll, from which our troops were com
PEELED temporarily to tall back under cover of
the woods. At This the rebels set up shout.
This movement was noticed by the troops in
the rear, who hearing the shouts OF the rebels,
and not understanding the cause, temporary
confusion followed
By this time Gen Reno with his command
had come up, and deployed to the lett OF the
road, the twenty first Massachusetts, ninth
New York, and fifty first New York taking
their way through Il corner Ut the woods IN an
oblique direction, TO the battery, with tie IN
tenton OF turning its right flank. They here
iOuuu tilGHlatlhGe ia d uGS lhOiaSS uP ~ 1iAS'A
waists in water and mud, and compelled to
cut away the tangled briers and chapparel with
their swords The twenty fifth Massachusetts,
/ which had sustained the enemys tire tor about
! one hour, having expended all their ammunI-
ton, and their ranks being badly thinned by
| the enemy 5 sharpshoOters, were ordered to
| ia back aud the tenth Connecticut, which
had supported then took the front OF the line.
The most destructive OF this fire came from
the LETT OF the battery, where the Richmond
Blues were posted. Those who fell with
serious wounds were carried to places in the
rear, where ON the left OF the roa /, and not
over third OF a mile from the enemys posi-
ton, the regimental surgeons gave their at
tentiOn to those whose condition required 1t.
A large part OF the wounded had been con,
Yeyed on stretches to the farmhouse Lear the
landing. AS they were carried by, each man
would stretch out hand and call out, Go in,
boys, we are giving it to 'em !" Or some such
encouraging words. The body Of Lieut. Col.
De Monteil was carried from the field on a
later, covered with his cloak.
Your reporter, who landed early in the
morning, had penetrated into road leading
toward The rear OF the enemy's position, and
during the hottest OF the fire was so near to
the field that he could distinctly hear the
ringing voices OF Lieut.. Col. Magg and OF Col.
Fercero, encouraging their men, and urging
them forward, as both were struggling through
the swamp, for the purpose OF thanking the
euemy's position. Here they fought tor two
hours. The Hawkins ZOuaves had been sent
into the swamp to the right, where they were
opposed to the rebel fire from the lett of the
battery, but by mastery lodging they escaped
with trtllng loss. Lieu Col. Maggi, at the
extreme right of the battery, came up with
companies q and ID, which were armed with
Harper's Ferry rifles, and pushed around the
right flank Of tile battery, all the time contend
ing against rakiug fire OF muskelry.
The whole appearance OF tue position show
ed that the rebels had no idea that any troops
would be able to penetrate the cypress swamp
in front of their lines.
Mayor Clark, about IL o'clock, brought up
the remaining companies of the twenty first,
and formed in front Of companies 6 and d,
which had sustained the fire tor over one hour
a this point three companies OF the fifty first
New York came up behind the twenty first,
and formed on The left. These were followed
Immediately by the remainder of the regiment
under Col. Ferrero Gen Reno now came
up 10 the front line, and asked if the twenty
first Massachusetts would charge and take
the battery. Major Clark responded yes
and the order was given to charge. The
troops laid down on their faces, loaded, and
Anticipating the charge the rebels now
poured calling fire OF muskety on our ex.
posed ranks, and swept their front with
repeated charges OF grape and canister. This
last and most terrific discharge lasted five
minutes, and swept like a whiriwind over our
PROSTATE ranks, cutting off limbs of trees,
overhead, and whizzing i'll most unpleasant
proximity 10 the person of your reporter, who
was striving to get view OF the field through
the dense intervening forest. During all this
time Gen. Reno stood erect upon a bog of
grass, cooy surye1 ing the effects of the
leaden tempest as it swept by him. Col.
Chas. L. Russell, Of the tenth Connecticut,
who had paused Il moment TO rest, here re.
Ceived bali which struck his sword belt,
killing him instantly. 1t made no wound on
his person. Lieut. John Goodwin, Jr., of the
twenty-thrd Massachusetts, was shot in the
breast, and fell, cheering on his command.
THE CHARGE.
The instant the rebels fire slackened our
troops sprang forward swith bound Major
Clark and Lieut.. Col Maggi leading the
twenty-first Massachusetts,, and Ferrero the
flty.tirst New York. They charged around
the right of the battery, and at the same in,
slant the left wing of The ninth New York,
which had been diminishing to the right,
charged up the road in face of the works.
The panic stricken rebels, seeing themselves
oulfanlled, turned and fled in the greatest
confusion as the Union troops p .ured into
their battery. The Zouaves went over the
parapels and through the embrasures, while
the twenty FIRST Massachusetts, and the fifty
first New York came in at their right The
American color Of the fifty-irst New York
was planted on the works, along with the col
ors OF the twenty first Massachusetts, and then
such shouts as rent the air, sent up by the
combined Union forces, never awaked such
echoes before in the lonely forests of Roanoke.
The day was ours
Within the fort were found three guns, well
| mounted ON field carriages one Il "A pound
! Ddhlgreen h0witzer, an Is pound tield-gun
! and l2-pOunder, with a large supply of ann
munitiOn in caissOns. Four dead lay in The
mud and water directly around the guns. a
dead horse, which had been shot, with har
ness on, ready to draw the guns from the
field and scattered over the place were brok-
en- muskets knapsacks, axes, blankets, and
clothing, OF ali kinds, provisions, &c., which
! had been lett behind in their flight. AT the
right OF the battery, scattered over the field
were several rebel officers and soldiers, their
bodies still warm, and the e.blood oozing
from CHASTITY wounds
Gen. Reno formed his brigade and started
on the track OF the retrealing rebels. They
had taken the main road toward the north
end the island. The twenty first Massachu.
sets pushed ON in advance and as they came
out upon the beach on Roanoke Sound, op.
poste Nays Head, the rebels were seen re-
treating in small boats. One small boat load
had started with some thirty persons, among
them captain Smith and o. Jennings Wise,
the latter badly wounded. The boats were
| hain