Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-12-18
NINETY.EIGHTH INsTALLMENT
Thursday Morning November IA, 1861.
Editorial Correspondence.

NINETY.EIGHTH INsTALLMEN1
Thursday Morning November IA, 1861
Editorial Correspondence.
Warrenton, Fauquier, Va,
Wednesday October %, 1861.
Dear Enquirer:-Another brilliant
and glorious victory was acclaimed for
the south near Leesburg, on Monday.
For the numbers engaged on our
side, we regard it as one Of the most
successful and gallant feats Of the
war. On Sunday night, or early on
Monday morning. Gen. Stones Mas
sachusetts brigade and Gen. Banks
California brigade. with perhaps
Others amounting in all to five
or six thousand men-crossed the Pa
tomac in boats with six pieces Of ar
tillery, and advanced towards Lees
burg, driving in our pickets before
them. Gen. Evans, with only part
Of his brigade, consisting Of the 9Th
Virginia regiment, under Col. Eppa
Huntor. and a portion Of the 18th and
18th Mississippi, under Coils. Burt
and Featherstone, went out to meet
them. He was supported by the
Madison troopers, Captain Thomson;
Balls cavalry from Chesterfield. and
Mead's troops from Loudoun, as we'll
as by few pieces Of cannon; but the
field chosen was 80 rough and densely
covered with underground, that
neither artillery nor cavalry could be
made available in the fight. He
could command the services Of only
about 1900 infantry; yet with this
handful Of brave men, he went forth
to meet an enemy between three and
four times their number; supported
by field battery Of six pieces, which
they succeeded in planting on the
only open space in the field, before
the engagement. The picket firing,
which commenced early in the morn
ing, was succeeded about IL o'clock
a. m. by heavy firing all along the
lines of battle. The tug Of war-the
deadly onsets-the vollies Of musket-
ry-the charges Of bayonets-lasted
until our gallant boys repulsed the
enemy with frightful slaughter. Raj
lying again, the same terrific scenes
recurred, when they were repulsed
a second time, and finally a At Of the
chronic, and it seems an incurable
dteaooa ~ tho vopGoao oai1od tbapo-
the panic spread. and in confusion
worse confused" they fed, divesting
themselves Of every incumbrance, to
the banks Of the Patomac, and not
stopping there. we are told, many Of
them in the garments which Father
Adam wore, plunged into the river
and swan to the Maryland, or drown
ed. A large number-five hundred is
reported, took boats, which being over
loaded, or from some other cause,
sank with their cargo in the middle
Of the river. During the engagement,
their battery was charged and taken
by the 8th Virginia regiment; but was
retaken, when the Mississippians
rushing up with a shout upon their
flank, the infantry fled percipitately.
and the guns were secured to our
side. The pride Of the artillerists is
said to have sustained them, and they
stood to their posts until they were
either shot down or made prisoners.
The fight and the pursuit lasted until
dark-the retreat must have lasted
until bedtime.
We have this information from a
member Of the Madison cavalry who
left Leesburg at II o'clock Tuesday
morning. and he says that our men
were gathering in the prisoners until
then. He and all we have conversed
with, report our loss at about 100
killed and wounded. The enemy's
loss is estimated at 1900 killed.
wounded and taken prisoners. The
Madisonian horseman counted 200 Of
their dead bodies lying on the field,
and $40 prisoners as they came out
Of the building in which they were
put at Leesburg. to proceed to Ma
nassas. Our orderly" who returned
from Manassas this morning, states
that 523 were near there, awaiting
dispatch Of the proper authorities
Col. Johnson having gone to Rich
mond to ascertain what must be done
with them. The boatload Of 500
sunk, the 200 dead bodies, counted
on the field, and the 523 near Manas-
sas. make grand total Of 1928. and
1t is quite reasonable to suppose that
the rough and shrubby nature Of the
ground hid numbers Of dead from
view Of the Madisonian.
Among the prisoners are eighteen
commissioned officers, Of whom are
several majors and two colonels.
Among their killed was Gen. Banker,
senator from Oregon-the man who
said in their last congress that 20,-
900. 900 could whip 100000 and hold
them under a despotism, and he
would promise to be governor Of
Virginia. The very moment he sets
foot upon her soil, his vulgar and
violent ambition Is made to bite the
dust. "Sic semper tyrannis!'
Col. Burt Of the 18th Mississippi
regiment, was wounded; we have
been unable to learn how seriously.
You will remember that this regi-
ment and the 18th Mississippi, were
at first brigaded with ours, and were
with US on the 21st of July. We are
glad that these brave boys have had
another chance at the enemy, and we
heartily rejoice that they literally
covered themselves with glory. On
all hands they receive the well-merit-
ed mead Of praise. enthusiastic, for
their intrepid conduct
The papers report three instead Of
five hundred Federals drowned in
the Patomac by rushing in excessive
into a small craft unable to
bear up under them. The papers al
so place their killed and wounded at