Year: 1861



 I EDITOR LITcHFiELD ENQUIRER.

 The following extracts from a letter written to his wife by an U. s. Officer on board the Ha'. ,iet Lane have by accident fallen into my hands and thinking they might be interesting to your readers are forwarded.

 U. s. STEAMER Harriet Lane,

 Of Ne,epoa Necs, June 4th. ** x We have again made reconnaissance of the rebel batteries, without receiving any in jury. although we were well within range of their guns. We are going on the same kind of ex- petition tomorrow, which may not end so peace ably as the one of to-day. Troops are daily ar irving at Fortress Monroe, and I suppose that a decisive movement will soon be made by the Government. Capt Faunce says he intends to brush up" the battery at " Pig Point" to o-mor- row.

 June 5ts, 1861, lOP. NJ. | Our reconnaissance has been accomplished, and we have very luckily got well out of very bad scrape. We started from our anchorage here about daylight, and proceeded towards Norfolk nearly as far as Craney Island, and then up through the channel which passes Pig Point. As General Butler expressed himself so anxious to know the strength of the battery, and said that he left it discretionary in regard to da,o- ing Meir fire" To carry out this order we stood ip within mile and a half of the battery and stopped the ship, laying thus off and on until 8 A. M. with our glasses all directed upon it, and our Stars and Stripes flying at our main peak, in hopes that if she had guns mounted she would open her fire upon us. At s11s A. M. finding we could not thus draw her fire, and not being able to discover with certainty that there really were guns there, we stood in as close as the depth of water would allow, and threG a shot at the secession flag which was hoisted within their works. No gun answered it,-again We fred, and the report of our gun was instantly followed by two shots from tine hitherto silent battery. which fell rather short of us, but were good line shots There were seven empty enlbrasares when we fired our first shot but at our second. each Of the seven was seen to be occupied by its gun, and good work they made of it to our cost l! But We were in for it and had to make the best of it. We wished to |" dra,c heir fre,'' and we tiid draw it with vengeance ! Our 24 pound CTS fell short and therefore after trials with them, ceased firing with that division, although it was with the greatest difficulty could restrain 1 the men from continuing this useless expendi- ture of ammunition. Even the Lieut.. having charge of the division came to me thnee times during the remainder of the fight, psid 5eggea me to allow Ii di,i ion to continue. although he greatest elevation of his guns. We threw 34 : Round shot and shell out of our g pounders, and received in return between 60, and 1O They fired exceedingly well, and it is my opinion that our changing slightly our position at times, was all that saved us from destruction. As it was, we had , nsen arounaed and fear, one ! naort1Ay. Our wood work is pretty ell splnt- cred, and our standing and running rigging cut up our foremast hit, and one heavy shot, (s inch l think,) passed entirely through her, making an ugly hole, which has given our carpenter occupa- tion in plugging up. Their guns were much heavier than ours, and two at least, we think, were rifled. We with tro guns kept up tho fight against at least seren, for A of an hour, and having accomplished all, and more than all that was expected of us we drew off and proceeded to Old Point to report to the Commander. Sev- eral of our shot and shell were to enter their embrasures, and one of their guns was entirely si.enced. The encmys loss must have been se- were, as from one oftheir embrasures we could see them removing the killed and wounded, and since our return here, we are informed by officers of the encampment. who watched the whole af- fair through their glasses that after we withdrew from the action, they could plainly discover the enemy engaged in removing their killed and wounded some being carried by hand, and oth- CTS in 2 carts drawn by oxen.

 Our boys behaved exceedingly we'll, and com plained that would not let them fire as fast as they wished to. This was true, and as wished to accomplish two things, correct aim, and not to overheat our guns Capt, Faunce handled his ship finely and was $ as cool as cucumber" !" and your husband was about as busy as "a bee in tar 6uckes" This attacking heavy batteries with lightly armed ships is no pleasant business.

 When we arrived at Fortress Monroe we dis covered that we had really become heroes l. Boats came off from the Commanders ship, and the Fort crowded with officers to congratulate us upon our fortunate escape from what they considered would certainly end in our destruc- tion. We were informed that every glass in the Squadron and Fort was constantly kept upon us during the whole afair,-that atevery report of the enemy's guns was distinctly heard, while those of ours hardly reached them, which proved to them that we were overmatched, both in weight of metal, and number of guns. The Commander told Capt. Faunce that he mover in his life had passed such an anxious hour as he did then while the firing lasted. Several of the Officers of the Garrison informed me that they had considered it impossible for us to withstand the heavy fire directed upon us.

 ,I On our way back to this place this afternoon, we discovered a sloop standing towards Norfolk from James River, and of we started to cut her of, and finding that she could not enter there she hauled up and tried to run in under the pro : lection of the guns of Pig Point Battery. {, The wind being light she aided her headway by the use of along pair of sweeps; but all to nc purposs as we ran close to her, brought her to