The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-06-02

were received from suIIk 10 take up track within
pont thu rebels were posted in force II was, conse
quence found necessary TO al several regiments
foar miles towards the Bakwaier This force ws
put under Command OF Gen. Dodge IL consisted o. the
Twenty sixth Michigan the Eleventh Rhode Island ana
brigade under command OF Col. Drake
The track taken up for two miles ny the Contra
bands and caried of 10 the railway train by wag ns,
which was some hat tedious process occupying some
two days. Meanwhile the Eleventh Rhode is!ana anu anu
Twenty sixth Michigan were epeaged IA a CONSTANT anu
heavy skirmsh with the Second ana Eleventh asslsIpp'
regiments, which were supported by Two Fed pieces.
Several prisoners were taken by the EeVentn hhooo
Island Volunteers ard number o. the Second Mississippi
killed and wounded In the sSm sh leaving soo ..
their dead behind as he robes were fay urvo f0"
the field by the skirmisher. WHICH We had oepioyeu
The road is taken up TO within Ave mics Oh ouoh
and the iron IN the safe keeping Of Uncle sam ,os
The value OF the iron which we fhan nave ia XVI pos
session will be almost $500 900, the number O. mes
which are to take up beng about twenty nvo.
The damage done TO the enemy Is very great for ~ IS
well known that the rolling stock aud track OF tho
Southern roads rapidly approaching complete useless
The lion which We haze taken would have been Of
great value 10 them, as was but very little used and OF
excellent qualify.
am reliably informed that there has been rebel
missioner securing the country for the purpose OF takiag
ali the ST ci of any farmer excepting two cows AT the
time they have made most rigid oonscripton OF
almost evory mae inhabi.ant OF the country. lhore
have BEEN however great number o. attempts TO evade
the conscri ion the fleeing II the swamps In such
the rebel authorities have death TO the
pcopo when captured
qhe universal expression Of evcry inhabitant within
the radius Of twenty miles OF Suffolk is We arc tired u
tho "when will It ceases We mover expected 1t
would last long We shall be so happy az when
wc wore IN the Union, and never shall be happy Again un
less II is restored"
There are many bushwhackcrs providing about the
country Suffice il 10 say that when captured they re-
ccive mercy our hands. They are murderers and
deal summariiy with thcmno quarter but death at
The rebels threatened burn the houses Of every
Uson man in this section but 1t appears that despite
rebel habitat left, while those OF the Union people are
10 In good condition.
lection within lines, and say that, boss the Lrd"
they free. The Presidents proclamation Is having It's
effect especially in this section for here Is scarcely an
able bodied negro left on any plantation 10 Nsnsemond
county.
Since tho war commenced the land In this vicinity has
decreased greatly in value Tho average value before tho
war from $50 SIS per acre; any quantity can
DO purchus vi Tor from IS 20 SO per aero.
Large numbers Of deserters constantly coming into
our nes Two days since about ono handrcd or tho
Forty second Mississippi regiment deserted swimming the
Backwater river AID scattering through the ana
amps Suffolk. They are coming In Ia squads VI
two AID three
there are now the opposite side Of the Blackwatcr
giments arc large and lately drafted. The Scc'nd.
Eleventh aud Forty second Mississippi arc there, Lou
si,na regiment and North Carolina brigade. Their "a.
tions are quarter pound Of meat pound OF -four
bread and little rice-ust sufficient TO keep them IN
Most Of he arc comfortably clad in gray uni
and shirts OF English manufacture They represent
that the soldiers tired Of htng and at every oppor
tunity will desert large bodies Most Of them cannot
tell what they lighting for but that tho great mon
tell them that they are lighting for liberty.
There Is but little land undr cultivation In this district,
barely sufficient the inhabitants Of the county
Much of the provision Of the people concealed IN the
woods, and In almost every instance we arc informed OF
its whereabouts by the negroes who have assisted 10 con-
ccal.ng IL.
The One Hundred and Sixty-sixth PENN
sylvania Volunteers and che Rebel At
tack.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
CAMP SUFFOLK, Va May %, 1858
in Justice to the One Hundred and Sixty sixth Pom
syvana regiment whom your correspondent In an arti
&c published in the HERALD of the 20h has msrepre
sented, l beg that you would publish this defence.
The simple story this: vouch for its truth as only
can similarly placed between tho fire OF the
rebels and mon was was resting little TO
the right and TO the Of the regiment most OF them
few moments previous had been to the lot Of
the regiment ana with glass tho rebcls sncaking
along fence towards u.s. filing OF to the right along
the bank OIL a swamp Tho rebcis thus e!uded
our skirmshcrs in front by crossing the swamp
far to the right OF them, and, falling upon
our right flank this UNEXPECTEDLY thcy dis
charged one gun, MORALLY wounding ono man and
alarming the rest Three shots and thon volley
followed which started tho regiment, and they foil back
hundred yards firing part Of tho way they
won't 1hey then halted by the Colonel and Adju
who had fallen back in soasan TO escape cap
ture by being out1anked. Without difficulty the regi
msnt rallied and formed In line Of battle then started
upon double quick charge towards tho rebes' positn
but they gone. Tho shot Of own men had dis
persed them, aud they left more rapidly than they
camo.
Immediately regiment rallying, four companies
tho Thirteenth Indiana deployed into the woods
In css III N a.cen minutes after the attack OF the
enomy men had rallied, formed and charged. '1ho
left ana the One Hundred and sixty h fennsylvania
regiment the other side Of the railroad ct least
three hundred yards on, their skrmshers on parallel
with regiment, and the regiment about two hundred
hence hcld their position, except few Of their skir
mishcrs, who retreatcd As for tho Ono Hundred ana
Sass as Nor wh
In two miles and half Of the engagement. The One
Hundred and sixty regiment did not move second
time until the sheling OF tho enemy became too
for infantry without artillery TO be II any account Then
they fell back regular order the Irish Legion
ers who were prevented by the enemy's shells nom
reaching the regiment came in any other way than with
the regiment, and one OF them hered the wounded or
alorg the railroad.
The regiment painfully conscious that they lost by
Their Temporary conus an opportunity 20 punsh the
rebels severely Az the same time they chillcnge any
comparison the severcst critics may mako between
themselves and the Irish Legion. Where Is there
another regiment who have never had guard.
house; who We had but ono punished BY
drulkeansss, 70 camp guard Hcvsr bu, one &C. Of
disobcdcnce orders upon the part Of officer OF any
grade who have been invariably prompt fatigue duty,
aud done better piece OF work THAI the South Quay bat
toy, wh Sc wnOle conduct, arm, camp ana ncd duty
have been conducted In sodierlke, quiet, uncstcnts
tous way whose only Of regret Is that they
surprs d and confused for few moments when they
should have been watching and ready for the rebclsS
D. I'LL, haplaIn 1Se'h penasyvana regiment.
secretary Stewards Speech 10 the Soldiers.
On the 2yth ult., the Nineteenth New York State Vol
uneers mustered out OF service at Auburn. They
addressed by Mr. Seward, who was making brief
visit 10 his homo. We quote portion OF his speech
Ciyil war divides the community, even In chose places
where the government retains It's accustomed strength
and authority, into two classes One that has courage
adequate 10 tho crisis, tho other that has not.
Those that have the courage, In other words the
virtue adequate TO the crisis rush to the field In
this large nsssemblago which las out to
greet you. TO witness this solemn ceremony OF
your discharge from the public SERVICE both these classes
found We cannot distinguish, Is II worth our
while TO attempt to distinguish the from the other.
by their actios hereafter they shall DO known Those
who WISE and viruous will be found urging you
turn TO tho hod and perseverc until the hattie won
and viii spare painsgoing themselves " possible-to
recruit the ranks which dc tn hons<ably decma
tei Those who otherwise will DO found still caviling
about the OF the war, about the cspons o.