Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1863-11-17
The late Fight at KeIIX,s Ford.

The chaplain of the 54th No. regiment has furn-
Ished to the Richmond Examiner, with request
that North. Carolina papers copy the following &C.
count of the late fight on the Rappahannock -
DISASTER TO GEN HOKES BRIGADE.
AT OUR OLD CAMPS ON TIE RAPIDAN,l
November 10th, 1868.
To the Editor of the Examiner:
history of the misfortune which beiel our brig
ade on the afternoon of Saturday, the 7th inst, is
due to the friends of the unfortunate. officers and
soldiers at home. i therefore beg leave to ofer for
the information of such, only such information as
have been able to gather from the officers who es
capped On Friday, the Louisiana brigade, under
Brgader General Hayes, vas sent across the Rap
Pahannock to act as picket guard at the point
where the railroad from Culpeper Courthouse to
Manassas crosses the Rappahannock Whilst the
enemy held this road during the latter part of the
summer ne had thrown up line Of breastworks
from point short distance below the end of the
railroad bridge on the other side which works
laced from the river and extended some distance up
and dlvergng from the river. The Louisanians
occupied the lower part of these works. The pom
toon bridge the only place of crossing for infantry
being upon their left, and about one.hundred wards
above where the railroad bridge had been burned.
At half past o'clock P. NJ, the long roll was beat
IN our encampment and every man fit for duty call
ed upon to fall in; we knew not why, as we had no
artillery, the day being quite windy, and camp
being about six miles from the river. The whole
OF EaryS division was marched rapidly to the river
BrgadIerGeneral Hokes brigade Ofthree regiments,
the SIXTH Fifty-fOurth and Fifty SEVENTH now COM
manded by Col. A. G. Goodwin, formerly first pro-
Vost marshal of Richmond, was ordered over the
river to occupy the extreme left of the breastworkS
This brigade crossed the river under heavy fire Of
artillery, Qor the LouiSianians were already
tanning furious fire froE: raj batteries) This
hre from the artillery-and sharpShooterS was kept
up until after sunset The other two brigades of
General Earlys division, commanded by Brigadler
Generals Gordon and Pegram, were held in position
on this side the river. By sunset the enemy had
extended his lines, in the form of halfmoon, so
as to envelop forces entirely his right and left
resting on the.river above and below. At the same
time he had formed three lines of attack cne be-
hlpd the other, to assault the works held Uy Gen,
erai Hayes and the. right of Hokes brigade. The
sun had gone down when this terrible onset was
made Although the odds were greatly against US,
ana we had only -four pieces, OF artillery on that
slde oil the river, our men received the shock as
brave men only do. The LouSianians fought with
desperation. The enemy'S front; line was torn to
pieces and scattered in confa on. Being reinforced
by the second and third lines the enemy again ad-
Vanced upon the works, and, by oVerpowering
numbers, leaped the works into the ditch and came
to hand.to hand fight
Our brave men, being thus so greatly outnumber-
ed, were compelled to yielc;. Some surrendered; ;
others rushed to the ponto on and escaped. some
Others, being cut off from that plunged into the
General Hays escaped after he had surrendered; !;
Colonels MOnagan and Peck swan the river. More
than half this brigade missing. The extreme
right of General HOke's brig Ide fought with equal
valOr and shared similar fate. The possession of
the works held by the Louis ianans gave the enemy
possession of the pontOOn bridge and thus out off
General Hoke's brigade from, any escape except by
swimming. Our extreme ri ght being thrown back,
the brave Colonel Goodwin, although surrounded en-
all sides, except the rive side still fought on,
and when compelled to yield ground to oVerwhel-
ming odds fell back with force of about seventy
FIVE men, still returning the eneny's fire, and re-
fused TO surrender until fighting was useless.
LieutenantColonel Tate and Major York, Cap.
tains Mcpherson and Ray and Lieutenant Mebane Of
|" the Sixth with Captain Adams Of the staff broke
away and escaped over the bridge in the darkness.
Lieuteuants Williams, Smith and Fitzgerald, of the
Ffty-fourth; Brown of the Sixth; With few Others
plunged into the river and SWAN safely over but,
unfortunately, some others we're drowned. Lieu
ant-COlonel Jones, Jr, of the Fifty seventh
and Captain White of the Sixth, plunged in to swim,
but the coldpess of the water compelled them to put
back
The casualties of our brigade are small in lied
and wounded. Adjutant Mebane, of the Sixth,
wounded in arm and side; William johnson, Cap
tain Whites company, wounded in thigh, severely,
though not mortally Sergeant Crismnn, Captain
Hoopers company, killed. The brigade is almost
annihilated. The Fifty fourth regiment has only
" ISll, WIFI anu
about fifteen men remaining The fragments of the
brigade now collected under the command OF
Lieutenant Colonel Tate of the Sixth, and attached
to the Louisiana brigade These fragments now
number about two hundred and seventy-fve men.
This is serious disaster, far as feelings are
Concerned, but it does not shake our hopes as to
success. This sad affair took place in the presence
of General Lee and Major General Early, who had
arrived on this side Of the river
The loss of the enemy has been serious as the
ground in front of works literally covered
with his dead At midnight on Saturday night
General Lee began 10 fail back. On Sunday morn
ing he formed the line Of battle beyond Culpeper
but although the enemy had forced the guard at Ke
lyS ford and compelled General RhOCies to foil back
with loss of two hundred men, kiled-wounded
and miSsing-Vet no attack was made on US by the
infantry. In the afternoon the encmys cavalry at
tackled General Wcoxs brigade, and were badly
cut up. During Sunday night Gen. Lee fell back
to his old position, south of the Rapidan.
P. S.-Lieuts. Morrison, Letter and May nard, o.
| the Fifty. seventh, all safe.
JOHN PARIS,
| Chaplain oath Regt. N. G. T.