May 20, 1863, The New York Herald
THE FIGHT AT CARRSVILLE.
The Correspondence of Mr. Edward F. Denyse.
IN BIVOUAC, NEAR CARRSVILLE, Va., May 15, 1863.
On Wednesday afternoon, at about two o’clock, a reconnoissance force was started from Suffolk for the interior of the rebel country by way of the South Quay road. This force, which was quite large, was under command of Colonel Foster, of the Thirteenth Indiana.
Owing to the expedition being entirely commanded on this occasion by Colonel Foster, Colonel Follansby, of the Sixth Massachusetts, commanded his brigade. In addition, our force was swelled by several regiments of Corcoran’s Irish Legion, organized as a temporary brigade.
The object of this movement was to tear up the fine railroad in the vicinity of and between Carrsville and Franklin, thus destroying a portion of the Seaboard and Roanoke Railroad on its most important line – that between here and Weldon – thus preventing the easy transportation of rebel supplies from North Carolina.
Our movements had in this case to be brisk, in order to gain our point before the enemy could concentrate and oblige us to fight our way through them. Spear’s cavalry, under command of the gallant Colonel himself, dashed out to our front, spread out on our flanks and scoured the whole country in advance.
The men had no knapsacks, and but few wagons for the transportation of their three days’ rations, so there was nothing to encumber us, and we were well prepared for a forced march.
All the hot afternoon the men tramped along in the dust, never complaining, but marching forward with shouts, songs and jests, making the solitudes made desolate by the rebel hordes, resound with their jollity. All that night we marched through horrid roads, but the men’s spirits never flagged, and they were kept up to their work in brisk time. The route lay through swamps and woods, in darkness impenetrable. Wagons mired, caissons capsized, but sturdy arms overturned them with marvellous quickness, and on we went all that night. A short pause was made at one A. M. to enable the men to make coffee and otherwise refresh themselves: but after one hour’s rest they were summoned, and once more placed en route. Owing to the horrible swamps and morasses through which we were forced to pass it was found necessary to build immense fires at intervals along the road to enable us to direct our footsteps and prevent an occasional immersion in either mud or water, or both. Several bridges broke down in the midst of this slough, and we were delayed some time; but we continued our march and happily shook off the vapors of the swamp at daybreak, and halted, with the sun three hours high, in and about Carrsville, in which village Colonel Spear had had a gallant cavalry fight with the enemy, driving their pickets back upon the reserve and forcing the whole body to retreat. Pursuing hotly, he overtook the rebels at Beaver Dam church, three miles from our present position, and after another gallant fight compelled them to retreat across the Blackwater.
Our men rested here until afternoon, when Colonel Foster ordered out laborers to begin their work and tear up the track near Beaver Dam church. The enemy now began a movement across the river to seize the railroad, and put a stop to operations. A lively fire was now opened from their sharpshooters, and then our troops were ordered forward.
Acting Brigadier McIver advanced the reserve, and awaited developments.
A brisk skirmish opened on the right, but we had no intention to bring on a general engagement, as it was contrary to General Peck’s orders to do so.
The rebel battery on the railroad was therefore unanswered, with the exception of our skirmishers’ shots. The One Hundred and Sixty-sixth Pennsylvania (drafted men) here acted in the most disgraceful manner, breaking early in the skirmish and deserting to the rear. As I rode to the front with Lieutenant Burke of General Corcoran’s staff, a volunteer aid for the occasion, I met their stragglers in droves coming along the road to the rear.
Our men, in consequence of this unexpected stampede, were compelled to fall back before the advancing rebels, but took a strong position at Beaver Dam church, where they were reinforced by Battery L, Fourth Regulars, under command of Lieutenant Hasbrouck. Night coming on, hostilities ceased. The left still held its position undisturbed.
It is not yet nine A. M. as I write this. Our men are busily engaged in tearing up the track and running the rails to the rear on handcars.
General Foster has determined to hold his ground, and we may have an engagement this afternoon.
All is quiet at this hour, and our men are undisturbed in their work. I write this hastily, in order to send it by a party returning to Suffolk for three days’ further rations.