The recent fight at Smithfield.
It seems that the expedition which landed at
Smithfield on Sunday was organized for the purpose of capturing a number of our pickets, consisting chiefly of members of
Major Milligan's signal corps, who had annoyed the enemy considerably on Saturday at
Cherry Grove.
The Petersburg
Express says:
‘
On Friday night the gunboat
Flora Temple anchored at
Cherry Grove, where she remained quiet until 11 A. M., Saturday, when she weighed anchor, and steamed up the Chuckatuck as high as
Mr. David Corbell's place, where the creek, being so narrow, she made fast on his landing and worked her way around.
’
The
Yankees on board were in high glue, laughing, whistling and dancing.
Several members of the signal corps who were concealed in the bushes near by waited until the
Flora got abreast of them, when they opened upon the invaders, firing at them 80 rounds, and killing and wounding ten or twelve before she could get beyond range.
The pilot and wheelsman were both killed, and others could be heard shrieking and screaming loudly.--After getting out of range the
Flora Temple threw one shell and two discharges of grape, but did no damage.
The boat then proceeded as fast as steam could carry her directly to
Old Point.
On Sunday the force already referred to landed at
Smithfield for the purpose of capturing the
Confederates who had so terribly annoyed the
Flora Temple at
Cherry Grove on Saturday, but were themselves captured.
Of the fight on Monday our informant states that
Captain Sturdivant's forces reached
Smithfield at half-past 11 o'clock, having driven the enemy from
Scott's Factory, four miles distant.
Capt. Sturdivant demanded an immediate and unconditional surrender of all the enemy.--
Captain Lee, of the 29th New York infantry, who was in command, seeing all means of escape cut off, signed a paper surrendering to
Captain S.; but just as he did so the gunboat
Smith Briggs above in sight, and
Capt. Lee refused to surrender.
Capt. Sturdivant then opened on them with his artillery, firing down the main street of the town, the
Yankees being in position opposite the hotel.
For a time the firing was sharp and rapid, the
Yankees returning our fire from a field piece and from the gunboat.
A courier was dispatched behind the village, who discovered that the
Yankees were rushing to the gunboat.
He immediately reported, when
Captain Sturdivant advanced rapidly to the creek with his artillery, and at the same time, our infantry, two companies of the 31st N. C., came up, and picked the
Yankees off with most deadly effect.
The third shot from
Capt. Sturdivant's battery went through the steam chest of the Briggs, and the boat immediately surrendered.
The land forces were not slow in following the example of the boat, and thus the entire party fell into our hands.
We killed of the enemy in all, about thirty five or forty. Ten were killed in the fight at
Scott's Factory, four miles from
Smithfield.
Our loss was two killed, none wounded.
One of the killed was
Lieut. Perkins, attached to
Col. Jordan's 31st N. C. regiment.
Lieut. P. was ambushed just as he ascended the hill at
Scott's Factory, a ball striking him in the thigh, and evening the main artery.
Capt. Lee, commander of the
Yankee forces, succeeded in making his escape by swimming a creek while his guard were in pursuit of other game.
A participant in the engagement informs us that
Capt. Sturdivant acted in both fights with marked gallantry, sitting calmly on his horse amid a heavy fire, and encouraging his men. On Sunday when the cavalry and artillery were thrown into some confusion near
Scott's factory by the enemy, who had secreted themselves behind some old houses,
Capt. Sturdivant rode to the front, and by his gallant bearing and encouraging words, soon rallied the men, and hurried on in pursuit of the retreating foe. His men, too, are said to have fired with great precision and deadly effect.
The enemy had not landed any troops at
Smithfield at a ate hour Monday night, nor was there a gunboat in
Nansemond river, or Pagan or
Chuckatuck creeks.
The fate of the
Flora Temple's crew, as well as that of the
Smith Braggs, has probably satisfied
Butler for a while.
Brigadier General Graham, accompanied by a
Lieutenant-Colonel, one
Major Pendleton, and 80 marines, landed at
Holliday's Point, on the
Nansemond river, Sunday at 12 M. They proceeded to arrest every man in
Chuckatuck, both
white and
black, and then at to eating and drinking.
The object of the visit was to await the arrival of the
Smithfield expedition; but night approaching, and none of their brother pirates appearing, the
General and his party began to "smell a mice," and speedily steamed off to
Fortress Monroe.
Before leaving they released all the prisoners,
white and
black, except
Mr. J. L. Walraven, late of this city, who was taken off to
Old Point with them.
While at
Chuckatuck Gen. Graham boasted of his recent visit to
Brandon, and said he had burnt corn and pork enough there to feed the rebel army for a month or two.
Graham is the
General who was taken prisoner at
Gettysburg, but was subsequently exchanged for
Gen. Kemper.