Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-05-21
The williamsburg Bassle.

and missing, and yet with the exception Of q few I
items from the wounded who made their escape and I
a few unsatisfactory snatches in the newspapers.
the public are still in much ignorance Of the fate Of
many ofour brave men. Of the killed wounded /
and missing Virginia troops and Of their exploits,
have had pretty full accounts, but we have seen
nothing from the pen Of North Carolinian giving
an account Of our forces anywhere, unless the ac-
count of the Ellis Light Artillery was furnished the
Richmond Dispatch by North Carolinian
The Richmond papers havebeen blamed for their
silence in regard to N. G. troops and we have Joined
in the censure, but on reflection we are satisfied |
they are not wholly to blame, if at ALL Why is it
that the officers privates from North Caroliua,
and skrmishes of good bad deeds, of the killed,
wounded and missing, in which N. G. troops are
engaged? We regret their silence and especially at
this time, when SO many anxious hearts are painting
to hear the good or bad news from the Peninsula.
Our people want to know the TRUTH the whole truth
and nothing out the truth.
This silence of the army, of the officials and Of
the newspapers in regard to affairs on the Peninsu
la is producing depressing influence on the public
mind. The impression is that our men have been
fighting more or less ever since the Williamsburg
affair; and yet We have seen nothing, except few
notices based upon such authority as would no! JUS
tfy publication. Mcclellan, in his dispatches to
Washington, claims victory over our forces at Will
liamsburg, although the Surgeon General of his
army acknowledges loss of 5000 in killed and
wounded.
VNhop ntio 10 - all, of<6 hrnv
ry and severe loss of Col McRaes regiment, af.
fords but meagre idea Of the ntrepdity of our
men and Of the excessive hardships they endured.
The fell Of several excellent officers is mentioned,
but others are not named, and nearly 800 privates
who fell or were taken prisoners not mentioned.
We are told that Col McRae's and Col. Hoke's
N. c. regiments and two Virginia regiments, CON-
posing Gen. Earlys brigade, were ordered by Gen.
Hill to take battery which was doing immense
damage to our army. Gen. Early ordered them
forward, Col McRae's regiment on one wing, and
Col. Terry's Virginia regiment on the other. The
ground was very difficult to pass over.-much of it
was swamp with chesnut limbs &c. obstructing
their passage. Col. McRae's and Col Terry's alone
succeeded in getting through it, exposed to dead
on and dove the enemy from the battery. Had the
other two regiments been equally successful, they
could have held it and prevented much carnage 1t
is reported that Gen. Hi percevng the destruction
of the two regiments, especially McRae's ordered
South Carolina regiment to their rescue but they
faltered. He then appealed to them to save their
brethren from destruction, and jumped fence and
ordered them to follow him. but they would not 60;
he then ordered Coils. Terry and McRae to retreat
Col. McRae's loss was nearly 300, and Col Terry's
over 100. We do not vouch for the correctness of
the statement, but give it as we heard it
Among the killed and wounded were many gal
liant and noble spirits who deserved better fate. We
are gratified to learn that Capt Ham. G. Jones of
Salisbury of Co. z. 9th N. G. Troops, has arrived
in this city, and is at the house of his relative
A Williams ESQ.,, where he is kindly cared for.
! wounded with minnie ball through both thighs.
After his comrades were Withdrawn from the fight,
he arose and was moving off after them, when, be-
| ing noticed by the Yankees, a shower of bullets
were sent after him. He then fell upon his face,
and laid there until he supposed they had lost sight
of him, when he again get up and went on as well
as he could for some twenty PAGES, when they again
sent volley of bullets after him. and kept up the
discharge until he thought it safe again to fall to the
| ground and lie there until he supposed he might
again proceed with safety. This ruse he practiced
several times, always with the result of being
4 followed with shower of balls, until at length he
| obtained the protection of the woods at which he
was aiming, whence he got conveyance to the hos
| pital at Williamsburg. This was the way in which
several other wounded men shot at in attempt
ing to reach the woods and Capt Jones thinks that
in this way Col. Badham was killed. On the next
morning, when it was discovered that the wounded
at the williamsburg hospital had been left to fall
into the hands of the enemy, Capt. Jones got on
his clothes with great difficulty, and hobbled on till
he fell in with his friend Col j. F. Hoke, who fur
nished him With 8 saddle-horse and had him care
fully put astride, with his green wounds pressing
against the saddle i Thus mounted, he rode some
forty miles, when he got into wagon and was
brought to Chickahominy, where he was met by
his brother and his faithful servant Howell Capt.
Jones is accompanied by Lieut. Maloney, Mary
lander, who was badly wounded, being shot through
the upper part Of the breast Both these young
gentlemen are devoted to our cause, and expect to
be in the field again in few weeks. They are both
enthusiastic in their praise Of Gen. EARLY and Col.
McRae..
\ THE MERKMAc DEsrRoYED. This vessel from
which 50 much was looked for, readers have a.
ready learned withdeep pain. has been blown up.
4 Having guarded the harbor Of Norfolk until the
evacuation WAS sectsd and Anding it impossible On
account Of the heavy drought to forcsher up james
river and the attemptt tighten her having exposed
her wooden hull tothe guns Of the snemy she was
.noored near :prsnsy Ialand, and blown up IT ap-
pears hsr srsw had Just time to save themsstyes-
Her entire armament powder, provisions and crews