Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-04-19

INTERESTING LETTER FROM ONE OF BERpA
NEW YORK SRARPsHnnrFRs

INTERESTING LETTER FROM ONE OF BERpAN's
NEW YORK salRPsHoorERs
We find in the Albany Evening Journal
long and very interesting letter from VIM L.
sankey, member Of Company 3, of Berdan's
let Regiment Of Sharpsh0oters now on duty
before Yorktown. The reports of the efficiency
Of our riiemen are fully confirmed by this
modest narrative. We copy a few passages:
SHARP PRACTICE ON THE MARCH
When We arrived at Big Bethel our regiment
was sent ahead to reconnoiter and We had to
march through horrible Virginia swamp for
ave miles, when We discovered eight rebel bat
teries commanding the road. We waited until
the whole force came up, and reported progress
We we're all pretty tired, as we had marched
about Eft9en miles with our heavy knapsacks
and the day being very warm the perspiration
rolled On US IN streams. Gen. Porter ordered
aeompany OF the sharpshooters to 60 and take
the principal Of the batteries
Colonel BerdaR called for Company B, made
& short speech, saying that he had more con-
hdenee IN Us than any other company, and
gave us the honor Of the first brush. Well, we
stsrtsd, tired as We were, and proceeded to
within about aquaTter Of q mile Of the battery.
The rebels perceiving Us, sent a few shells,
which passed harmlessly over our heads and
exploded snort distance from Us. The shells
made very loud noise, and when we heard
them whining toward rs, we all dropped Hat
or the ground and thus escaped We imme-
diatsly deployed ss skirmishers and closed in
towards the fort. There we're only two pieces
Of artillery there, and rs fast as head would
appear over the earthwork our boys would
pick him of. AS we all took csyer behind
s,Uups and other friendly projections, the
rebels could not see anything to shoot at and
seemed 70 thick it high time to be off They
hitched up the 59Esas to the cannon and left,
We could not tell how.
There was about hundred cavalry Just be-
= Er~A hauNr
road st an alarming speed. Most of them
threw ene leg ever the saddle and laid the
other side OF their hOEses, bat when we com
msnced 70 ire upon them We left many an
empty saddle. 1 fired FIVE shots, and am well
satisfied that l finished the career of two
rebels. 1t got 30 smoky that We could not tell
whether cur shots took effect or not The
enemy must have thought there was large
body OF Us, as We each had a fye-shootsr.
1hs riaeS did good execution that day
cOLOSEL BERDAS BURNED our
In front Of Yorktown We built huts for our
selves aad Iiept soundly, assure, for we were
all very tired. The Colonel slept In the hol-
10" OF an immense tree, which from some res-
son or other caught Ere about twelve o'clock,
and a. number Of our boys were sleeping
around the foot Of it, We were reused out ana
forced to make our beds elsewhere. The tree
burned for several hours, making a very large
blaze, which caused Gen. Porter to ride over
70 see what the matter was
REcoEEoIssASCE.
The rebel batteries around here number 42,
aud surround Us in the shape of horse shos.
Yesterday was nasty rainy day, and this is
about the same There is nothing Of import
An=e going on, only no q and then 4 few shots
are exchanged between the rabeI batteries
and our gunboats on the York river Yester-
day about eighty picked men Of our regiment
we're sent cut with Gen. Mcclellan 70 recon
EOiire They have not yet returned.