Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-02-18
From the Ninth Regiment.
CAMP OF THE 9TH VERMONT,
NEWPORT, NORTH CAROLINA,
EZl 1Itl 12ef


.... Feb. 1lth, 1864.
Editor Herald You have doubtless
heard that the 9th has had an engage
ment with the rebs and got driven from
their post-but the enemy did not make
very much out of the affair. Their force
numbered from 1000 to 5000 with at
least three pieces of artillery. They first
attacked Co. II, posted at Gales Creek,
four miles from this place. The Com
pany had not more than thirty armed
men. They next advanced on Company
B, at Bogue Sound Block House, three
miles from here, and on the left flank OF
this position. Company numbered
aboutsixty-fy armed men, though the
forty recruits had their guns only three
hours before they began to use them.
Capt. Kelley was in command OF the
regiment at this place, and Company d
was in charge of his Lieutenants The
enemy opened upon the Block House with
three pieces of artillery, and sent from
six hundred to one thousand men to at
tack the post, and at the same time cut
off the line of retreat. But Company
B were not to be gobbled up so easily.
They fired upon the enemy as they ad-
vanced, and as we have since learned,
killed one Captain two Lieutenants and
four men, and wounded seventeen, and
the Company then put for the woods at
very quick step, for the swarms OF reo-
els were after us screaming and yelling
as victorious soldiers know how to do.
They wounded two of our men; VIM. T.
Smith and Nathan Deforge, and took
eight prisoners, namely; ii. W. Fletcher,
David Weller, VIM. B. jerks, Thomas
Ripley, Franklin Ives, Franklin Cas-
we'll Thomas Rudd and John Grant; the
last four new men. Our two wounded
men were left by the rebs, and are now
in hospital at Morehead doing finely.
Smith was hit on the head, but was not
seriously hurt. Since then G, F. Durkee
was accidentally shot through the foot'
Our escape from the rebs was most
fortunate, as it appears on reviewing
the affair. The Company was ordered to
hold the place as long as possible, and
it was held until some of the boys
thought that the Lieutenant command
ing was calculating to surrender the
whole Company as prisoners, but such
was not his plan. But it is generally
believed that if we had remained two
minutes longer, all would have been ta-
ken, as the enemy were closing in on
several sides. The Company retreated
ten miles to Morehead City, where it ar
rived Tuesday evening.
After the rebs had routed Company B,
they turned their attention to the rest OF
the regiment stationed at Newport, un-
der command of Captain Kelley. There
were also at Newport one company OF ar
tillery and one Company of cavalry, the
whole force under command of Lieut.
Col Barney of the 9th Vermont. After
a brisk fight of two hours our forces
were compelled to retire, and as the rebs
held the road to Morehead they had to
take roundabout road to Beaufort,
twenty-three miles, where they arrived
Wednesday morning, and in the after
noon crossed to Morehead and joined
Company B, and the 9th was itsell
again.
The regiment lost nearly all its bag
gage, having burned it at Newport, te
keep it from capture. At Bogue soune
the boys had to leave their things, a
there was no time even to pick them NJ
as they retreated.
Since the day of the fight, Feb. I'd W
have had quite cool weather, and me-
and officers alike have endured man
hardships, but they have borne it with
out murmur. Last Friday we were II