The
North Carolina papers bring us some scanty particulars of the fight at
Averysboro' on the 15th and 16th instant.
They argue that the battle was a desperate one for the size of the force engaged.
The Raleigh
Progress says: "We have conversed with several wounded and other soldiers engaged in the fight, and they all agree that it was a desperate one.
Most of them our entire loss was about one thousand, while they say that of the enemy must have been four thousand or five thousand.--A gentleman, just from
Weldon on Saturday last, informs us that he saw an official dispatch from
General Johnston, which placed our loss at three hundred and fifty, and the supposed loss of the enemy at five thousand.
"The following is what we think, probably, approaching a true account, though among so many rumors we cannot vouch for the absolute truth of any: It seems that the fight commenced about noon on Wednesday, the 15th, and continued briskly until night.
Considerable skirmishing was carried on all night, and on Thursday morning the battle commenced furiously, and raged the whole day.
General Hardee, with about half a corps, was intrenched between
Black creek and
Cape Fear river, at no great distance from the confluence of these two streams, but at a point higher up than that at which the enemy crossed the former stream.
Here he was attacked by two corps of
Sherman's veterans, and our works were charged three several times, and each charge was repulsed with immense slaughter.
We do not understand the position of
General Bragg, but we are informed that his troops were driven back, which made it necessary for
Hardee to fall back to prevent being flanked.
He had to abandon two guns, the horses belonging to them being all, or nearly all, killed, so that he was unable to bring them off."
The
Charlotte Carolinian publishes something about the part borne by the
South Carolina troops in the fight.
It says:
‘
"On the 16th instant, four miles below
Averysboro', which is between
Fayetteville and
Smithfield, two corps, under
Slocum, and
Kilpatrick's cavalry, were met by
Rhett's brigade of South Carolina regulars, and held in check for five hours, until the arrival of
General Stephen Elliott's brigade (also
Charleston troops), when the enemy were handsomely repulsed.
We have no further details of the fight, but the results reported to us by an officer who participated in the engagement show that the
Federals, lost, as is estimated, about three thousand five hundred killed and wounded; our own loss being about five hundred.
"
Colonel Alfred Rhett, in command of the brigade, is reported missing.
"Killed in First infantry regulars:
Lieutenant-Colonel DeTreville,
Lieutenant Glover and
Captain Quattlebaum.
Wounded:
Captain Press.
Smith, badly;
Captain Burnett, thigh;
Captain Calhoun;
Captain P. Bacott, knee;
Lieutenant Horlback, left eye;
Lieutenant North.
Wounded and captured:
Lieutenant Ravenel McBeth.
"First artillery--Killed:
Captain Lesene, son of
Henry Lesesne;
Lieutenants LaBorde and
Stewart.
Wounded;
Major Blanding,
Captain Rhett,
Lieutenant Fickling,
Lieutenant J. Middleton,
Lieutenant de Lorns,
Lieutenant Robertson.
Missing:
Lieutenant Edward Middleton,
Lieutenant Frost."
’
A letter from
Major W. S. Downer,
Superintendent of the
Lockville Mining Company, of the 17th instant, gives some account of the doings of the
Yankees in
Fayetteville:
‘
"
Fayetteville is ruined.
All the arsenal buildings, the market house, court-house, printing office, both foundries, all the mills, cotton factories, oil works,
Mr. Mallett's house,
Mr. McLean's house, &c., were destroyed.
They robbed the people of everything in the way of food.
I have a letter from
Mr. Mallett, in which he says 'some people must starve.'--The train has gone down to
Little river, to day, carrying a load of provisions."
’
The enemy seem to be making thieving raids into
Western North Carolina.
The
Charlotte Democrat says:
‘
"On Wednesday last, a squad of thirty-five Yankee cavalry dashed into the village of
Monroe, Union county, remained about an hour, and left, carrying off all the horses and mules they could gather up. A train of wagons, ten in number, belonging to a party of refugees from Chester district, had just reached the village, and were standing in the street when the appeared.
Of course the train was seized; and horses, mules, and wagons, with their contents, and nineteen negro men, were carried off. Thirteen of the negroes escaped from the enemy and returned to
Monroe the same night.
The loss is a heavy one to the unfortunate refugees, for we suppose the wagons contained all the valuables they possessed.
The women and children that accompanied the wagons were left standing in the streets of
Monroe. "
’
