Carolina Watchman

              carolina watchman sk3ii-wkkkly vol xix salisbury n c june 17 1861 number 12 1 j bkuner bditoh and proprietor terms - . cony 2.00 ites s.hii 16 ik ■ i i nxoeeding ten in the same pro portion 1.60 e.i.'li payment always in . va i ' i , bk ihi ao v a june ii 1 no l the ins i . mi lit of n rth can lina v .'•,'•.'. r v ; . hill was atrnckrjrj j est or day inoruiug six miles from newport w hj tour thousand yankees under command of ccd duryen the yankees w re repulsed and fled leaving m n iv three hundred dead on the field and carrying awai many wounded but one north . iru uiati kiih'd name unknown and six y r seven wouudi i tin north c roliniartt got the enemy i a swamp and raked them right and left this is reliable and comes from a uvni on the spot \ fight at list felrthotswo yamvkf troops ittafl om thjfsaxd cumfrdetta'llis i ru.h tinc ciin rinuku thrbe and | a ii it i unfits ik yankees twice retreat ' and rally ! the in finally it on led and purssrd their loss estimated at nearly three hundred ! heroic conduct of the confederates the almost painful suspense and anxiety ... winch this community was thrown on monday afternoon upon the arrival of the traiu front norfolk which brought numer ous rumors of oghting having taken place in the vicinity of newport news on james river was most agreeably relieved on yes terday forenoon by passengers who camo up from york and elizabeth city counties on the james river steamer curtis peck tlies gentie.men bring the particulars of n warm contest in which the yankee troops engaged our forces for some three and a half hours several gentlemen traveled on the curtis i\a:k for a distance of co miles with pri vate causey of elieabelh city county who w,i engaged in thu conflict and related aii the particular one of his auditors was mr e vv lludgins a most intelligent ui'i prosperous farmer of ork county who left his farm yesterday morning for the residence of hia father-in-law l>r wuitiham in din widdie county mr hud gus ei\e us particulars which wetoehvve we in the main reliable but they may be uliglillv varied by the official account u appeajs that oo friday la-t gen i oankbead magruder uf the confederate army who has been at his headquarters ; urktown for sometime past received further information of the continued j»-p o'llatioim of the yankee hireling who un i 1 i i i butler have squatted at hampton and newport news he re ' "'! lo proceed immediately in the ill hi of tin i dities occupied by the ktcenitriea and check the lawless proceed "■-•' uf their marauding parlies or at least wntine them to more circumscribed limits our forces j tailed for this mission we * r » informed consisted of some six or ore companies of the first north caro 1 u-giuieiit < ol l h hill a portion of richmond howitzers under captain jliielils mid two companies of cavalry — "■ horn the county of charles city ami 1 ■••' other from nottoway county the hum moved on o far as a point near j dividing line betweep elizabeth city ar d rl counties and in the immediate i'ity of bethel ( htir.h this is distant t six miles from newport news and '■ ! " from hampton our troops were ; " ' '• halted and proceeded to entrench uiernselves bv throwing up slight earth ork they reached thai point sometime during saturday morning and remained 111 undisturbed possession of having sent nj t strong detachments of cavalry on touting duty monday morning about seven o'clock m was stated to our informant a man who '• i s said hud deserted from our army and d concealed himself somewhere in the between bethel church and new port news caiiii into camp regretting his ini'v nut informing our officers that the i ankee force had - 1 1 nek their tents tit newport news ami wen sdvaneiog iti a i til 11 mill ii four in five ihoii-and strong i in intelligence w»if t . i v 1 by our officers with some rjouhi but tin y res lved to i n i he alert hiui give ('"• infamou • '!• -| oilers t uiir property mill invaders ol our n til a lint i ii'<-..|it.i'.ti m rifle muskm mid grnpe sli^t could extend the deserter's information proved to bo correct for i few minutes beforj $ o'ulook ■ in scout wi re diivoti in and shortly aftnr our pickets were fired upon preaontl the in i'lin hirelings iiimiii 1 1 » < - i f ;*] ijn-mi uiic hhi ii was plainly to !.•• seen llml they had botli in inliv ami artillery hut no cavalry were visible as soon tin llici approached wiili in range of i tu i guns the gallant caro | ! mans mid virginians opened upon 1 1 •< in and | oured into their rank ii galling tiif i hey stood iln-ir ground fur a few minutes doing hi best they could but ihe guns i ail wfiit wide of thoii aim scarcely a six t i touching our troops !' may be proper here to remark that ' our tfootis had the decided advantages of po-itii'ii being iii a thin skirt f fewest bordering «. 1 1 1 tiia edge of a mill pond ihe \ ankees were alt»o surrounded by trees lull more widely scattered than ours and not affording half the protection i hi'v kept up tiling mi lioih nides until j oclock our troops maintaining a deadly tii uti the yankees ti'.mi behind the trees and in the thick ui;dergrov«tii uroiind win !<■ th enemy could neither dodge our balls or cause their shot to reach us with effect the work finally beeame too hot for the \ ink e scoundrels ami they fell lack in considerable disorder and confu sion the enemy next made an effort to flank mir linn by a circuitous route which oc cupied sonic thirty minutes in the mean lime the confederate troops betook them selves to their t mporary entrenchment and coolly awaited the approach of the hirelings at half past nine they aj^aiti appeared in view but in their march had become involved in a thick morass from which they found it impossible to advance or retreat the confederate forces now had the scoundrels just where they desired and from behind their temporary entrenchments about the bethel church poured a must deadly fire into their ranks tbey caught it right left and in front and finally scramb ling out of the morass tl^d in the utmost disorder and confusion all attempts to rally them bv one or two officers iteing utterly in vain ■ ur informant state that the flight was perfectly wild and betrayed a consternation and dismay more character istic t a herd of buffaloes when suddenly unrpriswd by a hand of indian hunters than brave unit chioulrout yankees led oil itv the bold and redoubtable geu pica yune alias li k butler they were hotlv pursued bv the gallant first kfjiunnt of north carolina noluti t.-ers while the kieniiiond howitzers pour ed grape and caui-u r into the rear of the fleeing new vork uowdie ( ur cavalry continued tiif chase ami pursued the mis erably frightem-d h moiis uii the lawyer s v a 1 1 1 1 1 iimd and through the wood to new market bridge winch is within two and a half mihs ol hampton not know ing the streiigth uf their forces at llamp tun the chase was here abandoned and the pursuers returned it is said that the cowardly scamps he fore running quickly divested themselves of knapsacks canteens haversacks side arms and muskets and some even threw away their euats and caps determining like drowning men that nothing should encumber their persons or impede their progress in the race for life which lay before t!i we have heeji unable to ascertain the exact number of killed hut no one with whom we have conversed estimates it at l.-ss liian 150 while many think it must have reached 0 tin-re were also a great many wounded ( hie gentleman counted over tweiitv dead bodies and many wounded in it small patch of woods and to us in own expression says they were lying ahotit like dead sheep in every direction to which the eve was turned many of the wounded were left ou the held by the enemy and were brought into our camp where our soldiers humanely ministered to their wants the enemy was busy all the time carrying oft their dead and wounded from the outskirts of their ranks and we shall have to await their accounts before the precise number can be ascertained the morass win-re the fire was so con ktant and deadly from the confederate force had not been penetrated when our informant left scores of them fell there and when they are brought out it will swell the list of killed slid wounded it is thought to a frightful extent an instance of bravery is related n*hav ing been exhibited by the col ceorgi i iryca which should not pass itnitot c d luckily escaping ihu mote dangerous por tions oi the morass he ascemied a hill jm»l a his men wen escaping from llmii h*ril ous position and retreating with all lbs haste which their cowardly lej-s could en ! i_v them col l taunted them for their cowardice and leaping upon a lence raised ins s i doit and entreated the ll ilig dastards to rally around the stars a id slrlpi's his appeals however wore fruit '•'->; the stars tnd stripe had lost their i a in a inc inllti nee ami ihe \ ankces km-w it would not protect li in from the minnie halls and grape shot t '. i mullen still tuaiulailie i hi position on ihe feuee hi d while in the act of ra sing hit sword aloft was tiled a i i iv a north un roll ii ihu who iv initrkeil w:ili anger 1 will fix vou the liah missed its ol.jeet inn un other nil was quickly leixed from tlm bauds of h fellow soldier a deadly ami ii;i taken and in a twinkling cob dnryen fell pierced through the heart the crimson current spouting from the wound htid redeliiug his sash with a brighter hue i pon his body we are informed was found an elegant gold watch eighty dol uis m money and the likeness ot some lady friend also several letters and pa pei a splendid sword also fell l>y h » prostrate form elaborately carved about the handle with an inscription upon its hilt presented lo col jurven by the ladles fif new vol k col imitieahas been encamped at new port news for some two or ihice weeks mist 111 command of 1,260 new yolk zouaves no later than last week as we set by a letter iii a recent issue of the herald he remonstrated with col haiti u of the naval lino-ide siatintr that he had acted with groat iudiscreetness in bringing seven or eight hundred unarmed poorly chid half famished men to that point he aided that there was scarcely room for his own men aud as they as well as barllett's were desperate characters he feared that a lucndiiig of such rowdy material in the same camp would lead to an rmuctc and that the patriot might out each other's throats ( ue hundred and eighty of mart h'tt's pirates returned to new york on the steamer coatzacoalcos and upon reaching the god-forsaken city published an appeal to the union lit fence committee for aid in which they say : many of us have been without a change of clothing for a full month having been promised again and a^ain our uniforms and detained in camp oil scanty rations during the last week our camp has he n a line of huts formed of rails and covered with brushwood we have been postet near the etiemv unarmed and stood gtian with clubs for defence some are bare footed and others at a distance from then home had not the brigade been disband ed no doubt we should have become the victims of exposure and fallen from oilier causes than the tire of our enemies in a word many are utterly destitute we have been promised pay — yes everything and received nothing it would probably have been belter for the whole brigade had they returned to new york and united in this appeal it may be mentioned us a reina kable coincidence that both ills worth and l.bir vi a the most highly lauded officers of the yankee journals both commanders ot pet lambs and both occupying high social positions in yankee laud should be the first to fall in this unholy and diabolical crusade against the south col ihjryea will be recollected by ma ny as the former commander of the famous new york seventh regiment he it was who commanded that regiment a few years ago when tin \ visited \ irginia as an escort for the remains oi president monroe we are reliably informed thai but one man of the confederate force i thought to be moitallv wounded lie is a north carolinian but we have been unable io learn his name he received a bullet in his forehead producing i frightful wound and although alive yesteiday morning it was thought that he could nut possibly lono survive seven or eight others were p •** wounded hut their injuries are pot consid ered ratal such remarkable exemption from fatal ity whore the danger and peril were so imminent appears almost incredible it can be attributed to nothing else but a di reet interposition of him who rules over nil the earth and who has promise to shield and protect from danger with his own almighty arm all who rely upon hun for succor in even tune of need we are plea ed to add that the north ( aioliniatis as also the \ irginians who shared the dangers with llinitl demeaned themselves with great coolnc and dis played a courage amounting to heroism throughout the wljole engagement all hail to the brave sons of the old north state whom i'rovidenc-u seems to have ihrust forward in the th-st pitched battle 11 virgin is soil in behalf of southern ! nglits and itidi peiidejice ' ur troops fell hack we hear after the light to the main laxly of the army at yorktown nol knowing what numbers the | yankees were intrenched in and around hampton and portress monroe they w,l doubtless march immediately toward new 1 or new «., if ih.-v have hot already • i so we deem it hilt propel to add ill coll elusion that all account save one esti mate ihe u um her of yankees engaged at 5.000 if ihe reports which have reached us from northern sources regarding the number encamped at newport be correct we liiink 5,000 or uveti more are probably ih correct figures hut we have adopted i the lowest number — 4,000 — that we may i uei taiuly be within bounds i official accol nt i disrstcu raoa c'ni hi i.i io (. v ellis i copy of a l?uer received tin afternoon 4 lo'cluoiv by messenger from yorktown i vonktown vs june llih 1861 i hon j w el.lls i governor oj north carolina i sir 1 have 1 1 1 « • honor to report lliul 800 i men ol m regiment and 360 virginians were i engulfed for 5j lioura with tj regiments of the i enemy at bethel c hurch nine miles ifom tlump i the enemy made three distinct and well i sustained charges but were repulsed with i in u \ less ii;u cavulry pursued them for six i mill's when t in i r retreat became a total rout i fearing that heavy reinforcement would be i si nt up from fortress monroe we fell buck nt i nightfall upon our works at yorktown 1 re i gret in report the iocs of one man killed private i henry i \\ vai i edge comh guards and se i veil wounded i the loss of the enemy by their own eonfess i ion was 50 but il may be safely estimated at i our regiment behaved moat gallantly not i a man shrunk from his post or showed syrup i turns of tear when more nt leisure i will give i von a detailed report uf the operations i our heavenly kalher litis most wonderfully i interposed to shield our heads in the day of i bailie u ii lo his great name be all the praise i lor nur success i with much res|>ecl i 1 ii hill i colonel ibi regiment n.c volunteers i further particulars i the pioht by an eye-witness i we are indebted for farts contained ill ihe i following skeich n wm tiddy es<j of char i lolle who was present during the whole lime ; i and for ihe benetit of those who do not know i nur mformanl we slate that he is an intelli h or • - o t gentleman ami porfeoily reliable i 1 1 appear thai our troops left yorktown for i bethel t'liapci at noon on thursday hist and i reached that point by 7 o'clock thecnuseol i this movement is of course besi known to the i officers in eommand accompanying ihe troopi id'.isii bailors of four howitzer guns mantled ibv the richmond artillery on saturday the i edgecombe guards capt bridge rs were nut i scouting and killed some seven or eight of the i •• i n my i the time between the arrival at bethe h church and the engagement was devoted in m entrenching the position taken by col hill — i and mi r in forma nt says ihe ground was aduiiru i hlv well chosen by sunday night every thing i was in readiness — hreakwa rks complete and the i place made impregnable h on ivlmiday morning the troops were heal lo i anus before day and advanced from their posi i i lion i wo or three miles when they were met i by an old lady from whom ihry learned thai j i the yankees were in mice in that neighbor i hood t'his being confirmed by the scouting i parties the command of col hill was ordered i hack lo their entrenchments the enemy's i advance was reported as tln-y progressed by our i scouts an attack was now inevitable col i hill delivered his final instructions to his troops i having seen every man at his post and ordered i that strict silence stioiild be observed and that i no niuii should fire before the woid was given i the enemy were now in sight the artillery i under order of col hill waited till the enemy i was in full range and then opened upon them i the lirst shot as was learned from one of the h wounded killed four or five and wounded ae i veral this tire was u<i*-ii*-dat at'0 yards range h the action commenced about h o'clock a i m the enemy promptly relumed tie tire i from their artillery but did not tight with spir i it shot and sliell we re si lowered at our troop i lull ne o l all passed over the enl rcucluiieiiis i and did no harm a tlank movement was attempted on ihe i left of our line hut that was gallantly repulsed i h the charlotte creys in this attack cul i 1 w w ardriipe of the n y till regiment i fell mortally wounded col duryea was not i present and hence the stalemeut of his death i is incorrect h on the right of our lines a swamp interven i ing was posted a number of virginia troops i with one howitzer gun by some means this h gnu became spiked owning it is said to the i needle used at the touch-hole breaking in ihe i vent the enemy seeing this gun silenced i charged upon it an i look possession of that i point threatening our right capt bridge rs h w-us ordered lo retake that posi lion which he i miisi gallantly did sustained by the tire from i the battel y in the centre and drove some 2 il hi men before him with about hi they fell buck under cover of a house some 3(1 r 40 pacts il front caps it culled for voliiiitcco loan ins company to t'ue the building noun livu ptepped i rward to ihe basardoui ask ioiionyst llii'in llie brave 1 1 oil i y fi wy till , wlin immediately fell pierced with a rille hull lie died tli.it evening a companion of wvatt'i hoi the yankee w ho had loll d ins comrade , mid the house now being on fire by a shell thi lour comradai return rd to their tanks the l.iiieolniu's made another uttrinpi to dis lodge on i t roups i tiiid faifing retreated follow ed shortly nfier by our cavalry who were out on scouting duly the f inruliiiles had quits a start ot the t uvalry hut were so holly pur sued that lle-y abandoned their nap--uckh can teens ivc on the road and left everything be hind except their arms i the lore el are set down by our mfoi tmint m l-l./iuu l.i ncolniies ion the authority of one <>( i their wounded and i lit confederate troops i including the first regiment of north carolina i viiluiiii'era the infantry did not pursue and licit tor yorktown sion after llie fight where i they arrived about midnight i the attack of the edgecombe rifles on ihe i null i i ncolniies is said to have been a gal la nl lutl'iir and lie manner in which the kieh luiond artillery manned their guiia won for i tin in we l-meiited prmsc indeed the eo ilitesa land couruge of all the troops under col hill lis said lo have been admirable the losses are ihelieved to he accurately reported in the i dispatcher above published i the coast defences of north carolina i a rumor hnving been circulated in this i city on monday to the effect that a large i body of black republican troops had in ivadid this state at a point below wilmin<r i t<m mr kit roll in the convention moved la resolution of inquiry soliciting informa itioti from the governor as to the truth of idie report governor ellis promptly re isponded to the resolution in the following icniiiiiiunicatioii from which we are trrati i tied to learn that our const is in such a 1st ate of defence as to dt'fy the whole power lot the c 8 navy : | to ihe honorable tlic president i anil members of the convention : | gbk ii.kmk.n : — in compliance with the lanncxed resolution of your honorable body ii have to state that the rumor referred to lis wholly without foundation in truth i i furthermore beg leave to assure the i convention that i am in a situation to i obtain reliable intelligence from every part i of the state as soon as any one else can i obtain it and will not delav to advise them i of the approach of danger i i take this occasion to say further that i if our batteries are properly served a fact lot which i could entertain no doubt the i power of the united states navy is not i sufficient to effect an entrance into anyone i of the harbors of the state i respectfully submitted i john w ellis i execttive l)kpautmknt ) i raleigh june 10 1860 \ i we copy the above from the raleigh i register and we endorse it in the main bour leading harbors are defended of that i few doubt that the men at our batteries i will serve them properly we have no doubt b but now it is not our harbors of which i people talk or in regard to which rumors bare put afloat it is our coast generally i will tovernor ellis or any other gentle i man he so kind as to state where there is i i battery either in position or as light at ■ i tilh-ry between cape lookout and coufed leiai point or between oak island and i little river if we except fort macon i we have already stated that no landldg | has been made or attempted to be made las yet upon otn coast but let us repeat i the question we propounded on monday bsfippose there hail been an attempt i what then ? i it is no use in beintr too reticent about i thi matter we would not put unything i in our columns that would give informa i tion to the enemy ; but with men going i off north every day we may rest assured i that lincoln knows our position to a t i we might as well know it ourselves is i there a cannon between fort macon and i confederate point is there an artillery i company ? is there a regiment ? i wilmington journal i " the girls in columbus ga have or | atiized a " home tiuard for the special | protection of the young men who have con i eluded to remain home during the axis i teni-e of the war i we cut the above from the charleston i mercury where it appears without credit h we do not know who originated the i hase slander but we do know that every i abolition sheet will hasten to publish it — i the mercury should not give currency to | such palpable lies h there is no white feathered ones among | our young or old men nor among our i women either all are doing their parts | nobly and well and such sneers pass them | as the idle wind giviug only comfort to i our enemies if all the south will do as i well as columbus has done or will con i tintie to do butler will never reach ricb i uiond — columbus daily tunes