The New York herald., 1862-03-19
NEW HERALD WEDNESDAY, TRIPLE

LIZ SHEET. 3lag Fs3 Nea7
crew. On the left Captain Daysens battery. from the
! transport Highlander
After the first gun the enemy their flag dsdantiy
| up over the ramparts and opened very brsky with
round shot, grape, canister and she'll Their infantry
were stretched out the entire length Of the work be-
tween the river and the railroad and kept up an in
cessant fire with muskstry. nf-rglA
Their nre was replied to with equal vgor by the bri
gads When it had taken up it's position and leaving
them engaged, let return to the operations OF the
Second and Third brigadss under Generals Reno and
Parke. ta44fa}asu 8iitut-
The Second brigade, Consisting OF the Twenty.nrst
Massachusetts, Lieutenant Colonel Clark Fifty first New
York. Colonel Fsrren Fifty first Pennsylvania, Colonel
Harsruft and Ninth New Jersey, took the railroad and
proceeded along tho enemys right flank 1t ia somewhat
remarkable that the OF the battle were near
y the those Of the fight at Roanoke Island The
point at which the inrenchment crossed tho railroad
strongly defended by series Of redoubts and rifle
pits while subsequent examination revealed the fac
that beyond these redoubs the breaswork continued
nearly mile and half making the entire length Of the
dcencos about three miles, The operations Of forces
however, confined 10 that only between the river
and tho railroad track. o1g-t 3ri a.A 41l 40 =
The Third brigade under General Parke, took up po
son the front, between the first and second bri-
gadss '''a
Such was the disposition OF our troops. Tho engage
nsnt regularly opened about eight O'Clock. when the
nrst brigade bore the brunt Of tho battle General
Foster rode earlessy along giving his orders and was
several times exposed to the hottest Of the re His aids
too shared danger and OF them Lieutenant Pen
dleton narrowly escaped injury, not death, from
bullet which passed through his seevs just grazing
had to regret the wounding Of two Of their officers
major Stevenson and Adutant Horton. the former by
ball in the leg, the latter by bah in the shoulder.
Early in the engagement the Massachusetts, Twenty.
third lost Lieutenant Colonel Murrit who struck by
cannon ball. which carried away one side Of his body
and acerated his form in horrible The pro-
portion of officers killed and wounded during the entire
fight was quite large The Twenty-seventh Massachu-
sets seemed hr reason to be more exposed 70 the
fire Of the enemy, and with ammunition expended,
and large loss withdrawn The Tenth Connecticut
until in reserve ordered to their support, and
they fell back took their place; moving to the front
with great alacrity and opening fire with vigor. Tho
Tenth finally compelled to retire through want of
ammunition and tho Eleventh Connecticut their
place To tho First brigade belongs the credit Of having
calamity and attentivey engaged the battery while
the Second and Third executed the brilliant maneuvre
OF Hanking the enemys right Of which have now to
speak.
When It became evident that the First brigade
capable Of carrying the fight in 'front.' the Third which
had been supporting it. ordered with the exception
of tho Eleventh Connecticut support the Second in the
flank movement. Accordingly the Eighth Connecticut,
Fourth Rhode Island and Fifth Rhode Island regiments
withdrew short distance into the woods and dshing
the left upon the railroad and going forward
came In the rear Of the Third brigade.
This portion Of the field oooperatons was Immediately
under the command of General Reno, and TO him al
otted the Of the flank movement already referred
to- and which he brilliantly and successfully
plished. p -s., 81.
II may be well here to state that when the idea Of
nankiug entertained 1t not known that the line
Of intrsnchment extended beyond or II did much be-
yc.a the railroad. When the troops attempted the
movement consequently Of getting in the they dis
covered not the obstacle Of swampor marsh, but
also Of series Of redoubts and rife pits which defended
immediate vicinity Of tho track Our attack in front
had far been confined to tho right, near the river
where Of the water batteries had reversed its guns
and assisting in the defence Of the breastwork by
ennadng or, more properly, diagonal FIRE upon our
troops. Tho great body OF tho enemy consequently
here posted, and the flank movement result
ing perfect SURPRISE though they rapidly reinforced
the redoubts soon they discovered the approach
| that side.
returned the fire Of the enemy vigorously who from the
rife pits and behind the screening edges Of the redoubts
were picking of with deadly certainty at every
shot, But have 10 boast Of sharpshootsrs also.
many rebel in these Same rife pits and behind the in
trcnchmcnts whose death wound In tho head amply
| testified.
Al last the word given TO charge and the Massa
chusets Twenty nrst which on the left, succeeded
in getting four companies within the cnemys position
;nbN Nnf
Massachusetts, Twenty. .nrst supported tho movement,
while the Ninth New Jersey Firty-nrst Pennsylvania,
Eighth Connecticut and Fourth and Fifth Rhode Island
sssaed the work at various points The four companies
Of the Massachusetts, Twenty far in advance Of
the others into the nrsnchmsnt and. driving the rebels
before them, had attempted TO reverse the guns, when
repused by strong reinforcement Of the enemy, sud
denly charged from little ravine hollow just in the
rear, and with their overwhelming numbers drove them
out, making few prisoners Our repuse was but mo-
mentary Reforming the Massachusetts, Twenty first,
New York Fifty nrst Fourth Rhode Island and the Ninth
New Jersey, with tho Fifth Rhode Island in reserve
turned 10 tho assault and after another gallant charge
another desperate resistance Of tho enemy, hand 10
hand contest the rampars OF the entrenchment
which forces at time actually reversed Its pur-
pose and used breastwork for their own protec-
ton while they kept the rebels at bay inside, they
drove the enemy out. and at the point Of the bayonct
chased them back out OF sight. The victory was won
with the loss Of nearly seventy killed and two hundred
aud nrty wounded-a heavy ono when II is taken into
consideration that Of the two brigades only six regi
ments and one battalion engaged The nrc of the
enemy was terrific, and embraced all the varieties Of
missile Gen. Reno aud Gen. Parke admirably conducted
the whole maneuvring, and with their aids and stan
| were exposed TO no nconsiderable danger.
When the word TO charge was given on ths left tn
cheers with which IL received hoard on
the right and instantly the First brigade emerged from
its position along the edge Of tho woods and dashng
across tho fields assaed the enemy at the very
Of their guns But the retreat Of their forces the
nank had inspired all with panic, and they most inglo
rously fed leaving their cannon unspked number o.
horses the caissons and the unexpended ammunition.
They contrvd however, TO bear OF the greater portion