Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-03-22
GALLANT MEN AT NEwBERN.

The following extract from a private letter
will be read with great interest. Col. Potter
was first over the works at Roanoke Island,
and has not lost any Of his Vtns since that
time: ,.t .ss
NEwBsRS, N. c., IL p. m, March Is. 1852
Col. Potter's bravery is spoken of
by every one. / have heard officer after officer
mention his coolness under fire, and they all
have spoken Of the manner in which he did his
duty" even after being wounded" When
he was hit, one Of the officers who was standing
near offered to assist him to the rear, but the
Colonel told him he could manage to get along
without assistance, limped to where the Gene
raj (Reno) was standing, rested for few
moments, and was soon after in the thickest of
the fight, rushing from point to point as Though
nothing had happened to him, and giving his
orders with the most imperturbable GOODNESS.
1t was only after the fight was over that he
had his wound examined, and then, after
having it hastily dressed, he mounted one Of
the captured horses, and accompanied the
regiment till they halted in one Of the rebel
camps, where very comfortable quarters were
found for him, where his wound was properly
dressed and whore he can remain perfectly
quiet. ... .,rsrC ....
Our men were terribly cut up-they fought
as Gen. Reno said during the engagement }
''like tigers 4" At one time we thought our
ammunition was giving out, and reported this
slackened until we could get some more am
munition. The men were told to "lie down "
The order had to be again and again given them
before they could be checked in the slightest
degree. The General said he had heard Of the
Fighting 51st, but these men fought like
devils" Almost all the men who were killed
in the battery in front of us were shot through
the head. The men would lie down and load
their pieces, or else after firing would fall bach
in little hollow which barely offered shelter
| to them, then load, and rushing to the brow of
the hill and taking to the trees, fire at the
enemy in the coolest manner imaginable.
The men of my company behaved splendid
ly. From what I had seen of them at Roam
oke 1 knew / could rely upon them, but
dared not hope they would fight as they did.
One man, named Abram Moss, a son-in-law OF
Hecker, the greet Flour merchant was on
the sick list when the regiment was ordered
to leave the Island. The doctor ordered him
| to remain behind, and told him it was as
| much as his life was worth to 60 with the regi-
ment. He begged to go with US, and had a
hearty cry when told he could not. He man
aged, however, to get on board ship, marched
| with the regiment from the place of landing
to their place of bivouac, slept out the night
before the battle with the rest Of US in the
us into action, and L saw him fighting like a
| lion until just before our charge upon the bat
terry, when he was struck in the leg by a ball
| as he was loading his piece. He fell near me,
and when spoke to him to inquire about his
wound, he smiled as he pointed it out to me,
and seemed quite proud Of it. He was shot
| through the ankle, but will not lose the limb
| But his was only one out Of many cases
/ Journal of Commerce.