The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-28
THE FIRST \. 6. VOLUNTEERS
History OF the Regiment Which Was First
at Bethel"
By Edward ]. Hale.
CONTINUED from Last Sunlay.)


with view to terrifying it. He gives
the result in his official report as fol-
lows:
Il found branch of Back River on
our front, and encircling our right flank.
On our left was a dense and almost inn
passable wood, except about one hum
dred and fifty yards of old field. The
breadth of the road, u thick wood. and
narrow cultivated field covered our
rear The nature of the ground deter
mined me to make an enclosed work, and
had the invaluable aid of Lieutenant
Colonel Lee of my regiment in it's plan
and construction. Our position he'd
the inherent defect of being commanded
by an immense field immediately Ill
front of 1T, across the stream, upon
which the masses of the enemy might be
readily deployed Presumjng that an at
tempt would be made to carry the bridge
across the stream. a battery was made
for its especial protection, and Mayor
Randolph placed his guns so as to sweep
all the approaches to it. The occupa-
ton of two commanding eminences be-
yond the creek and on our right would
have greatly strengthened our position,
but our force was too weak to admit OF
the occupation of more than one Of them.
A battery was laid out on it for one
OF Randolph's howitzers."
There were but twenty five spades,
six axes and three picks in possession
of the command, but these We're piled
so vigorously all day and night of the
9TH and all day on the Sth that the work
began TO show the outlines of a forth
fed camp.
On the afternoon of the Sth Colonel
Hill learned that a marauding party OF
the enemy was within a few miles or
the camp. and called for detachment
TO drive them back Lieutenant Frank
n. Roberts of Company f, promptly
responded" says Colonel Hill in his re-
port. land in five minutes his command
was en- route"
Colonel Hill detached Major Randolph
with one howitzer to join them and
Lieutenant Colonel Lee (of the First
Regiment volunteered to take command
OF the whole They came upon the
marauders, five miles off, busy over
the spoils of a plundered house" A
shell from the howitZer put them to
fight. Soon after information came
that seventy-fve marauders were on the
Back River road. Colonel Hill called
upon Captain McDowells' company,
Company e, "and in three minutes it
was in hot pursuit" howitzer was
detached to join them, and Major James
III. Lane (of the First Regiment yolun-
teered to command the whole The ma
rauders were encountered, after long
march near New Market Bridge. Within
sight of the flags at Hampton and hear
ing Of the drums calling to arms, Lane
opened fire and drove the enemy across
the bridge. wounding q large number Of
the marauders, and capturing one. Col
onel Hill afterwards declared that the
holiness Of this attack. made under the
very guns of the enemy's chief camp
brought on the battle Of Bethel. As a
result Of this expedition, so the cti-
zens reported, two cart loads and one
buggy load Of dead and wounded were
taken into Hampton. None were hurt
on our side.
Colonel Magruder came up the same
evening, and assumed command. On
the next day Sunday a fresh supply
of intrenching tools enabled the men
to make further progress on the works.
Colonel Hill says in his report: 1--WE
were aroused at o'clock on Monday
morning June 10th, for a general adj
vance upon the enemy, and marched
three and a half miles, when we learn
ed (a) that the foe in large force was
within few hundred yards of us. We fell
back hastily upon our entertainments,
and awaited the arrival of the dnyad-
erS."
Meanwhile information of the activity
Of our troops had reached General But
Ter at Fortress Monroe. He organized
q force consisting of nearly all Of sew
en- infantry regiments and of artillery
sufficient for serving four guns, which
were carried with the expedition. In
his report to Lieutenant General Scott
he says that his instructions to this
force were ito drive them (the rebels)
back and destroy their camp at Little
Bethel. This being accomplished
couple of regiments were Ito follow I'M
mediately upon the heels of the tugllves'
if they were enabled to get off, ana at
tack the battery ON the road to Big Beth
ell while covered by the fugltives
General Buffers confidence was de"
stined to receive rude shock. lie had
but recently left the Annapolis depart
ment, where he would have become IA
miliar with the circumstances of the
evacuation of Alexandria on May 9th (b)
and of the Confederate disaster
at Pllllpp1 IN w eSIeTn Virginia. 'OL d uiLe
Bird. (c) Prestige, so far, was de-
cidedly against U.s. and General
Buffers expectation of. surprise and
rout of our forces was not unnatural
Prestige counts for much in war as
in other human affairs, and at was
matter of vast consequence upon which
side it should remain after the first Sc
rious shock of arms. Great as was the
responsibility therefore, which fate and
their own state of preparedness had
thrust upon our North CaroEnians, they
were presently to exhibit signal proof
of their ability to meet it.
General Butler laid his plans carefully.
Id. instructions were given Brigadier
General Pierce, commanding at
Hampton, to send forward Col
Aonel DURYEA'S Fifth New York regi
1ment c&ouaves'9 at l o'clock ON the
morning of the 10th, by way of New
Market Bridge and thence by by-road
to a point between Little Bethel and
Big Bethel, with the object of taking
our outpost there in the rear. Colonel
Cal A purse of 1925 was made UP by