Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1862-06-02
THE LATE FIGHT IN HANOVER.

THE LATE FIGHT IN HANOVER.
correspondent of the Examiner furnishes that jour
nal with the following "e1lct account of the fght at
Lebanon Church. ia Hanover county, on the 9Th" from
which 1t appears that the brief published in the
Wig few days ago. the authority Of soldier was
not far wrong:
Abou. III, A. NJ, Captain Of the Virginia cavalry
Informed Col Charles o. Lee, OF the 9Th North Csoi'
ma troops that the enemy was advancing but that lie
believed il 10 be a mere narauding party which might
be captured by prompt action. Gen. Branch was at his
headquarters more than mile distant and as no time
could be lost Col Lee sent three oil his companies, IN
der Lieut. Col Barber, to NEE! them, aud nothed Gen.
Branch OF the Col L1e soon ascertaned that the
enemy was advancing in considerable force he, there
FORE sent forward the remainder OF Ais regiment and
placed it in line OF battle across the road and cent back
for Captain Lathams artillery TO reply 10 bs terry which
had opened upon his reg menL He also asked Colonel
Wake OF the l2.h North Carolina troops, to place his
regiment in the woods on the right to prevent h'nk
movement; he then depoycd Company A, Of the S7Eh,
as skrmishGIs, to protect t. lett flank.
Captain Latham, with two guns OF his battery, came
orSard and replied vigorously for short time, until
SHE'LL was thrown into his casson, which caused to eI
Of de- killing two men and two horses and uoundI &
seven men. Our guns now ceased TO FIRE while moving
pa * the disabled section. Company y OF the Thirty
yenth now opened fire with Enfield rifles upon tho
VANCE Of the enemy aud put him to got killing
Lieutenant and two Of his men. TIE enemy retired
from view having engaged for two hours. General
Branch about this time came upon the field and Or
d,red the Eighteenth and Thirty seventh forward 10 gu
port Colonel Lanes Twenty eighth North Carolina trocT
VII CHI had been early in the morning TO supportt
conpapes Of the Thirty nth, picket some four
miles distant These two regiments commenced to
vance in charge Of Colonel Lee, the respective regimen
bsrg commanded by Colonel Couan OF tho Eighteen h
and liz Ant Colonel Barber, OF the Thirty -eVenh-
Colonel Lee soon ascertaned that the enemy had plan
tnt rO Nafh Effl
stron infantry support. This reported to Genera
Ba ch General Branch ordered Colonel Lee to charge
the battery with the Eighteenth aud Thiry-seventh-
u99ne Lee sent to the General asking him to cause La
than TO engage the battery and to send up other inan
try support for the Eighteenth and Thrtyseventh.
Tie Eighteenth and Tniry.seyenth coTmenced the
Gu rse-the Egl esuth sEce ing gal anty rough n
open field in tie face o. terrible fire, with good effect
At the same tno the Thirty seventh advanced with IA
pdity and sieadness through dense forest IN which
the underground was so thick that man could not De
seen more than thirty steps. The Thirty rushed
forward with enthusiasm until it encountered the Van.
k,e who we're concealed behind logs, trees and in the
cut of roadway, which was bordered by fence OF ce'
brush. Here the enemy had every advantage Of PC
io while biz force was vas y superior; but Coontl
l. e', men stood Ike Officers and men stood
az fm as rcct within fifteen or twenty paces OF the
ukee ne. Yolley after voley oil lr pc from their
cannon and OF hiunIe balls iron their infantry MOVED
down our men, still the Thiry-seventh moved forward,
diyiag the enemp before it. Unable to stand the we'll
rected FIRE of the Eighteenth ard Thirty seventh the
rry 4 d from his battery leaving his flag the field.
While these two regiments fighting only brave
me Gao fl sht and we're driving from bis position an
enemy six regiments of infantry and one battery OF ar
ery sra &c say assistance was sent TO them, tho
n Br1ucb nd bis side bai Of artillery and tour
rszim mt f laniry. A Ia I, when longer able to
tlnd alouc aiDst heavy ODDS, the two regi-
MEETS fell back stubt orally conlesng the ground as
they retired. Tney had fought ong, especially the Thir'
tT-1eventh which had been under FIRE for nearly six
hours Their loss was very heavy. TIE Thirty seventh
ID ouly companies the field companies and
E being picket, and company osihg detailed 10
guard tie wagon Iran yet It lost hundred aid SKY IN
killed, wounded aud missing, more than one out oil e~-
rs three The loss Of the Eighteenth was qnlIe sc.
we're thew leaving hundred and sixty OF their men
on the f, I'D. Colonel CampbeIla Seventh and Colonel
Wade's Twelfth North Oarclus troops covered the
retteat hoding the eneTy IL check IN fine style. None
o. our other troops 10 the action, except Captain
Saunders company OF the Thirty third North Carolina
troops which, while Gepluyed krmishers, captured
Yankee hospital, and with it. surgeon, four men aid
ten horses The hospital contained orty-nine wounded
Yankees Their loss quite seyere-greater, perhap
than our own, including f7ld officer.
Oar officers ali behaved well Colcncl Lee and Maj Or
Hckerson were both knocked from their horses by Shells
Lieutenant Colonel BGbors horse was killed under hio
d. he wts slightly woun led 10 the neck. Adjutsnt
Wn. N.chosol 8 horse was killed and came very near
isl 1 & upon him.
OIL Lane regiment entirely cut Of, and had 20
take ca.e Of sclf Col Lane las cause be proud OF
men, They enc 1uner,d the advance regiment Of the
enemy and killed some eighty or more, and captured
some IS prisoners who sent TO Richmond besides
ou.rg, woo afterwards escaped.
Colonel Lane was then opposed by superior force,
thca almost entirely surrounded bin, yet be conducted
Ia co nmsnd of and reached Richmond YESTERDAY. 8
loss, however great many Of his mep broke down,
and it is believed, captured by the Yankee csvsl.
~. Captains Ashcraft and Farthing Of the Thirty
seventh with some hundred and forty mon, were on
ckot and started to Col Lane when they heard his hr.
ing Captain Asbcraf with fortyfour Of his men, and
fifteen OF Captain Farthngs, escaped; the rest, 1t is
feared, were captured. -,
The above is true statement Of the facts, which will
make the bse Of Lebanon Church sad but go far as
the men, company add regimental officers are concern
cd brilliant affair for North CaIolinsns. OF the rest
the public must Judge.