Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-04-29

were among the very first on the field, and tne
rery last to leare it. 1t is not much Of time, you
know, to look at a mans watch or look up a. 'tlS
sun, to tell the precise time of day, when enc y
pecting every ball that whistles by. il the mmeu
ate fore runner of the one thatis to send him " ms
long home. Consequently, am unable 70 rspo'sS
tho exact time the engagement commenceu, ~.
in the morning. You ought to have bsen there
7, WAS terrible fighting. The 61st regiment par,
tcinated in the soiole Of it. except when compelled
to fsli back on account Of the ammunition giving
ont and then, being ordered back by Gen. Evans,
thew went back. in one hundred and htty yaros OF
the enemy without solitary carthage, ana na'' VI
the men with no ,bayonets.
About II o'clock Col Malletts battalion was on
the field. We were glad to see them, for we nesu.
ed help The 61st was on Maiietts right AS sne
firing increased sufficiently to make it quite lntef
estine to them. they began TO think it was rather
too no, for the season Of the year. They doubtless
were reminded of the good old Methodist song H a'
says "December's as pleasant as May" Col MAI
lett came to me and remarked, Qm no Coicne,, , ="
any thing Of that sort,) 49,, Tor you ssAe'
bring your regiment to my support on the lett
NV men are breaking, and cannot control lneah
for Gods sake help me rally themI l immea'ate
" went to Col Devane, who was on tne r.gh'' anu
asked him to carry the regiment to MalIetts re!le
but were speedily rallied ty united efforts none
rendering more efficient service than Lieut. Joseph
Hill, who fell that day mortally wounded. All VINO
knew him deeply mourn his untimeiy eno' bul
youth, he acted as man Of ripper years, ana as
bold and fearless soldier. He died gorions oes'n'
"Peace lie to his ashes" -~-s:-,,-
We contested stubborny every lncn Oh erounu
with the enemy, and without even receiving any Of
ders ever heard Of till quite recently by any othcer
At form I'm
being entirely out of a,pmunition again, and being
crowded little too close for comfort, oy over
whelming numbers. We relreated in reasonable
disorder to the Kinston bridge, then on nre, ana
some of us got across and some did not. we came
with Malletts battalion from the battle heiu 10 Tue
bridge. and in retreating there was no one oensn"
US except huge columns of Yankees who were close
" pressing Us, and amusing themselves oy Trying
to Kill U.s. while were trying to keep from oe'''e
killed. AS we got to the bridge, We were su9ect'
ed to terrible crsss fire from large body OF the
enemy. who were drawn up in line about $50 yards
below. Here we lost several OF our men, and It IS
truly miraculous that half Of them at least were not
killed
The sum of the whole matter is simply this
The 6!st regiment Was il the hottest oil the Lgh''
boil, on Saturday nila Sunday, aid in /! from be-
ginning to e,.l and more than this, she is in capi'
tai plight fer another one and ready. And, more
than this: She don't Gaze whether any oody says
"well tlone" or not She does her duty when
size will do, and always has done Soneooiy re
ported she run at Kinston. The author Vi this re-
port simply lied, that's all. This is the end OF my
report, and hope you will excuse me for delaying
it so long, as have pot besH allowed to take sui
cient exercise since to have energy enough to write
it out
In conclusion, will simply add as matter OF
history, that the boys since being on James Island
have run down themselves, and captured good
many rabbits but an order was issued fortnight
ago forbiddng soldiers to interfere with government
cattle in any way. Since then the RABBITS have
never been molestei Finally, an alligator 6 feet
inches long was captured in so yards of our camp,
on the 18th inst, by small detachment OF the
regiment, armed with one axe and two shovels 1t
is proposed to tan his skin.
Faithfully, yours, AMlNADAB.
James Island, S. C., April Is, 1868.