Delaware State journal and statesman., 1863-04-30
CAM AT SUFFOLK, Vail
Anril OHM lAG3

CAMP AT SUFFOLK, Va,
April 2Ith, 1868.
We moved from Camp Barry GU the 18Th, aud
reached here on the 10th. We came by the way
uf the Chesapeake Bay TO Fortress Monroe and
Norfolk. We had II gay time coming, but it was
not 80 guy after we reached here. / have been
out to see the rebels since | came here They
were stationed in two story frame house about
two miles from here. To-day We had orders to
be ready to march within I'M hour, to feel the
rebel position, AMI to shell tue house mud woods,
IN which they had taken position. We attacked
them in two places, one ut the house and the
other OH the EdentOn road, about five miles from
mere. Our force was under the command of
Acting Brig. Gen. Foster, aud the one on the
Edentun road was under Corcoran We bud
about 5000 infantry, one company OF the lllb
Pennsylvania Cavalry and 4 pieces of our Bat
terry do not know hos many Corcoian had.
The first time We took position we were about
five hundred yards from the rebel house aud
rifle pits. We opened fire. and the first shot
from Cleaver's gun took down u part Of the
CHIMNEY. AMI knocked tho shutter aud sash out
OF the Windows but no rebel showed himself M
yet. The aecund shell fired WAS by our gun mud
entered the house through one OF The windows
uud exploded inside. You ought to have seen
the rebels get out ui that house. About dozen
rushed ont ucruss the road and ntu the woods
Fire nhd smoke Fnshed out of the Windows and
we all thought that the house was on fire We
then charged our position to farther down the
road, mud about $50 yards itOm tue house, Be.
| fore doing this, however, the rebels came back
and entered the house again. We soon got into
| position, nii sent three or four shells tearing
Into the hause and uut came the rebels again
one fellow Jumping out Of the second story win
dow. No sooner had they reached the lane than
two companies Of inlnntry poured vulley after
voley into them, and wounded ono 50 bad that
he could hardly walk. From that time til dark
| We kept up continual fire into the woods and
house while the rebels md our infantry kent up
Il sharp fire right in front Of ns.
nnu continual slream Of fire poured ont Of
our guns that We had 10 keep throwing wnter
into them sp that we could work them Al one
] timu they became so hot that We were compelled
10 cease iiriug and cool them OIL II would be
/ hard to tell how much ammunition was used II
kept four men MS hard as they coud work serv.
lug the gun with ammunition. II kept two of
them busy setting aud cutting tuaes. was ON
/ the middle horses of the gun so that | had IA
( good chance to see everything. II seemed ~
though every tree and hush concealed q rebel
I The infantry charged them nj the point of the
] hayOnet, aud after It was u hand to hand fight
| A pioce Of u shell went under my horse and cut
his foot slightly and another piece went right
across the breast OF the lead driver, but nota
man in the Battery wns hurt, three or four in
iantry was killed and quite number wounded
I We captured seven rebels one COW and two pigs.
| The tow fnlls to us ~ owners. We could have
got five cows, hut they were wild aud took to
the woods 80 We thought VIC would shoot one
anyhow and bring herm We tore the house all
to pieces. There WINS nice barn in the rear Of
the house, but it came in for good share of the
iron storm. will wager that there WAS more
than dozen rebels bit the dust on account of
the warm reception We gave them
The infantry say that the most of our shells
which We fired into he woods md rifle pts ex
plodel right among the rebels. The General
Commanding sent his respects to the Battery aud
says that we nre A No. | Battery, and that we
stood fire like veterans. lle says we could hit
the house every time we wanted to. Captain
Nields actol with great GOODNESS during the fight
and so did all the men. One Of our Colonies was
wounded in the arm.