Year: 1861




Letter from Newport News.


Gov Fairbanks has handed in the follow
ing letter from Lieut. Farnham for publica
, ton. Though much of it is but repetition
of previous accounts received of the battle a
Great Bethel, it will nevertheless be foun'
valuable for the truthfulness and entire accu
racy of its details, some of which are no
found elsewhere:


CAMP BUTLER, Newport News. Va.
i June 22d, 1861. !
DEAR SIR Since wrote you last, por
ton of our regiment have seen actual service
You will OF course understand that refer tc
the battle of Great Bethel The accounts il
the papers probably give as near correc
view Of the occurrences OH that unfOrtunat,
day as can be obtained. SO far as we hays
seen the papers here, however, the Vernon
boys get but small share of notice Five
companies of our regiment were present, viz
Woodstock, Bradford, Mortified, Burlington
and Rutland. There were also with US five
companies of the Mass 18th stationed here
Lieut. Col. Washburn had command of the
detachment. Col. Bendix was present with
three companies Of the German regiment as
We call them here, or the 7th n. y. State
Militia. There were also two brass pieces
one drawn by mules, the other by hand. We
left here about midnight to act in concer,
with two regiments from Hampton, to sur
prise if possible large picket guard said to
be stationed near a small meeting house called
Little Bethel. COL Bendix was stationed at
the fork Of the road with his three companies
and one field piece, with the injunction to
hold the position at all hazards. 1t was un-
derstood that we should know our friends by
the cry Of Boston" and every man in our
detachment knew the word. Col. Bendix
had held his position less than half an hour
when he saw approaching him large body
Of men with mounted officers, who wore hats
with light ribbons upon them. He shouted
Boston" There was no reply, but the col
umn kept advancing. He then gave the Or
der to FIRE, and the field piece and his rifles
poured most deadly fire upon the opposing
column. They returned i, feebly and re-
treated The head Of our detachment at this
time had advanced mile and half on th,
road towards Little Bethel Col Bendix be
ing in our rear, at the sound of the firing
We countermarched at once and took the
double quick" for the scene of the conflict
We soon passe over the short distance that
intervened and found Col. Bendix drawn up
at the cross roads. but no enemy in sight.
Col. Washburns command was Immediately
thrown into position. In few minutes the
sad truth became apparent, that Bendi1 had
fred upon friends. Haversacks, canteens
and knapsacks picked up along the road and
in the bitches, showed that it was New York
regiment that had been driven back. went
down to house just below US where the
wounded were said to have been carried and
found nine poor fellows lying upon the floor
severely wounded, none of them dead then,
though one or two were supposed to be ia
tally wounded. They all had the uniform of
Col. Townsend's Albany regiment.


After delay Of an hour the line Of march
was again taken up. Col. Duryea's Zouaves
first, Townsends regiment next, Col Wash
burns command next, and COL Bendix 8
companies in the rear. should have said
before that Col. Duryea'. regiment was in
advance of US, and they came running back
at the sound Of the firing soon after we did.
! They had reached Little Bethel and taken
three prisoners, but the main part of the
guard escaped them.


: We soon passed Little Bethel, which had
been set on FIRE, and after advancing several
miles heard firing near the head of our col
umn. We hurried up and were at once
formed in line Of battle in sight of Great
Bethel, where the enemy had battery and
had taken a stand with their troops. Our
field pieces, together with couple of noun
tain howitzers belonging to Col. Townsend's
regiment were thrown forward to the centre,
while Duryea's Zouaves were posted in the
woods on their right, and Col. Washburn's
command and Townsend's on the left. After
the firing had continued some time, and the
Zouaves had been pushed forward unsuccess-
fully, the order came to Col. Washburn to
outAank the enemy if possible on their left.
We moved at once from our position past
the field pieces, through the woods in a
shower of shot and shells to our extreme
right After some difficulty We succeeded in
getting far enough to the right to outhank
them as we supposed, and Immediately left
the woods and pushed straight for their
works. We crossed an orchard, a wet marsh
and forded the creek, and were rushing up a
steep bank before we received rifle shot
although We got enough of every other kind.
This steep bank or ridge was directly in front
of their entrenchments, which were distant
not more than four or five rods. Here We
stopped and commenced firing, and were an,
swered by sharp fire from the enemy in
their entertainments. Our men walked bold
ly up to the fire and soon poured such a
storm upon the enemy as to silence them.
1t was one continuous roar of small arms.
We had been at this perhaps twenty minutes
when we received the order to retreat. This
was done across the same ground over which
we had advanced, the enemy having in the