Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-05-29
ACCOUNT OF COL. JONES EXPLOIT.


well. He will certainly go with us. j.
| ACCOUNT OF COL. JONES EXPLOIT.
A letter in the New York Herald says that
the rebel camp captured by Col. Jones, was
at Gum Swamp. His force consists of the
5Sth Pennsylvania, and the 9th, 25th, 9th
and 10th Massachusetts regiments, with three
companies of cavalry and part of Riggs bat
terry. They started on Thursday, May 2lst
and captured the camps on Friday, the 22d
The position of the rebel camp is described as
follows =
1.-The only assailable point was supposed
by the enemy to be from the front, facing the
Dover road, about eleven miles from Cave
creek. The rear was protected by what they
considered an impenetrable swamp, ten or
twelve miles long, and undivided by road, or
scarcely pathway of any kind. Through
this swamp or ''pocOsOn," as it is locally
called, our troops had to march, The route
lay through mud, water, trailing briars, thorn
shrubs, with occasional spots of dry soil, on
which the native pine grows. In brief it is a
complete American jungle. 1t was through
this swamp that Col. Jones proposed to lead
two regiments-the 58th Pennsylvania and
| the 9th Massachuselts-in darkness, and by
| taking the enemy in their exposed and I'M
| protected rear, while his other troops kept
| them amused in 'front.' succeed in capturing
their whole force, with little sacrifice of life
as possible"
Accordingly, while the 18th Pennsylvania
and 9th Massachusetts were moving quietly
through the swamp, the rest of the force APP
preached the rebels in the other direction,
! I I Al FTrt
says:
"At daylight on the 22d friday our ad-
vance sklrmishers-Co. L, Capt. O'Neil, and
Co. X, Capt Denny, of the 25th Massachu-
setts-were deployed to the right, and en-
countered the first fire of the enemy. As the
latter rGtreated the 25th advanced in line, fir
ing rapid volley. The rebels first took refuge
in some houses and fired a few shots, but re-
tired as the 9TH and 4Gth approached, having
already had taste OF the quality of the 25th.
At half past six o'clock the 10th were in po-
sition on each side of the road, the 9TH on the
railroad to the left, and the 25th on the right,
with the artillery to the right in an open field,
but concealed from the enemy by belts of
pine woods which concealed their own works
from our view until we came directly upon
them. The rebels having deserted all
their places of refuge until they reached
their intrenchments, now commenced blaZ-
ing but poorly directed fire from their defences.
THE firing had been kept up on the front
from daylight until nine O'Clock, some three
or four hours beyond the time when the arriv-
al of Col. Jones in the rear was expected, when,
bark like the slogan Of the Highlander
came the welcome sound of u rousing volley
from the rear OF the enemy's works. That's
the 5Sth, I'll swear cried one. Another ter
rife volley was Immediately heard in the
same direction. That's the 9th; | know
their lively gunsn exclaimed another. Il can
almost hear their cheers, said third with en-
| thusiasm. And, sure enough, in an instant
after, cheer after cheer rang through the
pines. The enemy had but minute before
fired heavy volley from the front, wounding
two of our men, and it was not deemed pru-
lent to advance until it was ascertained
whether we should encounter an enemy or fire
upon friends. If the enemy had been
defeated by Jones, it was supposed
that they would make their escape on
the road lined by our troops. But not a
flying rebel was to be seen. Colonel Pierson
ordered his infantry to fix bayonets and adj
vance without further delay. A few minutes
settled the business. The 18th, 5th and 46th
dashed over the breastworks, but not to find
On enemy. They had fed flown, vamosed,
skedaddled through swamp and muck, and
pocoson and brier and brush, and by rail-
way bank to the right and left, but never to
the front or rear, and the indomitable Colonel
Jones after them. Blankets, canteens, am
munition, and provisions were strewn every
where, but they did not long remain nnappro-
priated. A number of rebel letters containing
valuable information were secured. Horses
and artillery were captured, and prisoners
were trotted in by the score as fast as the boys
could overhaul them in the swamp. About
half dozen were captured as they were car
rying off a wounded rebel officer. I'm sick,
sick, sick of this says one of the rebel SOL
diers, as we stopped to ask few questions
about the wounded officer; and they all looked
as if they felt the same way-they appeared
so utterly woe-begone and wretched.''
THE REBELS, REINFORCED, MAKE ANOTHER
FIGHT-CoL. JONES KILLED.
"The object of the expedition having been
accomplished, Col. Jones left the Gum Swamp
entertainments about P. NJ, Friday, bringing
with him all his prisoners, baggage wagons
horses, &C., the wounded having been sent or
in ambulances in advance, a short time pre-.
viously. Reaching this side of Core creek
the colonel bivouacked his troops on Mccoy.
plantation. On Saturday morning, the 23d
he was proceeding on his way back to hii
entertainments at Bachelors creek, when the
enemy opened on him. from both the Dover
road and the railroad. They commenced by
firing shell at McCoy's house, which caugh
fire and was consumed. The enemy were
forced to retire from this work by hot fire o.
shells from Clarks (Riggs) battery, which
seemed to throw them into confusion. They
soon, however, rallied again, and commenced
Peppering away as Col. Jones slowly retired
Lhey did no damage, for their advance was
f kept IN check by the admirable handling OF
, our guns. Their advance and fire for a time
ceased and Colonel Jones succeeded in
getting all his men and prisoners in