Yorkville enquirer. [volume], June 20, 1861, Image 2

About Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006

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From the Richmond I'apcrs.
FIGHT AT BETHEL CHURCH
2 he soldier who was killed at the batth
of Bethel Church was Mr. Wyatt, of th?
North Carolina Regiment. His remain!
were brought hither yesterday morning foi
sepulture. The funeral discourse wui
preached in the afternoon by Rev. JameA.
Duncan, and the burial took place w;;;
military honors.
From the soldiers who formed the escort
of the corpse, we learned many particular
of the fight, agreeing substantially with thi
most favorable accounts published in oui
last issue.
Through the kindness of Dr B. W. Ma
brey, of Tarboro.', North Carolina, who ii
just from the battle ground, we are enablec
to lay before our readers the following inte
resting details of the fight at Bethel Church
Ju9t before entering the field, the docto
met two of his friends, who were woundet
and on their way to a house near by. Thei
names were Charles Williams and Couoci
Rogers, both being members of the Edg
combe Guards, North Carolina. One wa;
wounded in the shoulder, the other in thi
chest. On returning to the field, the doc
tor found the hottest fire from the enemj
was being poured on our entrenchment
from the woods. It was from these samt
woods that Capt. D. W. Waldrop advancet
at the head of a body of the enemy, am
when within about sixty five yards of ou
troops, fell pierced with a ball. He wai
upon a fence at the time, aod it is said wai
discovered by Col. Hill, of the North Ca
rolina Volunteers, who immed;ately turnec
to his men and exclaimed, "boys, there i.1
your mark, take him down !" The word:
had scarcely passed from his mouth befori
the unfortunate individual fell dead. Dr
Mabrey states that the impression generally
prevailed in camp among our soldiers tha
another officer of a higher grade was killed
as he was decorated with gold lace, am
was upon horseback; but being instantly
removed from the field, there are no mean;
of ascertaining what was his name. Anoth
er account says the officer killed was Col
Duryea, of the Seventh New York Regi
ment.
During the engagement a strong force as
saulted and carried one of our entrench
ments, but were afterwards driven back, it
great confusion, by a body of North Caro
linians, under command of Capt. Bridges
A portion of the enemy took refuge in ?
house about one hundred yards distau
frAm rmo nf nnr series of entrenchments
when the above captain called for voluu
teers to set the tenement on fire, and thu;
dislodge them. Five immediately respon
ded, among whom was young Wyatt, (whc
was hurried yesterday.) These advanced
firing as they went, and then Zouave fash
ion, throwing themselves on their backs t<
load. It was then that young Wyatt rcceiv
ed a ball in his forehead. At the sane
time they were supported by n howitz
which was throwing its shot into the hou-v
Between these two inducement11, the e:-ei"\
speedily evacuated the p:emi>es. It wrvoan
orchard in this vicinity that several oi
the dead were found. Duting tiie aeti?>r
bov.h Colonels Magruder and Hill behaved
with great gallantry, moving on foot, amony
the soldiers during the fight. The Louiai
ana regiment did Dot arrive uot.il uearlj
an hour after the affair, and manifested
much regret that, notwithstanding their ad
vance a greater part of the way at '-double
quick," they had Dot been able to reach
the scene of action in time to participate.
The prisoners taken state that the Van
kees expected to take our entire force ptis
oners if they did not cut tbeui to pieces.?
SayiDg that they could whip the North Car
oliuians off the field with corn stalks.?
Before the battle they were heard to laugh
derisively, as if they expected to meet with
nothing but boys' play. How much they
were mistaken, the bloody field they left
behind them is the best evidence.
We copy the following from the Dispatch
extra:
Yorktowx, June 11.?An engagement,
lasting four hours, tock place yesterday,
(Monday,) between five regiments of the
troops from Old Point and 1,100 Confederate
troops, consisting of Virginians and N.
Carolinians, under Gen. Magruder, at Beth
el Church, York County. Before telling
you of the battle, I will give you some cir
cumstances preceding it. About two week?
ago, a party of 300 Yankees came up from
Hampton and occupied Bethel Church,
which position they held a day or two and
then retired, leaving written on the walh
of the church several inscriptions, such a>
"Death to the Traitors "Down with the
Rebels !" &c. To nearly all of these tin
names of the writ .rs were defiantly signed
and all of the pensmen signed themselvesas
from New York except one, who was
from "Boston, Mass., U. S." To these ex
cursions into the interior, of which this was
the boldest, Magruder determined to put i
stop and accordingly filled the place aftei
the Yankees left, with a few companies o
his own troops. In addition to this, he de
termined to carry the war into the enemy"
country, and on Wednesday last, Staoard':
battery, of the Howirzcr Battaliou, was or
dered down to the church, where it wa:
soon joined by a portion of Brown's battery
of the same corps. The North Carolim
Regiment, under Col. Ilill, was also thi-re
making in all about 1,100 men, uud sevei
howitzer guns.
On Saturdry last, the first excursi.inconsiderable
importance was made. A <i.tacbment
of 200 infantry and a hnv.itzgun
under Major Randolph, a.id "p?
seventy infantiy, and another howitzer un
der Major Lane, of the N Carolina 11-.'i
meat, started in different routes to cut <>\
a party which had left Hampton The par
ty was seen and fired at by Maj. 11und<lpit'
detachment, but made such fast nine :ha
they escaped. The troops under Maj
Lane passed within sight of Hatnpton, am
as they turned up the road tu return r
Bethel, encountered the Yui k-es, number
ing about ninety, who were entrenched bt
hind a fence in the field, protected by
high bank. Our advance guard fired o
them, and in another moment the Nort
Carolinians were dashing over the fence i
regular Freuch (not New Yoik) Zouav
style, firing at them in real squirrel huntin
style. The Yankees fled for their live
after firing for about three minutes withou
effect, leaving behind theru three dead an
a prisoner The prisoner was a stout, ugl
fellow, from Troy, New York. He sai
that be had uothing against the South, bu
somebody must be soldiers and he though
he iiiiyht as well enlist. NoDe ' f our me
were hart.
Tins bold excursion, under the ver
guns of the enemy, determined the authori
ties of Old Point to put a stop to it and clea
us out from Bethel. This detcruiinatio
was couveved to as by persons who came
from the neighborhood of the enemy. On
Monday morning, about 600 iufaotry and
two guns, under General Magruder,left the
camp and proceeded towards Hampton; but
-tfter advancing a mile or two received in'
formation that the Yankees were coming in
arge force. We then retired, and after
reaching camp, the guns were placed in
battery, and the infantry took their places
^ behi od their breast works. Everybody was
cool, and all were anxious to give the invaders
a good reception.
About 9 o'clock, the glittering bayonets
of the enemy appeared on the hill opposite,
ind abov6 them waved the Star Spangled
Banner. The moment the head of the C'
I umn advanced fqr enough to show our or
companies, the Parrot gun of the Howitzer
Battery cpened upon them, throw shell
right into their midst. Their ranks broke
| io confusion, and the column, or as much
of it as we could see, retreated behind
J two small farm houses. From their posi
tion a fire was opened on us, which was re
plied to by our battery, which command3
ed the route of their approach. Our firiun
was excellent, and the shells scattered in all
directions when they hurst. They could
' hardly approach the guns which they were
5 firing for the shells which came from our
j battery. Within our encampment fell a
perfect hail storm of cannister shot, bullets
1 J L II T? LAI... ? * ???
ana Dans xvemaraauie tu any, uui uuc u>
r our men was killed inside of our encamp
3 ment. Several horses were slain by the
3 shells and bullets.
j Finding that bombardment would not
answer, tbo enemy, about 11 o'clpck, tried
' to carry the position by assault, but mot a
' terrible repulse at the hands of the infantry
as he tried to scale the breast works. The
men disregarded sometimes the defences
r erected for them, and, leaping on the em
bankment, stood aod fired at the Yankees,
j cutting them down as they came up. One
company of the New York Seventh Regi'
ment, under Capt. Wardrop, or Winthrop
attempted to take the redoubt on the left
The marsh they crossed was strewn with
their bodies. Their captain, a fine-lookinp
man, reached the fence, and leaping on a
log, waved his sword, crying, "Come on,
boys; one charge and the day is ours."?
The words were his last, for a Carolina ri
fie ended his life the next moment, aud hie
men fled in terror back. At the redoubt
on the right, a company of about 300 New
' Y'ork Zouaves charged on one of our guns,
but could not stand the fire of the infantry,
' and retreated precipitately.
During these charges the main body ol
3 the eDemy. on the hill, were attempting to
concenttate for a general assault, but the
' shell from the howitzer battery prevented
themf As one regiment would give up
the effort, another would he inarched to the
position, but with no better success, for a
shell would scatter them like chaff The
men did not seem able to stand fire at ali
About one o'clock, their guns were si
cneed, and a few tnomcots after, their in
tan try retreated precipitately down the
road tn Hampton
Our cavalry, numbering three companies.
| went in pursuit, and hurrasst-d them dow .
t?> the edge of Hampton. As they reti"|
ted, many of the wouuded tell alon
j road and died, and the whole rim'" t tiu
ton was strewu with haversacks.
cjnteeos, muskets, &c., which toe men h i
j thrown off in their retreat.
After the battle, I visited the position
they held. The houses behind which th.n
had been h'd h;?d been burnt by our troops.
Around the yard were the dead bodies of
the men wh had been killed by our cannon,
mangled in the most frightful manner
by the shells. The uu:forms od the bodies
were very different, and many of theui are
like those of the Virginia suldiery. A lit
tie father on we came to the point to rhich
they had carried some of their wounded,
who had sirce died. The gay looking uui
forms of *V.? New Y'ork Zouaves contrast id
[greatly with the paled, fixed faces of the.r
| dead owners. Goinrr to the swamp through
; which they attempted to pass to assault our
i lines, presented another bloody seene.?
I Bodies doited the black morass from one
i end to the other. I saw one boyish, deli
jcate looking fellow lying iu the mud, with
a bullet hole through his breast. His hand
' was pressed on the wound from which his
life blood had poured and the other was
clenched iu tho grass that grew near him.
Lying on the grouud was a testament which
j had fallen from his pocket, dabbled with
blood. On opening the cover I found the
printed inscription, ''Presented to the Defenders
of their Country, by the N. Yoik
Bible Society.'' An United States flag was
also stamped on the title page.
' Among the haversacks picked up along
the route were many letters from the North'
ern States, asking if they liked the Southern-farms,
and if the Southern barbariam
had been whipped out yet.
1 The force of the enemy brought against
J. us was 4,000, according to the statement
uf the six prisoners we took. Ours wa?
1,100. Their loss in killed and wounded
must be nearly 200 Our loss is one killed
s and three rounded. The fatal case was
that of a North Carolinan who volunteered
to fire one of the houses behind wo ore thej
' were stationed. He starred f.on the brsa>t
' work to accomplish it, but, was sh >t in the
' head. He died this morning at the hospital
Skirmish on Saturday.?The Con
. federate forces, under Cul. Magrudtr, wert
?u.-tinned ar Bethel Church, oa the liue be
uceen Elizabeth City aud York counties.?
j They consisted of Uut ujore than l,80l
?' 2 000 men. This place is six ruiles fron
| New jit at News, sixteen from Yorktuwo
ajarid light from Hampton
j On Saturday afternoon, Captain MtT'
j.'tOl's company from Ash'-ville. N .u t
?! Itua, one hundred strong, we>v
r reconnoitering expedition, wo L
(j aot Gregory and ten meu smui : < (
,, advance. Coming within auiik <!
iinarters of Hampton, tiiey eucou i. ?: j U':
of the eaemy on r simitar excursion, ? !
a a:8i had at dvattct guard ia front L>e>j
? G. and bis guard of ten meu approaches
t, j withiu thirty-five stvos of the enemy, whet
?lupHriey took place between thetu, eacl
clpaity endeavoring to ouiz the other. Fi
? loally, a large 'nan of the enemy, wht
,s Hio?id near Lieut. Gregoiy, cried oat, ??l
lt know you are friends! I belong to the se
j cond N^w York Regiment!" whereupor
y Lieut, (i. placed his pistol near the Nefl
j Yorker's oead and exclaimed, "Dropyoui
K musket, or I'll blow your brains out! Y?h
11 are my prisoner!" i the same time calling
n upon hi i men to Ore.
The order was obeyed by Lieut Gresr
y ory's Guard ; and twenty five of Capt. Mc
i Dowell's command, some eighty steps in tin
rjrear, also tired. The Yankees returner
ultbe Ore, but none of our men were injured
From twelve to fifteen of the Yankees were
killed and wounded by this discharge, and ]
Lieutenant Gregory secured the prisoner, i
Capt. McDowell, observing the retreat of i
the Northern party, thought it prudent to
withdraw his command, as a large body of i
Federal troops were within half a mile, i
and our little handful would have fallen an 1
easy prey. 1
The Northern soldiers fired very badly, j
i Lieut Gregory was on horseback, and the s
balls whizzed far above his head.
In their retreat, the Yankees carried I
i their dead and wounded in two curts and a
buggy, to Hampton. '
T;m> r-boner was sent to Yorktown. One i
.if mi' - picked up, on the field of bat I
le, ? a. uu. .tidum book, belonging to one i
1 R. Parker, private in the 2d company, 1st I
i? . it - _? 1
riegiment v rnuuui i uiuuiccm, nu.u*. >
i I find the following entry : I
"Juoe 5th Harriet Lane demolished
'he battery opoosite. Six Massachusetts i
privates shot accidentally?carelessness in
an attack. Eight hundred more troops
arrived from New York. II Lane was 1
struck?25 on board wounded." '
So, there is the truth about the Pig Point <
We have punished the Yankees awfully, (
depend upon it, in every battle we have 1
yet had with them. '
i Battle at Bethel Church, Virginia, i
We have been favored by Mr. Lytle with I
the following official report to the Governor
1 of North Carolina :
To the Honorable the President and mem- ,
hers of the Convention.
Gentlemen : 1 have the pleasure here- .
with to transmit an official despatch from
Col. D H. Hill, commanding the 1st Regiment
of North Carolina Volunteers, near
Yorktown, giving a detailed account of a
signal victory, achieved over the enemy near >
| Hampton, Virginia, in which the North 1
Carolina Regiment bore a prominent part. (
I would avail myself of this opportunity ,
to ask of the Convention the privilege of
tendering to the gallant commander of the '
regiment, and the brave officers and meif
under his command, those testimoniaUrof
approbation most grateful to a soldier's
feelings.
I would respec'fully recommend Colonel
Hill as worthy of promotion to the rank of
a Brigadier General, and that a full brigade
be at once placed under his command.?
Other recomineudatioofl will be made when
further particulars are ascertained. Res- |
I pectfully submitted,
JOHN. W ELLIS. '
Yorktown, Va , June 11.
Hon. John IF. Ellis, Governor of Worth 1
Carolina. i
Sir: 1 have the honor to report that ,
800 men of my regimen', and 360 Virginians,
were engaged for five and a half hours
with four nod a half regiments of the ene- 1
my, at Bethel Church, nine niiies from <
Hampton. The enemy made three dis- i
tinet and well sustained charges, but were t
repulsed with heavy loss. Our cavalry
pursued them for six miles, wlieo their re '
treat became a total rout. Fearing that 1
ry reinforcements would be sent up from <
*. s doiroe, we fell back at night fall ,
irks at Vorktown. I regret to |
fone man killed, private
.tt, Edgecombe Guards, and
;i. The loss of the enemy, i
?-!i confession, was 150, but it j
.. , -..nroiy estimated at 250. Our rcg- <
;::uv.t behaved most gallantly. Not a man
d:rein, frora his post, or showed symptoms
of fear. When more at leisure, I will give
you a more derailed report of operations. 1
Our Heavenly Father has most wonder- i
fully inter posed to shield our heads in the ,
day of battle. Unto His great name be ? '.
the praise for our success. With great
respect. (Signed,) D. H. HILL. 1
Col. 1st Regiment N. C. V's. 1
- mil
Latest from Bethel.
The following despatch was received by
one of Gov. Pickens' Aids, on Thursday '
night:
. <
"The latest news from Bethel says that a
flat; of truce was sent by the commander oi 1
the Federal troops to Col. Magruder, for ]
the purpose of burying the dead and ex- |
changing prisoners. Col. Magruder r. pli ,
ed that they might bury their dead, but as
to exchanging prisoners, he declined doing
lit. The officer bearing the flag of truce 1
said their loss in killed aud wounded a i
mounted to two hundred aod thirty four ?
Two of their field officers, and it is was sup
posed one geueral uffieer, had beeu killed
Geoeral Butler was said to have been iui'
i command, and possibly he was the defunct '
jffieer. Thirteen prisoners of war have. ,
been brought to Richmoud
"The Maryland Legislature '-as instruo
i ted its Senators to vote for the recognition '
11of the Confederate States.
| "This is all the news received tu night, i
Nothing ftoui Gov. Pickeus this evening." ,
, -The Killed at Bethel.
I The following is an extriut ut a letier re '
I ceived at Charleston :
4 "Richmond, ,1uuc 14.?We have sonie
I news this morning that has not yet appear:
ed iu the papers. The tight at Bethel
Church grows iu magnitude and importance 1
. as the details reach us. The enemy's loss <
I in killed, wounded and missing amounts to
553; among the former of which were
L'tutenaut Colonel Grinnell, of the 5rh
New York regiment, and Major Winthrop,
aid to Gen. Butler. The General (Butler)
vas in a carriage, with the reserve of 500
t
men, who, we presume, were detailed as a
gu: r\ for his piecious corpus.
' - We hear this morniog that the Penn
? have cumruenced their march!
tester, intending thence toj
'Mirg, go as to take Manas-i
simultaneously with an at-1
v an expedition from Alex-j
;;pedirion will result in a!
in a catastrophe. If they!
- icht-ster, and move on Stras-.
. iieir retreat will be cut off by a heavy
detachment from Harper's Ferry, and a
' similar one from M?-i :ssas, in front. Har'
j per's Ferry is totally impregnable by any
direct assault, and Johnston c?u sp ire
men with safety. Manassas is too strou.:
1 for any force the enemy can send agai t
^ it; aDd if I mistake not, an expedition will
shortly be sent troin it, by way of ,
1 that will wake up a good many Yankees
between there and the chain b.idge."
1 Diplomas vs Money.?It is stated that
-r the II S. Government has determined to
4 give every man, of whatever rank, serv
iatr in the army or navy, a diploma on 6n>
parchment paper, signed by ti e President
^ and heads of departments." This, we
i suppose, is to be a substitute foi the money
. which they are not likely to get.
Another Battle at Phillippi?Glorious
Victory !?The Lynuhburg Repub
!ican, of Thursday, haa the following glorious
tidings:
Through a gentleman of undoubted veracity,
who arrived here yesterday from
Manassas Junction, we learn that informs
don, deemed altogether authentic, had been
received there of another battle at Philippi,
in which the most complete victory was
ichieved by our troops.
Large reinforcements having been added
\o our forces, they made an advance on
Phillippi, where the enemy were encamped,
and engaging them in battle, succeeded
n completely routing them, with the loss
:o the eoemy of over ooe hundred killed
ind wounded, besides thecapture of a number
of prisoners, and the recapture of a
large amount of arms, munitions, &c., together
with several of the enemy's cannon.
Our troops suffered but Blight loss, and
now hold complete possession of the town.
The Battle op Phillippi.?a gentleman
from Richmond informs the Petersburg
Express that the venerable Bishop
John Early, of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, was in Phillippi on the day of the
recent battle, having just returned from the
session of some Western Conference over
which he bad presided. We understand
that Bishop Early reports one hundred and
twenty-three as the number of Lincolnites
who fell in that engagement. This may be
received as entirely reliable.
Y ORK VILLE, S. C.
THURSDAY MORNING, JUNE 20,1861.
0(7-Mr. Jons R. Allen, Post Master at Chester, Is our
luthorlzed agent; and fully empowered to receive money
or this office, and give receipts for the same.
QQ- In cases where subscribers do not take the Enquirer
om the post-office, Post-Masters are requested to notify us
nmediately.
{?7- Subscribers desiring their papers changed must mention
the Post Office from, as well as the one to, which they
lesire the chagcn to be made.
e^it6hial_correspondenc?.
Richmond. Ya. *1
Monday Morning, Juue 10, 1861. J
Dear Enquirer :?We arrived this morDing
about day-duwn in Richmond, after
flying through the Old North State on Saturday
and Sunday, amid the greetings of
the most enthusiastic population, white and
colored, you ever saw; and were immediately
quartered ir. several large and filthy
tobacco ware houses, hereon the very banks
of James river. Before we had thrown off
our knapsacks, the sentinels were posted all
iround to keep us in ; but you never saw
j party of holiday shoats more diligent in
searching for an entrance to a wheatfield,
than were we to find the way to the river
md the city. A band of us succeeding in
passing the line, through the kindness of
in officer, proceeded with the instinct of
lucks, to have a bath in the golden waters,
ind then to the city for breakfast. We
cad not had a regular meal since we left
Raleigh yesterday morning; and the dust
ind smoke of travelling in open cars, enibled
us easily to lay "dirty Jaok" himself
in the shade.
The people of Charlotte and Raleigh, at
both of which places we tarried awhile, are
entitled to our lasting gratitude. They fed
us with an abundance of that which was
the very best and tnost appropriate for the
?oldier, ''without money and without
price;" and extended to us every kind of
hospitality. Especially is this due to Charlotte.
There they made us feel at home ;
ind we cannot say more in their praise. In
iced, we heard maDy say that they were
' too kind and numbers came to "Our
Corporal," and threatened to cashier him,
if he didn't put Charlotte right before our
people. Remember, good friends of Sparanburg,
Union and York, that they could
>tot have been more kind and entertaining ;
ind never let a citizen of old Mecklenburg
p?ss through your midst without receiving
n return your most generous hospitalities.
We wish that we had time to describe
jur reception at every depot and station along
the whole route. But time and space
would fail us. The whole journey was a
complete and enthusiastic ovation.
Our troops were n*. ver in better health
ind spirits. Though our immediate desfi
nation is not known, yet wc are here, in
reach of the enemy, in the midst of the
* 1 T* 1 _ _ J
ifirriosr events 01 tne Doraer, reauy anu
Available for fler ice at a moment's wsn.ing.
and we rejoice that it 13 so. We will doubtless
proceed soon to Gen. Beauregard's com
rnand, lying in the district of country mark
ed upon the map, by Harper's Ferry on one
side, Alexandria on another, and Manassas
on another, and destined we think, to becm.
one of the most interesting theatres of the
conflict.
To give you an instance of the seutiment
which pervades, at least, eastern Virginia,
we met last night at Petersburg, a very
bright eyed and noble-looking lad from Norfolk,
a printer in the Argus Office, and the
first to raise a secessiou flag in this State, who
said that when South Carolina seceded, he
"felt just I'ke he could hug her if she were
small enough !" We told him she was almost
small enough to "hugwhen he replied,
"Well, she sends a tremendous quantity
of soldiers." Scores of such incidents
have transpired under our ears and eyes.
Abruptly and hurriedly,
OUR CORPORAL.
Camp Davis. Richmond, Va., 1
Tuesday Night, June 11, 1861. j
Dear Enquirer :?This city, attractive enough
within itself, is now as the seat of our
commC:; government, the rendezvous of
thousands of volunteers from the different
Southern States, and a point threatened by
? y i .. i!. t_
the invader, a piace oi excee'wug iuier"sr,.
Every variety of uniform is observable, a nrl
the white tents of an unknown number of
regiments, dot the beautiful open fields ana
clover pastures of the suburbs of the city.
The constant arrival and departure of troops
renders it hard t(^ ascertain the number at
any one time stationed here. Virginia herself,
has offered Gov. Letcher 80,000 volunteers
; but we have not been able to learn
even, what number of these is enrolled.?
South Or.i olina has about 4,000 in the State
?3 regiments here and 2 in the neighborhood
of Manassas?and all the Southern
States are represented in the army, on Virginia
soil, except, perhaps, Missouri and
Delaware.
The number of our troops, indeed, is so
great, and so well chosen and fortified is
their position, that it is whispered and even
nublished North of the Potomao. that the
Federal forces will not advance any more
just now, but rather retreat in order to avoid,
as Gen. Scott is reported to think probable,
a slaughter to the tune of 10,000 for each
member of Old Abe's Cabiuet. If this
policy is to prevail, the first invasion campaign
of Yankeeland, will prove a signal illustration
of their characteristic braggadooio?theii
"sound and fury signifying nothing"?and
for this reason if none other, we
are inclined to believe that it is at least in
their contemplation. To our mind the "tactics
and strategy" of the North indicate this
game. While "silcrc est sajpere" is the
motto of Davis?while directness, subtle
energy and straight-forward business capacity
mark the proceedings of the South?they
gather up their myriads of rapscallions in
print, and blow their paper trumpets, and
prepare to retreat in amazement if the walls
of Southern liberty do not crumble at once
to dust. If you were to listen to their Cassios
M. Clays, Horace Greeleys and swarm
of sensation correspondents, you would believe
that Pensacola would be blown sky
high; that a flotilla would pass down the
Mississippi, demolishing Memphis, Vicks
burg, Cairo, and every town and village on
its banks; that Richmond would he lain
in ashes; that Harper's Ferry would be
cut off, girdled in and starved out or
stormed, by two columns, one advancing
via Alexandria and Manassas, the other
through Western Virginia, overawing at
the same time, the secessionists and building
up a provisional government for the
State through the Union feeling there ; and
that even Fort Sumter would be retaken
j and the blockade made everywhere effectlive;
and all this, too, perhaps before the
meeting of the Northern Congress on the
4th of July ! And if they could raise meu
and money by magic, and fight their bat
In? Qsirt + Vi mntiM Ko nnmnlflto.
bICO U U po pi/i j bUO kjuubii n vu*vi w \j vvMp'vvv~
ly subjugated in to-morrow morning's issue
of the Tribune. But these "ifs" are in
the way. Their zeal surpasses their knowledge.
Their fanatical wishes and distempered
imaginations outspeed both their
means and their business talent.
Meanwhile, this foreshadowing of a stupendous
project to invade the South, Xerxeslike,
with an army of millions, with horsemen
and charioteers, and bugles and fifes,
and kettledrums and fiddlesticks, and what
not, is all gammon. If they intended it,
they surely are not fools enough to say it.
They think it will tiokle the ear of Enrope
and stay the recognition of our independence
! Verily, Don Quixote never fought
his windmills with completer infatuation,
than those Yankees are becudgelling the
world with the idle dreams of their own
greatness, and the insignificance of everybody
else except England. And they
threaten even England, if she dares to reQrmfh
a n fhorAhtt PYtondfl
HIW VUUVM, MUM , VMV. V
slavery over all the world and the West
'Indies too. Alack! they will find John
j Bull is a sorry fellow, whose self-interest
and politic neutrality will not suffer him to
be spoiled by their sugar, nor saved by
their salt.
Id war, actions should speak louder than
words; and, therefore, we are not allowed
to speak in detail of military movements
here if we are in the secret, nor are we permitted
to know what to morrow will bring
forth. Suffice it to say that there is work
to do?men who know how to plan it, and
men able and willing to do it?and that
with Fleaven still on our side, it will be
done. The five South Carolina Regiments,
we learn, are to fight side by side ; that a
post of hoDor and danger is to be selected,
and they will occupy that post. While we
do not court any distinction or pre-eminence
for our State in this contest?while modlesty
forbids that she should either claim or
'seek arv extra honor?while the farthest
seeing wisdom dictates that, although the
marriage tie cannot be between them, no
jealous rivalries should be introduced to
mar the family feeling of our sisterhood of
1 i- _L A
States?we are unprepared 10 sarins irom
any danger or hardship in this revolution,
begun by ourselves; and tho "light of battle
on the brows" of Carolinians will wax
brighter and brighter over the best "foughten"
fields of Southern Independence. We
have yet to meet the man who doubts the
final issue of this struggle; and the lustrous
hop?s of the future girdled in with
the red flames of indignant patriotism, will
beacon our hosts on to obeeiful death or
generous and world-renowned victory.
None of the "incidents of war" have
struck our faucy more than the contrast bet.W'^n
the stirring camp and the serene
heavens at the "witching hour" which
closes the day. Often while on Sullivan's
Island, at this hour, our gaze would escape
from the stirring multitude and the restless
waves to the calm blue arch above; and
we could easily appreciate the paradox,
that one of the highest motives which can
prompt a people in going to war, is the love
of peace. This effect is heightened here,
where several regiments with their white
tents scattered like a bevy of villages over
the rolling hills and greeo valleys, are al- ;
ways at this time in sight.
This evening will be long remembered I
by the 5th Regiment, as the tirst time when 1
many of us laid eyes on "the right man in 1
the right place." It was known that he 1
was to review us at Dress Parade ; but he :
came an hour before hand, dressed plainly <
but neatly in citizeu's garb, accompanied
by Col. Wigfall and another gentleman
whose face we did not recognize, and rode i
from front to rear through our encampment.
The boys were generally engaged busily in
cleaning their guns and putting themselves
in trim to be looked at by the "observed of
all observers;" and he had well nigh
passed by without creating a sensation.?
As he passed our row of tents, however,
which is next to the last on the left of the regiment,
wo looked up and saw him, and giving
vent to a "Three cheers for the President,
boys," raised the alarm.; and before
he had rode a hundred yards, the regiment
waB electrified, and after him, as though a
body of Yankees or a Charlotte dioner was
ahead of them. The photographs you have
seen of him, enabled us to recognize him
at a glance; so, you need no description of
his personal appearance. And the charm
of bis eloquence and influence here is indescribable.
Of the first we had an illustration
in the short speech which he made
* -L! ? : i
at toe review, [(US eveDiDg, in uur rcgimeui.
He simply addressed us as South Caroliniaos,
reviving the memories of our Sumters
and Marions; telling us that we had
come to fight to re-establish the principles
for which our forefathers fought, and to re
pel the invader of our soil; saying that
South Carolinians had fought ou many no
ble fields and had never quailed before man ;
reminding us that we had been the chief
cause in changing the stars and stripes to
the broad bars of the Southern flag, and
that "glorious old Moultrie" first made the
star-spangled banner bite the dust; and
concluding that he and the country confided
in us. This was all?said too, in almost
as few words as we have repeated it;
but the magic of his crystalline and graceful
utterances, sweeping easily the whole
line of the large regiment, with the penetrative
clearness of a bird's note, thrilled
every heart; and as he finished, a shout of
prolonged cheering went up from the soldiers
and the large crowd of visitors around
him.
To show you the extent of his influence,
and the enthusiastic confidence and love of
the soldiers for him, we will close this already
too long letter with an incident. The
first Mississippi regiment is encamped here.
The other evening the President rode out
to see them, many of whom are his personal
acquaintances. lie had scarcely got in
to their camp, before he was surrounaea
so thickly and closely that he could not
proceed. The tremendous shouting frightened
his horse, till he trembled in his tracks,
and would have run had not two or three
stout arms seized the bridle. There they
held him for perhaps more than an hour,
shaking hands with him, and would not let
him depart until he made one of his short,
pointed and thrillingspeeche*. Hi^ health j
appears to be improved, aDd we wonder|
not at it, if enthusiastic and universal admiration
be good medicine. Yet he demeans
himself with all the modesty, simplicity
and dignity that could adorn his exalted
station. Posterity will ever know
him as "the right man in the right place,"
just as Washington is another name for the
< first in war, first in peace, and first in the
hearts of his countrymen."
We are all admirably well, and ever
since we left Orangeburg, the best of spirits
and harmony have prevailed. Direct all
. .
mail-matter here; and be sure to designate
company, regiment and State, for we are
in the midst of volunteers from other
States. Sleepil v,
OUR CORPORAL.
Camp Davis, Richmond, V? , 1
Friday MoruiDg, June 14, 1861 J
Dear Enquirer:?For the last week or
ten days, the Virginia papers have been
filled with accounts of skirmishes, battles
and victories j for victory has perched upon
our broad-barred banner in every instance
Nothing could surpass in interest the stiring
events transpiring around us now, and
looked for every day.
In the battle of Phillippa, full accounts
of which you must have ere this seen, 1800
of our men were surprised by 6000; yet,
after retreating two miles to a favorable position,
our troops faced about and thrice
repulsed the enemy. This victory together
with the concentration of Virginia troops
in the Western part of the State?beyond
Beauregard's District?will tend to behead
the Wheeling treason. Gov. Wise is anxiously
called for as the man who can do
more with and for that people, than Beauregard
himself; and we learn that his legion ;
is repairing thither now. Company "F'1
nf Richmond who were in the engagement
at Aoquia Creek, on a furlough to this city
for a few days, left, we believe, this morning,
for White Sulphur Springs. Colonel
Bacon's and Col. Cash's regiments left yes- i
terday evening for Manassas; whither our i
own regiment is expecting to proceed any j
day. Troops are constantly moving in thai ,
direction.
The design is not only to foster the sc- |i
cession feeling in the western part of the i
State, but also to be prepared to repel a
fixed battle from the 20,000 whom Scott i
threatens to throw upon Manassas. The
first grand encounter may be expected in i
take place there; as that is the first poi. i ;
the enemy will have to break through in |
carrying out their policy of surrounding ]
and storming out Harper's Ferry.
But eveiy eye at Richmond just now, is
turned towards Yorktown and Old Point.
On Monday last, acpording to the apparently
best accounts, about 1,200 Confederate
forces, consisting of the 1st North Carolina
regiment, under Col. Hill, and 4 or 5 hundred
Virginians under the gallant Colonel
Magruder of Mexican fame, were attacked
by 4,500 Yankees with a reserve of 500,
and twice or thrice repulsed, in a brilliant
victory for our side, near Bethel Church, in
York county. Bethel Church is 8 miles
aC Unmn^An f ? n ct r\'A rf ?Pfl
JUnu JLiasb ui iiauiptvu* uwuviu^
from Fortress Monroe had for several days
been marauding the country immediately
around the village. Col. Magruder determined
to put a stop to it. Some of his men
were sent forward from Yo^ktown as a reconnoitering
party, who had a skirmish
with the enemy on Saturday. Nobody was
badly hurt. Another and larger party advanced
and entrenched themselves behind
breast-works at Bethel Church, where the
road runs South East over a low morass
rivulet. The position must have been r.
strong and secure one. The foe, however,
when they came up within 1000 yards, had
a cover of woods and some houses; and
planting their batteries in the road, their
sharp shooters occupying a farm housrt farther
on, commenced the engagement. The
battle lasted from 9$ a. m. tiii 1 n. m.:
when the victory became complete, the foe
precipitately retreating towards Hampton,
leaving their wounded and dead on the
field, and scaitering knapsacks, canteens,
and dead bodies, all along the road for 8
miles. A fine corps of cavalry hung upon
their outskirts and rear, and beat and whip
ped them, like a very herd of oxen, into the
gates of Hampton itself, and then returned,
loaded with trophies of the splendid victory,
to bring the news how the cravens "sbuffled
off the mortal coil" of knapsacks, guns
&c., to give wings to their feet. They had
the same need of legs and a like fleetness
of foot with the vain old stag in the ohild's
fable.
Their loss is said to be at least 200 killed
; the whole number missing from their
roll, is 50U. They acknowledge the defeat
themselves at Washington; but say 30 is
thoir nnniher killed. Onlv one man was
killed on our side?a Mr. Wyatt, a native
of Richmond, bat recently a resident of
North Carolina, and a member of Colonel
Hill's regiment. He was buried in Richmond
yesterday. His marked heroism led
him to the soldier's death; and bis name
will be kept in enviable remembrance. The
qnick eye of Col. Magruder perceived that
the farm-honse in which the enemy's sharpshooters
were stationed should be burnt,
and he called out "Who will doit?"?
Three North Carolinians sprang up and
said, "We will." The three advanced to
within 100 yards of the house, when two
finding the bullets whizzing thick and fast
above their heads, halted ; but Wyatt, nothing
daunted,, advanced about 50 yards farther,
and while stopping there to examine
bis position and ascertain how best to proceed,
was shot by a Yankee skulking in a
bush to his left. The two remaining shot
the Yankee in return, aud retreated to
their breastworks. The house was afterwards
burned by shells from a howitzer.
A brave officer, who was found to be a
captain of the N. Y. Seventh Regiment,
on a furlough to Old Point, was killed io a
manner and under circumstances wnicli
have excited some interest. He is supposed
to have been at Old Point, aod volunteered
to lead a corps in the fight. I
mention this fact particularly to guvd you
against the impression whioh is liable to
be made, that "the Seventh" were, as a
b?.d_y, there. This gallant enemy mounted
a fence between his corps and the North
Carolina infaDtry, and was urging his men
to scale it also, but failed to do so. All
the while he wa9 a prominent mark for the
bullets of our men. An aged, gray-headed
North Carolinian tried him two or three
shots, hot owing to his trembling hand, or
from some other cause, missed; when he
turned to a stripling just in his teens beside
him, and said: "Son, can't you fetch
him?" "I don't know, sir," replied the
bright eyed lad?"I can try j" and raisiog
his piece deliberately sent the messenger
of death right through the Captain's heart.
A fine gold watch found on his person, and
bis sword, have been bestowed, as a mark
of merit, upon the spirited and steady nerved
boy.
With the interest culminating every day,
with things enough to write about to fill
your sheet, but with little time to write in,
we are always, Hurriedly and briefly, y
OUR CORPOR&Lr'
MERE-MENTION.
The proceedings of the Indian Laud
Agricultural Society will appear in our next
issue. The first North Carolina Regiment
under Col. D. H. Hill, consists of
the following companies: Edgecombe
Guards, Capt. J. L. Bridgers; Enfield
Blues, Captain D. B. Bell; Hornets' Nest
Rifles, Capt. L. S. Williams; Burke Rifles.
Captain C. M. Avery; Buncombe Rifles,|
Captain W. W. McDowell; Southern
Stars, Capt. W. J. Hoke; Fayetteville Independent
Light Infantry. Major Wright
Iluske; do. Lar yettc Light Infantry
Capt. J. B. Starr; Orange Light lufa-try,
Capt 11. J Ashe; Charlotte Grays, Capt.
E. A. Ross. The Shelby Eajlc announces
the death of John Weboer, Esq.
Tin- 3d and 4th Regiments of ^nuth
Carolina Volunteers, numberit:_- marl)
2 000 men. left Columbia on Suuda^ Inst.
for their destination. Gen. McCuloch
has taken command of the Westeru
forces, aud has made requisitions for six
regiments upon Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana,
and the Indian Territory. Albert
Pike goes with him as Indian Commissioner.
At New Orleans, a regiment of
twelve hundred quadroons has been organized
as a home guard, the members of whioh
own in the aggregate 821,000,000 worth of
property. The whole number of volunteers
furnished by the States for the .
Mexican war was 67,905, of which the
slave States furnished 44,815?vide Mans- <
field's "Mexican War," page 353?and of 1
103 volunteer officers,t67 were Southerners. r-1
Advices from Baltimore announce that > '
Henry Winter Davis has been defeated for
Congress. An Oregon paper mentions
that General Joseph Lane accidentally
shot himself near his residence in Douglas
county. The ball entered the lower part
of the breast and come out of the shoulder.
A French drill-sergeant gives the
following receipt for making a Zouave.?
"Take de recruit?keep him forty-eight ;
hours?Dotting to eat; den march bim forty-eight
hours?notting to eat; den let him *
fight like h?II forty-eight hours?notting
to eat; by dam, he one Zouave!" i
The Yankees, as fast as they capture ne- i
groes near Old Point Comfort, ship them
off to Cuba, to be sold. Several natives
ofNortbern States have left for Europe,
I for the purpose of fitting out Confederate
privateers. Intelligence from Charles- 4
ton reports the capture of the privateer Savannah
by a blockading vessel. She had
been sent to New York.
I Telegraphic Items.
Frederick, Md., Jane 15.?The special
agent of the Associated Press, just from
Maryland heights overlooking Harper's
Ferry, says that the Ferry is mainly vacated
?about 2,000 troops remaining. The
route of the main body was by turnpike towards
Charlestown and Shepherdstcwn.?
The Sbeperdstown bridge has been bnrned,
and the Southern pickets withdrawn from
Williamsport.
Alexandria, June 15.?Active military
movements are progressing in consequence
of the evacuation of Harper's Ferry.
An effort will be made to prevent the concentration
of forces.
Richmond, June 15.?The injunction
of secrecy was removed yesterday from the
proceedings in relation to Virginia's act of
secession of April 17. The vote stood 88
in favor and 55 opposition. The journals '
show- changes, and on the final vote 108 jj
favored the passage of the ordinance. Yea
terday (14th) the ordinance was signed by 91
members. Several delegates were absent
in war, some sick, and one (Captain
Marr) was killed by the federalists at Fairfax.
Various rumors are current here of battles
and movements of the federal troops,
bat nothing bas been authentically ascertained.
Richmond. Jane 17.?Mr. Banks, of
the Montgomery Confederation, has jnst :
returned from Bethel, and fully confirms
the reported disaster to the Federalists, and
their outrages upon private persons and
property.
Passengers just arrived here, who crossed
Harper's Ferry on Sunday forenoon, state
that the Confederate troops had evacuated
the Ferry, blown up the fortifications and
burnt the bridge.
The Palmetto Regiment ?President
Davis, accompanied by his Aid, Col. Wig
fall, visited, unceremoniously and uncxpect- I
cd, the Howard Grove encampment yesterday
evening.' Col. Bacon's regiment was
engaged in its usual afternoon drill, in companies,
when the President appeared on the
ground, but immediately formed in line,
and uoderweDt a very credible inspection.
The President then proceeded to the enCjiupmentof
Col Jeokias' regiment, which
had been dismissed from drill, and were
very leisurely awaiting their coffee and
cakes for sapper; hut, upon the appearance
of the President, they sprung to their arms,
and with wonderful promptitude formed in
line, and were reviewed by the President. 1
They then passed the President in platoons
of companies, marching with the precision
and steadiness of veterans, accompanied
ho thpir rpuimAnfal hnnd Thfl President
then addressed the regiment in eloquent
and fclicitious language, which called forth
the most rapturous applause.?Richmond
Enquirer. '
How Memphis is to be Taken.?The
Memphis Bulletin of Friday has the fol- m
lowing: H
"Colonel Prentiss said last Wednesday,
that he wanted at least* seventy-five thousand
troops to invade the South, and that
they did not intend to move at all till they
obtained them. He said he expected to get
them ready in ten days, and that if they
did, they would march down the river in
three columns, one column of twenty five ^
thousand troops in twenty five steamboats,
to proceed down the river, supported by a
column on each side of the river of twenty
five thousand troops. The forces by land
will go in advance of the river column, and
are expected to turn all the batteries and
conquer all the forces that they may come
across in their triumphant career. Indeed
the force is so large that Col. Prentiss expresses
it as his belief that much bloodshed
will be avoided, inasmuch as he expects
that no resistance will be made in some
places, and but little anywhere, the large
force being the best defence against attack. ^
He says he expects to be able to take dinner
in Memphis on the 4th of July."
Cherokee Georgia Can Bread the
Army?Look at these Figures.?Floyd
county will make a surplus of 200,000 bushels
of wheat. Cass, Gordon, Whitfield and
AlnrroTT orill arprfltTA a lito omnnnf mnl.
iDg 1,200,000 bushels. One busbel of ?
wheat will make 40 pounds of flour, which
will feed one soldier one month, 12 bushels
will feed him twelve months, and by
the rule of three, 1,200,000 bushels will (
feed 100,000 troops for one year.
If six counties in Cherokee Georgia can
from her surplus eraio supply our army
with bread, we inquire can we not find six ?
c..unties of Tennessee that will supply the
pork ? We have do doubt of it. 1
We can fi-jht and Ircd, aoo w;tii thospir
i? ol our Floyd county farmers, it makes n.? ^
<lifl" rsnce win Cher their wheat brings tilry ^
ceo.s or fitly dollars u t-uahel, it's all for \
ihe boys.- yhow ?Rome Southerner.