Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 4.djvu/33

Rh firing to surprise the Confederates, General Pierce sent back for reinforcements and then moved on toward Bethel. About 9 o’clock on the morning of the 10th the Federals appeared on the field in front of the Southern works, and Greble s battery took position. A shot from a Parrott gun in the Confederate works ushered in the great Civil war on land. The first Federal attack was on the front. As a result of this attack Colonel Carr says: &quot;Our troops were soon seeking the shelter of the woods after a vain attempt to drive the enemy from the works. This attack was repelled mainly by Ran dolph s accurate fire, aided by the gallant conduct of the Burke Rifles under Captain Avery and by the Hornet s Nest Rifles. A little later in the action the Edgecombe Guards, Captain Bridgers, gallantly retook a redoubt that had, on the accidental disabling of a gun, been abandoned by the Confederates. In front of this redoubt the Federals had found shelter behind and in a house. Colonel Hill called for volunteers from the Edgecombe Guards to burn this house. Sergt. George H. Williams, Thomas Fallon, John H. Thorpe, H. L. Wyatt and R. H. Bradley promptly offered their services and made a brave rush for the house. On the way a shot from the enemy s rear guard struck Wyatt down. The determined spirit of this heroic young soldier led to a premature death, but by dying he won the undying fame of being the first Confederate soldier killed in action.

An attempt to turn the Confederate left having failed, a force headed by General Butler s aide, the gifted young Connecticut novelist, Maj. Theodore Winthrop, made an atempt on the left, but the Carolinians posted there killed Winthrop at the first fire, and his followers soon rejoined Pierce and the whole force retreated toward Fortress Monroe. Just at the close of the action, Lieutenant Greble, who had served his guns untiringly against the Confederates, was killed. The gun