The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1862-02-27

|
to march dowifahs island to the point whefs
It was supposed an attempt to land would b
made.
All the time the naval battle CON tfS ned. and
despite the heavy odds our little fleet Of seven
gunboats could not bs silenced, and contin.
usd the fight a. actively A. in the morn,ng-
At fifteen minutes past two, tho Curlew re.
ceived a shot which soon after sunk her. She
was run up to the opposite shore and her
ammunition taken on by the Fanny" which
boat Immediately returned into the fight
At O'Clock small steamer was run ashore
below the Pork Point battery md the land.
Ing Of troops began. Only one gun in Fort
Barlow could bear upon the point, and 1t
was Kept engaged by gun ,at which ranged
itself alongside about . nile distant. Soon
after this IL oegan to grow dark and the firing
on both sides was about to close Our boats
dred until the courss Of the shells could be
traced through the air and its explosion
marked by q fierce red fash. At 5:45 the
firing ceased, owing to thedarkness, and soon
after our feet retired. They were. however,
nearer the enemy than ia the heat of the en-.
gagement, and with one or two exceptions
were little injured. Commodore Lynch de.
serves the thanks Of the nation for the skill.
ful manner in which he conducted the bat.
tie, and the officers under him also merit q
country's gratitude for their bravery and
gallant conduct
Collecting his forces, Colonel Anderson
marched down the island some five or six
miles and bivouacked near the barricads
constructed across the island at the marshes.
In going down he passed under tho fire of
tbs ships, but the men marched through 1t
with the greatest coolness AID determine.
ton.
The guns in Fort Barlow were very skill.
fully used, and did good service through.
out the day. The battery was manned by
two companies of the l7th North Carolina,
under Major Hill, the 'State Guards," and
the John Harvey Guards" but only the
former company was broug tin to imm edia te
action, as the guns were ranged rather too
much up the channel. Only three guns
could be used during the fight, a rifle and a
hoWitzer, en- borbstfs, and one embrasure gun.
THESE three, however, were so we'll manned
that no one OF the hostile ships passed MP far
enough to come within ranxe Of the second
embrasure gun. The men fought with great
coolness and intrepidity, and showed con.
clusively what they could do under expe.
rienced and skill full officers. From tt time
the battle commenced until darknes. put q
stop to tn. scene, the On EN- tn rew over three
thousand shot and she'll, and used every con. i.
ceivable kind Of projectils Still the battery
was but little mi ured, and the Casualties only
amounted to one man killed and three
wounded. 1t seems almost a miracle th at
no more damage was done; tor hour after
hour the ponderous she'll were thrown into
it, sending up huge jets Of sand and stone
from the outer angles, and from the turf and
sand reve,ments Of the embrasures. None
of the guns were Injured to any extent; and
when the sun rose on the ensuing morning
the fort was in as good repair for defence al
on the first dav.
Immediately back the fort were tne
quarters OF the 17th North Carolina. These
were set on fire early in the action by the ex
plosion OF a she'll, and long after dark they
were still burning, the lurid flames ligh tins
up the sky, the light flashing for miles acros.
the Pickering waves. When morning dawn.
I'd there was but a mass Of SIN moulderina
embers. In these huts was the baggage o.
the regiment, and about TWO hundred stand
Of arms; all Of which was destroyed. Late
In the evening 1t began to rain, and through.
out the night 1T was dark and stormy. wa,
in the hospital near by attending to the
wounded men, in company with other sur.
geons. Every attention possible was siver
them, and every effort made to relieve theil
sr nerings. Towards morning, owing to fire.
quent use Of opiates and anodynes, they be
came easier, and went down to ths battery
to SEQ the result OF the bombardment. 1t wa,
after two O'Clock in the morning. Passing
| by the quarters of Major Hill. we found the
gallant ofilcsr already up and preparing fol-
the forthcoming fight BY him was Capt Tay
lor. O.. s the officer n general charge of the
ordnance on the island, and also Its Talcot,
and Loyal, all Of whom fought nobIy and
bravely during the engagement. The nigh,
was intensely dark and misty. The light O,
the burning huts reflected its red glare upor
| the ramparts Of the fort, and showed q,
where the enemy's sho.s had taken effect
Just below us was the beach, up which thu
little waves washed musically, and far be
yond the lanterns hung in the rigging Of thu
| ships indicating where they lay at anchor. W.
+ went through the work examining every
| smbrasure, the magazi ne, parapst, gun car
riags and traverse-Lieu.. Talcott at thu
| time giving directions to guide the artizan,
| and laborers In their repairs. At three ",
returned, and was soon after dreaming Of
! not battle scenes, but Of happy hours with
| dear. good friends.
Want Of space forbids me to give An ae
| count OF both days fight a this time: but
will continue this tom orrow up to the hou1
| was SO unfortunate as to be made a priao
ner-(what humiliating thought) Afte
| that time feel at liberty to cay but little
owing to the terms OF my parole. To 70
lieve public anxiety as to the result OF tn,
fight, l will premise little, and give the l,s
! Of killed and wounded on our side to. day
| although 1t properly belongs to the succeed
| Ing letter. The casualties were as follows;
xILI.p.
| Oarf. Q. Jenuings Wise, 4sth Va: sho. 4,
| several places.
Capt. Coles, Company 1, 4s.h Va; shot 1,
| breast.
Lieut.. William B. Selden. q. 8. A.; shot fl
head.
Lient. Neill T. Monroe Company Z. 81
| N. o.; shot in breast.
James u. Horn, s.h N &.
Corporal Lane,
r. ". Cameron,
| Tho,. r. Mulleneaux, I'd @.
Johnston Williams,
SsrE't John H Talley, ."
! s. J. Claiborne,
/ Alfred b. Scott,
John S. Turpin,
/ VIM. Bennett, 18th Va.
VIM. Wilson, N. q State Guards.
] Chas Bailey, " d"
| Total killed..
] WOUNDED.
FIfy-ntsih Ptrsin'a.-Lt. Walker, slight. II
the leg; Geo. Collin. severe. iu elbow; Thos
Robbins, Go. b, severe, In knee; william
David, severe. In thigh and abdomen Johl
Ray. flesh wound. In hand 1t. Edgar Mil