Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-03-27
L II II WAR.
The Brilliant Victory at Ncwbern.
YANKEE VALOR.
LANDING OF THE TROOPS.

curing the night, and the day was lowering
threatening rain. Many were the hopes ex
pressed that we were not to have repetition
Of our battle experience at Roanoke
By 0 O'Clock, a. NJ, the Paturent put off from
the Northener with load of troops, consistin,
Of the Twenty.first Massachusetts,, and wer,
shortly afterwards followed by the Pilot Bon
Cddd, AHce Price, and others, with long string
of barges in tow, filed with aimed men. Th,
Fiity-frst New York having the Caolct tn,
lightest draft steamer in the feet, were the frs
to reach the shore, and landed in the mouth O
Slocum's Creek under cover of the naval gun
boats, which shelled the woods. The debarka
tion Of the various regiments was continued
until about | o'clock, p. NJ. As soon as the,
could form on the shore each regiment took W
the line of march along the county road. The
rain now began to fall, rendering the roads yer,
bad, the thick cuv sticking TO their feet. and
considerably impeding their progress. Each
man was provided with sixty rounds of ummu.
milton.
BY an arrangement with Commodore Rowan
the Twenty. first Massachusetts, which was ir
advance, kept sending up rockets, by which he
might determine the position of the column
and thus direct his shells without cndangerna
our own men. The night was so foggy, how.
ever, that only one rocket of the whole number
thrown up was seen by the naval commander
on board his vessel, and he wisely stopped
firing. They had the effect, however, to motif,
the enemy of our approach, and the negroes
along the road who were iestoned. stated
that the secession pickets were all running ur
the road. The shells from the Dela,cd,e and
valley CITY fell thick and fast in the woods
causing them TO scNmper away as fast as their
horses would carry them
CoMFoRTLEss NIGHT.
The Second Brigade marched ahead the
Fifty-frst New York and Twenty first Massa-
chusetts being in advance. After proceeding
some five miles and passing several places
where the enemy's pickes had been stationed
they came suddenly upon long line of earth
works, directly across and curving at each ex-
treme toward the road. kind of redoubt
was constructed in front The work had been
deserted. Proceeding forward they approached
the railroad, by an oblque path which crossed
the track. The First Brigade, nndcr Gen.
Foster, kept this road, followed BY Ger. Parke's
Third Brigade, while the Second Brigad', un-
der Gen. Reno, marched along the track west
ward. Al distance of about two miles Gen.
Fosters troops re-crossed the track to the right,
Gen. Reno filing 70 the left again.
The Third Brigade kept such position as to
be able to support either of the other Generals,
as circumstances might arise.
The General being determined to ascertain
the position of the enemy, pushed on in the
DIRK one or the other commander kecping
ahead, until they suddetly came upon three
mounted plckets, who put spurs to their horses
and made off, Gen. Burnside then o tlered a
halt, and the morning revealed the fact that we
had bivouacked within less than a mile of the
cnemy's intrenchments. The troops Law upon
their arms, with such temporary shelter as each
could improvise, to protect them from pour
ing rain.
Lieut.-Col. Osborn, of the Massachusett,
Twenty -foarth, received orders to throw out a
strong guard with a picket in front, and, in
case of an attack the pickets were to fall back
upon the guard, which would maintain its posi-
ton until the regiment could form, after which
to take position in the rear and sappLrt their
regiment. This order being executed, fires
wre lighted, and the men gathered around them
III SibuHSi hSbNON tiiN'' IiPtH "'iN '"ihil Mo-
cussed the probable strength Of the enemy and
the prospects Of the coming day. or slept upon
the wet ground apparently as unconcerned as il
they had been around their own New-England
fresides.
TIE ADVANCE.
The troops were early reused. from their un-
easy slumber, and after a hasty lunch from
~, Los. oh I;.pharna1 ihair ,incoO onI
reloaded. In FIVE minutes after they were
awake, many were in their places in the ranks.
Those not cognizant of the near presence of an
enemy, would have detected nothing in the
manner of the troops to suggest the idea. The
line of battle was formed as quietly as il they
were going TO a morning parade. Forward
was passed along the lines, and by o'clock
the column was in motion.
The different Br AIDES kept substantially
their chosen positions, Gen. Foster occupying
the right, Gen. Parke the centre, and Gen.
Reno the extreme left. Our troops advanced
under cover of the woods until they came to
an open space, when the rebel works were re-
vealed stretching right and left for over mile,
and iianked at the right by battery, the guns
from which commanded at once the channel
the cleared space in front, and also the rear Of
the work.
The enemy opened upon our advancing troops
with two shots from their 6-pound batteries
and followed it up by a discharge of musketry
Capt. Dayton got his gun in position, and re-
piled effectively to their fire, supported by u
sharp discharge of musketry from the Massa-
chusetts troops: Nothing bnt the heads OF
men behind the batteries could be seen, and
only portion of that, but they sent perfect
shower of balls to their 'front.' and the shot and
shell from their cannon came down the road
plowing up the earth, or cutting off the trunks
of trees. In the early part of the engagement
Lieut-Col. Merritt, who had advanced to lead
forward the left wing of the Twenty-third Mas
sachusetts, was struck by cannon ball and IN
slantly killed. simultaneously with this heavy
discharges were heard at the left, where Gen
Reno was engaged, with the design, as was un-
derslood, of turning the enemys right. The
Twenty fourth Massachusetts emerged from
the woods at our right, but as soon as they
were seen, rapid discharges from two shell guns
IN the water battery Ndmonished them to seek
shelter behind the fallen trees which covered
the ground They paid them back, however
with deadly yolley from their Mimic rifles -