, 1864-05-27
IHE BATTLE OF NEW MA x.
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IHE BATTLE OF NEW MA Il.
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siscl,s Advance nud Retrcat.
4 letter in the Wheeling lrts!ig.noer Of
Monday gives some additional details OF
sigers unlucky expedition, which We quote
| below:
| Nothing occurred until we arrived 1t the
Lii orc lille north Of New Market. s:lere the
tttny, Geo stross, under coama md of Gen.
i Imboden, We're posted in good position,
, ard opened with four pieces OF artillery
! Shows Mary land battery, With the 1st West
, Virginia insautrJ foa support, was put in po-
sition and returned the enemy's Tire Tor oae
| hour and hall, when the ''Johnntes" p1lled
Of. One regiment was immediately sent for
xs1d to occupy the position leld by tue enc
my. Ne arrived after dark in the midst Of q
severe shower OF rain, and assure you the
prospect before US was dark and gloomy
enough. Major Stephens proceeded forth
With to poet pfckeis In our front, which had
gone hut TWO hundred yards from our camp
when they were hailed and fired upon BY
llne OF rebel cavalry ekirmishers, and after
some resistance were driven back to our
lines. In few minutes the rebel line Of
infantry Vas eeen coming slowly and eau
tious1g toward US, but We Wero ready for
them; every man clntchiDg his rifle, deter
mined to drive the bastard foe. Yet on they
came until within sixty yarls Of our front,
| when the gallant veterans Of the 1st raised on
their knees, and poured deadly volley into
the dark line just before them; an answering
Volle} from the emmy was followed by an
order from the Major, fire BY Jast, hold 1o1o,"
nEd such u fire as WAS poured ont from our
muekets Was Irresistible and the enemy broke
to the rear. Again were our pickets sent
out, and tgain driven back to the line, fol-
lowed BY the rebel infantry, and agnin were
! We forced to drive them back, this time fol-
lowing them through the woods, and: estab-
lisEed line Of sliirmishers In our front, aud
tLc4th Virginia rebel regiment left US u1dis-
Futtd masters Of the field. In this action, as
spirited as it was, our loss was but two or
three wounded, while the oucmy had five
killed and number wounded.
After the excitement Incident to such occa-
eiors lad worn of little, we wcro permit
ted to Lie down on our arms, In the raln,
without fire, without supper, and ditto din
ncr; thia, too, after having marched twenty
Tour miles, and had fight Of three hours.
Rough enough, wasn't It?
At Wight On Sunday morning, the 18th
inst, VIC were aroused, and after a hasty
bf%aktast Of crackers and fitch, were order
cd to the front to support Shows Maryland
battery, posted south OF the road running
west tlom Newmarket There We ercmatncd,
With the exception Of a few maneuyets to
counteract those Of the enemy in front, until
after IL o'clock M, Wheu We were pressed
back b. oyerpowering numbers OF the enemy.
A short time WAS occupied in getting our
batteries and troops in position after we
we're forced back.
In half an hour, ho 1eyer, the graybacks
came charging down the valley IN our front.
Again was the LIST Virginia Infantry destined
to hold "tht post Of HONOR y and. I may add,
the post Of danger. We were stretched ACROSS
an orCn field directly III front Of the charging
column Of rebels; we were hidden from the
view Of the enemy. By slight rise in the
ground, 90 that they could not see our post
tion until within twenty PAGES of us. In this
position We lny In brcathiess suspense, every
trigger pressed By a steady finger, until
the grny mass we're but one hundred yards
from u, Wlen tho order 'charge boys!"
ran along tie line, and then came the ehock.
We laiscd up and charged forward, answer
ing the eneiny yell for veil, and bullet for
bullet, as far as three hundred and fifty men
could answer three Thousand fnfnr1ated de-
mons incar1late. Our sudden dash checked
the mass for III instant only, when thev
came on again with redoubled fury. Now
came the final shock, for a5 wc,fell back on
line With tho balance Of our infantry force,
two thousand muskcts belchrd forth show
CT OF lead from our side Of the field, spread
Ing death aEd carnage In the rebel ranks.
Our batteries, too, moved them dom in
swaths, but eli was vain, for on came the
life and lin b in their midst Our line was
f,rced from its organization but for a few
minutes, and then closed up md fell back
slowly and In good order, del, ling the enemy
in lis angry attempts to rout it.
At Ruaes' Ahl We made = stand, and held
ourpositfon until everything had been safely
crossed over the river. at the bridge the lst
Virginia infantry was detained to oct In the
capacity Of rear guard, and to guard the pio-
neer corps Willie engaged in destroying tho
bridge Our work here Was finished BY II
O'Clock p. H., when NC started on tho back-
ward march down the valley. At daylight
on the 10th inst, we halted at Ed1nsbnrg to
get breakfast while the bridge over Stony
Creek Was being destroyed, when VIC renewed
our march, and arrived at our present posi-
ticn in the evening OF the 1Gth. / would not
forget to mention that on the 14th instant,
ment, and to his GOODNESS, caution and Mill
tary skill is owing to great extent the suc-
cess OF this days operations. In the hauda
Of less cap bic 1nan all would hare bean
lost. The Major deserves much credit for
his conduct TN the occasion. On the morn
ing Of the 18Th, Lieut.. Col Weddel arrived
and assumed command Of the battalion, and
M naged IT with his usual courage and tact.
It is useless to say that Col. Thobu1n did his
duty. Our Color Sergeant, VIM. K. Ross, Of
Co: c, carried the old flag through the battle,
and although the banner is rlddled aud torn
Will EAoL duN suc!l, uuL q 0u1ltk IQUC0eQ t1e
beaTtr. As for the other regiments in the
battle, eau only say that they lid their part
like men and soldiers, as the record of casu-
a1tics will show.
The 34th Massachusetts formed on our
right, the 5ith Pennsylvania on our left and
rear. the Eth Western ViEginia infantry aud
the 12ed Ohio on our right and rear, and the
18th Connecticut served as skirmishcrs. All
these regiments lost many heroes. Carltn's
Wheeling battery. . New York battery, Ew-
ipg's battery aud Shows battery, each did
excellent work. The soldiers in this COM
mand are highly pleased with the general
commanding, and ali seem glad Of an oppor-
tunity to flight init SigeL"
The soldiers In this army are not demoral
lied over their late defeat, os they were not
rAipp<d, but overpowered by numbcra; the
cutmy's force bring ten Thousand Or twelve
thousand: while the entire force engaged on
our side did not exceed four thousand men.
The officers audsmen alike deserve the grat.
itude of the nation for their conduct, their
suffering and pcri1s In this evcntful expcdI-
lion.