Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-05-13
THE RATTLE OF WEST POINT.

Il n
Correspondence of the New York Herald
BRICK HOUSE, PoINT, near West Point, Va.
May with my eyes full OF burnt powder and
/ my ears flied with the ringing of musketry and
| the screeching Of bombshells, I sit down to en-.
deavor to give you an account Of a Hght that has
| ragged here since ten O'Clock this morning and
| which Is still continuing, although l just now
1 heard the cry that the Rebels Were retreatina z
| The first Of this division Of the grand army, of
4 the Potemae arrived here Yesterday afternoon,
| under command Of General Franklin and bydark
most OF the troops were landed on a beautiful
| plain, which Is surrounded on three sides by
| dense woods and on the fourth by the river, on
| the south side Of the Panunkey river. and about
1 half mile southwark from West Point The
1 reason why we landed here IL obvious Had we
landed on the other side ofthe tiver-We,t Point
| where 1t was al first intended we should land
| we should then have hal a considerable stream
| or wafer between us and the rebels, and would
have bad considerable trouble to reach them, as
| all the bridges have been DESTROYED. Our gun
| boats have taken undsputed pos session Of the
point, the rebels having dIsa peared at the APP
p'arance OF eur forces. and the American filg Of
| our 9plo1 now hoats from one Of the most prom
l tnent buildings in the village. q ta=
Immediately on the landing Of orr forces from
| the transports, pickets were thro wn out to the
edges ofthe surrounding wood and our tents were
pltched on the banks OF the river, and up to that
| time not one or the ehivalric sons Of the South
had made bis appearance. About dusk, part of
| the division Of Gen. Sedgwiok, under command
1 OF Gen. Dana, arrived In transports from York.
| town, and remained In the center Of the river
while some OF our light draught gun boats took
trip up the rivers Pamunkey and Matapony to
capsute portion OF the rebel mosquito feet,
which were brought into use for carving our
men from the transports to the shore as the river
here 10 too shallow for vessels drawing over six
feet of water.
During the night some of the Rebel pickets
made aortie on one of our advanced vfdettes
and shot him through the heart. The news soon
spread through the camp, and by daylight this
morning the plain, which takes in about a tbou-
sand acres Of ground running southwest from the
Ho5k river. presented scene such "a have never
before witnessed. Here the men stood for some
time, ready TO march alta moments notice; but
no Zoe appeared, and the men were permitted to
return to their camps 70: the purpose Of getting
their breakfast, and, perhaps some sIcen A
| strong picket, composed of tie New York Thirty
SECOND, Ninety-tfth and Ninetysixth PennsyI.
vania troops, were left at the edges of the wood.
TO keep sharp lookout for the enemy who were
now believed to be in close proximity to our
lines.
About this time one of our gunboats discovered
regiment or two of the enemy on the west side
OF the river, who dispersed in great confusion
sttei having received some half dozen Of our
heavy shells In their midst. This was commu-
nlcated to Gen. Slocum, who Immediately made
strenuous efforts to get the brigade of Gen. Dana
| on shore, that we might be able to give the enc
my warns reception should he make his appear
ance Gen. Dana was indefatigabIe in his iabors
10 get the troops of the transports. and through
his exertion most of the men and horses were of
the boats by nine O'Clock, and preparations were
being made to brea kfast the men OF tht. briosde
II
when the order was given for the 10TH 3Ist and
III New \ ok, and the 9j:h and 96th Penpsylya-
MA regiments to advance into the woods and
drive Gil some Of the rebel scouts who were nring
occasional shots at our pickets, and Were sup
posed TO be strongly supported by force con-
cealed in the woods.
had our men made an advance Into the woods
than they were received with volley of nusketry
from the Rebels who were hidden ia tie dense
underground Oar men pressed on and gave them
voiley, after which the enemy retreated further
into the woods, with the 32d New York close at
Their heels; but they were too swft-footed for
boys-being more pfotected-and they soon left
the Sd struggling In the mud.
While this scene had been going on on the right
center, another was trsnsp!Ting on the center
where the 18th PenAsylvania regiment had en-
tered the woods. In a few moments after they
entered they found themselves in dense swamp,
and In their struggle to get across became separa-
ted from each other.
One OF the companies managed TO get to the
other side, and wefe climbing the bank on the
opposite side when they deserted a party OF
| soldiers in ambush. WHO comes there ~ cried
the party in ambush "Friend.n was the
answer. f'what are youi'i was the next inter
4 Togaiion. GA company of the 9th Pennsylva-
/ MIA" No sooner was this answer returned than
the party, whom the captain had mistaken for
/ some OF DIS own regiment opened terrible 4 G
4 upon our men, who returned the fire and thea
returned TO our reserves. In this affair Captain
| BATHS, Of Company b, was shot through the
| shoulder, but not dangerously wounded, and one
l or two privates were killed and carried of the
field by their friends, who, before they Quit the
4 ground, revenged the fall Of their brave COM
| FADES by giving the enemy few well directed
vo;leJs.
But now the action became more general
| throughout the lines, and from every quarter of
I the woods came the sharp crack of musketry.
4 The tight had now been going on for three
l hours here without intermission, and number
! OF men were killed and wounded. At this junc-
l ture our men were withdrawn from the wood,
| where they were evidently getting the worst of
n IN. q L ~ R1nda Gan
was ordered into position on the right, and Capt
Porters LIST Massachusetts blttery took up d POSI-
i ticn on the left, and In few minutes the she'll
Were living through the air at the rate of about
1 ten minute. This soon compelled the rebels to
l make move more on our left, where the shels
| new less TIL than upon the ground they Were
| then occupying. But there evidently is no rest
| for the wicked, for no sooner had the rebels
moved their forces upon our left, than our gun.
boats, which up to that time had been unable to
have hand In the affair, opened their batteries
on the Zoe with so much effect that, when COM
| Inenced to write they had completely driven the
l enemy ought OF sig ht and hearing.
AS soon az the guns Of Capt. Porter commenced
70 nre among them, accompanied by those from
the river, the Rebels undertook to move one Of
their batteries which they had got into position
The New Jersey regiments received orders to
charge upon the blttery and at ID they went with
RsSs. -ass MADE me very forests riTg but the
| Jersey boys got through the woods, the enemy
had got out Of sig ht in the woods.
Everybody has done well, and the troops have
4 acted nobiy. They have been under arms all dsy
thus far, and standing in the broiling sun without
anything whatever 70 eat, except that which they
may have had In their havefsaeks. have vet to
hear word Of complaint from any ouirter -
The gun-boats are still throwing she'll into
/ the woods, to keep the enemy from erecting bat
teries. The Rebel army now In front Of US, have
| just learned, Is under the command Of Gen.
Robert Lee. ~ .-..-.. 49, f.. 80
SPANISH DEsIess on HAYTI.-A Fight at