Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1864-06-11
THE TENNgYLvANIA RESERVES.
THE VICTORY At BETHESDA CHURCH

WASHINGTON, June j.-The First, Second,
Fifth, Sixth. Seventh. Tenth, Eleventh and
Twelfth Regiments PENNSYLVANIA Reserves
and the Bucktais arrived last night from
the White House. They left to- day at noon
for Harrisburg, about thirteen hundred men
in the Hng regiments The Reserve have
been in two heavy battles during the pre-.
sent campaign, and fought their last battle
within g few miles Of where they fought
under the gallant Geueral Mccall ut Aic-
chanicsyiile.
On the Goth they were marching from
Hawes' store towards MrChUniCsvil!e, and at
noon passed Bethesda Church. By the
middle of the afternoon the First Brigade,
under Col. ". ID. Harden, consisting gtof;' The
First Regiment, Col. W. Cooper TdIiv ::
Sixth, Col. ". II. Erret; Eleventh, Colonel
). NJ. jackson; and BucktaiI Rifles, Major
llartshOrn, with the Bucktails in front, were
skirmishing with the rebel skirmishers.- -
The Reserves fell back, making but little
resistance, undl they reached the road run
ming from Mechanicsyile to Hanover Court
House. They ut once commenced To throw
up brcastworks, but had been there but Il
lew minutes, probably half an hour, when
they were attacked upon both hanks by the
rebels. Some prisoners taken informed them
that 1t was Early Division of Ewcll's Corps.
and the order To fail back upon the main
body was at once give. They fell slowly
back about three quarters of mile, firing 80
steadily upon the rebels that they did not
follow in any force.
The Brigade Was rallied and formed a
new line across the road and through some
fields into the woods. The Third Brigade
j. W. Fisher, consisting of the Fifth. Tenth
aud Twelfth RESERVES, were upon the right
OF the line, the First Brigade on the ccntre
and Kitchens Heavy Artillery Brigade on
the left, in all, numbering not over six
Thousand men. Near the centre of the line
were tTO sections OF Michigan battery.
which, for two hours, threw an occasional
shell III the woods TO our front, which soon
elected reply from the rebel artillery.
small house near our lines had man,
his wife and large brood of young rebels
III It who were advised TO eyacuate but de-
rlincd-
soon rebel shell stove through the room
IN which they were gathered and exploded
IN their midst, setting the house on ire.
Wien they at once took Ia the bushes. 49,
Strange Us 1t may appear. not one OF them
was Aurt, but the house was soon burned
up, with all its contents. Our men worked
vigorously, throwing up brea,twnrks and
sought to conceal them rs much as possible
from the enemy. IO"ards sundoNn EWclls
who!c corps emerged from the woods ANA
climbing hastily over Il lrucc formed in ,hruc
lines. They had scarcely moNc ed when the
IhlEd Brigade opened severe cruss.irc
upon lhtlr Hank, which tuned them over
npon ;he First Brigade and Kitchens Heavy
Artillery
\ fasu E.sa !
flIst BrlSadts rillr-pits Was \ fence and
some bushes that concealed our work, AS
well as our men.
On the etelS came, with closed ranks
ana as they Reached the fence, our men
VINO had not tired II shot, opened n bI,lr
oi husketry all along the line. The ur,il-
!e'! eomntuced on canister and one second
iusC shclia
lho rebels tred Few shots and fell on
'ne ground. In vain their officers tried Ia
I"''s Ihehl' IL VAS OF ho avail, and the,
soon Hed IN perfect ruut.
The fret line which had reached the ftrce
MpIc mostly len, Our men slarkrnrd th,i,
HIe ss the reheis ran away. aud whenever
one oi those ltit would try To get up to run.
bu1ltt went crushing through him Final.
~, Que ol our olhcers singing out that IL
thty threw down Their arms, cume in und
surfendered, they would be spared about
tour hundred ot them gave themselves mn
Including two colunrls, three lieutenant
'"l"nels, one major aud ,NenIy lne oil,
eeTs.
Our guns covered the battle irld, and
uiehl ci"s,d IN on the secnc oi the conflict. I
N'N' mnrnlng the tncny Nrrr found a.
nave tslfeslei nearly tWo miles, leaving
'asf dad and Wounded In our hands.
prisoner save that Gen. llausom rndr ia |
isoh1 oi their llg,s before they caiuu out at /
Ihu s"s'ds, aud hld them in a short spereh. /
addressed particularly 10 bis brigade of /
Noi'h CaroliaiAns, that there WAS nothing I
Ia IFont but the tnomys skifuish lines, aui .
'h"t tley would move out a. q siaw ald
'asy pace, aud al rlsht shoulder shin, aad /
''e 'h.y N1c1- 81. a. clR - - sppdl 7