The Daily Dispatch: July 8, 1861., [Electronic resource]

---

---

A skirmish at Newport News.

--Passengers who came up by the James River steamer yesterday, report a skirmish which took place near Newport News, on Thursday night. It is said that about 150 Louisianians, headed by Col. De Russy, who were out reconnoitering, encountered the New York Zouave Regiment of Col. Duryea, and a brisk fire was commenced and continued for some time on both sides.

It is thought that many of the enemy were killed, but the number of course is unknown to our men. We regret to hear that on our side there were two killed, and one of these was Col. De Russy, of the Louisiana Regiment. Col. De R. was widely known in Virginia, and his death will be universally lamented.

We find the above in the Petersburg Express, but there is certainly a mistake in the report of Col. De Russy. That officer, we understand, was in Richmond on Wednesday and left for Yorktown on Thursday. That there was such a skirmish, we believe, as the same account has reached us, with the exception that another gallant Louisiana Colonel was killed. That officer was the chivalrous Col. Charles D. Dreux, of the Louisiana Battalion. His body was brought to this city on Saturday and forwarded under an escort to New Orleans. The want of a telegraph line hence to Yorktown is much to be regretted, as the suspense in cases of this kind is extremely painful to the friends of those rumored to have been killed.