GREAT BETHEL. 



nient, we came about 4 o'clock in the morning 

 to Little Bethel, a distance of about ten miles. 

 At this point we discovered and surprised the 

 picket-guard of the enemy, and a mounted offi- 

 cer with four or five foot were taken prisoners. 

 While pushing forward towards Big Bethel, we 

 suddenly heard a heavy fire of musketry and 

 cannon in our rear, bespeaking a severe engage- 

 ment. Supposing it to be an attempt of the 

 enemy to cut off our reserve, we immediately 

 countermarched in quick and double-quick time, 

 when, having proceeded about five miles, we 

 came upon two of our regiments, and learned 

 that in the darkness of the night they had mis- 

 taken each other for enemies, and an unfor- 

 tunate engagement, accompanied with some 

 loss, had taken place." 



Up to the time of this fatal mistake, the plan 

 had been vigorously, accurately, and success- 

 fully carried out. As a precaution, the com- 

 manding general had ordered that no attack 

 should be made until the watchword had been 

 shouted by the attacking regiment. Ten of 

 Col. Townsend's regiment were wounded, and 

 one mortally. All hope of surprising the ene- 

 my above the camp at Little Bethel was now 

 lost, and it was found, upon marching upon it, 

 to have been vacated, and the cavalry had 

 pressed on towards Great Bethel. Gen. Pierce 

 now consulted with his colonels, and it was 

 concluded to attempt to carry the works of the 

 enemy at Great Bethel, and measures were 

 taken for that purpose. The force proceeded 

 on, and Great Bethel was reached about 10 

 o'clock. Over a small stream twelve miles from 

 Hampton, a bridge, called County Bridge, crosses 

 on the road to Yorktown. On the opposite 

 side, and to the right, the enemy were posted 

 behind sand batteries. In front of their batter- 

 ies was a broad open field, and nearer to the 

 bridge than that, and on the right of the ad- 

 vancing force, was a wood, and in front and to 

 the left, a corn-field. Between the wood and 

 the corn-field, ran a road connected with that 

 by which the advance was made. Col. Dur- 

 yea's regiment now advanced over the fence 

 and into the corn-field, and deployed into 

 an apple orchard on the enemy's right flank. 

 The Albany regiment took a supporting posi- 

 tion on the right and rear of Col. Duryea, while 

 it in turn was supported in like manner by Col. 

 Allen's regiment. In the road in front of the 

 enemy's batteries, Lieut. Greble's howitzers 

 were placed, having in their rear Col. Bendix's 

 regiment, which deployed on the right, in the 

 wood, and on the enemy's left flank with three 

 companies of the Massachusetts and Vermont 

 regiments. The fire of the enemy became at 

 once incessant and galling on the Federal right. 

 The howitzers of Lieut. Greble, supported only 

 by the ordinary force of gunners, opened fire 

 with great rapidity and effect, and were stead- 

 ily advanced to within 200 yards of the enemy's 

 position. Several attempts were now made to 

 charge the batteries, but were unsuccessful, ow- 

 ing to a morass in their front and a deep ditch 



or stream requiring ladders to cross it. The 

 troops were, however, gradually gaining ground, 

 although the action had continued nearly two 

 hours and a half, when the order was given by 

 Gen. Pierce to retreat. The howitzers main- 

 tained their position until their ammunition be- 

 gan to give out, when Lieut. Greble was struck 

 on the back part of the head by a cannon ball, 

 killing him instantly. The gunner having 

 been disabled, the pieces were withdrawn by a 

 small force under Col. Washburn. 



On the right, the Vermont companies had 

 outflanked the enemy, gaining a position in 

 their rear and pouring such a hot fire as to 

 silence the battery there. A statement by one 

 of the Confederate force, says : " One company 

 under Capt. Winthrop attempted to take the 

 redoubt on the left. The marsh over which 

 they crossed was strewn with their bodies. 

 Their captain, a fine-looking 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 rifle ended his life the next moment, 

 and his men fled." The force retired from the 

 field in order, about half-past 12 o'clock, and 

 the enemy on the same day fell back to York- 

 town. The number of Federal troops was be- 

 tween three and four thousand, while that of 

 the enemy was nearly fifteen hundred. The 

 loss on the Federal side was sixteen killed, 

 thirty-four wounded, and five missing. The 

 loss on the Confederate side was small. 



A statement was made by an officer of Col. 

 Bendix's regiment, that the latter had not re- 

 ceived any intimation that the troops would 

 wear white badges round the arm for the pur- 

 pose of mutual recognition, and if he had, he 

 would not have been able to distinguish such 

 badge at the distance and in the dusk of the 

 morning. Col. Bendix's command did not wear 

 such badges. The uniform of Col. Townsend's 

 regiment was very similar to that of the enemy. 

 It was also further stated, that when Col. Town- 

 send's troops approached the junction over a 

 slight ridge, they appeared to be a troop of 

 cavalry, because Gen. Pierce and staff and Col. 

 Townsend and staff, in a body, rode in advance 

 of their troops, and without any advance guard 

 thrown out. 



The expedition was originally undertaken 

 with the object of cutting off a body of the 

 enemy supposed to be near Newport News, and 

 it was undertaken at night in order to surprise 

 their batteries. This surprise was frustrated 

 by the mistaken engagement between the two 

 regiments. Some of the officers were opposed 

 to an advance after this occurrence. 



The bravery of the Federal troops was ad- 

 mitted even by the enemy, and if proper knowl- 

 edge had been obtained beforehand of the po- 

 sition, and no order for retreat had been given, 

 the attack would have been successful. No in- 

 vestigation has ever been made of the affair, 

 nor has the generalship displayed ever been 

 approved. 



