The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-03-28
THE LATE BATTLES.


There have been two battles fought between
Raleigh and Fayetteville recenty-one at Averas'
boro, Harpett county, on Thursday the 10th, and
another at Bentonsville, in the lower edge of John
ston county, on Sunday the 10th inst.-in both Of
which 4Sherman's troops were defeated, according
to accounts received.
Below we give such details of these. battles as
we have been able to gather, commencing with
the fight at AverasboIs:
THE BATE AT ANERASBORO.
more gallant stand (eays the South Carolinian)
has not been made during the war than that main
tained by handful of our army at Averasboro, N
c., on Thursday the 10Th of March. Since the
evacuation of Charleston, General Hardee has been
hurrying forward to effect junction with the re-
mainder of the troops under Generals Johnston
and Beauregard, and since the LIST Of March, the
enemy have been close upon his rear. More or
less of skirmishng has attended his progress since
leaving Cheraw, and able generalship alone en-
dbled him to avoid battle in which the superior
numbers of the Federals Vould give Sherman every
advantage. 49,.
On Wednesday last, however, the bad condition
of the roads, the proximity of the enemy, their
evident intention to force fight and other cir
cumstances, combined to induce General Hardee
to make stand. His army was then about four
miles from Averasboro, in the vicinity of what is
known as Smiths farm. Colonel Rhett with bis
brigade of South Carolina Regulars Consisting Of
the LIST Artillery, LIST Infantry and Lucas battalion
of Heavy Artillery, but acting infantry, and a
portion of the Beaufort and de Gardeaux Light
Artillery constituted the guard.
Skirmishing and sharp shooting commenced
about noon, and our troops at once set TO work in
throwing up such slight entrenchments as the
means at hand permitted. few rails here, logs
there, and bunch of limbs sprinkled with dirt
was all that could be had to answer the temporary
purpose. On this day no determined advance was
made by the enemy. Our own army, however,
lost of its bravest and most promising officers,
Colonel Rhett, commanding the rear guard. I'm
PEELED by that. restless energy which characterized
him while in command of Fort Sumter, and de-
sire to know personally the condition of affairs in
his front, he made personal reconnaissance be-
yond picket lines, and near those of the foe
This fearless exposure may have provoked fatal
shot, or leo to his capture He never returned
and the word "missing," now written against his
name, calls up the most painful apprehensions.
Daylight, on Thursday, revealed the enemy in
position, and evidently about to give battle. Our
own troops were also in line behind their works
if they may be dgnifed by such name--and
with enthusiasm awaited the onset. Opposite our
right front was large field; opposite our left a
dense underground of small pines limited the view
Colonel Butler, Of the lst Infantry, was in CON-
.mand Of the brigade, and Lieut.. Col. Oetreville
commanded that regiment.
.Skirmishing commenced at an early hour along
dhe entire line, aud about o'clock the enemy
attacked our left in force. The men met it splen-
'didly. Disciplined like the regulars of the old
army, land for more than a year and a half daily
sad nightly under the fire of the Federal artillery
on Sumter and on Sullivan's and James Islands,
they had become Injured to danger and hardship;
but this was theirifr meeting with their old ad-
versaries the open field, and one for which they
had longed without ceasng The manner in which
they availed themselves of this the first opporu-
nifty prove their eca testified their earnest pur-
pose. The Federals might as we'll have struck a
solid wall. Until ordered to fall back, the men
stood in their places, receiving and returning the
battle fire, with cheeks unblanched. Two divisions
of Socums corps, Kiratrick's cavalry, and supe-
ror numbers of artillery in the 'front.' pressing
with all their might, but lines remained intact
Three of our light 12-pounder guns added to the
effectiveness of our defence. One of these belong
ling to De Gardeux's battery planted on our right,
assisted to check the enemy there, but in short
tine the latter brought up battery, and within
five hundred yards opened upon this single piece,
what is described to a perfect "hell storm of
tire. Horses and men went down before the
tornado aatl bat one of each remained, and the
gun was then abandoned to its fate
Faih4g to produce any effect on the left, the
attack was transferred to- the right flank. Here
we had no defences, and BY reason of the paucty
OF numbers, could only meet the rapid combinations
of the enemy with line of skirnishers consisting
Of four companies. For a time these held an en-
tire brigade in check, but the latter finally charged
broke through, and forced US to fall back Stimuli
ttaneously the Federals attacked our right front,
and thus between the triangular fire, it became
necessary to abandon the first line. In so doing,
mary of our wound.d fell into the hands of the
Federals.
1t was now about half past two o'clock, D. NJ
Falling back about half nile our fsrces occupied
second line, and met brigade in reserve, under
command of General Stephen Elliott. Here the
fight was again obsinately renewed and contested;
but the enemy, sweeping around our right flank,
compelled, in the course of the afternoon, ain aban
donment of the second line and retreat to the
third. The Federals had been worried and ex.
1hsusted, had lest heavily in killed aud wounded
and the bold front presented at the third line,
with Its TANKS protected by swamps, compelled
them to desist from further operations The battle
there ceased
The losses of the enemy, reported by their
prisoners, Of whom few were taken, arc from
3 500 to $500. Our own will not exceed 500.
SUNDAY, 18th March,
The following official dispatch from Gen Lee
relates to Sundays fight:
HEADQUARTERS ARMY c. S., March 20.