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The Fight at Washington.--
Gen. Martin, who has been transferred to the command of the force in
North Carolina, attacked the
Federal at
Washington, N. C., on Saturday last, with cavalry and infantry and two pieces of artillery.
The Raleigh
Journal gives the following account of the fight:
At dawn of day, Saturday morning, they advanced upon the town, where a brisk skirmish, rising perhaps to the dignity of a fight, ensued.
Our men encountered one or more batteries of the enemy as they entered the town, which opened on them with deadly effect, and which they had been led to believe had been dismantled or stripped of their guns.
Nothing daunted, however, they rushed impetuously on and past these batteries and gained the interior of the town, where the fight continued, almost hand to hand for upwards of three hours. At the expiration of this time the Yanks, as usual, sought the shelter of their gunboats, which immediately commenced shelling the town, while an incessant fire was also kept up from their batteries inland — Under the circumstances, our forces felt it necessary to retire, having sustained a loss of some thirty or forty killed, wounded, and missing, of whom, we learn, some seven were killed.
The fight having been continued from street to street and at different points, it was impossible to estimate the loss of the enemy, but it is reasonably surmised it was much greater than our own.
Our men brought off with them three pieces of
Latham's battery, which were captured at the battle of Newborn, also some ten or fifteen prisoners.
The prisoners captured state that the enemy had been reinforced the proceeding evening by several companies of cavalry, which, of course, operated strongly in their favor.
One of the prisoners states that this reinforcement was made in consequence of information received of the meditated attack; while another states that it was preparatory to making a raid into the country on last Sunday.
The latter, it is thought, was the true reason, inasmuch as the reinforcement consisted of cavalry; and, if so, it has been opportunely prevented by the attack.
Capt. Booth, Co. C, 2d cavalry, fell mortally wounded, while gallantly leading his men in the hottest of the fight.
On the same day that
Gen. Martin took
Washington, Col. Conoley, accompanied
Major Nethercut in an expedition in the direction of
Newbern.
When within seven miles of the town they surprised and took a camp of sixteen negroes and two white men; also $700 in specie.
Proceeding two miles further, (about five miles from
Newbern,) they routed another camp of Yankees.
