The Greensborough Patriot

Aug. 7, 1862

Page 2

From the Forty-sixth Regiment.

From a private letter, written by a member of the Forty-sixth N. C. Regiment, we make the following extracts: “We had a fatiguing march yesterday, (30^th July) and when we halted for the night the rain began to “sprinkle,” and we have been making ourselves as comfortable as possible, waiting patiently for matters to develop themselves. We are near an old Church, called “Merchant’s Hope” lying among the trees and bushes to keep concealed from the Yankees at the gun boats, as it is but a short walk to the river. Out of the old Church a morning since a trio of Yankee pickets crawled forth. As they had “seen nothing” our forces allowed them to depart uninterrupted, exhilarant, no doubt with the idea that they had all alone achieved a great and glorious “victory.”

“An engagement of some kind is certainly imminent, and we are momentarily expecting to hear our batteries open on the gun boats. From the eminences along the river at some points the Yankee camp can be decried, commencing at Harrison’s Farm, with their hundreds of tents dotting the fields and hills, until distance hides them from view. But little is seen of their occupants, who are not stirring with that spirit and buzz that might be expected to appear in a Yankee war-camp. No doubt this metropolis of McClellan’s brings to their minds other matters than making finger-rings, Jack-knives, pretty buttons, &c.,--matters which have always consumed (and of such men, so superior as a race, well merited) their undivided attention heretofore.

“Aug. 1, 6 p. m.—A little after midnight our artillery composed in all of ____ pieces opened simultaneously upon the enemy.—The prelude to this grand and terrific discharge was given by a captured gun, (“Long Tom” I believe) which blazed away, throwing his load of wrath with a fearful creak and whiz right into the midst of the Yankee camp, which was lighted up by the fires at the guard tents. The infantry supporting our batteries were then called to “Attention” and instantly the woods for a great distance along the available points blazed with the bouncing flame and flashing of the guns, illumining the hillsides for the moment as if by so many streaks of vivid lightning. The campfires of the enemy and the lights on their vessels were at once extinguished, which served not to retard the progress of our artillery no more than did the fire from their gun boats dislodge us from our position. The cannonading continued for at least two hours with incessant discharges on the fleet in the water and the encampment on shore. It was terrific beyond conception, and as our guns had been placed in position with the utmost care, and the points selected without the knowledge of the enemy, the damage inflicted upon them must have been heavy and severe. Balls could have been heard striking against the iron clad steamers in the most rapid succession, and the colliding sounds of the confused and terror-stricken transports, tugs and schooners composing the motley fleet of Commodore Wilkes’ expedition could be distinctly heard amid the din and thunder of the battle. We can give no definite idea of the injuries they sustained, it being a night attack on the river a mile in width, and the guns at long range. On our side one man was killed and two wounded.