The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-04-18
The Battle Of Keynstswn and ths Halnp
dsn ARTILLERY.


A member of the Hampden Artillery, writ
ing to friend in this city, says, II zee it
stated In the Dispatch, OF the ID, that our
battery was in the reserve, together with the
48sh Virginia This seems to imply that We
were not in the fight at all, and as we have
won but very little glory any way, much to
our misfortuns and regret,j would seem to de-
prive us Of even that little As we never in
tentionslly do injustice, either directly or by
omission, we think it due to the gallant corps
in question, to state the facts as they certainly
occurred g..
The Hampden Battery, commanded, at the
time. by LIST Lieut.. James Pleasants, Captain
Marye being absent on recruiting service,
was left with the 42d and 5th regiments, and
Shumaker's battery, on the right flank, which
was threatened early in the day by demon.
stration Of the enemy. 1t remained there
during the whole of the ARTILLERY duel"
which ragged for many hours on the left flank,
and in which, Of course, it did not participate.
But, about clock the 5th Virginia was Or
dered of to the left flank, and about half past
five the 42d and the Hampden Battery were
ordered In the same direction. They hurried
OF to the scene of conflict, and before they
reached the spot, had to pass through an open
field commanded by battery OF the enemy.
Their shells few and burstsd all around and
about them, bu: most fortunatsly-we might
almost say, moat miraealously--not a man
or horse was injured. As soon ~ they
reached tho wooded knoll where the con.
nics was raging, our other battery was
seen rstiriug down the hill, and At
this time our FORCES were giving way to the
enornously superior numbers Of the enemy
The Hampden Battery was in imminent
danger of being taken A few yards only
separated it from the Yankees, who Wore
charging on our columns just over the knoll
Night was coming on, and Gen. jackson Or
dered retreat It was executed rapidly asd
in the most perfect order. The 42d, in the
meantime, had rushed to the brow of the hill
and engaged the ensmy's advancing lines Al
the battery withdrew, the balls were flying
around the mon, and the whole air was rsso-
nant with the thunder Of musketry poured In
rapid and uncsasing volleys. The 42d (wor-
thy 70 be ranked with the famous Scotch
Highland regiment Of the same designa-
ion, which lost all bat ninety of its
mss out of nine hundred in the cam.
psiempf Waterloo,) kept back the enemy
with he most determined spirit. Ia less than
twenty minutes this gsllxn. regiment fired
eight rounds TO the man-lost, in killed and
wounded, nearly one third Of their number
again formed in the keld below the woods
and by their undsnnted courage saved the bat
tsry from eaytars. It thss appears that the
Hampdsn baltsfy WAS NOT altogether "is the
Ssssrve." Z Il diA not, indeed, get into action
but Il passed Though Taking cross Hrs Of the
sasmy's battery, to which it was exposed for
twsnsy minutes in an open Geld, the range Of
which had bssn aeeuratsiy ascsrtained 10 the
early PAT Of the day by their gamers, u .
dlStaass of only four Or I've hundred yards
Il Va exposed also, 1os . brief space, 70 the
snsmy's nuskstry, and escaped capture By the
sallanAsy II the ed Two days ettsr the bat
! &c, ~ Parrot gun-as hns plsss - any In
To sssviee-wAs ssht bAek 10 Col Ashby, I'M
dss LissA. Caskis, md for nearly sssk kspt
NJ constant aring o the pursping Yankses,
greatly . their annoyance and loss II was
thss employed until Il had expended I'll IL
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