The National tribune., 1890-02-20

| was discovered. The troops under Col. Wash
/ burn. when they reached the point of this ac-
cident, could see nothing but smoke. Line OF
| battle was quickly formed, and moved forward
a short distance, then halted and ordered to
shout nine times the watchword, " Boston"
/ Hearing no response to our cry, and finding
many canteens, haversacks etc, lying on the
! field, rs well rs n number of men killed and
wounded, which we knew belonged to our own
| troops Mai. Whittemore, of the 4th Mass, said
there must DO some mistake, and asked per-
| mission TO ride to the front and investigate.
| He was soon out of sight, and we awaited his
| return with anxious hearts Soon we saw him
returning followed by Coils Bondix's and Town
| sends regiments, who, previous to meeting
Maj. Whttemore, had discovered their fatal
| mistake.
| The killed and wounded were soon properly
cared for The enemy, however, had been
| alarmed, and had fallen back to his works at
| Big Bethel, ready for an attack. Gen. Pierce,
after consultation with his officers, decided TO
| advance and attack tho enemy. Little Bethel
was taken and burned.
On reaching Big Bethel the enemy were
found TO be strongly intronched on tho left
bank of the Back River, with the stream di-
reCtlv in front. They had erected earthworks
on each side of the road, commanding the
bridge, as we'll rs line of intrenchments along
the wooded swamp on their right.
The enemys force was about 1900 strong,
many of them Virginia cavalry, under Col.
Magruder, aud n North Carolina regiment,
under Col. ID. III. Hill, supported by battery
of 90 pieces of heavy cannon and tho Rich
mond Howitzer battalion, commanded by Maj.
Randolph.
AFTER TWO HOURS OF HARD FIGHTING
and several unsuccessful charges on the enc
my's works, and with ammunition exhausted
the command was given by Gen. Pierce to re-
tire. In our charge Maj. Theodore Winthrop,
Military Secretary OF Gen. Batter, was shot by
"A rebel drummer boy when within 30 yards of
the rebel battery. Lieut. Grebel, mt the time
the retreat was ordered, was still at work, but
with only one gun. for he had only five men
| left. On receiving the order he directed Corpl
Peoples TO Timber up the piece and take it away.
AT that moment shot from tho enemy struck
him upon the head, and lac fell, dead. with tho
exclamation, "Oh, my God !" Lieut.. John Y.
Grebel was the first officer of the Regular Army
to give his life TO his country in the great strug
glo. lbe was n noble fellow loved and honored
by all who knew him.
The retreat was made in good order, aud all
the dead and wounded were brought of the
field, except Maj. Winthrop aud two Zouavos
OF Duryea's regiment. The body of Lieut..
Grebel was brought from the field on the gun
he had used so manfuly against the enemy.
Thus ended the first battle Of the war. and
while il was not fought to result desired, il
certainly left its lessons. The following cor
rect (2) report will no doubt bc of interest at
this point.
Report of Capt w. IT. Worth, commanding
Chatham Grays, Va. Cav. trebel):
HEADQUARTERS. YoRKrowN June IL, '6i
SIR: beg leave very respectfully Ia mako the
following report of my scout On sunday after
noon. the gth of June. 1861 / procured the
and oats on the Back River rond. ordered. aud
had the wagon returning TO camp la two hours aud
quarter from the receipt of the order. / WAS then
joined by company of North Carolina infantry,
one piece of the howitzcr battery aud a detnoh.
Of
assist me iu making observations near Hampton.
on the Back Biver. i approached New Market
Bridge at o'clock q. M. planted tho howitzcrs
as TO sweep the bridge, deployed my infantry ia
open order on my right flank. In ambush, 80 that
they could rnise the road. The cavalry posted ia
rear, aud threw out vidcts uu each OF my hnnlSs
To avoid a surprise. In this position ] waited for
the appearance Of the enemy. l. Of course, had
no idea OF endangcring my command by engaging
the enemy " lea force. was too weak.
In a few moments alarm guns were fired 10y a
chain OF scntinais extending from New Market
Bridge TO Fort Monroe. la faw moments "A force
advanced from Hampton fsnppused 10 he battalion
OF infantry but marching ia detached companies
while al thc same time one more Companies APP
preached by tl3c road leading from Newport News
These forces wcTc each advancing upon New
Market Bridge nom opposite directions. thinking
had crossed ibc bridge wiih nay command Upon
observing tls nppronuh with 81 glass quietly
tired rom nay position to "a point la the rssr three
quarters of IA mile.
Tho enemy approached the bridge. and when
they suddenly came In sight Of each other they
leach misi.ng the other Tor mej opened IRE, aiid
Kept ~ hl some lEG minutes before tBry dis
covered their error was sitting on my horse
near the bridge, aud thc firing plainly with NY
glass, but did not At the tiins know the cAusc
although suspected 1t. At dusk I took up tlIe
march ior Bethel Church, enemy following me, nnd
the next morning the fg.hi opened.
lam, sir, very respectfully your obodient servant
w. H. WORTH.
To Col. J. B. MAGEUDEn. Commanding Division
One OF t- prisoners taken (siuCr dead stated TINT
in this brush there were six killed and 10 wounded.
| aud corr0borated all the above statements of my
report w. IT, WORTH.
This rebs report needs comment; il
speaks for itself / have no wonder that
prisoner died, after he said the rebs statements
were correct.
July 3, 1861, tho I'd aud 4th Mass. were
ordered TO Hampton, to which place they pro-
| eeeded, and occupied the houses which the
| citizens had vacated our approach.
The town was then very beautiful, and we
| enjoyed our stay there until the time arrived
/ for our regiments TO return home
| Nothing more OF interest happened during
our stay, and having served faithfully our fall
| 80 days, we sailed on the steamer s. X. Spanld-
| ing from Fortress Monroe July l6, 1861, aud
| landed oil Long Island, Boston Harbor. whore
| We encamped until July ~, 1861. when We
were mustered out of Uncle Sans service.
As minute men from the old Bay State we
had gone forth at the first call for troops to hold
tho lines as the advance guard Of that grand old
| army Of the Union which for four long years
| waged bloody war s-aust dsnnIon. and in
! the end, instead Of a divided Union, "Saw on
| the banks Of the Potomac the genius Of liberty
robed in light. with and 30 stars in her
| diadein, broken chains under her feet, and the
| olive branch in her right hand"
/