The fighting then shifted to the right, and was kept up two or three hours longer, the
Federals several times attempting to carry the
Confederate works by assault, but in every instance they were met with such a deadly fire they fell back.
During one of these assaults a gallant young officer,
Major Theodore Winthrop, of
New Haven, Conn., who was
General Butler's private secretary, and who volunteered as an aid on
General Pierce's staff for this expedition, while attempting to rally a wavering column, drew his sword, waved it aloft, leaped on the trunk of a fallen tree, and shouted to his men: ‘One more charge, boys, and the day is ours!’
Alas, for poor
Winthrop!
It was his last charge.
A North Carolinian sent a bullet crashing through his heart, and he fell dead at the head of the column, which retired in great confusion.
This practically ended the battle, after four or five hours of fighting, and the
Federals returned to
Fortress Monroe.
A gathering up of the wounded and a summary of the casualties showed a loss of:
| Killed. | Wounded. | Missing. | Total. |
| Federals, | 18 | 53 | 5 | 76 |
| Confederates, | 1 | 9 | — | 10 |
The small loss of the
Confederates was due probably to the fact that they were fighting for the most part behind works.
During the battle a prisoner was taken by the
Confederates, which was considered a great feat in those early days of the war, and so fearful was his captor that he would escape he tied him to a tree during the battle, in rear of Bethel Church, in line of fire.
I'll never forget the look of fright upon his countenance while thus exposed, nor did he ever forget his experience, I am sure.
Here's to you, old friend, if this should meet your eye. If I were as near you to-day as I was on that memorable 10th of June I would shake you by the hand.
